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DAVID ENDURED HUMILIATION
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27
2 Samuel 16

Psalm 46:1-7

 

“The LORD of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our refuge.”

 

DAVID ENDURED HUMILIATION
 
The departure of David from his palace to nowhere was a great humiliation to him. He was king of Israel and now his son had forced him to run away. He had a good number of sympathisers who would have encouraged him. A servant of the house of Saul was a friend of the king; he brought him food and showed his support. Another stranger who was also of the house of Benjamin took advantage of the tragedy and ridiculed David. The king had to restrain his servants from doing him any harm.
 
Meanwhile Absalom took the palace and began with a disgraceful note as he was counselled by David’s rebel adviser. Nevertheless, David did not give up easily. He carefully planned his return to the palace. At the same time, a sympathetic friend came to meet David and expressed his support. The king had left his palace and had no home; this was not his first such experience. When King Saul was after his life, he had lived in such conditions to hide from him.
 
Ziba was a servant of Saul, and David had appointed him to manage Saul’s estate when he invited Mephibosheth (the son of Jonathan) to live with him in the palace. Ziba felt honoured in that position and he became a friend of the king. The time had come for him to express his gratitude. He brought food to David, enough to feed him and all the people that were with him. In this, he showed his loyalty to David. He had known the king long enough and it was likely he knew that there was a possibility of him coming back to Jerusalem. His act was also an encouragement to David that despite the conspiracy of Absalom, he had a good number of people who supported him.
 
THOUGHT: Our love for others can be a means of rescue in time of need.

PRAYER: Father, let me love my neighbour as myself.

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