I’ve been hearing back from folks commenting on this “Prayers of Repentance” series. Some are using these teachings to rebuild the family altar. They are using the series as the basis for Bible study, worship, and intercessory prayer for their family, the church, and our beleaguered nation.
Others have used these prayers of repentance at their local death camps. They are pleading with the Lord from His Word to arise and end this holocaust in Jesus’ name! It is good to know the Lord is using these teachings in men’s lives to further His Kingdom despite the Covid-19 fiasco.
Today, as promised, we are going to observe King David’s specific prayer when the Lord finally busted him for his adulterous affair that led to the murder of Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband. It is probably the most Biblically specific prayer that needs to be applied in our day.
Both, David and now America, have been staggered under the weight of blood guilt. It is a serious offense before a Holy God. To demonstrate how serious, included in the comment section will be a shorter version and a longer version of a message preached called “The Doctrine of Blood guiltiness.” It will expound on the dangers we face due to this national sin that is bringing national calamity upon us. In fact, if we do not repent, like David, Covid-19 could just be the beginning of woes visiting our defiled land.
As an aside, I love Uriah. He is one of my favorite men in all the Bible. Him, along with Joseph, the stepfather of Jesus, I consider the two most underrated men of faith in redemptive history. I love their devotion, dedication, loyalty, sacrifice, faithfulness, and obedience to the Lord. If rarity determines value, then these men provide a great example for churchmen to emulate.
Meanwhile, back to David. There was a reality check coming that would produce a broken and contrite heart that God will never despise. If you recall, God tapped Nathan, the prophet, with the precarious task of confronting David. Nathan had to hold this powerful, warrior king, accountable for his detestable acts that warranted the death penalty according to the Law of Moses. David was so fierce in battle and bloodied, God forbade him to build His Temple. No, that would be left to David’s son, a man of peace, Solomon, to build.
It appears God gave Nathan much wisdom and tact to bring David to self-incrimination. He started with a story, a parable that captured David’s heart and ignited his keen sense of justice.
Nathan stated:
There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds. But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him (2 Samuel 12:1-4).
After hearing this report, God’s Word testifies that David’s anger was deeply aroused against the man who had done this injustice. A holy shock was about to hit his sin-soaked soul, however, when Nathan lowered the boom and dropped a nuclear bomb in David’s heart. “YOU ARE THE MAN!!!”
The two-edged sword of God’s Word brought about the desired impact in David’s life, “So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD” (2 Samuel 12:13). The following is his prayer of repentance recorded in Psalms 51.
I cannot emphasize enough how important this prayer is when it comes to our bloodstained nation. We are guilty of shedding much innocent blood that is drowning our nation. Just like David, America is using murder to falsely atone for our sexual immorality. It didn’t work for him and it will never work for us. Days of retribution are upon us and every drop of innocent blood must be held to account. Our nation will never escape God’s justice nor receive His mercy, until we repent and abolish abortion once and for all in Jesus’ name!
This prayer is pertinent to our government who instituted this national evil, parents who have partaken of this murderous evil, the medical personnel who have performed this grisly evil, and the church, who for the most part, have ignored this evil.
“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight—That You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You. Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation, And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise. For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise. Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem. Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar” (Psalms 51:1-19).
Brethren take your time going this one and beseech the Lord to deliver our nation from the guilt of bloodshed in Jesus’ name!