Day 115: David Spares King Saul

 Today's readings: 1 Samuel 24 and Psalm 57.

I. In 1 Samuel 24 , Saul is told that David had been spotted in the Engedi wilderness, so he took 3,000 men to pursue him by the Wildgoats' Rocks. Saul went to relieve himself inside a cave, which, unbeknownst to him, David was hiding with his men. David's men encouraged him to kill Saul, but he quietly cut off a piece of the man's robe instead. When Saul left, David called to him and gave him honor as the king. He showed David the cut piece of fabric and told him that he could have killed him, but would never do so. Saul expressed regret for pursuing him, but when he left for home, David and his men didn't accompany him.

The BIY Companion, Vol I, has some good commentary on this:

God can give and take kingship from anyone he wants, but David is not God. He cannot kill the Lord's anointed. God has not given him that job. Though God has told him he will be Saul's successor as king, David recognizes his own limits. At times, we might be tempted to overextend our reach into battles that God has not asked us to fight. Being aware of your limitations is not the same thing as limiting ourselves. David never shrinks back from a battle, and neither does Jonathan. But he seeks the Lord's guidance first... David will only fight when the Lord wants him to. (p. 246)

What I found remarkable in this scene is that David's sparing Saul shows his mercy and helps explain why Scripture calls him a "man after God's own heart."  

II. Psalm 57 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes (most verse numbers removed):

A lament psalm. The speaker seeks shelter from God in storms of danger that rage about him. His adversaries are like lions ready to devour him and like hunters setting traps to ensnare him. He is confident that salvation is on its way from heaven, along with humiliation for his foes. The prospect of divine help leads to promises of musical celebration and gratitude. The two halves of the psalm end with the same refrain: "Be exalted, O God...over all the earth" (57:5, 11). Part of the psalm, 57:7-11, reappears with slight variations in 108:1-5. (p. 877)

That's all for today!