David and Bathsheba (Part 5)

Nathan’s inspired and Spirit driven dart
had convicted David and pierced his heart.
“Oh what a wretched man I am, ” he cried,
“That because of my lust a man has died.”

God then said, “I anointed you as king
and gave you land, power and everything.”
In anguish and with despair David cried,
“Oh, Lord my God, Your wrath is justified.”

“I confess my transgression and iniquity
in your great love please have mercy on me.”
“For I’ve sinned and done evil in your sight,
and the things that I have done were not right.”

David was a man after God’s own heart
but he’d slipped badly after a great start,
and ‘though he had fasted, pleaded and cried,
his son by Bathsheba fell ill and died.

The things David had done displeased the Lord
and divided his kingdom by the sword.
But he confessed to God and everyone
and we see what he said in Psalm 51.

Read on in the Bible and you will see
God forgave David of his iniquity.
But it’s a terrible web that we weave
When we start to plot or plan to deceive.

This poem was a finalist in the February 2019 poetry contest