Nathan and Bathsheba concerted to inform David of this matter;* where the affronted prophet could not forget the slight put upon him; but, it being foremost in his mind, he insists upon the circumstance of exclusion, in an earnest manner; "But me, even me, thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called;"** which spake the cause of his officious loyalty but too plainly. David here acknowledges the promise by which he waved the right of primogeniture in favour of Solomon, Bathsheba's son.*** He now directed him to be set upon a mule, to be proclaimed and anointed king of Israel, by his appointment.**** The acclamations of the people upon this raree-shew disturbed the opposite party at their table; and an event, so unexpected, quite disconcerted them: they all dispersed;(5) Adonijah ran to the tabernacle, and took sanctuary at the altar. He obtained of Solomon a conditional promise of pardon,(6) depending on his good behaviour.(7)
* 1 Kings i. 13.
** Ver. 26.
*** Ver. 30.
**** Ver. 33, 38.
(5) Ver. 41, 49, 50.
(6) Ver. 52.
(7) Solomon soon found a pretence, ridiculous enough, but
sufficient in his eyes, to get rid of Adonijah, when his
father was dead.
And now, methinks, some gentlewoman, of more than feminine patience, whose curiosity may have prevailed with her to proceed thus for, may here exclaim; "It must be granted, Sir! that David had his faults; and who has not? but what does that prove? only that he was a man. If he was frail, his repentance was exemplary; as you may perceive, if you can prevail with yourself to read some of his psalms. Indeed, after your ill-treatment of the scripture, it will avail little to tell you that you contradict those inspired penmen, who expressly stile David, the Man after God's own heart. Nay, your writing against him, under that epithet, shews sufficiently the rancour and impiety of your heart; so that I am fearful there are small hopes of reclaiming you."—Good Madam! hear me calmly, and we shall part excellent friends yet. Had David not been selected from the rest of mankind, why then—it is possible—hardly possible—he might pass in the gross, with the rest of the Jewish kings. But, when he is exalted and placed in a conspicuous point of view, as an eminent example of piety! he then necessarily attracts our notice in an especial manner, and we are naturally led to wonder, that a more happy subject of panegyric had not been chosen. If he was an holy psalmist; if he is styled the Man after God's own heart; he also lived the life here exhibited: and his capability of uniting such contrarities, does but augment his guilt!
Yet, even in his psalms, he frequently breathes nothing but blood, and the most rancorous resentment against his enemies. Of these take a specimen or two, from the elegant ekeings out of that transcendent pair of geniuses, Messrs. Thomas Sternhold and John Hopkins; in recommendation of whose version, and the taste of our countrymen, it may be truly affirmed, that their psalms have gone through more editions than the works of any other poet, or brace of poets, whatever.
Psalm lxviii. 22-24.
And he shall wound the head of all
His enemies also,
The hairy scalp of such as on
In wickedness do go.
From Basan 1 will bring, said he,
My people and my sheep,
And all my own, as I have done.
From dangers of the deep.
And make them dip their feet in blood
Of those that hate my name;
The tongues of dogs they shall be red
With licking of the same.
Again, in Psalm lxix. 24—27.
Lord, turn their table to a snare,
To take themselves therein,
And when they think full well to fare,
Then rap them in their gin:
And let their eyes be dark and blind,
That they may nothing see;
Bow down their backs, and let them find
Themselves in thrall to be:
Pour out thy wrath as hot as fire,
That it on them may fall,
Let thy displeasure in thine ire
Take hold upon them all.
As desarts dry their house disgrace,
Their seed do thou expel,
That none thereof possess their place,
Nor in their tents once dwell.
Very pious ejaculations for the whole congregation to sing to the praise and glory of God!
David's failings, as they are qualifyingly termed, are generally mentioned as exceptions to the uniform piety of his character: but, if David ever performed any truly laudable actions, those are the real exceptions to the general baseness which stains the whole of a life uncommonly criminal.