Lord Mandelson, the British Ambassador to the United States, has been dismissed after the publication of e-mails and other documents exposing his association with the disgraced felon Jeffrey Epstein. The case has caused huge embarrassment, and prompted questions about his own judgement and that of the Prime Minister who appointed him.
Enough about him. It’s probably the case that all of us have some big or little secret that we’d rather no one knows about.
Here’s an example. King David was a great man of faith – the Bible calls him a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). But in a period of catastrophic weakness, he committed adultery and then murder. The account is in 2 Samuel 11.
For something like nine months, David lived with his guilt and fear. Then God sent to him the prophet Nathan, who publicly exposed his crimes (chapter 12).
What would you do in that situation? You’re the king, after all. Would you deny it, or make an excuse, or respond with violence?
David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die (v. 23).
Was there perhaps relief – that his agony of concealment was over, and the way was now at last open to make his peace with his God and his conscience.
The account of David’s life from that point shows very clearly that he and his family suffered the consequences of his sin. His authority at home, in his court and abroad was weakened, and the last part of his reign was marked by strife, intrigue and bloodshed. That’s the way things often are, in such circumstances. But the way he now behaved and spoke, and particularly the Psalms he wrote at this time, show a deepened spiritual wisdom.
There are two particular Psalms that he wrote at this time – Psalms 32 and 51. They’re songs of grief and penitence. They’re also songs of confidence in the boundless mercy and love of God.
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin… Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! (Psalm 32:1-5, 11).
So what might we take away from this? For one, the fact that God knows everything. We may be able to hide our secrets from people, but we can’t hide them from Him. And second, the fact that He is supremely merciful. People may gossip and grudge, but God is always willing to forgive.
Chris Parkin