Interesting isn't it? Certainly this applies to Solomon, but it also applies to his father, David. Here again is the little ideas of sin creeping in. So I think to myself, I'll just do this one thing, I mean, it's okay in my culture. I'm not really doing anything wrong. I can have my cake and eat it too. I can go out and drink with my friends and it's okay. God doesn't really say that drinking is wrong and I can be a good witness. But then I have two drinks and three and four and suddenly I realize I'm not stopping. Suddenly I realize I'm a mess, but I'm okay, but I'm not. What kind of a witness am I now?
For David it was women and the children of those women. He had quite a few wives and so his heart was divided. Unfortunately those children didn't always get along very well. One raped another and so the brother of the girl who was raped kills his half-brother... It's a mess. David does not punish because he loves his children. He's said by this event, but he loves his children. Problems...
So, again his children seek his throne. Absalom, now he thinks he is all that. I mean his hair weighed five pounds so maybe he was, I don't know. However, Absalom observed the glory that David received as king. He also felt the love of his father, but he doesn't seem to have experienced David's faith and this is perhaps because David was so divided among his family and his faith and his people. At least, that is my theory. So Absalom becomes a selfish and self-serving ruler, ousting his father from his throne. So towards the end of David's life, we see him on the run again as he was at the beginning and the beginning of his kingship. Talk about deja vu.
So as great as David was, you see how the sin in his life left this deterioration toward the end of it. Absalom is killed, which makes David weep and David's self-serving general, Joab also finally meets his end. Then his kingdom is divided again and they try to revolt. It's a mess. It eventually all comes back together, but not without heartache and not without destruction.
It makes me wonder sometimes why God puts up with us? We are awful. He is patient. He is kind. He is abounding in love. David realized that too.
3 my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn [a] of my salvation.
He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—
from violent men you save me.
my shield and the horn [a] of my salvation.
He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—
from violent men you save me.
4 I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.
and I am saved from my enemies.
5 "The waves of death swirled about me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
6 The cords of the grave [b] coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.
the snares of death confronted me.
7 In my distress I called to the LORD;
I called out to my God.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came to his ears.
I called out to my God.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came to his ears.
17 "He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
he drew me out of deep waters.
18 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
19 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the LORD was my support.
but the LORD was my support.
20 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
26 "To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
27 to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.
but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.
28 You save the humble,
but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low.
but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low.
29 You are my lamp, O LORD;
the LORD turns my darkness into light.
the LORD turns my darkness into light.
30 With your help I can advance against a troop [g] ;
with my God I can scale a wall.
with my God I can scale a wall.
31 "As for God, his way is perfect;
the word of the LORD is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in him.
the word of the LORD is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in him.
32 For who is God besides the LORD ?
And who is the Rock except our God?
And who is the Rock except our God?
33 It is God who arms me with strength [h]
and makes my way perfect.
and makes my way perfect.
34 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he enables me to stand on the heights.
he enables me to stand on the heights.
44 "You have delivered me from the attacks of my people;
you have preserved me as the head of nations.
People I did not know are subject to me,
you have preserved me as the head of nations.
People I did not know are subject to me,
45 and foreigners come cringing to me;
as soon as they hear me, they obey me.
as soon as they hear me, they obey me.
46 They all lose heart;
they come trembling [i] from their strongholds.
they come trembling [i] from their strongholds.
47 "The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior!
Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior!
48 He is the God who avenges me,
who puts the nations under me,
who puts the nations under me,
49 who sets me free from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
from violent men you rescued me.
You exalted me above my foes;
from violent men you rescued me.
50 Therefore I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations;
I will sing praises to your name.
I will sing praises to your name.
51 He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever."
he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever."
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