JANUARY 16, 2025
“And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.” (II Samuel 11:2-4)
At this point in 2 Samuel, we read that it’s the time of year when kings and armies traditionally march to war, but King David remained in Jerusalem. He did this despite God’s direction to the contrary, and because of this, he fell into the great sin of being conquered and led captive by his lust. Maybe snooping on Bathsheba was indeed an accident, but he showed a blatant disregard for the commands of the Lord by lingering. Her marital status with Uriah the Hittite didn’t stop David from taking and lying with the woman shortly after. This week, we’ll continue our study of the fallout of this sin by looking at Absalom’s rebellion.
Since David had many wives, Amnon had a different mother (Ahinoam) than his siblings, Absalom and Tamar (Maacah). Amnon’s lust was so great that he violently forced himself upon his half-sister. Absalom was very angry and eventually murdered Amnon, afterward fleeing to a country to the north, where he lived there for three years. After those years, David finally allows Absalom back to Jerusalem, but their relationship remains strained.
Now, if the story could get worse, it does. Absalom quietly plotted to turn people from his father to himself for four years. At the end of these four years, he takes action, rallies some key leaders in Israel behind him, and declares himself to be king, but Israel can’t have two kings, so David knows Absalom will kill him. Leading him to run for his life. This is a somewhat depressing section, but one we must read to see the effects of sin on our lives.
Chapters 15-20 of II Samuel are best understood as the result of David’s sin against Bathsheba and Uriah. Though his reasons for doing so are obscure, David’s flight from the city and his later return provide necessary structural clues for this long segment that consists mainly of meetings, encounters, and discussions between an array of characters:
The story plays out like this: Absalom rebels against David (15:1-12), David flees (15:13-31), David meets with Hushai, Mephibosheth’s servant, and Shimei (15:32-16:14), Hushai faces Ahithophel and then hatches a plan (16:15-17:29), David faces Absalom (18:1-19:15), David meets with Shimei again, Mephibosheth, and Barzillai (19:17-19:38), David returns to Jerusalem (19:39-43), and finally Sheba rebels against David (20:1-22).
All this, of course, is seen as the inevitable working out of the consequences of David’s sin against Bathsheba and Uriah. Absalom’s utter revolt drives much of these chapters and divides the nation as much as it divides David in his conflicted roles as father and king.
Let’s consider David’s mindset while on the run from this usurping family member. Through all of this, David still faced the consequences of his sin. What is going through David’s mind? Is he consumed with guilt and shame? Has his relationship with the Lord tanked after all his sin and its aftermath? We don’t have to wonder what he was thinking because David tells us. He wrote it down and put it to music.
David wrote Psalm 3 during those few insane, dark days when his son was hunting him. Many people in his nation, and many who had served him for years, now doubt him. They taunt him. They quickly abandoned him. They say, “There is no hope for him. There is no future with him.” But, in verses 3-4, we see a remarkable intimacy with God. He sees God as his shield and protector. He knows God is the Glorious One in heaven who will lift his head, sustaining and watching over him. He sees God as attentive to his prayer, the God who cares and who answers David’s cry for help. Though David is experiencing even more fallout from his sin, he is confident that the Lord is still with him. He does have a small band of soldiers to fight for him, but all of Absalom’s army is seeking to kill just one person: David the King. So, when he speaks of “…ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.” (Psalm 3:6), it’s frighteningly accurate. But David is so intimate with the Lord, so confident and trusting that he can lie down and sleep in peace. He will wake again, for God is his sustainer. His protector. His guard. He prays for protection and salvation, for God to defeat his enemies. Then, he prays for all the people under his care. David, the former shepherd boy, still has the heart of a shepherd, and he wants the Lord to preserve his flock. At a time of great stress, he is concerned for his people.
This Psalm is stunning on many levels. David’s confidence in the Lord and intimacy with his God are inspiring. We read it and yearn to rely on our Creator as David does. David’s heart is a work of the Holy Spirit, who comforts and strengthens and shows grace, mercy, and renewal – even in the aftermath of sin. In my final article in this series, we’ll consider the whole scope of this story and its practical takeaways.
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