Did David Sin against God Only?

The solution to this problem lies in the sense in which Israel's great king uses the language.

There is no question that David's transgression caused widespread damage. He sinned against the woman with whom he committed this act of vileness. He sinned against Uriah, Bathsheba's husband. He sinned against his family. He sinned against his own body (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:18). David sinned against his men, who had a right to expect fidelity from their leader. Similarly, in an even broader sense, he betrayed the nation he led. These are facts beyond dispute.

However, the king's confession should be understood within the broader context of his attitude on this occasion. It is a psalm of penitence filled with agony. This broken-hearted man, who once served the Lord so devoutly as the brave shepherd boy, had severely broken the law of God, whom he loved so dearly. It was a devastating moment in his life.

A careful analysis of the psalm shows that it is full of hyperbole. This explains, for instance, his claim that he has been in sin since his very conception (v. 5)—a statement that is not literally true. Therefore, in this context, the expression "only thee" should be understood accordingly.

David's remorse over disappointing his Creator was so intense that all other offenses seemed insignificant in comparison. One must always remember that the Psalms are poetry, and they employ considerable literary license. From this perspective, there is no issue with the language used by the inspired writer.