David's Heart Began to Beat Him

I'm sure you've noticed those times when King David's heart started to beat him, that is to say, his conscience began to trouble him. His heart beat him when he cut the edge of Saul's robe--he did not even harm or kill Saul (1 Samuel 24:3-7)--and David's heart started beating him after he took an ill-advised census that resulted in the death of seventy thousand people (2 Samuel 24:10).

Ralph Klein observes: "David's heart (conscience?) also smote him according to 2 Sam 24:10 when he numbered the people. At that time he confessed, 'I have sinned.'"

Robert D. Bergen adds these thoughts: "After David received the reckoning, his 'heart struck him' (v. 10; NIV, 'was conscience-stricken'). He recognized that the census as he conducted it was in violation of the Lord's will. Wisely, David took responsibility for his transgression and confessed that he had 'sinned greatly in what' he had done (cf. Ps 32:1–5). Employing a verb that can denote morally deficient activity (Hb., cf. 1 Sam 13:13), he admitted that in taking the census he had 'done a very foolish thing'" (page 862, electronic edition).

One ironic thing I've found is that when David committed his sin with Bathsheba (arguably his worst mistake), his heart did not beat him before he sinned nor did it beat him afterwards (2 Samuel 11:2-5). Nor did David's heart beat him when he had Uriah the Hittite illegitimately slain (2 Samuel 11:14-27). But thankfully, David showed humility, contrition, and integrity when Nathan corrected him as he said, "I have sinned against Jehovah" (ASV). The sin finally hit David like a ton of bricks (2 Samuel 12:13); however, I've recently wondered why David's conscience bothered him in less severe instances, even with cutting the sleeve of Saul's garment, but more serious actions did not trouble his conscience until he received stern correction from God's prophet. In any event, we know that David's heart eventually started to beat him because of the words he penned in Psalm 51.

David was a man of integrity: we cannot question that. Jehovah loved him, and pardoned David's sin with Bathsheba. Yet David suffered all his life for what he did (2 Samuel 12:10). As a brother once said, when do you call on Jehovah for help? Is it before, during or after you've sinned? Yes, we can appeal to him at anytime, but may our hearts beat us before we commit grave sins against the living God. Be like Joseph, who fled from ungodly desire.