And now turn, please, to 2 Samuel chapter 16. 2 Samuel 16, and I'll begin to read at verse 5. And you'll notice that our text for this evening fits like a hand in a glove with the text for this morning, just as if the Spirit of the Lord were trying to impress upon us the need for humility on this, his Sabbath day. 2 Samuel chapter 16, beginning at verse 5, reading through verse 14. And when King David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He came forth and cursed still as he came, and he cast stones at David. and all the servants of the King of King David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Out, out, thou bloody man, thou man of Bilial! The Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned, and the Lord hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son. Behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man." Then Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head. And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, Behold, my son which came forth of my bowels seeketh my life. How much more now may this Benjamite do it? Let him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord hath bidden him. It may be that the Lord will look on mine affliction, and that the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day. And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along the hillside over against him, and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and cast dust. And the king and all the people that were with him came weary and refreshed themselves there." David, in the depths of humiliation, reminds us of our Savior. There's a great difference between David and the Lord Jesus Christ. in that all of the evil that came upon David was raised up against him because of his own sin. And all the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ were because of our sin, and he was sinless. And yet, in David's bearing and suffering under this trial, we see a Christ-like spirit in how he endured it. The friends of David were a great comfort to him, and we've looked at them as he was fleeing from Jerusalem. And now an enemy, a very bitter enemy, came to add sorrow to this occasion of sorrow enough. Shimei, as we look at him as a very pitiful figure, running along a ridge that was along the road that David and his men were traveling on, he was throwing stones at David and throwing dust into the air and cursing. as he went along. He was giving vent to bitterness of spirit that he had kept in his heart for at least 20 years, maybe more than that. Shimei really believed, and this is perhaps the hard part of it. Shimei was not playing a part. He was not acting. He was not just seeking for an accusation to bring against David, to be mean. Shimei really believed that David had engineered the overthrow of the household of Saul. And he was a member of the household of Saul. He had grown very bitter about that whole thing. And after all, there was a lot for a man who was standing at a distance that would lend itself to give credence to Shimei's opinion. Hadn't David been among the Philistines when all of the generals of the Philistines united together to go to war against Saul? Wasn't he on their side and in their territory when Saul and Jonathan were killed? And they didn't touch David. As a matter of fact, David, after the slaying of Saul and Jonathan, came back into Israel, and when he came back, he brought 600 Philistines with him as a personal bodyguard with Ittai. Gasp at the head of them as a general and Wasn't it strange that they let him return safely? after being so angry with the Israelites you see to a suspicious mind it certainly looked like David was on the other side of things and it looked like David was being propped up in his reign his personal bodyguard were the outlaws in the days of Saul, who ran out in the desert to be with David, and the Philistines, the arch-enemies of Israel. These were the men that were the bodyguards of David. And then it was after a conference between David and Abner that Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, was murdered. And it was David's own right-hand man, Joab, who murdered Abner. who for so long was the friend of the household of Saul. You see, it looked for all the world to shimmy-eyes that this was a plot of David, a bloody plot. And when David mourned for the death of Abner, he thought that was a rather clever cover-up, no doubt. And now David was down. Twenty years later, but David was finally down, and it was time that he could come and kick David. And this implacable enemy of the king finally got in his licks. He honestly believed that God was bringing wicked David to his knees for the evil that David had committed against the household of Saul. He really believed that. He thought he knew what God was doing. And he triumphed in spirit, and he rejoiced over this fallen enemy. Out, out, O bloody man, worthless man! What he means by a son of Belial, a worthless person? God is giving you what you deserve. You're a murderer of the household of Saul. And the poor devil Shimei really believed that he was right. Well, you need to learn from Shimei in this place to resist the temptation. Resist the temptation of drawing conclusions from circumstantial evidence. Isn't it true that you often get angry with people, or feel that people have been low, and scheming, and wrong, from evidence that's a lot less than what Shimei had against David? Sometimes people murmur against rulers in government, rulers in other places, because they look at the circumstances, and it looks like, behind the scenes, these people have been trying to work things out as they've happened. Shimei was wrong, but he sure had a believable case. Beware of the temptation of drawing conclusions from circumstantial evidence, and beware of reading the providence of God too closely. Shimei was absolutely certain that David was guilty, and so he was absolutely certain that God was punishing David for his sins. He understood, he thought, what God was doing to David. Beware of reading the providence of God too closely. And then never, ever triumph over another man's tragedy. Even when it's a personal enemy, and if you're absolutely certain that he's a hateful creature, don't ever rejoice at the fall or the injury of another man. Turn to Proverbs 24 for a moment. Book of Proverbs, chapter 24. Look at verses 16 to 18. Proverbs 24. They talk about how to handle yourself when somebody that you are an enemy of is harmed providentially. Proverbs 24, 16. A just man falls seven times. Don't forget that he may be a just man even though he's fallen. The just man falls seven times and rises up, but the wicked shall fall into mischief. Period. The end. But then verse 17. Rejoice not when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad, not even inside your heart. Don't ever even secretly think with satisfaction that it's wonderful that these people who were against you finally got what they deserved, not even in your heart. Verse 18, "...lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him." We have this theme often in the Old Testament, that God brought the enemies of the Jews against them, and he intended them to inflict punishment on the Jews, but secretly they delighted in what God was doing to them, and that made God angry with them in return. Shimei is a pitiful study of human nature, twisted, bitter, vengeful. He had suffered, he really had. He was in a family that fell and fell hard, and he paid a great price. He endured great adversity in his family. But all of the trouble that he faced ate away at his spirit and made him a sour and hateful man. David, by contrast, is a gracious figure, because David suffered just as much as Shimei suffered, and David was now suffering as deeply as Shimei had ever suffered. And yet all of the suffering that came to David made him a more patient and holy and kind man even under abuse itself, a thing for which we all ought to pray. Now Abishai, who was one of his generals, one of his right-hand men, the brother of Joab, you remember, Abishai, who along with Joab brought the charge of murder against David and gave some credence to what Shimei was saying, he was totally insensitive to the element of truth in Shimei's charge. And with neither shame for what he had done, conspiring with Joab for the murder of Abner, and with no sensitivity or pity for Shimei, who had really suffered, he was ready to lift off his head, just to save them the awkwardness of having stones and dirt and curses as they were fleeing from Jerusalem. David said, I'm going to dissociate myself completely from you sons of Zeruiah. What do I have to do with you? I have nothing to do with the spirit and attitude that you're showing in the midst of this suffering. I want nothing to do with it. And then David shows you, my dear brethren, how to handle accusations, false accusations that come against you. Now our hearts are, by nature, more like those of Abishai than David. Because when people say something against us, and especially when they're wrong, and they say something about how wicked we have been, we want to go to war. We're ready to silence the false accusings. We're ready to prove our point. And we are. Don't you feel it often? Fire will answer fire. Vengeance will answer vengeance. And prove that I was not at fault, and prove it! Venom for venom. But not David. David bears it and never says a word. And look at the reasons why David bore with an unjust accusation. Why was he silent when people said rotten things about him? Well, first of all, David saw beyond the charge of Simeon. Shimei. He saw beyond the charge, the false charge. He was conscious, you see, of great guilt against God and against men. And that made him patient with Shimei, who said, you're a murderer. He knew that Shimei's charge was wrong. He had never murdered anyone in the household of Saul. But he had murdered. He had. He was a bloody man. He was a worthless man. God was giving him what he deserved. He was getting what he deserved. Now, not for the reasons that Shimei thought he was. And David saw beyond the person of Shimei. Look at that in verses 10 and 11. David says, let him curse, because the Lord has said to him, Who's going to stop him from doing it? Verse 11. Not enough for the reasons that Shimei thought, but there was truth he saw beyond the specific charge to some realities of his own guilt. And though he could say not guilty to the particular crime that brought on the curses of Shimei, yet he was conscious that he was a murderer and a wretch indeed. When you are falsely accused by people, and it happens to all of us, doesn't it? When you're falsely accused, you should feel more in your heart than simply the relief of knowing that you were right. There ought to be in your heart an admission that if the enemies who say bitter things against you, if they had access to your heart and knew the secrets of what you really thought in your heart, And they knew some of the secret things that you had done in your life. They could say much worse things about you. He could have said, you murderer of your own friend! He didn't know about it, apparently. He could have said, you adulterer! You brought this evil upon your own house! And he would have been right. You see, we all do indeed deserve some venom that we never do receive. And only God's grace has kept the worst truth about you and about me from the attention of our enemies. And that sensitivity of conscience would make you more patient with what people did say about you. David saw beyond the charge of shimmy-eye to what he really was. And David saw beyond the person of Shimei. Look at that in verses 10 and 11. David says, let him curse, because the Lord has said to him, Curse David. Who's going to stop him from doing it? Verse 11. Look, my son that came out of my bowels seeks my life. Let him alone. Let him curse. For the Lord has told him to curse." David was sensitive that it was God who brought this false accusation against him, and made his sharp tongue pierce David. The whole situation was God's doing, and David will submit himself under the mighty hand of God, and he'll savor every bitter drop that comes out of that man's shimmy-eyed mouth. He looked beyond the bitter cup to the hand that was giving the cup. And behind Shimei was God. God had brought this providence into his life. You see, it's here that the sovereignty of God with so many of us becomes impractical. If, because of some act of God's providence through the world that he created, some natural disaster, something happens to us, well, we can say, well, we'll submit to that. We know God's in control of this world. But when other people begin to falsely accuse you, do you believe that God's in control of that as well? Look at Psalm 39 for a moment, where David so accurately penned his attitude at this moment. Psalm 39 and verse 9. David said, I was dumb, and I opened not my mouth. Why, David? Because, Lord, thou didst it. It was because, God, you were doing this to me, that I didn't want to answer. Shimei and others could see the secondary agents. Abishai could see the secondary agent. He could see Shimei. But Abishai couldn't see beyond Shimei to God himself. Too much of our angry responses and our self-defense flows from an unbelieving heart that doesn't look beyond people that talk about us or say wrong things about us to God who appointed them. They're only the secondary agent, and there's a Lord who is behind it. Beware when you respond with attacking people who attack you. with words, you may be attacking God who is behind you. The Lord says, be still and know that I am God. Humble yourself, therefore, under the mighty hand of God. David saw beyond the charge of Shimei. He saw behind the person of Shimei. And David saw very little in these acts of Shimei. And this is his great wisdom. He didn't take it too seriously. He didn't make more out of it than it was. He compared, you see, this evil to the evil that had already come upon him. What does David say in verse 11? He says, what's this little Benjamite running along the hill and throwing stones and throwing dirt at me? My own son is raising an army to kill me. My own son has taken my throne. What's this?" This little fellow running along, calling me a murderer. So he curses me. My son is seeking my life. What's this little thing? Now that shows grace, and we usually respond in exactly the opposite way. When somebody says something against us, usually we respond because it's like the that broke the camel's back. You know the story about you keep putting one straw after another on the camel's back, and finally you'll get that last straw that'll be too heavy. Well, sometimes people say things that are nasty. They imply things about us that are not true. And it's after we've gone through heavy trials. And what they say is a very little thing. It is an offense. But we respond with all of the hatred and all the pent-up frustration, and we really dump on people out of anger and frustration and self-defense. David kept his perspective. And as a man of grace, it was the other way around. He said, look, I've been feeling this heavy thing that's come upon me. My son's against me. Why do I care about this Benjamite? Why should I cut his head off and relieve my frustrations on him?" This is a little thing by comparison. Then he says, maybe God will pity me. How do you notice that? David's not proud. He says, look, I'm going to look like the poor and helpless man that I am. Maybe God will pity me when he sees this man lashing out at me as he does. He's not proud and demanding respect. He's looking for mercy. You see, self-defense and self-righteousness go hand in hand. They're very close neighbors. Self-defense is a sin that attaches to us. Don't you feel yourself often wanting to show the world and prove to the world that you are right? Don't you find yourself defending yourself as worthy? Justify yourself against any false charge. There's pride in that. What are you doing? You're keeping up that image, that front, that public front, what you want to look like to people. You labor to put on that face, and then you'll work hard to keep it. And when God tears it down and humbles you, don't try to shore up the myth of the person you wish you were, and you try to make other people think you are. God tore down the facade of David, and he showed the whole world that David's house was a catastrophe, because of David's sin. So David wasn't much in a spirit for putting up the front before people, that I am a righteous man and not worthy to be condemned by the likes of Shimei. One of the beautiful things about David was that he was not anxious about his image. At this moment when God tore away the facade, he didn't care about how he looked before men. He wasn't looking to reestablish his credibility with people. He wanted pity and mercy from God. Maybe God will pity me when he sees what a wretch I am. You see, it's easy to come to church, and when you're all dressed up and look like one of the respectable Christians, to open the hymn book and to sing, Amazing Grace that saved a wretch like me. And then when somebody turns around and says, Man, you are a wretch, you're ready to fight. What do you mean I'm a wretch?" And defend yourself. David said, I'm a wretch. I'm going to look like a wretch, and I'm going to look like a wretch to all the world, and maybe God will have mercy on me. Nothing but a sinner! Are you willing to look like that to people, as well as to God? David chose a Christlike spirit in his suffering. Our Holy Lord Jesus Christ was falsely accused falsely accused throughout his trial and his death, but he remained silent. He had an Abishai in Peter. Peter wanted to cut off the head of the people that were going to arrest him, and he started swinging the sword just like Abishai, who was ready to draw the sword. Why should this dog falsely accuse you? Let me cut off his head. But you see, our Lord Jesus Christ saw beyond the false charges. Oh, he had never conspired against the Roman government, as they said. He had never blasphemed God, as they said. But all of the sins of his people had been put upon his shoulders and imputed to him by the God of heaven. And he was made sin. in the sight of God. He saw beyond the accusations to the reality that he bore before God. The cross was justice. Just what all of the sheep deserved for their sins. He was going to bear it for them. And he saw behind the cursing and the mocking crowd and the hateful Pharisees. He saw beyond the people that were doing this to God. And the bitter cup was given to him by God, and he would drink it. And do you see that the hardest thing for our Savior was not what people said. And it wasn't the nails that they drove into his hands. It was the stroke that justice gave. It was his Father putting him to death for sin. And if his father was against him, couldn't all of the human race be against him at the cross, too? You see, he was silent when his father was against him and smote him. And he opened not his mouth. Oh, who could have defended himself like the Lord Jesus Christ could have defended himself? And who could have justified his cause? as Christ could have if he had chosen to do so. But he was wounded for our transgressions and they were real. He was bruised for our iniquities and they were real. And by his stripes we were going to be healed. As you come to the Lord's table this evening, admire again the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and his patience under unjust accusations admired in David, and see that an unworthy sinner could gain a Christ-like spirit in sufferings that he even deserved, and pray to the Lord that you might receive something of that spirit, that we may be rid of our self-defense and be willing commit ourselves to the grace of God as David did and as the Savior did. Let's bow together in prayer. Our Father, you have been so good to us that the most vicious and obnoxious things about our character have not been clearly seen by others. Thank you, Lord, for keeping us from that dreadful exposure. But we pray that you would forgive us for defending ourselves on lesser things and weeping to build an image that we are something before men. Teach us more often to commit ourselves to the grace of God by appearing before you and men as nothing in ourselves. teach us to be like the Lord Jesus Christ in patience. We see that a wretched sinner like David learned that. Oh, teach us, even as we come to your table tonight. We pray in the Savior's name. Amen.