Holiness Is Who You Follow

Leaders for whom the faith is an instrumental disguise are always with us.

This winter I preached a series of sermons on Psalm 23. To reflect upon King David’s most famous prayer, I reread the scriptures’ narrative account of his life, spread across 1 and 2 Samuel and into the Book of Kings. Fleming Rutledge has long argued that before preachers preach on a passage of scripture, they ought to read the entire biblical book which surrounds the passage. I had not heeded this counsel with regards to David until this year.

Reading his story in its entirety, I noticed how the whole narrative is essential to determine, and so proclaim, the meaning of a discrete episode; specifically, David’s response to the reproachful curses he receives at Bahurim. In 2 Samuel 16, David is the victim of a coup d'état orchestrated by his son Absalom. David is on the run and, entering the town of Bahurim, a man loyal to the king David had previously deposed, encounters.

The man’s name is Shimei. He hurls curses and casts stones at David as the deposed king passes by him. Shimei remembers David’s violence and speaks out of a confidence that the LORD remembers his sins as well:

“Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man! The Lord has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood.”

Shocked by Shimei’s shameful candor, Abishai says to David, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.”

But David responds with humble piety:

“But the king said… If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’ Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today.”

Or rather, David responds to Shimei’s physical rocks and verbal arrows with what appears to be a humility rooted in faithfulness. But the scriptures remember his name as Shimei because David remembered his name. David did not forget Shimei.

David did not entrust Shimei’s torments to the LORD.

David did not love his enemy.

He did not turn the other cheek.

He waited.