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
