So things with King David are honky dory, right? Not so fast. In 2 Samuel 11 we hit a turning point, David's hesed begins to crumble.
The story continues in the wars with the Ammonites, but now David is not in the field of battle, he remains behind. While Israel's sons are in battle the king remains behind in comfort. Samuel had warned the Israelites this would happen. David is now unshackled, free to act as he chooses and he chooses Bathsheba. He knows she is married, he knows her husband is serving in the army but still as king he takes what he takes. One minor problem, Bathsheba is now pregnant.
David recalls Urriah from the front lines and encourages Urriah to go in to his wife, but Uriah will not. As long as he colleagues and the Ark are at risk in the field, Uriah will not live in comfort. Uriah's hesed is contrasted with David's.
The first plan failed, now for the second one. Uriah is sent back to the front and David sends Joab a message, create a situation for Uriah to die. And Joab does. He sends back a report, that David must ponder through until the end, when the words, "Uriah the Hittite is dead" are read. David is releived. The cover up works.
Bathsheba mourns Uriah, unaware of what has transpired. Following the mourning period, David is able to sweep in and rescue Bathsheba. David's reign continues, but it has been irrevocably changed.
So no one saw, no one knows what happened, well not no one. God saw and 2 Samuel 12 is God's response. Nathan, the prophet confronts David with a parable about a rich man who steals the lamb of a poor man to have food. The lamb is more than just a lamb it is a member of the family, perhaps even a daughter. David understandably realizes this is an injustice and wants vengeance upon this rich scumbag. And now Nathan's dramatic response, "You are the man!"
God raises issue with David, what did I not give you that you took from Uriah? Did God not give everything into David's hand? Did God withhold anything from David? So now David must be punished and the word death is thrown out there. David, to his credit, realizes he screwed up and confesses. God relents a little, David will not die, but his child will. The son that Bethsheba bears dies.
But this is not the only punishment, for the sword will not depart the house of David. A challenger shall arise to David and bring blood to the family. This cloud now hangs over David's head.
It is not all bad news, Solomon is born and the Ammonites are finally defeated, but the course of history has changed.
Psalm 51
This is one of the Penitential Psalms, and is a plea from one who is convinced and convicted by their sin. The psalmist seeks to be forgiven, and knows that that forgiveness can come only from God. Only God can lift the burden of sin and guilt from the Psalmist and make him or her clean.
When the Psalmist speaks of sinning against God, this means that he or she has broken the covenant, but the transgression could be against another person as well. Either way, to break the covenant is to sin against God. While some might see vs. 5 as speaking to original sin it really just refers to the depth of sin that the Psalmist has committed.
The Psalmist knows that the way from sin begins with knowledge of God and they desire the teachings of God. It is God who can create a "clean heart." It is God whose presence is demonstrated by the spirit. Renewed and redeemed, the Psalmist will then instruct others in the teachings of God.
While sacrifice is at the heart of Israelite worship, the point of sacrifice is to cleanse ones heart. That will not take place unless one is contrite and seeks to change. Therefore, sacrifices are not the end all be all, instead a contrite heart is the sign of one willing to change and turn to God.
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