And when David arose in the morning, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,"Go and say to David, 'Thus says the LORD, Three things I offer you. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you.'"…Then David said to Gad, "I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man."
King David recognized that God's punishment for his sin and, as Matthew Henry points out, for the sins of the people would be just, compassionate and appropriate. And that if man were to be the instrument of punishment, there was not the assurance that this would be the case.
A lesson for me here is that God is quick to forgive as I repent, but does not necessarily repair the damage I have done by my intemperament behavior. I am far better off throwing myself upon the mercy of the LORD, God the Almighty than letting the situation escalate.
Today's readings in the Psalms:
Morning: Psalm 18
Mid-day: 119:169-176
Evening: Psalm 93
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