Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/285

 her to  be  unfaithful  to  her  husband. He thus  sinned  against  the  ninth and sixth  Commandments;  and  also  against  the  fifth,  by  leading  the woman to  do  what  was  wrong. Even this  was  not  all,  for  his  adultery led him  to  commit  the  further  sin  of  murder. But did  David  kill  Urias? Not directly,  but  his  urgent  command  was  the  cause  of  his  death,  so that  he  really  killed  him  by  the  hands  of  the  Amorrhites,  as  much  as the  Jews  really  crucified  our  Lord  by  the  hands  of  the  pagan  soldiers.

Tepidity. How  did  it  happen  that  the  royal  prophet  fell  into  this grievous sin? He had  become  tepid  in  prayer  and  was  living  an  idle and comfortable  life  at  home,  while  he  sent  his  captains  out  to  fight against the  unbelievers. His fall  gives  us  a useful  lesson  against  laxity in the  spiritual  life,  and  teaches  us  that  we  should  keep  a careful  watch over our  eyes  and  turn  them  away  from  anything  that  awakes  evil desires in  our  hearts: “Watch  ye  (over  your  senses  and  the  movements of  your  hearts)  and  pray  that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation  (New  Test. LXIX).”  “He  that  thinketh  himself  to  stand  (firm  in  what  is  right), let him  take  heed  lest  he  fall”  (i  Cor.  10,  12).

The evil  of  mortal  sin.  In  order  that  David  might  see  the  enormity of his  sin,  Nathan  put  before  him:  1. that he  had  sinned  in  the  sight of God,  and  2. that he  had  repaid  with  the  basest  ingratitude  all  the benefits which  God  had  showered  upon  him.

True penance.  David  was  not  a hardened,  obstinate  sinner. He opened his  heart  to  God’s  grace  and  listened  to  the  voice  of  his  conscience, which  day  and  night  reproached  him  for  his  sin. He thus speaks in  Psalm  30:  “Day  and  night  Thy  hand  was  heavy  upon  me. I am turned  in  my  anguish,  whilst  the  thorn  is  fastened.”  Then,  by God’s  merciful  command,  the  prophet  Nathan  went  to  the  powerful king and  reminded  him  of  God’s  great  benefits,  candidly  pointing  out to him  his  grievous  and  twofold  sin. David, quite  crushed,  fell  upon his knees,  penitently  confessed  his  sin,  without  excusing  himself  as  Saul did, and  prayed  for  pardon. He did  public  penance,  bewailed  his  sin (Ps. 6,  7: “Every  night  I water  my  couch  with  my  tears”),  fasted  and grieved, so  that  his  sight  failed  him. During this  period  of  contrite conversion he  composed  the  penitential  Psalms,  in  which  he  expressed his repentance  in  moving  words,  and  humbly  asked  for  pardon. Then Nathan went  to  him  again  and  told  him  that  God  had  forgiven  him, though he  would  still  have  to  suffer  temporal  punishment. From that time forward  David  met  with  many  sufferings  and  misfortunes,  which he bore  patiently  in  expiation  of  his  sin. Contrition, confession  and satisfaction are  the  principal  parts  of  penance  and  the  necessary  conditions of  absolution.

Temporal punishment.  Although  the  sin  and  its  eternal  punishment were remitted,  David  had  still  to  suffer  temporal  punishment.

The Fourth  Commandment.  Absalom  sinned  grievously  against  this Commandment, by  violating  the  laws  of  obedience  and  reverence  which