Ep. 81. 1 Samuel 23-24 | David Spares Saul

EPISODE 81

DAVID SPARES SAUL: 1 SAMUEL 23-24

Saul relentlessly pursued David and "sought him every day, but God did not give [David] into his hands."

When David and his men were hiding in the recesses of a cave that Saul chose to use as a bathroom, David seemingly had his chance to end the life of his pursuer. David crept, unnoticed, to the side of Saul and cut off the corner of the king's robe. Even this act caused "David's heart to strike him." When Saul finishes taking care of his business, David follows him from the cave (certainly being careful of his step) and reveals how he had just spared the life of the King of Israel. David quotes a proverb to Saul, "Out of the wicked comes wickedness," and adds, "But my hand shall not be against you." In one statement, David shows that he is not wicked but that Saul is bowing to the wickedness of his heart.

There is something both noble and shrewd about David's handling of Saul. Over and over again, David declares he will not "put out my hand against the Lord's anointed." We have at least five instances where David insists that he will not put his hand against Saul. David, at this point, already knows that he has been anointed to be the next king of Israel, but David is not trying to take this honor upon himself. He was determined to wait until God made him king.

The shrewdness comes in when David, a couple of times, says, "May the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you." David is happy to let God be the enemy of Saul, but David will not make himself the enemy of Saul. In the 54th Psalm, which parallels these chapters, David says, "[God] will return the evil to my enemies; in your faithfulness put an end to them." David makes no bones about the fact that he expects God to remove Saul from the picture, for "The Lord will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish." As long as Saul pursues David, we will see David maintain his integrity and put his trust in God.

But we will see in the next video that David doesn't have such reservations about lifting up his hand against a fool.

ADDITIONAL READING: Psalm 54; 1 Samuel 26:10; 1 Samuel 24:6-10; 1 Samuel 26:9-11; 1 Samuel 26:23