In Psalms, chapter thirty-two, verses three through four, these verses describe the agony and penalty that concealed sin brings. When David hid his sin and did not acknowledge it to God, he lost what was worthwhile: his health, peace of mind, happiness, and favor with God. In its place, he experienced guilt and inner torment as God’s punishment.
The theme under A Prayer During Distress depicts the challenge believers have to encounter temptation and the decision to overcome or be overwhelmed by sin. David, the King of Israel, of Second Samuel eleven, verse one, had this challenge in his late forties. Instead of leading his army into battle as before, he decided to stay behind in Jerusalem. This decision led to him being caught in a position when he got up one day to look out the window to spot Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife, bathing herself, as in verse two. “And it came to pass in an evening tide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof, he saw a woman washing herself, and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.”
The King of Israel did not stop looking but gazed at Bathsheba because she was “very beautiful to look upon.” The viewing led David to inquire in verse three, where he kept silent from God. Then sent messengers in verse four, “And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.” All this happened so quickly that he did not address God when he saw Bathsheba.
Sin can happen so fast. David was so overwhelmed by the beauty of Bathsheba that he silently inquired in the position of being the King of Israel, desiring the fulfillment of having her. Believers must be careful not to let situations of attraction trap and overwhelm them, whether it be a problem or something desirous tempt them to make quick decisions silently led to sin. Instead, believers should cry out to God to help overcome this temptation and avoid the tragic downfall of sin.