"Therefore the sword shall never depart from thy house."
Then David was dreadfully sorry. He saw his great sin in the sight of the Lord, and he earnestly asked to be forgiven.
If you read the fifty-first Psalm you will see how sorry he was.
And the Lord did forgive him; but David had to bear the effects of his sin the whole of his life afterwards.
[XV. THREE COMMANDMENTS
ABOUT OUR HANDS—OUR TONGUES—AND OUR HEARTS]
VIII. "Thou shalt not steal."
PERHAPS you draw back, and say, "Steal! Surely no one would think I would steal!"
But when we come to think it over, there are a good many ways of stealing; or being tempted to steal. There are little unfairnesses that many practise, without in the least realizing that they lead to dishonesty. A boy who cheats over his lessons goes very near the mark! A girl who borrows from her class-mate a sixpence to buy a hair ribbon, and does not return it, goes very near the mark too!
Satan is so wary, and we are so un-wary!