2 Samuel 16:1-8: a reflection

1When David was a little past the top, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of donkeys saddled, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, and one hundred clusters of raisins, and one hundred summer fruits, and a container of wine. 2The king said to Ziba, “What do you mean by these?” Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that those who are faint in the wilderness may drink.” 3The king said, “Where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem; for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore me the kingdom of my father.’” 4Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” Ziba said, “I bow down. Let me find favor in your sight, my lord, O king.” 5When King David came to Bahurim, behold, a man of the family of Saul’s house came out, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He came out and cursed as he came. 6He cast stones at David and at all the servants of King David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. 7Shimei said when he cursed, “Be gone, be gone, you man of blood, and wicked fellow! 8The LORD has returned on you all the blood of Saul’s house, in whose place you have reigned! The LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son! Behold, you are caught by your own mischief, because you are a man of blood!”

As David flees Jerusalem during Absalom's rebellion, at his lowest point, a man named Shimei comes out and curses him, throwing stones and hurling accusations, calling David a man of blood and gloating over his downfall. David is already brought low, driven from his throne by his own son; and now he must endure being cursed and insulted by an enemy who kicks him while he is down. Yet David does not retaliate; he bears the cursing, entrusting himself to God.

Notice David's restraint under unjust insult. Shimei's cursing was cruel, kicking a man already down, and David's men were ready to silence him. But David bore it, restraining himself and his men, choosing not to answer the insult with force. He was willing to endure the unjust cursing rather than retaliate, entrusting himself and his cause to God rather than avenging the insult himself. In his humiliation, he did not lash out, but bore the wrong.

That restraint under unjust insult is a hard but worthy example. When we are insulted, cursed, accused unjustly, especially when we are already down, the impulse is to retaliate, to answer the insult with force. But David bore the cursing without retaliating, entrusting himself to God. When you are insulted or cursed unjustly, especially in a low moment, do not answer at once with retaliation; consider David, who bore the cursing and entrusted himself to God. It takes more strength to bear an unjust insult without retaliating than to strike back; and the one who entrusts the wrong to God, rather than avenging it, is in good company with David, and with a greater than David, who, when reviled, did not revile in return. Bear the unjust insult, and entrust yourself to God who judges justly, rather than lashing out to avenge it.

Lord, as David fled Jerusalem at his lowest point, Shimei came out and cursed him, throwing stones and hurling accusations, kicking a man already down; and though David's men were ready to silence him, David bore the cursing, restraining himself and entrusting himself to you rather than retaliating. Set that restraint before me as a hard but worthy example. When I am insulted, cursed, accused unjustly, especially when I am already down, my impulse is to retaliate, to answer the insult with force. But David bore the cursing without retaliating, entrusting himself to you. When I am insulted or cursed unjustly, especially in a low moment, keep me from answering at once with retaliation; help me consider David, who bore the cursing and entrusted himself to you. It takes more strength to bear an unjust insult without retaliating than to strike back; and the one who entrusts the wrong to you, rather than avenging it, is in good company with David, and with a greater than David, who when reviled did not revile in return. Help me bear the unjust insult, and entrust myself to you who judge justly, rather than lashing out to avenge it. Give me David's restraint, Lord.