Even before the divine sentence was pronounced against David he had begun to reap the fruit of transgression. His conscience was not at rest. The agony of spirit which he then endured is brought to view in the thirty-second psalm. He says: "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no guile. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old Through my roaring all the day long. For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me: My moisture was changed as with the drought of summer." Psalm 32:1-4, R.V.

David begyndte allerede at høste frugten af sin overtrædelse, inden Guds dom blev fældet over ham. Han havde dårlig samvittighed. De sjælekvaler, han gennemgik, er skildret i den 32. Salme: