Psalm 51
Just because someone writes a beautiful song does not relieve them of the responsibility of their sin.
Case in point: David wrote Psalm 51 but his illegitimate child died anyway.
As I consider my post yesterday and my mention of music there, it makes me wonder if sometimes music is a cop-out for true repentance. I don't really think it is, but it is worth considering! Not all musicians experience out-of-control sin in their lives, but many famous ones do. Case in point: David.
Could David have prevented himself from this downward spiral? I don't know. But, had David focused more on his relationship with God instead of writing emotionally-charged songs (which, by the way really speak to us hundreds of years later), could his testimony have been different? Would David have even been able to convey so much emotion in his songwriting (most of the Psalms) had he not had such flagrant sin?
The fact remains that God used David. David was described as a man after God's own heart! David sinned greatly and suffered accordingly - yet he penned engaging words that people through the ages have found great comfort in in their own sinfulness. Yet, God also showed preference to David's son Solomon, the son of Bathsheba, with whom David first committed adultery that led to murder.
In David's defense, not all his songs were about repentance - as a matter of fact, most of his songwriting seems to be about praise than repentance. But, could that be indicative of a problem in itself?
I think there is much more to be learned from the life of David than first meets the eye.
Father, help me to learn all that I can possibly learn from the life of David - this man of great indiscretion - who still was privileged to be known as a man after Your own heart.
As I consider my post yesterday and my mention of music there, it makes me wonder if sometimes music is a cop-out for true repentance. I don't really think it is, but it is worth considering! Not all musicians experience out-of-control sin in their lives, but many famous ones do. Case in point: David.
Could David have prevented himself from this downward spiral? I don't know. But, had David focused more on his relationship with God instead of writing emotionally-charged songs (which, by the way really speak to us hundreds of years later), could his testimony have been different? Would David have even been able to convey so much emotion in his songwriting (most of the Psalms) had he not had such flagrant sin?
The fact remains that God used David. David was described as a man after God's own heart! David sinned greatly and suffered accordingly - yet he penned engaging words that people through the ages have found great comfort in in their own sinfulness. Yet, God also showed preference to David's son Solomon, the son of Bathsheba, with whom David first committed adultery that led to murder.
In David's defense, not all his songs were about repentance - as a matter of fact, most of his songwriting seems to be about praise than repentance. But, could that be indicative of a problem in itself?
I think there is much more to be learned from the life of David than first meets the eye.
Father, help me to learn all that I can possibly learn from the life of David - this man of great indiscretion - who still was privileged to be known as a man after Your own heart.
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