I have sinned and done evil in your sight

And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. 2 Samuel 12:13a

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. Psalm 51:1-4

Even great men fall short of the glory of God, and sin, David is no exception. His sin is a warning that we must always be guard against the wiles of the enemy. Often though, the devil doesn’t have to do anything, our own flesh and lusts draw us to the downfall. Here, David sins by committing adultery with Bathsheba. When she tells him she is pregnant, David compounds the sin by ordering her husband Uriah be left in a vulnerable position and ultimately killed by the Philistines. When confronted by the prophet, David confesses his sin, repents, and asks for God’s mercy. David’s heart, despite the terrible sin he committed, is still soft toward the Lord. He is not stiffnecked, so while David pays a price for his sin, God restores him. We may fall into sin, but we have a savior, if we confess our sin He is faithful and just to forgive our sin.