(撒下12:7-12) 大衛向神深切認罪痛悔，寫下了詩篇51篇。他的罪行實在令人髮指。大衛濫用國王的權力，犯了奸淫和謀殺罪。他行爲不僅傷害有數的受害人，還包括家人和無數的國人。爲什麽大衛只說惟獨得罪了神呢? 從詩篇 51:4經文中，我們可以更清楚知道大衛怎樣看自己。認清自我身份，是人生一個重要的領悟。
在神權社會中，掃羅是以色列第一位被選受膏的國王，他本應是代表神照顧祂的百姓。神期望是掃羅能遵從祂的旨意。不幸的是，掃羅干犯耶和華，沒有守衪的命令，一再不信服神的吩咐，而又不肯悔改，結果神拋棄掃羅。最後，他戰傷沙埸，自刎而死。神膏立大衛作他的接班人，使大衛成為以色列的第二位王。大衛明白神對他的心意和作君王的責任，掃羅是他反面的教照。神的委托是要他作祂在地上的代表。他的生活言行該反映神的心意和特性，但大衛卻像他的前任掃羅王一樣失敗。在撒下12:9-10，藐視這詞被用了兩次，來形容大衛 - 藐視耶和華的命令和藐視神自已。
大衛向神深切認罪痛悔，是因真認識到自己違背了神賦予他的身份及將他放在王位上的目的。這身份和目的是他存在的角色和使命，但其罪行却推翻這一切，完全漠視神誡命和祂自己，違背衪對他的錯愛和委托，甚至比掃羅還差。神按自己形象造男女，每個人該活出神聖潔的生命。人卻犯罪，都虧損了祂的榮耀。大衛傷害的人也是屬神的，是神交托于他照顧的。大衛辜負神立他爲王，代祂管理國民的責任。大衛深覺他至大至終的惡是他得罪神自己，沒有遵守神的命令，他的藐視導致多人受害，叫耶和華的仇敵大得褻瀆的機會 (撒下12:14)。得罪天上的神是因，為害地上的人是果。
大衛對神的認識是深切與真誠的，神藉先知的提醒，讓他在沉淪中驚覺和懊悔。他從失敗中經歷神的拯救和信實，也見證了神對他的公義審判和不變的愛，給世人留下寶貴的教訓。聖經對大衛的評價是：他按神的旨意服事了那一世代的人 (徒13:36)。大衛可稱為神的僕人(撒下7:5)是因他真知道他的主和自已的位份，並不因一次失敗成為永遠的失敗，反且忠心到底完成他的使命。
我們可知自己的身份和使命？我們的一言一行是在代表誰呢？保羅提醒我們行事爲人當與蒙召的恩相稱。（弗4:1)
Translation:
Against You, You Only, Have I Sinned ~Deacon Kelvin Chau
(Refer to 2 Samuel 12:7-12) David confessed his sins to God profoundly and wrote Psalm 51. His crimes are truly heinous. David abused his power as king and committed adultery and murder. His actions hurt not only a few direct victims but also family members and countless countrymen. Why did David only say that he only offended God? From Psalm 51:4, we may know more about how David viewed himself. Recognizing your own identity is an important realization in life.
In a theocratic society, Saul was the first anointed king of Israel who was supposed to represent God in caring for His people. God expected Saul to do His plan. Unfortunately, Saul violated the Lord's will, did not obey His orders, repeatedly disobeyed God's command, and refused to repent. God abandoned Saul as a result. In the end, he was wounded on the battlefield and died by slaying himself. God anointed David as his successor, making David the second king of Israel. David understood God's will for him and his responsibility as a king, and Saul was his negative example. God's commission was to make him his representative on earth. His life, words, and deeds should reflect the mind and character of God, but David failed just like his predecessor, King Saul. In 2 Samuel 12:9-10, the word "despise" is used twice to describe David - despising Lord's commandments and despising God himself.
David confessed his sins profoundly to God because he realized that he had violated the identity God gave him and the purpose of putting him on the throne. This identity and purpose are the role and mission of his existence, but his crimes overthrow it all, completely disregarding God's commandments and Himself, violating His precious love and commission for him, even worse than Saul's. God created men and women in His image, and everyone should live a holy life of God. But all sinned and lost His glory. The people David hurt belonged to God, and they were entrusted to his care by God. David failed God's entrusted responsibility to make him king and govern the nation on His behalf. David deeply felt that his greatest and ultimate evil was that he offended God himself and failed to obey God's command. His contempt caused many people to suffer and gave the Lord's enemy a great opportunity to blaspheme (2 Samuel 12:14). Offending God in heaven is the cause, and harming people on earth is the result.
David’s knowledge of God was deep and sincere. God reminded him through the prophet, which made him startled in his sinking indulgence and repented. He experienced God's salvation and faithfulness from failure and also witnessed God's righteous judgment and unchanging love for him, leaving precious lessons for the world. The Bible's evaluation of David is: he had served God’s purpose in his own generation (Acts 13:36). David can be called a servant of God (2 Samuel 7:5) because he knew his Lord and his position. He did not become a permanent failure because of one failure but faithfully completed his mission to the end.
Do we know our identity and mission? Who do we represent in our words and deeds? Paul reminds us to walk in a manner worthy of our calling. (Ephesians 4:1)