the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 2 of 5
2 Samuel 16:5-19
Whilst David pursues his way of grief and rejection, a Benjaminite named Shimei takes advantage of it in a cowardly way to hurl stones at him and to overwhelm him with insults. Against the Lord Jesus it was not just one accuser but a whole pack of "dogs" (Psalms 22:16) which gathered around the cross and took advantage of His humiliation to mock Him, reviling Him and wagging their heads. Not only does He not answer them, but He turns more than ever towards His God (Psalms 22:9). And, in a lesser measure, this is also what David does in the face of unjust accusation. He calls upon Him who knows the truth (cf. Psalms 7 title and vv. 3, 4). Furthermore, he receives this new trial as coming from the divine hand, and accepts the unjust curse as a thing which God has judged to be necessary. He rebukes Abishai, whose burning zeal for vengeance was becoming evident. (v. 9 — as in 1 Samuel 26:8). This is also the way in which our Saviour acted so perfectly when, in the same garden in which we have already viewed Him, He was able to say to Peter, "Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?" (John 18:11).
