7 As he cursed, Shimei said, "Get out, get out, you murderer, you scoundrel!
7 And Shimei said as he cursed, "Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man!
7 To the accompaniment of curses he shouted, "Get lost, get lost, you butcher, you hellhound!
7 Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: "Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue!
7 "Get out of here, you murderer, you scoundrel!" he shouted at David.
2 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.
2 Many are saying of me, "God will not deliver him."
2 many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God. Selah
2 Mobs of them all around me, roaring their mockery: "Hah! No help for him from God!"
2 Many are they who say of me, "There is no help for him in God." Selah
2 So many are saying, "God will never rescue him!" Interlude
(Read Psalm 3:1-3)
An active believer, the more he is beaten off from God, either by the rebukes of providence, or the reproaches of enemies, the faster hold he will take, and the closer will he cleave to him. A child of God startles at the very thought of despairing of help in God. See what God is to his people, what he will be, what they have found him, what David found in him. 1. Safety; a shield for me; which denotes the advantage of that protection. 2. Honour; those whom God owns for his, have true honour put upon them. 3. Joy and deliverance. If, in the worst of times, God's people can lift up their heads with joy, knowing that all shall work for good to them, they will own God as giving them both cause and hearts to rejoice.
8 "He trusts in the Lord," they say, "let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him."
8 "He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!"
8 "Let's see how God handles this one; since God likes him so much, let him help him!"
8 "He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!"
8 "Is this the one who relies on the Lord ? Then let the Lord save him! If the Lord loves him so much, let the Lord rescue him!"
(Read Psalm 22:1-10)
The Spirit of Christ, which was in the prophets, testifies in this psalm, clearly and fully, the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. We have a sorrowful complaint of God's withdrawings. This may be applied to any child of God, pressed down, overwhelmed with grief and terror. Spiritual desertions are the saints' sorest afflictions; but even their complaint of these burdens is a sign of spiritual life, and spiritual senses exercised. To cry our, My God, why am I sick? why am I poor? savours of discontent and worldliness. But, "Why hast thou forsaken me?" is the language of a heart binding up its happiness in God's favour. This must be applied to Christ. In the first words of this complaint, he poured out his soul before God when he was upon the cross, Matthew 27:46. Being truly man, Christ felt a natural unwillingness to pass through such great sorrows, yet his zeal and love prevailed. Christ declared the holiness of God, his heavenly Father, in his sharpest sufferings; nay, declared them to be a proof of it, for which he would be continually praised by his Israel, more than for all other deliverances they received. Never any that hoped in thee, were made ashamed of their hope; never any that sought thee, sought thee in vain. Here is a complaint of the contempt and reproach of men. The Saviour here spoke of the abject state to which he was reduced. The history of Christ's sufferings, and of his birth, explains this prophecy.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Samuel 16:7
Commentary on 2 Samuel 16:5-14
(Read 2 Samuel 16:5-14)
David bore Shimei's curses much better than Ziba's flatteries; by these he was brought to pass a wrong judgment on another, by those to pass a right judgment on himself: the world's smiles are more dangerous than its frowns. Once and again David spared Saul's life, while Saul sought his. But innocence is no defence against malice and falsehood; nor are we to think it strange, if we are charged with that which we have been most careful to keep ourselves from. It is well for us, that men are not to be our judges, but He whose judgment is according to truth. See how patient David was under this abuse. Let this remind us of Christ, who prayed for those who reviled and crucified him. A humble spirit will turn reproaches into reproofs, and get good from them, instead of being provoked by them. David the hand of God in it, and comforts himself that God would bring good out of his affliction. We may depend upon God to repay, not only our services, but our sufferings.