This psalm of David sixty-nine
So thrills this aged heart of mine.
For sake of rhyme, I paraphrase,
To speak of David’s wayward ways.
Not wayward ways of one who hid
And told not God of things he did;
But wayward ways of one who knew
His God far better than we do.
And yet, because of wayward ways,
Let’s listen now as David prays:
“My God, the waters flood my soul,
I sink in mire in sin’s dark hole.
“I find there is no place to stand,
A foreigner in my Father’s land.
Restore, I pray, that precious joy,
I found in you when but a boy.”
For even as a child he knew,
From paw of bear and lion, too,
His God did give him strength to dare
To fight and slay both cat and bear.
And was he not the child who stood
And proved to Israel God was good.
With but a sling and five smooth stones,
In victory, stood above the bones.
Of one whom God’s word does declare
A giant, who from toe to hair,
Did stand six cubits and a span,
An awesome, fearsome, evil man.
And did not David lead his men
And prove to all that they could win
If they but kept their eyes on He,
Who gave to them each victory.
Was it not David filled with love,
When singing of his God above,
Sang words that yet thrill you and me,
Words written in Psalm twenty-three,
Where David sang in sweet accord,
Declared his shepherd was the Lord,
Who led him by the waters still,
Whose rod and staff kept him from ill,
Declaring also that his God,
Through death’s dark valley as he trod,
Would cause him not to evil fear,
Yet listen to the words we hear.
“My God, the waters flood my soul.
I sink in mire in sin’s dark hole.
I find there is no place to stand,
A foreigner in my Father’s land.”
Yes, satan took a heavy toll,
But could not steal King David’s soul,
‘Cause he, the apple of God’s eye,
Was glory filled when called to die.
But friend, there is a lesson here
That should cause all of us to fear.
Through God may love us everyone,
We’ll pay for every sin we’ve done.
And God, although He loves us so,
Will chastise each of us, you know:
And if we think we’re getting by,
Just listen now and hear the cry.
My God, the waters flood my soul,
I sink in mire in sin’s dark hole.
I find there is no place to stand,
A foreigner in my Father’s land.
William Raymond Waters, Sr.
thedailylily.com 
Bill, in the book of Revelation, Jesus tells the church at Laodicea, “whom I love I chastise and rebuke and correct. ” So repent and do the right thing…or words to that effect.
When David’s sin was exposed by Nathan the prophet, that was the beginning of repentance and restoration. Sara and Gary always teach that first comes the exposure, then the admitting to the sin and then the repentance, cleansing and restoration.
Your poem seems to reflect that process very beautifully, that which God has had wrtten in His Book of Psalms.
Bill, an excellent characterization of David, a young boy and David a King. I am always reminded of God’s great love to David with the words, “a man after My own heart, who will do all My will”.
David knew God and God knew David? Your poem gives a challenge for each of us to draw near to God and He will draw near to us.
“’cause he, the apple of God’s eye” Bill, isn’t it wonderful that we are too?
I’d like to share the lyrics to a song I learned in church, as a little girl:
We got a great big wonderful God,
A great big wonderful God,
A God that’s always victorious,
always watching over us, great
big wonderful God
He never, never, never, leaves us
He’s always standing by,
to pick us up, when we stumble;
WE’RE THE APPLE OF HIS EYE!
We got a great big wonderful God,
A great big wonderful God……repeat chorus
David’s struggles, waywardness and yet faithfulness to God is encouraging for us today. Bill, I think you write about a key David’s ability to remain faithful: “If they but kept their eyes on He, Who gave to them each victory.”
David kept his eyes on the One who could and would help as is written in Hebrews 12:2 …”Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…”
And to have had such a relationship with God he must have understood the value and love of chastisement even though it was painful. “And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” (Heb 12: 5,6)
The Bible further states that our earthly fathers chastened us after their own thinking and we respected that correction. How much more should we accept, receive, revere and respect the chastening of the Lord”
Yes, Bill’s poem says …” Through God may love us everyone,
We’ll pay for every sin we’ve done.”
Though we are forgiven for the sin and God rememebers our sins no more becuae of the work of Christ on Calvary, there are consequences for our actions. It reminds me of Newton’s Third Law: “To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”
It’s important to stay alert to the enemy of our souls, not become careless, but always rely on God to help us walk circumspectly.
“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17
Bill, your poem truly touched my heart. David had such a beautiful heart for the Lord. He faced his giant with 5 stones a sling shot and the Lord. He only needed one stone and the Lord. Bill thank you for sharing this beautiful poem with us.
CF…I heard a “THEORY” from an evangelist a while back who said that David chose 5 smooth stones because the giant had 4 brothers and David was just being prepared. The premise being that he trusted that the LORD would handily demolish each giant with a stone apeice! Whether true or not, that’s really excellent faith demonstrated.
Psalm 9:10: “And those who know Your name will put their trust in You;
For You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You. ”
Their are many names describing the Lord in the Bible such as Lord Almighty, The Lord of Hosts, The God Who Provides, The Mighty One, Deliver, etc. David must have learned His name first hand as God delivered him from the lion and bear. This experience must have strengthened his faith so that he could then trust Him for the victory over Goliath.