Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 23:1-29, 1 Samuel 24:1-22, Psalm 54:1-7, John 19:10-11
When righteous young David has the chance to take out paranoid, egotistical, narcissistic Saul twice and doesn’t do it, part of me wants to throw my hands up in frustration. That’s not how the story should go! The hero is supposed to seize his opportunity to conquer his enemy, then ride off into the sunset as the credits roll.
Instead, David’s anti-climactic showdown with Saul reminds us who the real Hero is. In 1 Samuel 24, David and a small army of followers are on the run. Saul and an army of 3,000 soldiers are hunting David with the goal to kill him.
In an ironic, almost comical twist, the paranoid king decides to relieve himself in the very cave where David and his men were hiding. If I’d been in David’s squad, I would’ve joined their rallying cry.
“Look, this is the day the Lᴏʀᴅ told you about: ‘I will hand your enemy over to you so you can do to him whatever you desire’” (1 Samuel 24:4).
Take your shot! He’s got it coming! Eliminate the threat! Instead, David sneaks up behind his archenemy and cuts off the corner of his robe.
Wait. What?
David had already been anointed king, and clearly, Saul was no good for God’s people—his thirst for David’s blood was insatiable. So why then, does David opt to take a piece of Saul’s robe, as opposed to a piece of the man himself?
How could David be so bridled in the face of an enemy so bent on his destruction? It wasn’t that David didn’t crave relief from his enemy. He hadn’t assumed a position of defeat. He knew the battle ultimately belonged to the Lord.
At the mouth of the cave, David said these words to Saul:
“May the Lᴏʀᴅ judge between me and you, and may the Lᴏʀᴅ take vengeance on you for me, but my hand will never be against you” (1 Samuel 24:12).
We don’t have to seek revenge or take out our enemies. David’s defender is our defender. When we find ourselves face to face with a threat, our Father’s advice is to respond with kindness and let Him do what He will (Proverbs 25:21-22).
David’s restraint helps us grasp the big picture. If we widen the lens, we can see that the Lord has disarmed our ultimate enemy. God alone is the ultimate Authority and Judge in this world and the world to come (John 19:10-11).
So we don’t have to head into every fight with fists clenched. We don’t have to be the judge and jury in our search for justice. David’s defender is fighting for us. He is our helper, the sustainer of our lives, and our rescuer in every situation (Psalm 54:4,7). The battle belongs to the Lord!
Erin Davis is an author, blogger, and speaker who loves to see women of all ages run to the deep well of God’s Word. When she’s not writing, you can find Erin chasing chickens and children on her small farm in the Midwest.
Leave a Reply
59 thoughts on "David Spares Saul"
I live in Charlottesville, Va where there has been much violence and hatred this past weekend. This study has hit close to home. There were literal battles fought. I’ve thought about how David fought Goliath and we talked about how the battle was not David’s, but God’s. David was God’s instrument, but he did not win the battle. God did. Today I thought about how David could have fought Saul, but didn’t. He let God be in control. I’ve realized that we need to stand up to injustice and hatred, but it is not our place to harm others to make our point. Thinking of Dr. King and Gandhi I believe that we need to make a stand, but non-violently. The press covered the event, but what they didn’t show were the churches that had beautiful prayer services where people of all colors, faiths and backgrounds came together to hold hands in love. God calls us to love, even our enemies. It is hard and I ask you to pray for our community that is hurting right now.
Praying for you and all Charlottesville.
Our Church congregation prayed for your community and the nation as a whole on Sunday morning! We are united in this coming together for love, peace and to let God rule our nation! I will pray fervently for peace throughout the human hearts of people who desperately need Him!
Thank you for sharing this At Peace. We are holding you and your whole community up in prayer to our God. You’re absolutely right, it’s so difficult to pray for those that wrong us or hurt us, but hopefully it helps to remember that the battle is ultimately the Lord’s. We pray for peace, protection, comfort and strength as Charlottesville will begin to heal from this awful, hate-inspired weekend. Sending our love and support from Cincinnati, Oh!
I immediately thought of Charlottesville when I read the passage and devotional thoughts today. Thank you for putting real flesh and bones on an ancient truth. Praying for you and for your city and putting hope in the knowledge that God is on the side of love and justice.
Praying that your city would not be known for those indefensible actions and the terrible tragedy but by the love and sensitivity which is sure to follow. I believe that those who interceded and continue to intercede will see the fruit of their labors. I believe hearts will change and minds will be transformed as God moves in response to prayer. I kneel with you all.
Thank you so much for sharing this, At Peace. I think you spoke to the one thing I kept looking for in all of the articles and church statements and responses to what happened but didn’t seem to really find: loving your enemies. I think it there is righteous anger at the hate and injustice of what happened and action should be taken. And yet, as I’ve cried over all that happened and is happening, I also find myself praying deeply for forgiveness. I pray for the men and women whose hearts are full of hate right now, that the Gospel would reach them and that they would have an encounter with the God of love and peace, the God of the nations. In a broken and sinful world, I’m so thankful that our God is still sovereign and still has the power to change hearts!
Amen!
Praying for the City of Charlottesville and our country.
I will!
Praying. Davids example can give peace. The Lord has not given up but attending to our cry. Asking God to draw people to Himself in tragedy
I so needed to hear Gods truth. He is the sustainer of my life. To many times I want to “fly away” instead of putting my trust in the Lord to fight my battles. As my sister has so wisely reminds me. Each and every morning put on the full armor of God, Ephesians 6:10-19, and he will protect and fight my battles for me.
Ephesians 6:12 is a great reminder that interpersonal conflict is not man-to-man but flesh vs spirit. Remembering this helps me fight my battles in prayer instead of pouncing on my offender.
Well said Kelly!
Thank you all for your feedback on this study! I struggle with reading the long amount but the devotional and then your comments really help me tie it together! Normally my child is sleeping and I do a better job but for this study she has been right at me! I am thankful that I have her but it has been a time of growth for me! I would have not thought about comparing my words to swords while reading this and it’s so true! Thank you all!! I hope you have a blessed day!
Way to go SB, in keeping your commitment. God will honour your time with Him. Praying for you and your little one.
“He knew the battle ultimately belonged to the Lord.”
“We don’t have to seek revenge or take out our enemies. David’s defender is our defender.”
Amen and amen! I know that revenge is an easy thing for me to do, and that the devil can definitely ruin my witness with it. It has happened. I pray today that I will remember the battle is the Lord’s…not mine. He will take care of me and those who treat me wrongly. I need to focus constantly on trusting Him and treating others with HIS love!
I have never sought to kill someone. Well, not with my hands. I have, however, wanted to be quick witted enough to have the perfect comeback towards that one who hurt me, betrayed me, dismissed me, ignored me. I want to go for the jugular but I don’t want to go to jail. (just being honest here) So my weapon of choice becomes my speech. You know, the perfectly pointed words that would put them in their place. Words that would cut if not kill and I would feel oh so… smug. There. I’ve shown them. A corner of cloth won’t cut it but boy, a sarcastic word spoken sweetly just might make me feel… justified. Vindicated. Even triumphant. For all of a moment. I call myself a Christ follower – and they know that too. Yes I do initially feel triumphant – until I realize it is a false and hollow victory. In seeking my method of vengeance, I have sinned. Deliberately. Sinned. That’s the right pointed word. I have become judge and jury when that is God’s job, not mine. I have sought revenge and though I thought I had the victory, I had really just been used by Satan. That is the hard truth and I am so embarrassed, so humiliated, so disappointed in myself. I am brought low by the temporary high. I had lost the battle. I crawl back to the true King’s camp and confess my selfish egregious act. I can’t look Him in the face, let alone in to His eyes. I have become the betrayer. I have become the traitor. I am His disgraced soldier. And there, dear friends, is where my realest victory comes – prostrate at His feet. Humbled before Him. Asking His forgiveness for failing Him. He doesn’t say “Off with her head!” or throw me into solitary confinement or dishonorably discharge me from His army. He cups my face in His nail scarred hands and whispers “Oh my child, you were not meant for this. Vengeance is mine. Leave the burden of justice to me and walk in peace. I see and I will take care of all this. Now… Stand. Pick up your armor. Grasp tightly to the sword of the Spirit which is My Word. Walk always in it. All will be fine.” Oh what grace given to guilty me. What a mighty and tender God King I serve. Grateful. Again.
Thank you, once again, churchmouse. Your words echo my actions and feelings. We serve a mighty God. Forgiveness, unconditional love … always available.
Bingo, Churchmouse. Thank you.
Oh man! How I needed this today! Thank you!
Thank you!❤️
Beautiful written words……thank you churchmouse. Your heartfelt words have blessed me and many more.
Oh boy, do I relate!
Thank you for your honesty Churchmouse. It’s such a blessing to know that I’m not the only one out there that feels this way.
It makes me so happy –and relieved– that I don’t have to fight my own battles: He goes before me!
Beautifully said. Thank you Churchmouse.
Such beautiful imagery. Thank you.
Your words ‘being used by satan’ really strikes me. You think its just you, in your head, your sinful nature but really we are being used by satan to perpetuate his lies, accusations etc. This is going to help me keep perspective on the spiritual warfare in the moments I need it, Churchmouse…thank you!
This. Is. Me. And I have been actively, actively working on it for a little over a year now. Thank you for this imagery. It is so timely. Thank you thank you thank you. I might not have been laying people out with my tongue lately, but I sure have been sticking it to them in my heart. Praying for deliverance. For surrender. For peace. For all of us. Sending you all my love. Thanks again!
Whenever I feel the desire to take revenge with my words, I’m going to try and remember to sing Shake the Devil Off by Dorothy Norwood. Maybe somewhere between the praise and dancing God can take control of my tongue and heart.
Thank you for these words. God is sooooo good to us. Lord, your grace and mercy are undeserving and overwhelming. Oh how you love us.
There is so much in this story today that I needed to hear! “We don’t have to seek revenge or take out our enemies. David’s defender is our defender.” My human nature wants to do exactly what David didn’t do – seek revenge. I want to right the wrongs done to me, but I don’t have to.
I know that there are times when I am called to take a stand against injustice and unrighteousness and I pray to be like David and “inquire of the Lord” before I do anything. David Platt said, “We don’t have to right every wrong done to us because we have the promise that God will exercise His righteous judgment at Christ’s coming. God is more than capable of balancing the books.”
Holy, righteous Father, I pray for the wisdom and discernement to know when to speak and when to be still. The battle isn’t mine. The battle belongs to You. You are fighting for me. You are my helper; the sustainer of my life, and my rescuer in every situation. Help me to respond with kindness and let You do what You will.
Be blessed, sweet sisters!
Love that Platt quote! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for this wonderfully written, easy to read devotional Erin. What a blessing!!