Vers. 12-23.-The facts are: 1. David, learning the blessing that had come upon the house of Obed-Edom, resolves to bring up the ark to Jerusalem. 2. Having made arrangements in accordance with the Law for the proper bearing of the ark, he inaugu- rates the procession by a sacrifice. 3. Girded with a linen epbod, he dances before the ark, and with music and shouting it enters Jerusalem. 4. Placing the ark in the ta.bernacle he had provided for it, he offers burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord, pronounces a blessing on the people, and distributes to them meat and urink. 6. Returning to his house, he is met by his wife Michal, who, having witnessed his dancing before the ark, now reproaches him with having demeaned himself in the eyes of the people. 6. With mildness of temper, but great firmness, he not only admits the fact, but glories in it as due unto God, and affirms bis readiness to again debase himself in the same manner, being sure of winning the esteem of others less prejudiced. 7. :Michal his wife remains childless. We have here a great change in David's religious condition; an event of supreme national interest; and the domestic sorrows of a devout man. The topics suggested may be taken in succession.
Joy restored. There is a marked chang;e in the David mentioned in vers. 13-15 as compared with the David of vers. 8-10, and in general terms it may be expressed as a restoration to the joy of his life. But it is well to notice the process implied. L THE BINS A.BD ERBOBS OF A REALLY GOOD M.AN CA.USE HIM GREAT BUFFERING, In general terms, all sin entails suffering; but facts prove that the degree of personal suffering consequent on particular sins depends on the actual goodness of the man who sins. David was truly a "ma.n after God's own heart," a man of pure sensitive nature, of enlightened conscience and intense sincerity. In some respect his very sin (ver. 8) was consequent on his noble ambition to see God glorified in a great national demon- 1tration. We may be sure, although the historian says nothing of it, that the days immediately after his return to Jerusalem were full of bitterness. 'l'be fact that a great project, iu which the nation was concerned, had come to a sudden collapse, that elders and common people throughout the land would be talking of his chagrin, that 1trange impressions would be conveyed as to the stability of his purposes, and the consciousness that his God was not to him now as he had been in days past, must have robbed him of former peace and embittered all the relationships of life. Petcr's life was anguish after his fall, because he was so good a man. Dark days and painful sense of solitariness are the lot of many of the faithful after having turned their heart in distrlll:lt from their God. ll. REFLECTION A.RISES A.ND GRADUALLY TONES DOWN THE TUMULT OF FEELING. For a time the passion of discontent and distrust, like a storm, would rage, and, while making David wretched by virtue of their own nature, would throw the refiective powers into confusion. No sinner is perfectly sane when under the stormy influence uf his sin. In the case of a really bad man the confusion becomes worse by deliberate CH, VI, 1-23,] THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 157