Business and sales professionals can learn much from David and by reflecting on his Seven Penitential Psalms.

 Today is Sunday, the first day of the week. Each of us as sales professionals and business owners have much to forgive and be forgiven for before moving forward in serving others with our value-added products and service. Take a moment now to read how David sought God in my thoughts about my recent release, Seven Penitential Psalms & Journal (Now available at Amazon).

I’m sure everyone here has heard of David as a youngster who defeated the giant. Fewer know of his life as recorded in the scriptures; that of his youth, sheepherder, king, and murderer but yet the apple of God’s eye. But do we know much about his business dealings?

David’s business dealings aren’t mentioned so much in the Bible but he obviously must have been able to delegate to be such a great king. He was a great leader as a king and in battle. To delegate and lead are two essential traits for any successful business person.

About half the Psalms David is attributed as being the writer and these seven are about penitence. They are the Psalms 6, 31, 37, 50, 101, 129, and 142. Why am I presenting these seven to business people? I believe that to be successful in business (as in anything) we must be grateful and to be grateful we must forgive and be forgiven, and then we become even more grateful (and more blessed). The more grateful we are, the more we are given.

Many of us get so busy in our “busy-ness” that we forget to forgive and to be grateful. In each of these seven Psalms of penitence David shares how he was asking for forgiveness, is grateful, and asks God for his “needs”. Being like us too, David has many other traits (both good and not so good).   

I want to walk you through these Psalms of David as a business person myself and together I think we’ll see how we are similar in our dealings with things like time, money, customers and other concerns that we must also bring to God for his answers and blessings.

I am not a “preacher” but I am a “teacher” continually learning. These are simply my thoughts from my experience as a business person. Feel free to share yours in the comments section.

(BTW, I’m using the King James Version to bring the passages to you. You can certainly use any translation of your choosing and it may be helpful to compare the passages in one version with another. Secondly, I left out the verse numbers; only to make it read more easily). 

Psalm 6

O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

Notice that David does not ask to not be rebuked; just not to have it done in anger. Also, he knew that he deserved a “chewing out” and more; but please God, he asked, don’t chasten me with severe dislike. David was asking God for mercy and love in the way God would discipline him.

In business, we make mistakes and sometimes mistreat someone in a way we wish we could “undo”. Other times we go our own direction (that of God and also our own business plan) and find ourselves “hurting” financially and otherwise and it isn’t so much God’s rebuke for going against Him but the consequences of our bad or wrong choices. Oh, how there were many times that I foolishly took unmerited risks with my business or spread myself too far and depended on God’s goodness and mercy to make things right.

Do you remember times in business when you needed to be rebuked or chastised, that you deserved the punishment of the consequences caused by your actions but sought God to “fix” things?

I know you can and the real question probably should be “how many times…”? But that’s OK; God understands and is a loving and merciful God. Why not take time right now to reflect on instances where you messed up in business, asked God to fix it and He did.

Remember that success is not failing; it is learning from each lesson of failure and thereby “failing forward”. Ter Scott

I've created a journal that includes all seven of these penitential Psalms with space to write your own thoughts and inspiration. You may find it helpful. It is available at Amazon.com. 

Experience the penitential prayers of David in these seven Psalms, as he talks to God about his experience of guilt, sickness, and harassment of the evil forces that surround him while he seeks God’s justice and mercy. David sought God and God answered. The same holds true for us as we meditate on these same prayerful psalms; which have been turned from great despair into singing made evident in the great songs of praise today. We are to worship God at all times; even when we feel that we are in the very lowest of valleys.
Seven Psalms of Penitence is presented in the King James Version, with the reference numbers removed to aid in the flow of your reading. Use the journal to record your thoughts and inspiration as you and God commune just as David did. Visit Amazon and order today.