Bible Society of South Africa
Neville Turley

Gems from the Psalms – Day 12

O God, I am so sorry

Um(Imi)bhalo weBhayibheli

Ihubo 51

10Nkulunkulu, dala kimi inhliziyo ehlanzekileyo,

uvuse umoya oqinileyo phakathi kwami.

11Ungangilahli ebusweni bakho,

ungangemuki uMoya wakho oNgcwele.

12Buyisela kimi ukuthokoza kwensindiso yakho,

ungiphase ngomoya ovumayo.

Ihubo 51:10-12ZUL59NOVula kumfundi weBhayibheli

2 uSamuweli 11

Isono sikaDavide noBati Sheba

1Emva komnyaka ngesikhathi sokuhlasela kwamakhosi uDavide wamthuma uJowabe nezinceku zakhe zinaye kanye no-Israyeli wonke, babachitha abantwana bakwa-Amoni, bavimbezela iRaba; kepha uDavide wahlala eJerusalema.

2Kwathi kusihlwa uDavide wavuka embhedeni, wahamba ophahleni lwendlu yenkosi, wabona esesophahleni owesifazane egeza; owesifazane wayemuhle kakhulu, ebukeka. 3UDavide wathuma wabuza ngalowo wesifazane. Omunye wathi: “Lowo akasiye uBati Sheba yini, indodakazi ka-Eliyamu, umka-Uriya umHeti, na?” 4UDavide wathuma izithunywa, wamthatha; wangena kuye, walala naye, ngokuba wayesehlambulukile yena ekungcoleni kwakhe; wabuyela ekhaya. 5Owesifazane wamitha, wathuma wamtshela uDavide, wathi: “Ngikhulelwe.”

6UDavide wayesethumela kuJowabe ngokuthi: “Thuma kimi u-Uriya umHeti.” UJowabe wamthuma u-Uriya kuDavide. 7Esefikile kuye u-Uriya, uDavide wabuza kuye impilo yakhe, nempilo yabantu, nokuthi impi ihamba kanjani. 8UDavide wayesethi ku-Uriya: “Yehla uye endlini yakho, ugeze izinyawo zakho.” U-Uriya waphuma endlini yenkosi, kwamlandela isipho sokudla esivela enkosini. 9Kepha u-Uriya walala ngasemnyango wendlu yenkosi kanye nazo zonke izinceku zenkosi yakhe, akehlelanga endlini yakhe.

10UDavide esetsheliwe ukuthi u-Uriya akehlelanga endlini yakhe, uDavide wathi ku-Uriya: “Awubuyi ekuhambeni yini? Awehlelanga ngani endlini yakho na?”

11U-Uriya wathi kuDavide: “Umphongolo, no-Israyeli, noJuda bahlezi emadokodweni; inkosi yami uJowabe nezinceku zenkosi yami zimisile endle; mina-ke, pho, ngingene endlini yami, ngidle, ngiphuze, ngilale nomkami na? Kuphila kwakho nokuphila komphefumulo wakho, angiyikuyenza leyo nto.”

12Wayesethi uDavide ku-Uriya: “Hlala lapha nanamuhla; kusasa ngiyakukuvumela ukuba uhambe.” U-Uriya wayesehlala eJerusalema lolo suku nolulandelayo. 13Esebiziwe nguDavide wadla waphuza phambi kwakhe; wamdakisa; kusihlwa waphuma ukuyolala embhedeni wakhe kanye nezinceku zenkosi, kepha akehlelanga endlini yakhe.

14Kwathi ekuseni uDavide wamlobela uJowabe incwadi, wayithuma ngesandla sika-Uriya. 15Waloba encwadini ukuthi: “Misani u-Uriya ngaphambili, lapho impi ishisa khona, nihlehle kuye ukuba ashaywe, afe.”

16Kwathi uJowabe esahlozinga umuzi, wammisa u-Uriya endaweni lapho azi ukuthi kukhona amadoda anamandla. 17Abantu bomuzi baphuma balwa noJowabe; kwawa abantu abathile ezincekwini zikaDavide; wafa naye u-Uriya umHeti.

18UJowabe wayesethuma wamtshela uDavide zonke izindaba zempi; 19wasiyala isithunywa ngokuthi: “Lapho uqedile ukuyitshela inkosi zonke izindaba zempi, 20kuyakuthi uma kuvuka intukuthelo yenkosi, ithi kuwe: ‘Nisondeleleni kangako emzini ukulwa na? Beningazi yini ukuthi bebeyakucibishela besogangeni na? 21Ngubani owabulala u-Abimeleki indodana kaJerubesheti na? Angithi owesifazane esogangeni wamphonsa ngembokodwe, wafa eThebesi, na? Nisondeleleni kangako ogangeni na?’ uthi: ‘Inceku yakho u-Uriya umHeti ifile nayo.’ ”

22Sase sihamba isithunywa, safika samtshela uDavide konke esasikuthunyelwe nguJowabe. 23Isithunywa sathi kuDavide: “Amadoda ayesehlula, asiphumela endle, kepha sawaficezela kwaze kwaba sesikhaleni sesango. 24Abacibishelayo bacibishela izinceku zakho besogangeni; ezinye izinceku zenkosi zifile, nenceku yakho u-Uriya umHeti ifile nayo.”

25UDavide wayesethi kuso isithunywa: “Uyakusho kanje kuJowabe, uthi: ‘Le nto mayingabi mbi emehlweni akho, ngokuba inkemba idla omunye njengomunye; qinisa impi yakho ngasemzini, uwuchithe;’ bese wumqunga isibindi.”

26Umka-Uriya esezwa ukuthi u-Uriya indoda yakhe ufile wayililela indoda yakhe. 27Sekuphelile ukulila, uDavide wathuma wamletha endlini yakhe; waba ngumkakhe, wamzalela indodana. Kepha leyo nto eyenziwe nguDavide yayimbi emehlweni kaJehova.

2 uSamuweli 11ZUL59NOVula kumfundi weBhayibheli

Lust, adultery, a planned hit, the victim killed – the mastermind behind the plot, when taken to task, admits his guilt and is so sorry. A typical major media report to turn any morning blue.

This story, however, will never make banner headlines, even though the guilty party was a famous king. It happened too long ago. You can read the full report in your Bible, 2 Samuel 11–12.

The king concerned was none other than King David, a brilliant and complex man who, by the grace of God, became Israel’s greatest king.

It was Nathan, the prophet, who confronted David about his adultery with Bathsheba and his murder of her husband, Uriah, the Hittite, and what the consequences would be, even though the Lord had forgiven David.

David felt so debased and defiled by the sin he had committed against God, that he penned Psalm 51, the finest gem in my personal treasure chest of Psalms.

God forgave him but David needed more. Therefore, he desperately pleads with God to purge him of all evil. He begs God – wash me, cleanse me, teach me, blot out all my iniquities and then, in our text for the day: 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. (Psalm 51:10-12)

David loved and walked with God, who had blessed him beyond imagining. Now, the evil David had done had greatly angered God. David was distraught, even though he had been forgiven. David needed to be convinced within himself that he was right with God.

David was not unique in this aspect. We all make mistakes and stumble, that is when we need first to turn to our heavenly Father and say, “O God, I am so sorry,” even before we redress our wrongdoing. Then, we can, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, move forward in faith with peace in our soul.

Bible Society of South Africav.4.26.9
SITHOLE KU