4 Then all the responsible men of Israel got together and went to Samuel at Ramah, 5 And said to him, See now, you are old, and your sons do not go in your ways: give us a king now to be our judge, so that we may be like the other nations. 6 But Samuel was not pleased when they said to him, Give us a king to be our judge. And Samuel made prayer to the Lord. 7 And the Lord said to Samuel, Give ear to the voice of the people and what they say to you: they have not been turned away from you, but they have been turned away from me, not desiring me to be king over them. 8 As they have done from the first, from the day when I took them out of Egypt till this day, turning away from me and worshipping other gods, so now they are acting in the same way to you. 9 Give ear now to their voice: but make a serious protest to them, and give them a picture of the sort of king who will be their ruler.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Samuel 8:4-9
Commentary on 1 Samuel 8:4-9
(Read 1 Samuel 8:4-9)
Samuel was displeased; he could patiently bear what reflected on himself, and his own family; but it displeased him when they said, Give us a king to judge us, because that reflected upon God. It drove him to his knees. When any thing disturbs us, it is our interest, as well as our duty, to show our trouble before God. Samuel is to tell them that they shall have a king. Not that God was pleased with their request, but as sometimes he opposes us from loving-kindness, so at other times he gratifies us in wrath; he did so here. God knows how to bring glory to himself, and serves his own wise purposes, even by men's foolish counsels.