David says in Psalm 51, “Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge” (Ps. 51.4 NAS). The greater context of this passage is David’s repentance when he was challenged by the prophet Nathan regarding his adultery and murder (Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite, 2 Sam. 11). David was certainly deserving of death himself because of the law, but David recognizes that his sin was not against Israel; rather it was against God. This principle applies in volume today. When someone commits murder in some proportion that causes the state to consider the death penalty, they have not sinned against the state; they have sinned against God and, rightly, God should judge when the end of their life will come.
This raises an interesting question. If God’s law said that David should be put to death, then why didn’t God kill him? Hebrews 4.12 says, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (NAS). God is more interested in the “thoughts and intentions of the heart.” God knew David’s heart; that is why he was chosen to be the Lord’s anointed king over Israel. And God was not done with His work which was to be done through David. Therefore the will of God supercedes any legalistic interpretation of His word.
This passage in Hebrews presents a dilemma which must be explained. The word of God is useful for judging the heart of man, but it is God who does the judging as man makes use of His word. If we, as men, judge the heart of man and put someone to death, we may be taking away that persons God given right to repent and follow Christ.
The Biblical Arguement Against the Death Penalty
