Psalm 7:3-5

³Lord my God, if I have done this and there is guilt on my hands—⁴if   I have repaid my ally with evil or without cause have robbed my foe—⁵then let my enemy pursue and overtake me; let him trample my life to the ground  and make me sleep in the dust. 

It narrated in 1 Chronicles 21:1-8, ¹Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. ²So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are.” ³But Joab replied, “May the Lord multiply his troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all my lord’s subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?” ⁴The king’s word, however, overruled Joab; so Joab left and went throughout Israel and then came back to Jerusalem. ⁵Joab reported the number of the fighting men to David: In all Israel there were one million one hundred thousand men who could handle a sword, including four hundred and seventy thousand in Judah. ⁶But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, because the king’s command was repulsive to him. ⁷This command was also evil in the sight of God; so he punished Israel. ⁸Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.”

Taking census is not sinful. King David ordered a census when Satan incited him. Did David think that the more soldiers he had, the more battles he may win? Did he forget to acknowledge that the Lord gave him victories? He did not ignore his mistake. He accepted the punishment for what he did inappropriately. Like King David we have our share of selfish mistakes. Nevertheless, we should be quick to acknowledge our imperfection and trust that by faith in Christ, our sins had been punished at his crucifixion.

  Lord Jesus, help me sense your peace in me.

><((‘> .. ><((‘> … ><(((“> tmec\2023 <“)))>< … <‘))>< .. <‘))><