2 Samuel 10-12, Psalm 63

Something turns in David the king, and it is described in 2 Samuel, chapter 11.

• At a time when kings go off to war David stays in Jerusalem.
• Awake in the night David can turn over and go back to sleep, but he walks on the roof of his palace instead.
• Seeing a lovely woman in a neighbor's house, David may let it go at that, but he commissions an investigation of her.
• Upon discovering Bathsheba has a husband, David can honor her covenant of marriage, yet he sends for her and, bringing her into his palace, he sleeps with her.
• When Bathsheba informs David of her pregnancy, he might confess to Uriah, her husband, and honor them somehow, but he attempts to deceive Uriah instead.
• When David's deception fails he may yet tell the truth, but he commissions Uriah's murder and goes through the motions of legitimizing his affair by marrying Bathsheba.

Nathan the Prophet acts wisely in provoking David to judge the behavior of a wicked hypothetical neighbor. When David takes the bait and condemns the neighbor Nathan lays all of his cards on the table, declaring, "You are the man!"

David is unable to conceal his wrongdoing from either the LORD or the prophet.

Most often buried truth is dug up and disclosed...