2 Samuel 11 and 12 tells a very familiar story. David sends his army to battle with the Ammonites. It is customary for the king to go with the troops, but David didn’t go. He should have.

David sees a woman, Bathsheba, taking her ritual purification bath on her roof and lays with her. She becomes pregnant. She is married to one of his officers. David tries to trick him into having relations with his wife but he refuses since he is a faithful soldier. David has him killed in battle and marries Bathsheba.

The prophet Nathan confronts David with his sin. God is displeased with David’s behavior. God tells David that He had blessed and would have blessed him mightily and yet, David still did evil in God’s sight. David will always be in battle from now on, even his household will rise up against him. Additionally, David and Bathsheba’s child will die.

David confesses his sin. Nathan tells David that God forgives him of his sin but his child will still die as a consequence of that sin. After the child is born it becomes ill and dies within a week. David and Bathsheba have another child a son, Solomon whom God loves.

Again, God’s judgment seems harsh. We must remember that David hid his sin from God and others. He covered it up by sinning even more. He only confessed after being confronted with the sin. God was just as displeased with the fact that David had not come forward in confession as He was that David had sinned.

There are always consequences to sinful behavior. It affects our relationships, our decisions, our way of life.

We are blessed by God in immeasurable ways and yet we always want more. Sometimes we want what we should not have. When we act on these desires, against God’s plan for us, we sin. We are accountable for our decisions even though God forgives us as we confess our wrongdoing.

Psalm 51 is the song David wrote after Nathan confronted him for his sin with Bathsheba. David acknowledges his sin against God. He asks God to purify his sin and make him right again. He recognizes that God wants a contrite heart.

This is a good prayer to remember when we remember our sins.