The Sure Mercies of David
By Francis Monroe Burg
THE student of the Scriptures is continually finding new beauties unfolding before him. Greater depths, higher heights, and grander and more glorious revelations of truth settle him deeper and more firmly in his faith that the Bible is what its friends claim for it, the inspired word of God. The increasing evidences of unity, harmony, and consistency add every day to his wonder and surprise that any one has ever questioned the validity of his claim relative to the blessed Book. This short series of papers under the above heading is aimed in part toward showing how utterly without foundation is a criticism that is often heard from certain skeptics concerning the Scriptures,—a criticism that involves one of the most highly honored men of the Bible record, namely, the patriarch David. David did some dark things, and the inspired recorders have recited in a plain and unequivocal manner the account of his deeds. It is offered as an objection to the inspiration of the Scriptures, that the connection of a man with this sort of a record as one of the prominent authors of the Bible is irreconcilable with the claim made for their divine origin. The writer would like to lead such readers of this paper as may be in perplexity over David's course as it is recorded, and the prominent connection he has with the Book that claims to be from heaven, to a view-point whence they may look at the whole matter from an angle which, I trust, will shed some light upon them, and help to dissipate their doubts. I trust they may be led to see a new beauty and a deeper meaning, possibly, than they have seen, in the story of David's experience, and its natural sequel in the psalms that he wrote, and that are a part of the sacred Volume. No one who is familiar with David's writings can fail to have recognized one theme that pervades them throughout, and that characterizes them as a part of the canon of Scripture. The reader's attention is called to the following beautiful examples taken from the psalms of David: "I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together." Ps. 34: 1-3. "I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever: with my mouth will I make known Thy faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, Mercy shall be built up forever: Thy faithfulness shall Thou establish in the very heavens." Ps. 89: 1, 2. "Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever." Ps. 106: 1. "Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the name of the Lord; praise Him, O ye servants of the Lord. Ye that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God, praise the Lord; for the Lord is good: sing praises unto His name; for it is pleasant. . . . For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods." Ps. 135: 1-3, 5. There is a wonderful meaning to this characteristic tenor of David's writings. No one has become acquainted with the Psalms without noting a chapter of twenty-six verses, in each of which occurs the expression, which is as significant as the above quotations: "His mercy endureth forever." I trust the reader5may see the meaning of these expressions from the pen of David as they may be viewed from the standpoint taken in these papers. Attention is invited to the fifty-fifth chapter of Isaiah. First note the language of the third verse,—"Incline your ear, and come unto Me; hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David." The "sure mercies" of David must be here understood to refer to the mercies of God that constituted the one great theme of this interesting man of the Bible record. The theme of God's goodness and His mercy toward the children of men filled his heart and occupied his tongue. There is a reason why the mercy of God became the all-absorbing theme of David. If this reason is seen, the skeptic will be disarmed, and robbed of his ground for objecting to the prominent place given to him in the Book of inspiration. So full was he of the thought of God's mercy toward men, that to him time seemed all too short in which to vent his gratitude to God, and he looked forward to the eternal years in which to praise Him for His grace. He clearly gives the reason why this is so, in the following words: "I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord." Ps. 40: 1-3. Our skeptic friend should take notice of how David regarded the experiences in his life that have given the scoffer a pretext for his railing against him. To David, the place he had been in was "an horrible pit," as any man looks upon his sin after God has rescued him from its toils. Would that all would seek after God as David did, and find Him as he found Him, and then join with David and all others who have "entered in" to sing the "new song," even praises to our God. This song is known only to those who have had the blessed deliverance from sin. To such a one it is ever new. And so David enjoins the redeemed over and over, "O sing unto the Lord a new song." May we all learn that glad new song, and with him sing it through time and eternity!