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| Chapter VIII. Instances from the life of the blessed David in which anger was rightly felt.
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Chapter VIII.
Instances from the life of the blessed David in which
anger was rightly felt.
And at any rate (this is
the case), when we are agitated against this very anger, because it has
stolen on us against our brother, and when in wrath we expel its deadly
incitements, nor suffer it to have a dangerous lurking place in the
recesses of our heart. To be angry in this fashion even that prophet
teaches us who had so completely expelled it from his own feelings that
he would not retaliate even on his enemies and those delivered by God
into his hands: when he says “Be ye angry and sin
not.”930
For he, when he had
longed for water from the well of Bethlehem, and had been given it by
his mighty men, who had brought it through the midst of the hosts of
the enemy, at once poured it out on the ground: and thus in his anger
extinguished the delicious feeling of his desire, and poured it out to
the Lord, without satisfying the longing that he had expressed, saying:
“That be
far
from me that I should do this! Shall I drink the blood of those men who
went forth on the danger of their souls?”931
And when Shimei threw stones at King David and cursed him, in his
hearing, before everybody, and Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, the captain
of the host, wished to cut off his head and avenge the insult to the
king, the blessed David moved with pious wrath against this dreadful
suggestion of his, and keeping the due measure of humility and a strict
patience, said with imperturbable gentleness, “What have I to do
with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Let him alone that he may curse. For the
Lord hath commanded him to curse David. And who is he who shall dare to
say, Why hast thou done this? Behold my son, who came forth from my
loins, seeks my life, and how much more this son of Benjamin? Let him
alone, that he may curse, according to the command of the Lord. It may
be the Lord will look upon my affliction, and return to me good for
this cursing to-day.”932
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