II Samuel III
The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!” (II Samuel 19:4 ESV)
Sorrow
King David grieved.
And while the source of his grief was obviously the rebellious and deceitful actions of his son, Absalom, David understood something else.
The source of his grief was his own sin.
David’s earlier reactions led to Absalom’s treason against God and Israel.
But the thing to remember here is that David stops the blame game. He does not argue about Absalom’s poor character, or the unfortunate series of circumstances that led to Absalom’s death, or who was the MOST to blame.
David grieved for his own sin.
And he did not try to avoid the responsibility. Although he could have. Absalom WAS more guilty here than David. Some of David’s advisors were also to blame. And the Israelites themselves were culpable.
But David grieved. For his own sin. For the effects of his own sin. For the cost to his family and his kingdom.
He was not feeling sorry for himself. He was feeling sorry for everyone else for what HE had done.
That is what repentance looks like.
And such sorrow gives rise to the Psalms, to an honest relationship with God, and to the Messiah.