The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 396

and even prnpared to brenk the ties which for yeare had held him to Mephibosbeth. Loyalty and religion a.re publicly professed. The assembled friends of the kin" are witneeeee to hie noble conduct. Wolve~ may com_e in sheep's clothing, Satan"may assume the appearance of an angel of hght, and, m the eame way, avarice may, if occasion requires it, bide its hateful form under the guise of the two most reputable of nil qualities-loyalty and religion. This is done in varying degrees. There is a con- formity to prevalent political opinion, to social customs, to decency of bearin", and to the observnncee of the sanctuary, not because of a thorough conviction of ri"ht"'fonnded on knowledge and principle, but because it will contribute to swell the amo~nt of one's gains !Ind elevate one'_e position in t~e world. God desir~th truth in the inward parts (Ps. Ii 6). The wh1ted sepulchre 1s no screen from bis eye (Matt. xxii. 27; cf. Ps. cxx.xix.). The reproaches of the wicked. A more graphic account of insult and personal wrong than this is not found in the Bible. The language of the sixty-ninth psalm is fitly descriptive of the events of this sad day, as also of Ps. iii. and iv. The harsh voice of Shimei, it is to be feared, was but the index of a feeling in many hearts towards the unfortunate man of God. The political element enters into the attack (ver. 8), but there was a deeper sentiment of hostility in which the ungodly of Jerusalem would be predisposed to share. Everything seems intense in David's life, as a consequence of the natural force of his character, the depth of his feelings, and the corresponding strength of emotion, whether of love or hate, which his conduct aroused. Except in sea.sons of fierce persecution, and most of all in the instance of our Redeemer, the reproaches of the wicked do not assume the violent form here indicated, but in every instance of their occurrence we may trace features in common with this. I. THEY PROCEED FROM RELIGIOUS A VERSION. David was a religious man. His kingly position was won by virtue of his being a man after God's own heart (1 Sam. xv. 28; xvi. 7-13). In spite of his great fall, be was a lowly, devout servant of God, intent on the spiritual welfare of the people. When Shimei assailed David as a usurper (ver. 8)1 and so made a political allusion, he revealed bis own Intense aversion both to David's piety and the religious reason for his elevation to the throne in the place of Saul. He evidently did not enter into the theocratic views of Samuel (1 Sam. xv., xvi.). He was a man who preferred the unspiritual order of Saul's government to the Divine order of David's. Here lay the real secret of the reproaches heaped upon the unfortunate king. No godly man, no man of elevated views or of spiritual sympathies, could originate such malicious words. This was the secret also of the reproaches heaped on Chrut. He was better than his haters liked him to be. Intense aversion to his superior spiri- tuality was the spring of their conduct. They hated him without a cause, i.e. a valid reason. In looking at the reproaches against the persecuted Christians, we find rhe same to be ,true. The evil words spoken nowadays against good men have their root in a dislike of the holy life which, by contrast, is a reminder of sin and guilt. II. THEY A.RE PROFESSEDLY BASED ON DEFECTS OF CHARACTER. It might be inferred from the words of Shimei (ver. 7) that he was a very righteous, peaceful, God- fearing man, for he comes forth as the accuser of the king, and pleader for what is just to man and God. But we know that tLis was only a cover for the real feeling. Those who are not holy a.re obliged, by compulsion of conscience, to find a plea for deeds of shame. The failure of David in one period of his life was most probably known to Shimei, and it is seized with eagerness and made the justification of a reproach bearing on his entire life, and imputing deeds of which David was innocent. Saving the case of Bathsheba and Uriah, David's life was anything but one of blood and worthlessness (Belia.I). To Saul and his sons he had been unusually kind. The elevation of his character had given dignity and power to the kingdom. These tactics of wicked men are constant; the occasional weaknesses of life are laid hold of, and ma.,"Ili.6.ed so as to be repre8entative of the entire life. The free and frank words of Christ, true as they were, not long before his death, were laid hold of and used as though blasphemy and evil works were his general characteristics (Matt. xii. 24; John x. 32-36). Our failings in Christian life doubtless are a reproach to us, and give occasion to the enemy to blaspheme; but the malice of the wicked is seen in that they gladly lay hold of these as a plea for gratifying the foeling of aversion they cherish towards the religion we profeSll. II, SAMUEL, 2 D  402 THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. [cH. XVI, 1-23.