Let Him do to me as Seemeth Good unto Him.
During the conspiracy of Absalom, David was forced to fly from his palace, and from the holy city. The procession was a sad one: it consisted of his chief friends and defenders, and seems to have been accompanied by multitudes of the inhabitants; for "all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over." 2 Sam 15: 23. Up to this time, Zadok the priest and the Levites had accompanied David, bearing the ark of the covenant, the sacred emblem of God's presence. But now the humbled king appears to be struck with the unseemliness of carrying about the ark; as though God could not protect it, or as if he could not restore them to their rights. He therefore said to Zadok, "Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I shall find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and show me both it and his habitation; but if he thus say, I have no delight in thee—behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him." That is, if God determines to continue my chastisement, and to extend this chastisement yet further—if he sees fit to add new pain, fear, and ignominy—if he banish me from my throne and bring down my grey hairs with sorrow, here am I. He is a Sovereign; let him be honored, though I be abased. His will be done! How affecting is the scene which follows. "And David went up by the ascent of Mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot; and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up." Here is a lesson of holy submission for us in every affliction. Only let us be convinced that God does it; and if there is grace in us we must at length submit. "I was dumb—I opened not my mouth, because thou didst it." This humbling and resigning ourselves into the righteous hand of God, is one great end of our chastisement. Are we afflicted? let us learn this lesson—hard for nature, but made easy by grace. Let us evermore say, "Let Him do to me as seemeth good unto Him."