Nathan Admonishes David

King David had set his sights on the beautiful Bathsheba, the wife of his loyal officer Uriah. The king arranged for Uriah to die on the battlefield so that he could take Bathsheba as his wife.

God did not tolerate this reprehensible behaviour and sent the prophet Nathan to admonish David. With a parable about a rich man and a poor man, Nathan helps the king realise his mistake.

The full story of the rebuke is told in 2 Samuel 12. The Van Limbourg brothers placed this illumination next to Psalm 51, in which David asks forgiveness for his sins.

It is on folio 68v of the book of hours Belles heurs du duc de Berry. This section contains the seven penitential psalms, psalms that express repentance and ask for forgiveness. Psalm 51 is the best known of these. The other penitential psalms are Psalms 6, 32, 38, 102, 130, and 143.