Had God permitted David to go on unrebuked in sin, and while transgressing the divine precepts, to remain in peace and prosperity upon his throne, the skeptic and infidel might have had some excuse for citing the history of David as a reproach to the religion of the Bible. But in the experience through which He caused David to pass, the Lord shows that He cannot tolerate or excuse sin. And David's history enables us to see also the great ends which God has in view in His dealings with sin; it enables us to trace, even through darkest judgments, the working out of His purposes of mercy and beneficence. He caused David to pass under the rod, but He did not destroy him; the furnace is to purify, but not to consume. The Lord says, "If they break My statutes, and keep not My commandments; then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless My loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer My faithfulness to fail." Psalm 89:31-33.

Hvis Gud ikke havde straffet Davids synd, men havde ladet ham regere videre i fred og velstand til trods for, at han havde overtrådt Guds bud, kunne skeptikerne og de vantro med rette have inddraget Davids erfaring i deres kritik af Bibelens religion. Men de prøvelser, Herren lod David gennemgå, viser, at Gud ikke vil tolerere eller undskylde synden. Davids erfaring giver os et begreb om, hvilket højt sigte Gud har, når han behandler syndens problem, og sætter os i stand til at se hans nådige og barmhjertige ledelse selv i de hårdeste straffe. Gud lod David smage riset, men han dræbte ham ikke. Ildovnen skal blot lutre, ikke fortære. Herren siger: "Hvis de bryder min vedtægt og ikke holder mit bud, da hjemsøger jeg deres synd med ris, deres brøde med hårde slag; men min nåde tager jeg ikke fra ham, min trofasthed svigter jeg ikke." Sl. 89, 32-34.