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Saul, the first king of Israel is dead. David is still living in Philistine territory at Ziklag with his small army when he hears the news. A young Amalekite man brings word to David of Saul’s death thinking it will please David and will reward the young man for his work. Saul committed suicide, but this young man lies about the circumstances and tells David he was the one that killed Saul. David rarely responds like normal people do because normal people are carnal people. David is spiritual and godly and therefore very much outside the box when it comes to the way he handles his business.
- David has God’s view of things and so his behavior is surprising to people.
- David has God’s view of things and so he controls his heart, mind, and emotions.
- David has God’s view of things and so he is discerning and tactical when it comes to other men’s behavior. He makes good decisions because he’s not limited by his own lusts or ambitions.
- David has God’s view of things and so people who assume he is carnal in his thinking like them make gross miscalculations when dealing with him.
Genuine grief (vss 1-12)
- You would think that David would be so happy to hear that the man who hunted him for over a decade is now dead. But David’s perspective on his own life is much bigger than himself. His own reputation, his own struggles, none of that is as important as God’s reputation in the world. David will do anything to make the LORD famous in all the earth. And David was grieved in his heart when the visible head of the LORD’s nation, King Saul, fell in death.
- Most of us would gloat over the death of someone who was as bad to us as Saul was to David. But David’s thoughts and emotions aren’t tied up with himself. He is a man after God’s own heart. David’s world is much bigger than himself.
- Most of us would find comfort if someone who hated us as actively as Saul hated David was removed from our lives. We’d never consider what effect, if any, would this have on God’s reputation.
- David mourns the death of a man God had lifted up. He’s not mourning death in general because David had no trouble executing the Amalekite. He has no particular grief for the Amalekite. It would be as if a very public Christian fell into reproach.
Miscalculation of self serving people (vss 13-16)
- The Amalekite young man who brought the news thought David was as self serving as he was. He tells David what he thinks David wants to hear, but he couldn’t have been more wrong.
- David is not ambitious to be king. David’s goals in life do not revolve around his success or how famous he can become. David is disgusted that this self serving young man doesn’t have enough concern for the things of God to fear God.
- Most of us would see opportunity, just like this Amalekite, but David sees tragedy. A king who would never obey God is now dead having represented the LORD’s nation of Israel.
David takes up a lamentation (vss 17-27)
- Verse 18 – First of all David makes sure this will not happen again under his watch. David is discerning and tactical in his decision making. Why? Because he has God’s perspective on things.
- Verses 19-20 – No gloating. Don’t give the enemies of God a reason to blaspheme God. That’s the first thing we’d do. Did you hear about what happened to so and so? Especially bad news. And especially the bad news about someone we don’t like. But not David.
- Verses 22-24 – David is truly gracious in his remembrance of Saul. He could’ve laid out all the garbage Saul put him through, but he keeps his comments about Saul short and sweet.
- Verses 25-26 – David really loved Jonathan.
- How are the mighty fallen! The refrain describes the failure of the nation of Israel because of her rebellious king. But in the midst of national defeat David has personal victory.
- David has God’s view of things so he overcomes the sadistic comfort you and I would find in the removal of a malicious enemy like Saul.
- David has God’s view of things so he overcomes the dog eat dog ambition that you and I would feel knowing your next in line to be king.
- It’s almost like adopting God’s view of things protects people from the petty stupid things that trip us up.
- It’s almost like adopting God’s view of things gives you clarity of thought to make wise decisions.
