TUESDAY
David’s life after being anointed king wasn’t exactly a smooth ride. After defeating Goliath in the familiar story, he was brought into Saul’s house to play music for him. David also found success on the battlefield. This won the hearts of the people but also incurred the jealousy of the king. When they returned from a battle the people shouted “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”
1 Samuel 18:8–11 8 Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?” 9 And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David. 10 The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand 11 and he hurled it, saying to himself, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.
For the rest of his life, Saul pursued David and tried to kill him. Instead of retaliating and fighting back against Saul, David fled and became a vagabond and leader of a disreputable group.
1 Samuel 22:2 2 All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their commander. About four hundred men were with him.
As Saul pursued him, David had two occasions where he could have killed Saul, therefore, eliminating his problem and even ascending to the throne. In both instances he refuses to harm Saul, going against the suggestions of his men and what would have seemed like a clear “open door” from the Lord.
1 Samuel 24:6 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.”
After one instance in which David cut off the corner of Saul’s robe to reveal to him that he could have easily killed him while he was relieving himself in a cave, Saul declares to David:
1 Samuel 24:17 17 “You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly.
Just like Jesus, David repaid Saul’s evil for good and he did not retaliate but he entrusted himself to God and continued to do good.
1 Peter 2:23 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
1 Peter 4:19 19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.