Charles Dickens in his book ‘Great Expectations’ writes concerning the suffering of Pip through the reproach of Estella from when they first met as children.
“I little thought,” said Estella, “that I should take leave of you in taking leave of this spot. I am very glad to do so. “Pip replied, “Glad to part again, Estella? To me, parting is a painful thing. To me, the remembrance of our last parting has been ever mournful and painful.” “But you said to me,” returned Estella, very earnestly, “‘God bless you, God forgive you!’ And if you could say that to me then, you will not hesitate to say that to me now,—now, when suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has taught me to understand what your heart used to be. I have been bent and broken, but—I hope—into a better shape. Be as considerate and good to me as you were and tell me we are friends.”
Psalm 69 RSV Bible
King David sought God to remove Absalom’s reproach from him, so that others would not be put to shame or dishonoured through him. He is waiting for God to answer his prayer.
4”More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause; mighty are those who would destroy him, they attack me with lies.”
King David expresses through his Psalm his anxiety and despondency: he describes how he feels, it was like being stuck in a bog, being sucked under by the reproach coming from those who hated him.“
“What I did not steal must I now restore?”
David did not steal King Saul’s crown. he was anointed by God to be the King while the king Saul still lived. Absalom stole from his father king David’s crown, while David still lived.
7 “For it is for God’s sake that I have borne reproach, that shame has covered my face.” There are several instances where David was persecuted for being God’s anointed future king: King Saul in his reproach pursued David to slay him because of his popularity with the people. They sang songs about him, praising him for having won great victories over the Philistines. When David became the King, he united Judah and Israel and enjoyed the blessings from God and people.
King David’s son Absalom, deceived Israel’s leading men by tricking them to go to him to make judgements over their problems. Absalom waited by the roadside leading to the King’s gate, and engaged with people going to seek the King’s judgement over their complaints. Absalom presented himself as a man of justice who cared for the people. Absalom stole the hearts of the people and his father’s crown; he did not seek to be anointed by God to be king. The people were deceived and chose Absalom to succeed his father king David while David still lived. 2 Samuel 15: 1-6. 13.
9 “For zeal for thy house has consumed me, and those who insult thee have fallen on me. When I humbled my soul with fasting, it has become my reproach.” Psalm 69: 8-15. 2 Samuel 16: 5-14.
When King David found out that Absalom had plotted to steal his crown, he was hurt, he showed great restraint, he left Jerusalem with those who were loyal to him.
11 When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.”
King David ascended the Mount of Olives barefoot, weeping and covering his head.
Shimie, of the same clan as King Saul’s family, he saw King David leaving Jerusalem. He shouted cursing, reproaching King David, he threw stones at him and at his followers because he believed that David had stolen King Saul’s crown. However, David did not steal the crown from Saul, he was anointed by God to be the King while the king Saul still lived. King David felt like a stranger to his people, he did not retaliate against Shimie. 2 Samuel 16: 5-14.
19 “Thou knowest my reproach, and my shame and my dishonour; my foes are all known to thee.”
King David bearing the shame and reproach of his son Absalom and Shimie, pleaded with God for his help to rescue him from the effects on his life.
Shame has no intelligence and does not reason within our mind; it is a feeling.
There are two kinds of shame: shame we deserve. Were a person is discredited by being found out. Shame that we do not deserve: this shame weighs upon the spirit which leads to depression or a feeling of frustration, trudging up a hill or ploughing through mud and a state of hopelessness.
Reproach meaning holding something against another person. Feelings of indignation that leads to reproach: blame, discredit, disgrace, scold, and anger aroused by something unjust.
King David’s crown was restored.
After King David and his followers crossed over the Jordan river, the battle between King David’s friends and Absalom and his followers took place. King David gave orders that they should not kill Absalom. But Absalom met with an accident and was killed by Joab and his armour bearers. 2 Samuel 17: 22. 18: 9, 14,15.
King David wept when he heard, he bore Absalom no reproach. “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!” King David was ashamed of his son’s actions against him, also his son’s reproaches fell on him. “Thou knowest my reproach, and my shame and my dishonour; my foes are all known to thee. Insults have broken my heart, so that I am in despair.” Psalm 69: 16-20. 2 Samuel Chapters 15-18.
Verses 22-29 King David poured out his reproach on those who he believed were his enemies.
Verses 30- 36 Towards the end of the Psalm King David praised God for delivering him from his enemies. He pointed to the restoration of his throne and those in future generations who shall inherit it.
Jesus bore the sin of reproach on the cross, fulfilling the prophesies in Psalm 69: 4, 9, 10, 19 -21.
4 “More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause; mighty are those who would destroy me, those who attack me with lies. What I did not steal must I now restore?
John records the conversation between Jesus and Pilate, ” And Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “Do you say this on your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” Pilate pointed to the members of the Jewish council who had said this. Pilate’s heart had not been stolen, he absolved himself when he washed his hands declaring ‘what is truth?’ He did not want to get involved with any conspiracy against Jesus. But he had to make a decision so, he turned to the people to make his judgement for him.
Nations leaders anoint and place a crown on a man’s head before proclaiming him King.
Jesus was born a king. The wise man asked King Herod, “Where is he who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him.” Matthew 2: 2.
9 “For zeal for thy house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult thee have fallen on me.” Paul in his letter to the Romans wrote that Jesus bore on the cross the sin of reproach, “For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The reproach of those who reproach you have fallen on me.” Romans 15: 3.
Jesus bore on the cross the insults, the reproachful mocking words of those stood watching. They wanted to see if God would save him. The chief priests mocked him to one another with the scribes saying, “He saved others; but he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Mark 15: 31, 32.
King David’s prayer was heard, and God rescued him. But it was not God’s plan for Christ the King, to continue his life in the land of the living. The Jewish people believed that the Messiah or the Christ (Greek) would not come and die without completing his mission which they understood to mean that he would lead them to victory in battle against the Romans who occupied their land.
Paul wrote, “For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.” Christians believe and know that Jesus is alive and Lord of all. Romans 14: 9. One experience of Jesus is worth a thousand arguments.
20“When I humbled my soul with fasting, it became my reproach”. Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness being tempted by the devil. The devil reproached Jesus and thought he had the victory when Jesus died on the cross. On the cross Jesus won the victory over the devil and for all who believe in him.
19 Thou knowest my reproach, and my shame and my dishonour; my foes are all known to thee.”
Some of those standing at the cross would have mocked him, when he cried out, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” At this point the curtain in the temple was torn from top to the bottom. The most sacred place in the temple where the high priest took the blood of atonement once a year, to atone for every Jewish person, including the high priests; it was open to every person’s gaze. God had left the temple at Jerusalem. Mark 15: 34, 38.
20 Insults have broken my heart, so that I am in despair.”
Jesus’ heart was broken, in desperation to forgive those who did this to him, he said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23: 34.
21 “They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” The food, the curses coming from the hearts of those who despised Jesus. His words, that were the true bread from heaven, his words giving eternal life to those who believe in him.
The Jewish people and their leaders were ignorant of God’s plan of being saved through forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus; his life laid down his life to atone for sin and its’ causes.
God resurrecting Jesus from the dead, enables every person to be forgiven of sin against each other, when he bore our reproach, on the cross. By coming to him in faith, believing what has been written and asking for forgiveness in Jesus’ name, we are released. Amen.