The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 319

h~a~ts of pe.rent_s nnd their surviving children, In tho ce.se of David we have exprrs~ D1vrne explanat10n of the death of the babe (ver. 14). It was inflicted on accotint of the sin to which it owed its existence, and to vindicate the justico of God a.a against the blasphemies of his enemies. And not unfrequently now the child's death is the direct consequence 11nd penalty of the sins of its lather or mother, But in such ca.scs as in David's, love is revealed as well as righteousness. "'l'he Lord struck" David'~ child, not only to show bis displeasure at David's sin, but to deepen his penitence and promote his godliness and holiness. 2. It.~ ~[feet on David. It might have se:med 1Jrobable that, when the babe was taken ill, the father, while not actually dcsirina its death, would at least not have been much grieved at the prospect of it. l<'or it "was a child of shame, and as long as it lived would be a perpetual reminder of the dreadful past, and would keep alive the memory of it in the court and nation. And it is a striking proof of the tenderness and strength of the monarch's affections that the prospect of the death of his little boy was so distressing to him. P,\rtly, however, his intonso longing that the child's life should be spared sprang probably from the feeling that this would be a fresh assurance to him that his sins were forgiven. In his distress he resorted to prayer for the child's restoration. How could he do this, seeing Nathan had expressly told him that it should cert.a.inly die? It seems th:i.t Divine announce- ments of punishments were not regarded as irrevocable, however positive their terms. Compare the cases of Hezekiah (2 Kings xx. 1-6) and of Nineveh (Jonah iii. 4-10). So David said, " Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live?" and he persevered in prayer and fasting and self-humiliation until the death of the child extinguished all hope. He " went in" to a retired part of his palace, arnl cast himself on the ground, beseeching God for the child, and fasting ( ver. 16); and in these exercises he continued day and night, until on the seventh day the child died (ver. 18). Doubtless, during that period of solitary communion with God, not only did he pray for the child's life, but reflected much on his sins, indulged anew his penitential grief, prayed for forgiveness and a cleansed heart, surrendered himself and his babe to the Divine will, sought strength to endure whatever might be before him, and grace to derivo lasting profit from all that he was passing through, whatever the issue might be, In all which we do well to take him as an example. II, THE CHILD'S DEATH. The prayers offered for the restoration of the child were sincere, importunate, persevering; but they were offered in vain. " The child died." Yet not in vain. No true prayer is in vain. It brings blessing to him who offers it greater than that which is denied to him. God gives "more than we ask,'' better than we ask. 'l'he effect of his child's death on David astonished his servants. He " arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the Lord, and worshipped," etc. (ver. 20). 1. He laid aside all signs of mourning. 2. He went into the holy tent, and worshipped. His worship would now be of a different character from that which he had otlered in his own privacy. No longer entreaties for the life of the child, but expressions of submission to Jhe will of God at length made plain; ncknowledgment of God's righteousness and loving-kindness in what he had done ; prayers for support and consolation and sanctifying grace, for himself and the sorrowing mother, and that God would, through this painful stroke, glorify his own Name. 3. He explained and ;'ustified his .;onduct to his astonished servants. They expressed their perplexity. He explains by reminding them of the utter uselessness of further fasting and weeping. The dead cannot be recalled to life. The living will go to the dead; the dead will not come back to the living. It is true that this consideration has often a terrible effect in increasing the anguish of bereavement. It adds despair to sorrow. Tha feeling that it is impossible to recall the departed; that no more will the loved one bo seen, or heard, or embraced; that the rest of life must be spent without tho society that was so dear and seemed so essential to happiness, is overpowering. Nevertheless, the sense of the unalterableness of the fact, and the utter uselessness of prolonged sorrow, has ultimately a calming effect. Men come at lenath to reconcile themselves to the unchangeable. But there is greater pence and consol~tion in tho truth that the unchangeable is the expression of the will of the infinitely Wise and Good. Believing this, we reconcile our minds, not to a mere hard, stern fact, but to the will of our Father in heaven, who loves us, and pains us because Jie loves 1.Ul, The second expression employed by David in reference to the impossibility 824 THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. [en. xm. 1-30.