2 Samuel 12:13, commentary and pictures

David's brief confession followed Nathan's parable exposing his adultery and murder in the matter of Uriah, and Nathan's reply announced that God had removed his guilt and spared his life from immediate judgment. His acknowledgment was immediate, frank and open from the heart, without excuse, evasion or stubborn resistance, accepting God's judgment as just and merciful. His trembling words meant that every wrong done to Uriah and Bathsheba reached back to God, against whom his sin was infinitely greater. His humble confession brought full pardon, yet pardon did not excuse his crimes or remove every consequence, for he still bore punishment and lost his child because he had given God's enemies occasion to blaspheme, the death due to him falling instead on the child. Genuine repentance that is not repeated brings compassion and restoration to covenant favor, giving courage through all ages to God's children betrayed into sin not to give up to despair but to repent and walk again in God's commandments.

Sin and Confession

The confession covers adultery and murder in the matter of Uriah, whom David made the bearer of his own death-warrant by sending through his hand a letter commanding Joab to set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle and then retire from him so that he would be smitten and die, and Joab, already stained with the guilt of one wanton murder, did not hesitate to obey, so that Uriah fell by the sword of the children of Ammon. It comes after David ordered Uriah's death in battle and joined Joab in hiding their guilt behind a carefully worded battle report, answering the news that Uriah was dead with indifference that the sword devours one as well as another and urging stronger battle. At that point David had departed from God and yielded himself to the wicked one, becoming for the time the agent of Satan while still holding the position and authority God had given him. His power was given to be exercised only in harmony with divine law, but he used it to command what was contrary to God's law and to claim an obedience that would imperil the soul of him who yielded it, as when Joab, whose allegiance was to the king rather than to God, transgressed God's law because the king commanded Uriah's death, for when a ruler commands what is contrary to God's law it becomes sin to obey.

Nathan faithfully exposed David's true condition by a parable that led David to pass judgment on his own case before being identified as the guilty man, and that reproof aroused his conscience to see his guilt in its enormity and helped him recognize and put away his sins. David accepted the counsel meekly, humbled himself before God under chastisement, and learned wisdom through God's dealings with him, whose warnings and judgments were accompanied by mercy. The words I have sinned against the Lord are bowed penitence spoken with trembling lips after the rebuke, meaning that all wrong done to others reaches back from the injured one to God. David had sinned grievously against both Uriah and Bathsheba and felt it keenly, but his sin against God was infinitely greater.

The right response when reproof lays sin open in its aggravating character is immediate, frank, open acknowledgment from a repentant heart without defending, excusing, evading responsibility, or putting on a bold front, saying I have sinned against the Lord in humble contrition rather than stubborn resistance. Such acknowledgment accepts God's decision as just and merciful and trusts in mercy, and it is the very first evidence of amendment toward God and toward those burdened by the sinner's influence. The opposite course is defiantly answering not a word, justifying wrong, sympathizing with self, feeling aggrieved, recounting one's own good, and cherishing envy, faultfinding, and self-justification, while unconfessed sin keeps possession of the soul until ejected by full confession, defiles the heart, hides in the breast, hates the light lest its deeds be reproved, and refuses a verdict against itself, whereas God's plan and injunction are confess and live. David openly acknowledged his sin and bore the punishment for his transgression rather than evading responsibility, exemplifying the recognition that his spirit, motives, and actions were unlike Christ's.

His recognition of the sin's ugliness brought deep, sustained grief, bitter humiliating confession, despairing cries, and humble prayer, with his transgression ever before him, marking him as truly penitent. When reproved for great crimes he humbled himself with deep humiliation and a becoming sense of his sin, distrusted himself, sought the Lord as his helper, and repented before God in a repentance which needeth not to be repented of. His willingness to accept the full charge rather than silence the reprover showed that he still feared and trembled at the word of the Lord. His repentance was open, not concealed: he made it known even to people in his kingdom and composed a penitential psalm so that later generations could learn from his sin and repentance, seeking mercy, cleansing, and pardon. He repented for breaking God's law and relied on Christ's blood for pardon, clinging to the cross rather than presenting his own goodness or merits, acknowledging with humility and sorrow his wrong motives and un-Christlike spirit.

God was just in forgiving David's very great guilt and sparing his life because David humbled himself and confessed his sin when reproved, while Saul was rejected because he despised reproof and hardened his heart in impenitence, so that pardon depends on humble confession and repentance, not on whether the sin looks greater or smaller. The crime was especially grievous because God had entrusted David with great responsibilities and shown him exceptional favor. Keeping God's Word had made him steadfast, while forsaking its teachings led him into sin and stained his reputation, teaching that leaving God and trusting human wisdom is unsafe and that a living connection with God is humanity's only safety. In his response to conviction David showed penitence and humility, valuing God's favor more than his crown.

Pardon and Consequence

David’s sincere repentance and humble confession brought God’s forgiveness through the word sent by Nathan, which removed his guilt, put away his sin, and spared his life so he would not die. Though none in Israel would execute the death sentence upon the Lord’s anointed, he trembled lest he be cut down at once by swift judgment while guilty and unforgiven, and the assurance given him granted opportunity for repentance. His response to rebuke and conviction was humble contrition rather than stubborn resistance, accepting God’s decision as just and merciful and trusting in mercy, valuing God’s favor more than his crown. Nathan’s faithful exposure of his true condition made him aware of his sins and helped him put them away, and he accepted the counsel meekly, humbled himself before God, and learned wisdom through God’s dealings with him.

Forgiveness did not mean God excused or justified his crimes and did not remove every consequence. God averted part of the threatened calamity, yet David was still punished and bore punishment for his transgression because he had given the Lord’s enemies occasion to blaspheme. He openly acknowledged his sin rather than evading responsibility, and though the Lord forgave him after he sincerely repented, he lost his child as consequence of his transgression.

Forgiveness did not set aside justice, for the death sentence due to David was transferred to the child of his sin. The suffering and death of that child as part of his punishment was far more bitter to him than his own death would have been.

The sin was nevertheless sorely punished and emboldened the people to transgress God’s commandments. David was rebuked and punished for turning from righteousness, but when he became penitent and humble the Lord forgave his sins and took him into covenant relation with Himself. God’s warnings and judgments were thus accompanied by mercy, and under chastisement David accepted the prophet’s counsel meekly, humbled himself, and learned wisdom through God’s dealings.

Because his repentance was genuine he did not repeat the same offense, declaring with bitter humiliating confession and despairing cries that his transgression was ever before him, and because of that the Lord had compassion on him and put away his sin. Had he repeated the same offense after reproof the Lord would not have had compassion on him.

The verse shows genuine repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and illustrates the struggles and temptations of humanity. David’s sincere repentance and confession were accepted by God even though he still suffered for his transgression. It gives encouragement to the repenting sinner through all the ages, especially to children of God who have been betrayed into sin and struggle under the burden of guilt and are ready to give up to despair, giving them courage to repent and try again to walk in the way of God’s commandments.