Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came. 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. Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: “Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue! 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!” (vv.5-8)
Shimei was a distant relative of the former King Saul, and he still resented David for replacing the dynasty of Saul. Shimei was about as offensive as a person could be. He wanted to destroy any shred of dignity or confidence that David had left and had this heart against David for a long time, but he could only show it when David was down and out.
David Guzik reminds us in his commentary that there are always people ready to rejoice when a leader falls. Spurgeon wrote, “It is very hard to bear a cowardly attack. One is very apt to reply and use hard words to one who takes advantage of your position and deals you the coward’s blow. Only the coward strikes a man when he is down.”
A quick look at the outward appearance of things seemed to confirm Shimei’s analysis, but Shimei was wrong. None of this came upon David because of what he did to Saul or Saul’s family. Therefore, Abishai didn’t want to listen to Shimei curse or to dodge his stones anymore. And furthermore, the mighty men surrounding David were more than ready to kill Shimei in an instant. However David said, "So let him curse." David was willing to hear what God might say to him through a cursing critic. David let Shimei speak because he was not a bloodthirsty man (what have I to do with you). Ironically, if David were the kind of man Shimei said he was, Shimei would have been killed instantly.
We all can learn something here. As we grow in our awareness of God's protective love, we become less concerned with what others say about us and more willing to entrust ourselves to our Father. Like David, we can then say of each critic, "Let him alone, and let him curse" (v.11), thus demonstrating humble submission to God’s will.
It takes great maturity to look beyond those who oppose us and simple faith to look to the One who unites us. Believing, that whatever God permits, is for our ultimate good. Therefore, trust Him, rest in His love and let you detractors alone.
“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.” (Matthew 5:11)
