David's command to carry the Ark back to Jerusalem—his statement that if he finds favor in the Lord's eyes, the Lord will bring him back and allow him to see the Ark again—represents the king's theological confidence in God's purposes and his willingness to place his fate in God's hands. The king's separation of himself from the Ark, his decision to send it back to Jerusalem rather than to carry it with him, demonstrates his recognition that his kingship is not dependent on his physical possession of the Ark or on his presence in Jerusalem. David's statement that if the Lord is displeased with him, God may do to him as seems good reveals his acceptance of God's judgment and his willingness to subordinate his own desires for restoration to God's will. The verse demonstrates a spiritual maturity on David's part that contrasts sharply with the failures and weaknesses he has displayed throughout the narrative.

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