31 And behold, the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, “Good news for my lord the king! For the LORD has delivered you this day from the hand of all who rose up against you.” 32 The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be like that young man.” 33 And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
19 1 It was told Joab, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.” 2 So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people, for the people heard that day, “The king is grieving for his son.” 3 And the people stole into the city that day as people steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle. 4 The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!” 5 Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “You have today covered with shame the faces of all your servants“,
Comment: The official courier gives David the whole truth, and throws David into weeping despair. The result is that the people cannot celebrate the great victory won to save David’s kingdom. Joab sees the situation for what it really is and ‘blasts’ David for maybe reasonably emotion-wise but catastrophically kingdom-wise acting weakly! He will say more in tomorrow’s reading but David needed to face the facts!
Prayer: Please help me to face my responsibilities, even when it is hard, as a mature adult!
As I read it! 
Being short sighted is a common ailment. The world is doing it now – on many fronts. I guess humanity always had. Our God sees the big picture. Thankfully.
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Agreed!
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