2 Samuel 16:9-14: a reflection

9Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head.” 10The king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses, and because the LORD has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’” 11David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my son, who came out of my bowels, seeks my life. How much more this Benjamite, now? Leave him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD has invited him. 12It may be that the LORD will look on the wrong done to me, and that the LORD will repay me good for the cursing of me today.” 13So David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him, and threw dust. 14The king and all the people who were with him arrived weary; and he refreshed himself there.

As David flees from Absalom, a man named Shimei follows along cursing him, throwing stones and dust. Abishai offers to go and kill him; but David restrains him, and accepts the cursing with a striking humility: Let him curse, for the LORD has invited him. It may be that the LORD will look on the wrong done to me, and that the LORD will repay me good for the cursing of me today. Rather than retaliating against Shimei, David bore the insult humbly, submitting to what God might be doing in it, even hoping that God would bring good out of the wrong. He accepted the cursing without vengeance, entrusting himself to God, who might yet repay him good.

Notice David's humility in bearing the cursing, and his hope that God would bring good from it. He could easily have had Shimei killed; Abishai was ready. But David restrained him and bore the insult, submitting humbly to what God might be permitting, and even hoping that God would repay him good for the wrong. He did not retaliate, did not repay cursing with vengeance; he bore it, trusting that God saw the wrong and might bring good out of it. His humility accepted the insult without retaliating, and his faith looked for God to bring good even from the wrong done to him. He bore the cursing and left it with God, who might yet repay good.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can bear wrong and insult with humility, trusting God to bring good from it. When we are insulted, cursed, wronged, our instinct is to retaliate, to repay the wrong; but David bore Shimei's cursing humbly, without vengeance, trusting God to see the wrong and even to bring good from it. There is a humility that bears insult without retaliating, that leaves the wrong with God and looks for him to bring good. When you are wronged or insulted, do not rush to retaliate; bear it humbly, trusting God to see the wrong and perhaps to bring good from it, as David bore Shimei's cursing. Bear wrong and insult with humility, trusting God to see it and even to bring good from it, rather than rushing to retaliate, as David let Shimei curse him and hoped the LORD would repay him good; for there is a humility that leaves the wrong with God, and he can bring good even out of the wrongs done to us when we bear them without vengeance and trust him.

Lord, as David flees from Absalom, a man named Shimei follows along cursing him, throwing stones and dust. Abishai offers to go and kill him; but David restrains him, and accepts the cursing with a striking humility: let him curse, for the LORD has invited him; it may be that the LORD will look on the wrong done to me, and that the LORD will repay me good for the cursing of me today. Rather than retaliating against Shimei, David bore the insult humbly, submitting to what you might be doing in it, even hoping that you would bring good out of the wrong. Show me David's humility in bearing the cursing, and his hope that you would bring good from it. He could easily have had Shimei killed; Abishai was ready. But David restrained him and bore the insult, submitting humbly to what you might be permitting, and even hoping that you would repay him good. He did not retaliate, did not repay cursing with vengeance; he bore it, trusting that you saw the wrong and might bring good out of it. He left it with you. Take that to my heart, for I too can bear wrong and insult with humility, trusting you to bring good from it. When I am insulted, cursed, wronged, my instinct is to retaliate, to repay the wrong; but David bore Shimei's cursing humbly, without vengeance, trusting you to see the wrong and even to bring good from it. When I am wronged or insulted, keep me from rushing to retaliate; help me bear it humbly, Lord, trusting you to see the wrong and perhaps to bring good from it, as David let Shimei curse him and hoped you would repay him good.