Day 117: Reverence and Faithfulness

Today's readings: 1 Samuel 26 and Psalm 56.

I. 1 Samuel 26 recounts how David again spared Saul's life. He went to where Saul and his forces were encamped and found the king sleeping, with a jar of water and a spear near his head. David and his companion quietly took these items and left without anyone knowing. He returned to his own army and called out to Saul's forces. David rebuked Abner, head of Saul's army, for not protecting him well and showed the spear and water jar he had taken. Upon being asked why he kept pursuing him, Saul admitted that he had sinned and blessed David. The two depart in separate ways, and this is the last time they would meet.

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

David has three prominent virtues: mercy, reverence, and faithfulness. Though his comrade Abishai says he could easily kill Saul with his spear, David knows it is not his job to kill the Lord's anointed. David hopes the Lord will treat him the way he has treated Saul. He says to Saul, "As your life was precious this day in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the Lord" (1 Samuel 26:24). Here, we see a foreshadowing of the Our Father: "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." David says, "As I am treating others, please, Lord, treat me" - that is, with mercy. (p. 250)

II. Psalm 56 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes (verse numbers removed):

A lament psalm. The speaker is pursued by ruthless men who seek to do him harm. He overcomes his fear with trust in the God of mercy, being convinced that human foes can scheme and threaten, but they have no power to thwart the Almighty or to take away his reliance on him. On the contrary, he is sure that God can put his enemies to flight and cast them down. (p. 877)

What has been enjoyable to see over the last couple of days is just how closely these psalms relate to the events in 1 Samuel! Somehow, I missed this without having them connected like this through Bible in a Year.

That's all for today!