Most of us have never been that thirsty. We have water readily available to us. And we drink when we get thirsty. But what about our soul? Can you even tell when you soul is thirsty? Physically, we can only go without water for three days or so. But what about spiritually? How long can you go without God?

In Psalm 42 the Psalmist says:

As the deer pants for streams of water, 
    so my soul pants for you, my God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. 
    When can I go and meet with God? (42:1-2)

Have you ever felt “thirsty for God?” So much so that your soul is panting? In Psalm 5, David says

In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;
    in the morning I lay my requests before you
    and wait expectantly. (5:3)

While we can definitely meet with God any time of day, there is something good about drinking God in during the morning hours. It prepares us for our day. It helps us get the nourishment we need to make it.

On the flip side, we learn from Psalm 38 that our sin literally makes us unhealthy. That’s a profound thought. And from Psalm 41 we see that our integrity upholds us and sets us in God’s presence (41:12). Integrity is when the parts of our person are “integrated” or “connected” so that our soul functions like it’s supposed to. Interestingly, in Psalm 42 the Psalmist talks with his soul like it’s a person. Maybe if we treated our own souls a little more like that, we’d pay better attention to what they’re telling us and what they need.

• If you were to describe your soul today, what words come to mind?
• How can you tell when your soul is longing to spend time with God?
• What’s the difference between waiting until you’re real “thirsty” and being proactive about nurturing your soul? How can you tell a person who does each one?
• What are some ways your soul is most nurtured in relationship to God?

And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning, because on that day the troops heard it said, “The king is grieving for his son.” (19:2)

Why did these words stand out to me? A couple of reasons. First, whenever loss happens, mourning is the healthy response to take. Rather than ignoring the reality and pretending like everything is okay, making the space to mourn is one of the most important steps someone can take.   When a loss isn’t grieved, feelings of depression can easily come in response to the loss. Grieving helps prevent that depression.

Second, the fact that David mourned the loss of his son gives us another window into his heart and character. His son had usurped the throne and wanted his father killed. Yet David still has compassion for his son and humbly responds from a place of love, rather than other more negative emotions. As David has others rebel against him, this is important to keep in mind. The character of a leader is often displayed consistently throughout both the decisions they make and the kind of life they lead. Continue to look for ways that David has a different kind of heart as a leader.

• What are some significant losses you’ve experienced in your own life?
• How do you go about grieving your losses?
• If you don’t do a good job at mourning or grieving, what are some things you can do to give yourself permission to be sad and reflect on your losses in ways that bring healing?

But because I often see the world through this kind of lens, I think a lot about things not being right. They are out of order. They break too quickly. They rust and fade. They don’t work like they should. Can any of you relate? (and others of you are thinking “this guy is a little nuts!”)

The Psalms have some recurring themes. For example, we’ve read a lot of Psalms asking for God’s protection and provision. But I see a different theme rising out of our reading today. The Psalmist prays for God’s vindication, that God wouldn’t hide or conceal or withhold his goodness, and that God would hear and protect and hide me when necessary. Another way to see these requests is that God would set things right. They are currently wrong – but one day can be made right. They are now impacted by evil – but can move toward goodness. They are out of place in our fallen world – but can be rearranged in a redeemed world.

This is actually a pretty deep theological subject, and one that the author/scholar N.T. Wright spends a good amount of time writing about. You might even want to do some study on how God is redeeming his world. But I love the simplicity in which the Psalms long for God to set things right. That’s a good prayer. That’s a kingdom hope shining through the darkness of everyday stresses. And it’s definitely much better than throwing in the towel because the world is such a mess!

• What are some things that are not right that bug you as you look at the world today?
• What are a few things that you look forward to God setting right?
• What is one thing you can do to participate in God setting things right?

“O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!” (18:33)

It’s the heart of a father in grief over the tragic loss of his son. While it’s not like we couldn’t see it coming, it is still painful to watch, even at a distance. Families rise and families fall. Some relationships grow deeper and flourish, while others grow cold and wane.

The Bible doesn’t tell us much about what kind of father David was. We know he was a great warrior and had a heart for God . . . but then we learn far more about his humanity and failings . . . and then the consequences that rise out of these. It is still hard to imagine a son pursuing his father to kill him so that he could take the throne as king. But there is a verse that gives us a clue into Absalom’s heart:

During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it in the King’s Valley as a monument to himself, for he thought, “I have no son to carry on the memory of my name.” He named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day. (18:18)

Many people give their life’s energies to the good of humankind. They desire to make a difference in the world by helping others and reaching out. Then there is another kind of human being. One that would build “a monument to himself.” While some might admire such a person, others see through the superficiality of such a self-serving life.

• What are some of the obvious differences between what David wanted to build (a temple/monument to God) and what Absalom build (a monument to himself)?
• What are some ways that people build monuments to themselves today?
• What are some lessons for fathers and families from the tragic story of Absalom?

David definitely expressed his need for God as he ran from Absalom. He has quite a history of running from enemies. And when you have a lot of enemies, or those enemies are attempting to do whatever is necessary to eliminate you, it’s definitely helpful to have a good shield.

In the Psalms for today God is referred to as a shield several times. And just as it provided comfort for the Psalmist, it can provide comfort for us as well. In fact, one of the most comforting verses in Scripture is:

Cast your cares on the Lord
    and he will sustain you; 
he will never let
    the righteous be shaken. (55:22)

• What do you need God to shield you from? Spend some time asking for his protection today.
• What cares do you currently have that you can cast on God?

In the reading today, all hell breaks loose as Amnon (David’s oldest son) rapes his half-sister Tamar. He becomes so obsessed with lust that he makes himself sick (13:2). And even after Tamar warns hims (13:12-13), he proceeds to violate her irrespective of any consequences. When their father David hears about it, he’s furious, but as far as we know does nothing about it. Avoidance could be one of the most potent fuels in dysfunctional family life.

Absalom finally kills Amnon, and then conspires to take over as king, causing David to flee for his life just like he fled from King Saul many years earlier. For a man so brave he sure seems to be running a lot! The conspicuous absence of some form of reconciliation and forgiveness results in consequences larger than King David most likely anticipated. Things even come full circle as Ahithophel, Bathsheba’s grandfather, sides with Absalom. Here we’re reminded that events of the past somehow don’t stay in the past.

Without judging David’s family too harshly, as every family since Adam and Eve has been a dysfunctional family, there are many points to ponder from this narrative:

• While parents can’t always control the actions of their children, what might have been done differently in David’s situation?
• Do you think it’s coincidental that Amnon’s sexual immorality and Absalom’s murder echo the past sins in David’s own life? Why or why not?
• Why do you think David might have avoided dealing with important issues in the lives of his children? What are some of the main causes of avoidance in families today?
• If consequences are inevitable to our actions, how might we live our lives in a way to minimize negative consequences?

Psalm 32 and 51 are famous because through them we get to see the heart of David in response to his sinfulness we read about yesterday. Psalm 32 allows us to see what happens when we keep silent:

When I kept silent, 
    my bones wasted away 
    through my groaning all day long. (32:3)

Doesn’t sound like a very good choice, does it? The better choice comes in not hiding, acknowledging, and confessing our sin . . . even though that often seems far more scary:

Then I acknowledged my sin to you
    and did not cover up my iniquity. 
I said, “I will confess 
    my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave
    the guilt of my sin. (32:5)

The result that comes from confession is happiness (32:1-2). The word “blessed” could be translated “happy” or even “having a sense of well-being.” A much better way to live than having our bones waste away! Medical research has even confirmed that those who have relationships with others where they can talk about the difficult things of life will live longer than those who keep it all inside.

Psalm 51 gives us a theology of sin, as we learn that sin has a way of staying with us (51:3), sin is against God (51:4), and sin begins at birth (51:5). Yet God has the ability to give mercy, show love, give compassion, blot out transgressions, wash away and cleanse iniquity, restore, deliver, and so on. Sin is explained with convicting clarity . . . and God’s ability to handle our sin is explained with compelling relief.

A classic prayer we might choose to pray are David’s words:

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 
Do not cast me from your presence 
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation 
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. (51:10-12)

• Have you had a time in your life where you choose to hang on to your sin instead of confess it? What happened to your life, your joy, your health?
• What has been your experience with confession? Do you take time to confess your sins to God? Do you have some safe people in your life with whom you can share your stuff? If you don’t, make a commitment to find someone this week that you can share more deeply with. You might even consider finding a spiritual director to spend time with each month.
• While sin is never an encouraging topic to dwell on, it is crucial that we understand it’s impact on our lives. For even when we receive forgiveness as a result of our relationship with God, living in our human bodies will consistently bring us to the place of needing confession, repentance, and a continual pursuit of the holiness God wants for our lives. With that in mind, what have you learned about sin from reading David’s story and Psalms of confession?

But today we see the chink in the armor, the depravity, the proof that David is human just like everyone else. This tragic story does two things to me. First, it causes me to feel totally discouraged that this incredible leader lets his guard down and commits such serious acts of sin (he was guilty of breaking the sixth, seventh, ninth, and tenth commandments from Exodus 20:13-17). But second, it causes me to realize that even someone called “a man after God’s own heart” is susceptible to the same temptations as we are. When someone seems perfect (or almost perfect), they are very hard to relate to or even like. But when their humanity shows, they somehow become more endearing. That’s what happens with me and the story of David.

It’s hard to imagine what would have happened if the Law was applied and David and Bathsheba received the customary death penalty for adultery and murder (see Leviticus 20:10; 24:17). But instead God sends Nathan the prophet who delivers one of the most striking and famous parables in the entire Old Testament. And in David’s characteristic humble form, he submits to the message, recognizes his guilt, and confesses his sin:

Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord, the son born to you will die.” (12:13-14)

We get the opportunity to see the beauty of God’s forgiveness, even though David will still experience the serious consequences of his sin – “the sword will never depart from your house” (12:10).

There are so many lessons from this brief narrative:

• Did you notice in 11:1 David wasn’t doing what he should have been doing? What are some examples in your own life of the dangers of being in a place where you’re not supposed to be?
• What could David have done differently that would have prevented all this from happening? Since temptation is not a sin in and of itself, what is something you can do to prevent temptation from progressing into sinful acts?
• David tells Nathan “I have sinned against the LORD” (12:13). What difference does it make when we see our sin as not only against other people, but against God?

“Praise” is defined as the act of expressing approval or admiration; commending someone; or the offering of grateful homage in words or song, as an act of worship. I don’t think we take enough time to do that. Maybe you do, but I don’t. I really do admire God and am amazed as all he has done. But I don’t tell him enough. I don’t allow the awe of his greatness to permeate my whole being so that I’m brought to my knees in worship. I love what it says in Psalm 66:5:

“Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works . . . “

If we spent even a little more time doing that, I think it would totally energize our praise.

A few other phrases stand out to me:

“but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God who has not rejected my prayer . . .” (66:19)

“You who answer prayer, to you all people will come.” (65:2)

That’s such a comforting thought to know that God listens to and hears our prayers (when he could choose to reject them), and that he also answers our prayers. I’m sure this was amazingly comforting to David as he ran from his enemies who were more numerous than most of the enemies we will have in a lifetime! What is it about persecution and suffering at the hand of others that turns us to God in prayer?

• Take some time today to praise God for who he is and what he is doing in your life. (Consider setting up a reminder that will help you to remember to praise God before you jump into your list of prayer requests each day.)
• In addition to the fact that the Bible tells you, how do you know that God is listening to your prayers?
• Make a list of answered prayers that you can remember over the past few weeks/months. (If you can’t think of any, then maybe you’re not praying enough)

The reading today is a tragic story. King David wants to show kindness to Hanun king of the Ammonites because his father had been kind to David. So he sends a delegation to express his sympathy. But the Ammonite commanders convince Hanun that David’s motives are to spy out their land and overthrow it. After they humiliate the delegation a war ensues resulting in 47,000 people dying!

When I read a story like this, I feel so frustrated! I find myself thinking things like “if only they had been slower to judge those David has sent,” “if only they had taken the time to listen,” “if only they had not been so fearful and controlling of the way they thought things were coming down,” “if only they had given them a chance.” But they didn’t, and to their own detriment.

There are a lot of lessons in this brief story for us today:

• If you are quick to jump to conclusions, be judgmental, or try to control situation, what are some things you can do to slow down, listen better, and give people a chance?
• Are you more likely to give bad advice or receive bad advice? Why do you think that is?
• Rather than being an advice giver, what are some things you might do to listen with empathy so that you don’t misunderstand where they are coming from?