Notes On Psalm 7 - Bible Studies 1964

by John Miller | Category: Voices From The Past | Dec 1996

The venom of Shimei came spitting out like that of a cobra; he thought that this was his opportunity to cast reproach on the fleeing king. He saw the king in difficulties in his son's rebellion and now he would let the king know what he thought of him. 'Begone, begone', he says, 'thou man of blood, and man of Belial: the Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned'.

Of these words and all that they implied David says,

0 LORD my God, if I have done this;

If there be iniquity in my hands;

If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me;

(Yea, I have delivered him that without cause was mine adversary:)

Let the enemy pursue my soul, and overtake it;

Yea, let him tread my life down to the earth,

And lay my glory in the dust.

He had done nothing but good to Saul. Saul had driven him out from hearth and home. He had pursued him in the wilderness, in mountain and wood. When Saul lay asleep in the cave, he could with one blow have ended Saul's miserable designs against him, but he only cut off the skirt of Saul's robe. Even for this act David's heart reproached him and he said unto his men, 'The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my lord, the LORD's anointed' (1 Sam. 24:6). When David confronted Saul with what he had done, and that he had not slain him, Saul said, 'Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rendered unto me good, whereas I rendered unto thee evil ... And now, behold, I know that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand. Swear now therefore unto me by the Lord, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house. And David sware unto Saul' (1 Sam. 24:17, 20-22).

John Miller | Dec 1996
Voices From The Past