King David and a Message of Reconciliation

I cannot relate to King David’s anguish at the loss of his son Absalom in 2 Samuel 18, but a father’s unconditional love for his sinful son profoundly moves me. In David’s love for Absalom, I see God’s love for me.

When David heard about Absalom’s death, he cried aloud in anguish, wishing: “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would that I had died in your stead.”

I would expect David’s reaction of any father who loses a son. But his cry is especially remarkable because Absalom died trying to kill David to take the throne of Israel for himself—the result of David’s struggle to find his proper role as king, as Dr. Jackson explains in “The David Story.”

But David’s unconditional love for his sinful son is part of why David is called a man after God’s own heart and why Biblical scholars see David as a type of Christ. David was anointed with the Spirit of God (2 Sam 22:51), he was a shepherd to the people of Israel (Psalms 78:70-71), but above all, his heart was wholly true to the Lord (1 Kings 11:4).

God’s Heart Revealed

That is not to say that David was sinless like Christ. Apart from his defeat of Goliath, David is probably best known for his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba and his attempt to hide his sin by murdering her husband.

But in the remarkable scene of the death of Absalom, David shows us God’s heart. We know this because what David could not do for his son—die for him—Christ, one of David’s descendants, did for all God’s children.

And while we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ, we should remember that he was born to die to reconcile us to God even though in our sin, we were his enemies.

David shows us the heart of God in his response to the death of Absalom and again in his reconciliation to God’s will after the death of another son—the one he conceived with Bathsheba.

When Nathan confronted David with his sin, tradition says that David recited Psalm 51 to himself. I quote it in full below and invite you to read it this Christmas in preparation for our celebration of the birth of our savior.

Merry Christmas!

Psalm 51

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.