I love the movie Gladiator! In the opening scene there is a battle between the soldiers of Marcus Arelius (led by Russell Crowe) and the “army” of the Germanic tribes. As they fight, Maximus (Crowe’s character) is in hand-to-hand combat when he senses someone at this back and prepares to defend himself. When he turns he finds out it is his fellow officer has his back.

When I played ball and someone was having a bad game, we would ask the other players to “pick me up.” That was simply another way of saying, “Cover my back. Need some help here guys.”

In our spiritual walk it is essential to have someone who will cover our back. David needed it for sure. Psalm 32 is seen as being a parallel psalm to Psalm 51. After David’s adultery with Bathsheba, he needed someone to cover his back. He needed someone who would come alongside him and help him take the hammer blows which were coming-due to his own shame and also those who were bound to know by putting 2+2 together.

But rather than focus on the negative of his sin, he chose to focus on what God has done for him. He focuses on how God has got his back covered. You do too. I look forward to sharing this message with those who are here.

One service + potluck pitch-in = exceptionally good time (even if the sermon is weak). Have a great weekend! I will not be posting on Monday so enjoy your Fourth of July.