Have you ever had someone you love and respect turn on you? Unfortunately, this is an all-too-common occurrence in this fallen world, but it’s nothing new. We see this happen in the Bible as well. King Saul took David under his wing like a son but then tried to kill him out of jealousy. David’s response to Saul stands as an example of a godly response, even in a difficult and trying situation.
The nation of Israel decided that they wanted a king like all the other nations around them, someone to lead them in war. Despite warning from the prophet Samuel of the dangers of having an earthly king, God told Samuel to anoint Saul as their first king. Saul looked like the epitome of earthly greatness:
"There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power. And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people" (1 Samuel 9:1-2)."
Tall and handsome, Saul came from a great family, but from the beginning, he showed signs of character flaws that would lead to his downfall. Under pressure from the people, he often ignored God’s commands, which eventually caused God to reject him as king.
God then sent Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint a new king. He invited the sons of Jess to come before him, picking out Eliab, Jesse’s oldest, as the sure candidate because he looked the part of a king like Saul had. But God had other plans:
"But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart'” (1 Samuel 16:7).
Jesse brought out all his sons, and all were rejected until they sent for the youngest, David. No one thought David was worth mentioning, but God saw something special in him:
"So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!” Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward" (1 Samuel 16:12-13).
When the Philistines made war with Israel, they brought out their fiercest warrior, Goliath, who sent terror into the hearts of the army. When David heard Goliath speaking against God, he volunteered to fight him and won. Saul gave him his daughter as a wife and gave him a place of honor. David became a leader over the men of war, gaining popularity with the people and the soldiers. Everything was going well until the people seemed to show more honor to David than to Saul:
"So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants. Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments So the women sang as they danced, and said: 'Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.' Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, 'They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?' So Saul eyed David from that day forward" (1 Samuel 18:5-9).
From then on, Saul’s jealousy escalated until he tried multiple times to kill David, so David fled.
David gathered a following of men and moved from place to place. Saul would discover their location and send men to kill him. This pattern continued for about seven years until Saul went into a cave where David and his men were hiding. Even though his men urged him to kill Saul, he only cut off a corner of his robe without Saul knowing. After Saul left, David called out to Saul, showing him honor as king, and asked Saul to stop listening to people who claimed that David wanted to harm Saul. He had the perfect opportunity to kill him and did nothing because Saul was still God’s anointed king.
Saul has a moment of clarity in which he sums up their relationship:
"Then he said to David: 'You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil. And you have shown this day how you have dealt well with me; for when the Lord delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me. For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him get away safely? Therefore may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. And now I know indeed that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand'" (1 Samuel 24:17-20).
Later, David is given a second chance to kill Saul when he slips into the camp at night, but David refuses to touch the Lord’s anointed. David tells Abishai that one day the LORD would strike Saul dead, or he would die in battle, but Saul’s death would not be at his hand. This time he takes the water jug from near Saul’s head and his spear. He calls out and reprimands Abner for not protecting the king and reminds Saul that he has had multiple chances to kill him and did nothing. Saul is repentant again and returns to the palace.
Eventually, Saul is slain in battle. When the messenger tells David the news, David kills him because he admits to killing Saul who was the Lord’s anointed. David mourns over Saul’s death but is eventually anointed king.
God did not hide his plans from either David or Saul. Samuel warned Saul multiple times that his behavior went against God’s commands, but Saul made excuses or tried to cover up his actions. He never repented or asked for forgiveness. He allowed jealousy to turn into attempted murder as he chased David relentlessly instead of bowing out gracefully.
David knew he was to be Saul’s replacement, but he left the timing and circumstances in God’s hands. He had multiple chances to kill Saul and take the throne by force, yet he didn’t. He even mourned the broken relationship with Saul and honored him after his death.
God is sovereign. Saul refused to submit to God’s will and suffered the consequences. David submitted even through seven years of being chased by Saul and his men. He trusted God to do what He said when the time was right, and He did.
David’s actions followed his belief in God’s sovereignty. He knew that what God had promised, He would do. So, he refused to take matters into his own hands and waited on God’s timing. If we believe God is who He says He is, then our actions should follow our beliefs. Like David, we should squelch the urge to jump in and handle things ourselves and wait for God to move.
In John 16:1 Jesus warns the disciples that persecution would come at the hands of people who think they are doing God’s work, but not to be offended. Instead, we should show the love and forgiveness that we received from Christ so that we can be witnesses to a broken world. When the time is right, God will fulfill His promises to us in a way that will glorify Him. In the meantime, we must practice patience and forgiveness toward others as we wait for that day.
Further Reading
What Can We Learn from the Relationship between David and Saul?
4 Lessons from the Rise and Fall of King Saul
Who Was King Saul in the Bible?
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Linda Lyle is a writer, teacher, knitter, and unintentional collector of cats. She has written articles for the Alabama Baptist, Open Windows, Refresh, as well as multiple novels and novellas. Her newest book, 5-Minute Prayer Plan for When Life Is Overwhelming, is set to release in October. She spins yarns on her blog The End of My Yarn at lindalyle.com.