Sinned Against Who?

King David is known as a man after God’s heart. This title becomes evident when you read the Psalms and consider the honest and passionate poetic language David uses to talk about his Heavenly Father. The great philosopher Socrates famously said, “Know thyself,” and King David arguably knew himself better than any person who has ever lived. David understood the corruption of his heart and gave us profound insight into the true nature of sin in the Psalms. As a young king, David’s lust and greed consumed him, leading to his sexual desire for Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah. In Psalm 51, David laments his great sins of adultery and murder, pleading with his Heavenly Father to cleanse and wash him from the person he had become. David makes a surprising statement in Psalm 51:4 when he says, “Against you, you only, have I sinned.” Did David not sin against Uriah by having him killed? What about Bathsheba and his lustful actions, which led to bringing her to his palace so he c...