2 Samuel 19:9-39

Absalom had been killed in battle, and the people who had supported him fled to their homes. No one wanted to be identified with this attempted coup. As David returned to Jerusalem, various people came out to meet him. Shimei, who had cursed David and thrown stones at him when he left the city, came out with one thousand Benjamites! He fell down before the king and said:

“‘My lord the king, please forgive me,’ he pleaded. ‘Forget the terrible thing your servant did when you left Jerusalem. May the king put it out of his mind. I know how much I sinned. That is why I have come here today, the very first person in all Israel to greet my lord the king.’” (2 Samuel 19:19–20, NLT)

David could have held a grudge. What Shimei had done was completely disrespectful. He could have been charged with treason. But David accepted his apology and protected Shimei a second time from Abishai who wanted to kill him.

David was also met by Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth. Earlier he told David that Mephibosheth saw the revolt as his opportunity to gain the kingdom of Saul. At the time, David gave to Ziba all that belonged to Mephibosheth. But now Mephibosheth came out accusing Ziba of slandering him. David modified his previous judgment and said that Ziba and Mephibosheth should divide the land. But Mephibosheth did not care about the land. He was just thankful to have David back.

In all these things, David had to immediately make judgment calls. What are our guidelines in such times? One of my favorite Old Testament verses is Micah 6:8:

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8, NKJV)

We must render righteous judgments based on truth and without partiality. We must also love mercy because God is merciful and He delights in mercy (Micah 7:18). Finally, we must walk humbly with God knowing how undeserving we are. David could not throw stones at others because he knew how much he had been forgiven by God for his own sins. If we would be fair in all our dealings and represent Christ, then let us remember to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God. We can be sure that these things will please the LORD and be profitable to men.