1 Kings 15:5 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Quest. How is this true, seeing David sinned in the matter of Nabal, 1Sa 25, and Achish, 1Sa 27, and Mephibosheth, and his indulgence to his children, Adonijah, Amnon, and Absalom, and in the numbering of the people? Answ. This and the like phrases are not to be understood as exclusive of every sinful action, but only of a sinful course or state, or of an habitual and continued apostacy from God, or from his ways, as the very phrase of turning aside from God, or from his commands, doth constantly imply, as appears from Exodus 32:8 Deuteronomy 9:12,16 1 Samuel 8:3 Psalms 78:57 Isaiah 44:20 1 Timothy 1:6, 1 Timothy 5:15, &c. And thus it is most true. For David's other sins were either sudden and transient acts, proceeding from human infirmity, and extraordinary temptations, and soon repented of and blotted out, as in the cases of Nabal and Achish; or mistakes of his judgment, which was not fully convinced of the sinfulness of such actions, as in the other cases alleged; whereas that which concerned Uriah's wife was a designed and studied sin, long continued in, defended with a succession of other sins, presumptuous, and scandalous to his government and to the true religion, which he so eminently professed.