Year of the Bible: Part Five of Twelve ናሙና

David Mourns the Death of King Saul and His Sons

God had abandoned Saul, so the battles he fought were destined to be lost. In a battle with the Philistines, Saul and three of his sons were fatally wounded. The desperation not to be killed by the Philistines was intense. His armor-bearer refused to finish him off, so Saul took his own life by falling on his sword.

When David received word of Saul and his sons’ deaths, he was heartbroken. The bittersweet moment he had been expecting for more than a decade was more bitter than sweet. God had anointed him to be king, and he had been hunted and persecuted because of that calling. Yet, at the moment when most of us would rejoice and breathe a sigh of relief, David mourned for his enemy.

David had a heart after God. He could see things the way God did. Saul’s death would mean David’s rise to power, but he did not rejoice. He wept for his best friend Johnathan, who had stood with him in the face of danger. David mourned for what could have been, for the potential for greatness that had died. He let a sad moment be sad, writing a lament indicating that the death of Saul and his sons was indeed a loss. He highlighted their strengths and did not mention their weaknesses.

David also showed great wisdom by assassinating the man who falsely claimed to take Saul’s life, probably expecting David to reward him. David knew that God was his defender and trusted God’s timing to bring him into authority in Israel. The Baker Illustrated Bible tells us, “David expressed displeasure with anyone who aimed to hasten the demise of Saul and his family. When Saul’s son, Ish-bosheth, was assassinated, David ordered the execution of the two assassins.” He would not give evidence to anyone wishing to say that he took out his political rivals. Instead, he turned to God for His timing in bringing David to the throne.

David's heart attitude was not typical, and we can learn a lot about patiently waiting for God to work out His plan. David knew that God alone would establish his throne, and he determined to honor God by honoring those to whom God had anointed and appointed to leadership.

Question: How does David's mourning strike you as you read today? Do you trust God's timing in your life, or do you try to make things happen more quickly?

Prayer: Take some time to recognize the heart of God in David and ask for that heart in the face of those who act like enemies. Ask God to show you how you can respond when enemies are defeated in your life. Ask Him to give you compassion for those who destroy their destiny. Ask God to give you the trust to let Him do things in His perfect timing.

Go Deeper: Remember, people are not our enemy. They are merely victims of our enemy. We do not wage war against flesh and blood, but again the spiritual powers of darkness attempting to cover this world.