David and Shimei - 2 Samuel 16

6 And he threw 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.

7 Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: "Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue!

8 "The LORD has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!"

9 Then 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!"

10 But the king said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because the LORD has said to him, 'Curse David.' Who then shall say, 'Why have you done so?' "
11 And David said to Abishai and all his servants, "See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the LORD has ordered him.
12 "It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction, and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing this day."—2 Samuel 16:6-12


Wow...that is the attitude I want to have after being betrayed by my son and forced to flee from my household into the wilderness.  It would have been so easy for David to vent the anger and grief he was feeling on Shimei.  But David didn’t...he held his peace.  In fact, his response to this provocation was in stark contrast to his violent reaction to Nabal’s slanderous words.  David was eager to kill Nabal until Abigail and her godly wisdom placated Him. Perhaps, David knew that while Shimei’s malice toward him was uncalled for, there was truth to his accusations.  Truly, David’s time in the wilderness had humbled him...David was repentant.

David surrenders to His Father’s sovereign control and looks away from his circumstances to His LORD.   He places His trust completely in His God acknowledging Him in every situation he faces as he flees into the wilderness.

The psalm David penned when he fled from Absalom, his son, speaks to this as well. 

A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom his son.

LORD, how they have increased who trouble me!

Many are they who rise up against me.

2 Many are they who say of me,

"There is no help for him in God." Selah

3 But You, O LORD, are a shield for me,

My glory and the One who lifts up my head.

4 I cried to the LORD with my voice,

And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah

5 I lay down and slept;

I awoke, for the LORD sustained me.

6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people

Who have set themselves against me all around.

7 Arise, O LORD;

Save me, O my God!

For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone;

You have broken the teeth of the ungodly.

8 Salvation belongs to the LORD.

Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah—Psalm 3

This psalm is often called the Morning Hymn. In the first two verses David shares his complaint with the Lord...in the next two, he declares his confidence.  Verses 5-6 he sleeps singing of the Lords sustaining protection and in the last two he prays for His God’s continued help and strengthens himself with a reminder that it is the Lords battle and not his.  May we all be like David as we face our own sometimes overwhelming trials that life in this fallen world inevitably brings.

May we ever wake with holy confidence in our hearts, and a song upon our lips.—Spurgeon