(A Psalm of
David to the chief Musician)
“Return, O
Lord, deliver me!; Oh save me for Your mercies’ sake!” (v. 4)
This is one
of seven penitential psalms, a psalm that expresses sorrow for sin, a cry of
repentance, and a plea for forgiveness. It is common knowledge that this psalm
was written by David, but what is not known, are the circumstances surrounding
its construction.
Some believe
it came out of the adulterous affair David had with Bathsheba followed by the
murder of her husband, Uriah. The Rabbis teach, it was written by David when he
was in the Philistine city of Gath as he was fleeing Saul who sought to destroy
him.
Whichever the
case may be, David felt an awareness of his compromises, failures, weaknesses,
and sin. Sobbing he cries out for forgiveness and repents. No sooner than the
prayer is uttered, David knows his prayer has been heard and that the petition is granted (v.9).
We too can
have these same assurances when we repent of our sin and ask Him for
deliverance.
The Truth: “This is
the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to
His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we
ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.” (1 John
5:14-15)
