2 Samuel 16

“Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, ‘Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut his head off!’ The king replied, ‘Sons of Zeruiah, do we agree on anything? He curses me this way because the Lord told him, “Curse David!” Therefore, who can say, ‘Why did you do that?’ Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, ‘Look, my own son, my own flesh and blood, intends to take my life – how much more now this Benjamite! Leave him alone and let him curse me; the Lord has told him to. Perhaps, the Lord will see my affliction and restore goodness to me instead of Shimei’s curses today.’” 2 Samuel 16:9-12 (HCSB)

Shimei was certain that the Lord was paying back David for all the “Saul-ish” blood he shed and that the Lord was giving Absalom the kingdom. Finally, Shimei’s trash-talking became tiresome. Abishai, Joab’s brother, turns to David and asks permission to cut Shimei’s head off! After all, it’s hard to talk trash without a head.

David argued that the Lord had ordered Shimei to curse him. Instead of shutting up Shimei by force, David sought relief elsewhere:

“Perhaps, the Lord will see my affliction and restore goodness to me instead of Shimei’s curses today.” 2 Samuel 16:12 (HCSB)

Take a moment and let the gravity of that statement take hold. What is it that David wants the Lord to see? His iniquity. Here is the secret of David’s peace. David had deep-seated confidence in a God of “un-guessable” grace, Who tends to replace cursing with goodness. He assumes the Lord has this strangely wonderful way of looking upon guilt and yet returning a blessing instead of a curse. If the mouth of God has declared David’s deserved punishment, perhaps the eye of God may long to spare him from it.

How can David even begin to think this way? Notice how he is not sure of this. He uses the word “perhaps.” David confesses the Lord’s freedom in this matter; He may or may not. But can’t you see that David could never have said, “perhaps” - never even conceived the possibility - unless he had already experienced the known character of God? How can he even dream this unless he actually knows a God like that and is a man after that God’s own heart? You can’t imagine how deep God’s compassion is for you, even when He disciplines you for your sin. But David would try because he knew Him.

Shouldn’t this come as exceptional hope to us today, those of us Christians who believe we have made a royal mess of our lives? What of us who have smashed God’s commandments, defiled His standards, and then suffered miserably for it? Repentance and forgiveness have come, yet we are sure God only regards us with grudging tolerance. And sometimes, we doubt His patience! Are we truly banned to the junkyard? Perhaps, we should take a stare at David’s God. What if we had a God, Who can look at guilt and return good if He desires? Well, we do. And, perhaps, He will.