THEOSISTheodoret of Cyrus
Why did David prevent the priests and the community from accompanying him (2 Sam. 15:25-29)? As a righteous individual and a seer, the king understood the fate of the community that had been sent to assist those without a moral compass: they were oppressed, and the community was captured by foreign powers. Aware of this, he instructed the priest Zadok: “Bring back the Ark of God to the city, and let it remain where it is; if I find favor in the sight of the Lord, He will bring me back, and I will see the Ark and its glory; but if He says, ‘I have not taken pleasure in you; behold, I am,’ then He may do good in His sight” (2 Sam. 15:25-26).
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Essentially, I cannot carry the accuser with me; I hear the law within myself saying, ‘You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill,’ and I have violated these two commandments. When the Lawgiver purifies the vision of my soul, I will then be able to perceive its beauty. However, if He completely withdraws His protection, He remains the Sovereign, and I am merely His servant, yielding to His exhortations. Thus, the holy man spoke with tears, adopting the demeanor of one in mourning, as he covered his head and walked barefoot; the troops also wept alongside him. See further commentary on 2 Samuel 15:31-32.