God's Mercy and David's Sins

Introduction King David is a significant character in the Bible because he foreshadows the coming of Christ, Who was foretold to be a descendant of the House of David. David’s faith also foreshadows the faith that Christ sought among His people (yet in most cases failed to find).

While the Bible is the only historical source of information for King David, other than the Tel Dan Stele in the archeological field, an analysis of the person of David is revealing as it sheds much light on the character of God and the merciful nature of the Divine Being Who represents the central heart of the Bible. In the story of King David, it is God’s mercy after all that shines most brightly.

David was an individual who had many flaws and imperfections: he could very easily be considered a “bad guy” for his numerous transgressions—such as his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband. Yet, in spite of his flaws, God still forgave David—and that is the ultimate point of the story of King David: for those who are willing to accept mercy, God is willing to give it. David as a Person David came from humble origins.

He was the son of Jesse, who hailed from Bethlehem (the future birthplace of Christ). David grew up a shepherd with a love for music, which he would play on his lyre.

Indeed, as Steven Mackenzie notes, “David’s musical talent is what first brought him to Saul’s attention.”[footnoteRef:2] King Saul suffered from terrible evil spirits, and David’s music soothed his soul and as “music was believed to possess magical powers to keep away or exorcise demons and evils spirits,” David was a veritable life saver for King Saul.[footnoteRef:3] [2: Steven Mackenzie, King David: A Biography, Oxford University Press (2000), 56.] [3: Steven Mackenzie, King David: A Biography, Oxford University Press (2000), 56.] David was not only musically gifted and beloved of God (which is why he was anointed), he was also strong and fit and would later play a great role in leading the army of Israel (and in single-handedly slaying Goliath).

However, as David ascended in power, eventually replacing Saul on the throne, his baser nature also came to the fore. He is described by researchers as not only being Machiavellian at times but also as acting like a “‘bloodthirsty fiend from Hell’ who joined a willingness to suppress all opposition with a clever political savvy in order to achieve his sometimes-nefarious ends.”[footnoteRef:4] Yet David’s faults really only came to the surface once Saul was dead and David had become king. [4: Mark L.

McConkie and R. Wayne Boss, “David’s Rise to Power - And The Struggle to Keep It: An Examination of the Change Process,” Public Administration Quarterly, 25, 2 (Summer 2001), 192-193.] Saul’s Demise Saul had been anointed by Samuel upon God’s decree (just like David would be)—i.e., he had been chosen to be king by God.

Saul was a charismatic and handsome warrior who had no desire to be king--nor did he excel in following the commands given him by God through the prophet Samuel. For instance, he failed two particular tests given him to prove his goodness: first, he sacrificed before the Philistine battle instead of waiting to do so as he had been instructed by Samuel; second, he disobeyed the “charem” with the Amalekites: he took hostages when he was instead meant to let no one live.

Because of these failures, Saul was eventually rejected by God. For failing to listen to God’s prophet, he was cast aside by God for David, who would listen to Samuel. David’s Rise to Power over Saul David’s rise to power came about well before Saul died. First, David defeated Goliath, who was the mightiest warrior of the Philistines, at the Socoh of Judah.

As David Wolpe notes, David filled the void among the Israelites: Goliath issued a challenge and “no one will step forward to fight him until David” does, using as his weapon only a mere sling with only 5 smooth stones.[footnoteRef:5] His weapon of choice just goes on to prove how heroic David was for not going into battle with a shield or spear or sword. He uses basically kills the giant with a work and demonstrates his own fearlessness.

However, upon winning the fight, David then goes on to bring Goliath’s head to Jerusalem, which hints at David’s apparent savage immorality underneath it all. Nonetheless, he is hailed as a conquering hero, is befriended by Jonathan, is loved by women, and—soon enough—stirs up jealousy in Saul. Saul’s fall from grace and David’s rise is a Biblical rags to riches story. [5: David Wolpe, David: The Divided Heart, Yale University Press (2014).

Chapter 1, 5.] As a result of slaying Goliath, David was also supposed to be rewarded with Saul’s daughter Merab in matrimony. However, Saul broke his promise and gave her to another man.

Saul’s jealousy of David prompted him to plot against him: he told David to bring him the foreskins of 100 Philistines knowing that David would accept the challenge (and thinking that David would surely die attempting to carry it out).[footnoteRef:6] But David “saw it as an opportunity”[footnoteRef:7] and not only did not die but, like a mythical legend, he accomplished the task and killed not just 100 Philistines but 200—and thus Saul relented and gave him Michal, who David loved.

In other words, everything worked out in David’s favor. [6: Kyle P. McCarter, 2 Samuel: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary, 315.] [7: Kyle P. McCarter, 2 Samuel: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary, 318.] David as a Bad Guy… the Fall of David After Saul and his son Jonathan are killed in battle, David ascends the throne. At last at the head of the Israelites, David’s true character begins to emerge.

For example, in the spring, when kings typically go to war, David was instead home at his palace, out of harm’s way, instead of in the tents upon the battlefield with the rest of his army.

As the general, that is where he should have been—but he was most likely “too old to accompany his army into the field routinely” which probably served as “the crisis” that led to the “change in his life” and his descent into sinfulness.[footnoteRef:8] After all, he was often seen “strolling about on the palace rooftop” when Bathsheba was having her bath, and thus was putting himself in the way of lustful temptations or “impure thoughts and actions” as Davidson calls them.[footnoteRef:9] At any rate, in his older age and lesiure, he had other things on his mind: like Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, and one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen.

[8: Kyle P. McCarter, 2 Samuel: A New Translation with Introduction, Notes, and Commentary, 289.] [9: Richard M. Davidson, “Did King David Rape Bathsheba?: A Case Study in Narrative Theology,” 85.] David summoned Bathsheba to his palace, slept with her and impregnated her.

Some scholars even suggest that David raped Bathsheba, depending on how the Hebrew words are interpreted.[footnoteRef:10] Nonetheless, and as though these actions were not bad enough, David—alarmed that Bathsheba was pregnant—tried to cover his tracks, so he sent for Uriah (who was actually out on the battlefield like a good soldier) that the latter might come home, sleep with his wife, and think that the child when born was his rather than someone else’s.

The only problem with this plan was that Uriah didn’t sleep with his wife when he came home. Instead, knowing that his fellow men were still on the battlefield, Uriah refused to engage in any of the drinking or fun that David had arranged for him. Uriah, in spirit, was still united with his men and did not want to partake of any leisurely activities when they were still out in the midst of the fight.

In this sense, he serves as the foil or antithesis of David in David’s downward spiral and fall from grace. In fact, it is just like when David served as the antithesis of Saul in Saul’s downward spiral: David demonstrated heroic qualities and gifts—just as here Uriah the Hittite demonstrates honor, loyalty and commitment. And this is what pushes David even further over the edge. [10: Richard M.

Davidson, “Did King David Rape Bathsheba?: A Case Study in Narrative Theology,” 85.] Halpern notes that David was specifically trying to cover up his sin instead of owning up to it and that by then sending Uriah to the front of the lines (and guaranteeing he would be killed there by instructing Joab, “who acted as underboss” to David’s Mafioso-type personality,[footnoteRef:11] to have the archers fire at him), David only adds to his sin—compounding his lustful actions with now dreadfully murderous ones: “Unable to provide real cover for his adultery, David chooses to kill Uriah, rather than take the consequences.”[footnoteRef:12] In doing so, David sinks lower than he’s ever sunk before—and he now resembles Saul (who, it must be recalled, also tried to kill David by sending him off to gather the foreskins of the Philistines).

Yet, David in his youth resembled so much more and was so pleasing to God. Here, however, David has ascended in terms of earthly power but descended in terms of spiritual glory—and as a result God is “furious” with him, as Halpern states.[footnoteRef:13] There is nowhere else for David to go but to admit his wrongdoing—especially as Nathan the prophet confronts him with his sins and the fact that God sees what he has done. [11: Revd. Dr.

Bill Anderson, “David as a Biblical ‘Goodfella’ and ‘The Godfather’: Cultural-Social Analogies with Monarchy and La Cosa Nostra,” 9] [12: Bruce Halpern, David’s Secret Demons: Messiah, Murderer, Traitor, and King, 36.] [13: Bruce Halpern, David’s Secret Demons: Messiah, Murderer, Traitor, and King, 36.] In these actions, David acts less like a king than like a mob boss—a leader who has no concern for what is morally right or just but rather who just wants to throw his weight around and “knock-off” guys as he sees fit.

David’s underboss in this case, Joab, who complies with David’s wishes and instructs the archers to slay Uriah—the good soldier who never abandons his men, resembles the mobsters of old, following their orders with a sickeningly kind of candor that does little to add to their character in a virtuous or noble way.

David’s only fall from grace begins by the fact that instead of taking his place at the head of the army and doing his duty and Uriah was willing to do his, he was more interested in scoping out the beauties as they engaged in their bath time routines from his palace rooftop. In this sense, David trades over his nobility for the character of a lecher, and then he goes one step further and becomes a murderer.

The Consequences of David’s Sin Told to David by the Prophet Nathan As punishment for his sins, David’s first baby by Bathsheba dies and the sword of guilt that he feels in his side never leaves him. David’s “behavior was unacceptable,” after all, and he remained in disgrace, as McCarter points out.[footnoteRef:14] His family also becomes dysfunctional, which serves as a representation of David’s own moral collapse and his spiritual and inner dysfunction.

The life he harbors inside his heart is manifested outwardly within his own family, which becomes increasingly perverse, murderous and even incestuous. [14: Kyle P.

McCarter, 2 Samuel: A New Translation with Introduction, Notes, and Commentary, 304.] For example, David’s son, Amnon, rapes his sister, Tamar—and some scholars even suggest that David was an accessory in as far as he assisted in “delivering her into the hands of…her rapist.”[footnoteRef:15] As a result of this, David’s other son, Absalom, then kills Amnon and rebels against David, his own father, because David failed to do anything to avenge Tamar in the first place.

Absalom thus felt that he had to do it—that he had to turn against his father. However, just as David got carried away in his sinfulness, Absalom then got carried away in his righteousness and wanted to become king though God had not appointed him to that role. God still preferred David, as David at least listened to the prophets when they pointed out to him that God was displeased.

David might have been very sinful, but because David always repented and recognized God’s covenant with His people, God found it good to show mercy towards David. [15:.