King David and Shimei

 

King David and Shimei

• 2 Samuel 16:5-13 – Shimei curses David.

• 2 Samuel 19:16-23 – David forgives Shimei.

• 1 Kings 2:7-9, 36-46 – Solomon enforces justice on Shimei.

During the reign of King David, the kingdom of Israel experienced turmoil. Amidst the rebellion of Absalom, David’s own son, the king found himself fleeing Jerusalem, his heart heavy with sorrow and uncertainty. It was during this time of vulnerability that a man named Shimei entered the story—a man whose actions would serve as a powerful lesson about forgiveness, obedience, and justice.

Shimei’s Sin

As David and his men journeyed away from Jerusalem, they passed through Bahurim, where Shimei, a relative of the late King Saul, awaited them. Shimei, consumed with bitterness and anger, began to curse David loudly. 

“You are a man of blood! A thief! The Lord is repaying you for taking Saul’s throne!” Shimei shouted, hurling both insults and stones at the king and his men. 

David’s soldiers, outraged by Shimei’s audacity, asked for permission to strike him down. But David, ever mindful of God’s sovereignty, stopped them. 

“Leave him alone,” David said. “If the Lord has told him to curse me, who am I to say otherwise? Perhaps the Lord will see my affliction and repay me with good for the curses I endure today.” 

Despite the humiliation, David chose to trust God, enduring Shimei’s insults as a test of humility and patience. 

David’s Forgiveness

After the rebellion of Absalom was ended and David returned to Jerusalem in triumph, Shimei approached him once more. This time, however, Shimei’s demeanor had changed. 

Falling prostrate before the king, Shimei confessed his wrongdoing. “I have sinned,” he said. “Please, my lord, do not hold my guilt against me. I beg for your forgiveness.” 

David’s advisors were skeptical. “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for cursing the Lord’s anointed?” they asked. 

But David, desiring peace and unity for his recovering kingdom, extended mercy. “You shall not die,” he declared, swearing an oath to spare Shimei’s life. 

Through this act of forgiveness, David demonstrated the power of reconciliation, choosing grace over vengeance even against a man who had caused him great pain. 

The Bigger Picture – David’s Final Instructions

Years later, as David neared the end of his life, he summoned his son Solomon to give him counsel. Among his instructions, David mentioned Shimei. 

“You are a wise man,” David said. “You will know what to do with him. Do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.” 

Though David had forgiven Shimei, he recognized the danger of unchecked rebellion. He entrusted Solomon to deal with Shimei wisely, knowing that forgiveness does not eliminate the need for accountability. 

Shimei’s Consequences

When Solomon became king, he summoned Shimei and gave him a clear command: “Build a house in Jerusalem and live there. Do not leave the city, or you will die.” 

Shimei agreed, promising obedience. For three years, he remained in Jerusalem. But one day, two of his servants ran away, and Shimei left the city to retrieve them. 

When Solomon learned of Shimei’s disobedience, he confronted him. “Did I not warn you that leaving Jerusalem would cost you your life? You have brought this upon yourself.” 

With that, Solomon ordered Shimei’s execution, fulfilling David’s instructions and demonstrating the importance of obedience and justice. 

The Lessons of Shimei’s Story

Shimei’s story holds profound lessons for all who seek to understand the balance between mercy, justice, and obedience. 

1. God’s Mercy and Justice Are Perfect:

David’s forgiveness of Shimei reflects God’s incredible mercy. Yet, Shimei’s eventual punishment under Solomon reminds us that forgiveness does not erase accountability. God is both merciful and just. 

2. Obedience After Forgiveness Matters:

Though Shimei was forgiven, his later actions revealed a disregard for the grace he had received. Similarly, when we experience God’s forgiveness, we are called to live in obedience and gratitude, reflecting true repentance. 

Living Out of Forgiveness

Shimei’s downfall serves as a reminder: forgiveness is a gift, but it carries the responsibility of living a transformed life. As the Apostle Paul writes in Romans 6:1-2, forgiveness is not a license to continue in sin but an call to walk in righteousness. 

Let us live in gratitude for the forgiveness we have received through Christ, walking in obedience, humility, and love, as Micah 6:8 encourages: “To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” 

<><><>

Based on a lesson given to the Karen Zoom community on December 19th, 2024

This tune (Palmetto) was composed by Christiaan Nobels for a hymn I wrote: Praised Be the God of Israel. Arie den Hollander performs it. The five books of the Book of Psalms all close with a doxology. This song is one extended doxology made from the five. Stanzas 1 and 12 are similar but have a significant difference. Stanza 1 calls forth praise from Israel while stanza 12 calls forth praise from all nations. To represent the post-Pentecost singing of the church today, stanza 12 employs the well-known hymnic phrase “Soli Deo Gloria.” The SATB score can be viewed here.

Remember me

(As published in Clarion)

...according to your steadfast love remember me, 

for the sake of your goodness, O LORD!—Psalm 25:7b

If you look at Psalm 25:6 & 7 as a small unit you will see that King David first asks the LORD to remember his mercy and love, and then not to remember the sins of his youth, then finally simply to remember him.

Lord, don't remember my sins, but don't forget me. Remember me, the one whom you have drawn into your covenant circle. God is no distant judge; rather, he is our covenant God.

There are many places in scriptures where we are told to remember—we're to remember the Lord, to remember his great deeds of salvation. There was the annual Passover feast, a festival of remembrance of how God had delivered his people from Egypt. The children of Israel were told to set up memorial stones on the bank of the Jordan River. They had their ceremonies—all to help them remember.

Today we have the sacraments to help us remember what God has done for us in Christ and his sacrifice on the cross. One of the weekly tasks of ministers is to remind the congregation of what Jesus has done for his people.

Here we are taught to ask our Lord to remember us. Remember me, Lord!  According to your steadfast covenant love, remember me.

There was someone else who prayed that: the one criminal on the cross. Jesus was crucified between two criminals, and the one hurled abuse upon Jesus. He said, “Aren't you the Messiah? If you are, save yourself and us!” The other criminal told him to be quiet since Jesus had done nothing wrong whereas they were getting the just reward for their crimes. Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Remember me! That's the same as King David prayed—remember me. It's what you can pray: “Jesus, remember me! Don't forget about me!”

Jesus will not. See how he answered the criminal! “Today you will be with me in paradise.”

That's where King David is. That's where the criminal is. That's where you will go when the Lord takes you home. Confess your sins like the criminal did, like King David did, and you may be assured that there is a place awaiting you in paradise.

David prays this for the sake of the LORD's goodness. God is good and has shown his  goodness throughout the ages. When the time had fully come he showed the full resplendent display of his goodness, of his steadfast love, and of his tender mercy by giving us his Son Jesus Christ to be our Saviour.

You can pray these things, dear reader. If you are lost for words, just pray this Psalm. Or sing or read the Psalm as we have it put to verse in the Book of Praise.

When life is a mess, when you are at the end of your wits, ask him to remember you. You, a sinner, someone haunted by the sins of youth, a troubled person, a disabled brother or sister, someone fighting a frightening disease. You, someone experiencing marriage breakup or family meltdown. Recovering from an injury. Lord, remember me—for the sake of your goodness; for the sake of Jesus. Because of what Jesus has done for me. Remember me, O LORD. I know you won't forget me.

Questions: Do you think the criminal was surprised by Jesus' response? Why?

Do think the Lord would ever forget you? Why do you answer the way you do?

Remember not...

Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions...—Psalm 25:7a

In the previous meditation we heard David pray, “Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.” Now having asked the LORD to remember his mercy and love he asks the LORD not to remember the sins of his youth or his transgressions. Do you see the order of things here? First he spoke of God's tenderness and love which have been from of old, for as long as God has had a people, which goes all the way back to our first parents.

God has always been a forgiving God. He had Moses set up a whole system of sacrifices and offerings, festivals and holy days, by which the children of Israel could approach the Lord, not with fear like the heathen, but with joy and celebration, knowing that their God was a forgiving God. After having established God's longstanding history of tender mercy he now asks that he may participate in that mercy and love by having his own sins and transgressions forgiven.

Dear reader, you can pray that too. “LORD, may I experience your tender and forgiving love and mercy, for they have been from of old.” It's there, available for us all. God will never say, “Oh, sorry. All of my mercy and love have been used up. The bank is empty.” No, his love and mercy are limitless and know no boundaries. God's treasure chest of mercy is never depleted. Pray for the LORD to forgive you your sins. He will.

Kind David speaks here specifically about the sins of youth. These are the sins of a young man. Even covenant youth commit terrible sins. If I think back to my own youth, when I was a young man, I can only blush with shame as I seek the Lord. But the Lord forgives also those sins. Young people, the Lord forgive the foolish sins you commit.

This is not to put you on easy street so that you will say, “Well, I can do what I want and sin to my heart's content because the Lord will forgive me.” No, that is presuming upon the love and mercy of God, and presuming upon the LORD is a dangerous thing to do. Be rather like the sinful woman who anointed the feet of Jesus with oil (Luke 7). When some people questioned what she was doing then Jesus explained to them that the woman loved much because she had been forgiven much.

Go to Jesus, young people and old people. He will forgive your sins, and then off your knees and serve the Lord with love for him and in obedience!

The sins of youth can haunt us. Once, many years ago, I was visiting a 90+ year old man in hospital. He knew he was dying and through his tears he began telling me about all manner of sins he had done. I thought, how can that be; he is such an old man, but then it dawned on me that he was speaking of things he had done 75 and 80 years earlier. Well, what could we do but read this Psalm: O LORD, sins of youth remember not.

Dear reader, don't be haunted by your sins; rather, ask God to forgive them: sins of youth, sins of middle age, sins of old age. Plead upon the tender mercy and the steadfast love of the Lord. He will forgive you.

Questions: How do the sins of youth differ from those of an old person? Have you asked God to forgive your sins of your youth?

Remember

(As published in a recent Clarion)

Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.—Psalm 25:6 

King David, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote beautiful words. He asks God to remember his mercy. Some translations speak of tender mercy. That gets the idea across well, for the word for mercy is about the same as the Hebrew word for womb. As a mother's womb encircles an unborn child, and as a mother naturally has love for the child in her womb, so David asks the LORD to look upon him with tender mercy. As a mother has feelings of love and tenderness flowing to her child, so David prays for feelings of love and tenderness to flow from God to him. If a child is hurt she wants her mother, and mother's heart opens wide for her hurting child. Soldiers injured on the battlefield and ending up at death's door will call out for their mothers. So David calls out for his God.

What about you, when you are hurting? When you are ill, are diagnosed with a serious, a life-threatening illness, you may call upon the LORD who has tender feelings of mercy towards you. When life becomes difficult, call upon the LORD for help.

David also asks the LORD to remember his steadfast love. A special word is used here that speaks of the love the LORD has for his covenant people. The people with whom he has a relationship of love. We are those people. He has love for us together as his people, and for each of us personally. Relish his love like you bask in the warm sunshine! Rest in his love!

You see how King David called upon God as LORD—“LORD” with four capital letters in our English translation. That is the special covenant name of God by which he revealed  himself to Moses at the burning bush. There God revealed himself as the covenant God of love. He is not like other gods who are cold, unmoving, and impassive. Or like gods who are so cruel they demand the sacrifice of firstborn children. Oh no; he is the God who has tender mercy and steadfast love for his people.

King David says that there is a solid reason for his prayer: “For they have been from of old.” He could have said that he was praying for tender mercy and steadfast love which have ever been from of old, and he would have been saying something true. But that is not quite what he said. He used the word “for.” For, since, or because they have been from of old. David asks God to deal with him in tender mercy and steadfast love because that is who the LORD is. That's the way he has always been. That's what he is like. From of old, since Adam & Eve, Noah & his family, Abraham & Sarah, the children of Israel—throughout the ages, the LORD has acted tenderly and lovingly toward his people.

Perhaps you are saying to yourself, “Well, Pastor, I'm not feeling much love right now. You don't know the trouble I've seen.” Well listen; I can't explain your troubles. I can't explain why God is leading you along the dark and scary paths. But I can tell you about a child of God named Paul who had such a disability that he stopped everything to ask the Lord to take it away. And Jesus answered, “No Paul; you need to learn that my grace is sufficient for you.”

That's what we need to learn too. The grace of God is enough.

Questions for further study: Is the steadfast love of God sufficient for you? Why or why not?

How could you get to the spot where you say: “The grace of God is all I really need”?