2 Samuel 12:13

I have sinned. The context shows that these words were spoken sincerely. Nathan’s rebuke had gone straight to his heart, and David humbly confessed himself a sinner. In the 51st psalm, written at this time, David not only acknowledged his sin and asked for forgiveness but prayed God to create in him a clean heart and renew a right spirit within him (Ps. 51:2, 3, 10). The 32d psalm likewise may have originated during this crisis (see PP 724).

Put away thy sin. These words may be of encouragement to every sinner, for they show that the Lord is willing to forgive, no matter how great the sin. Few have been guilty of any baser sin, any greater ingratitude, any more intense or brutal selfishness than was David in his murder of Uriah. Yet when he sincerely acknowledged his sin the Lord readily granted forgiveness and restored him to divine favor. At the same time a course such as David pursued is fraught with extreme danger. Repentance involves a change in the basic attitude of the sinner toward his sin. Men generally sin because they love to.

This makes it difficult for them to be sorry for a sin they deliberately planned and purposely executed. Only when they are willing to make a complete change in their attitudes and conduct and by the help of God to root out the evil in their nature that caused their transgression will they be able to find repentance. Any man interested only in receiving forgiveness for past transgression while planning to repeat his sin, is insincere and seeks forgiveness in vain.