Day 72 – 1 Samuel 26:18-25

Scripture Review

1 Samuel 26:18-25

"And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?" (1 Samuel 26:18)

David does not answer Saul with pride or rebellion. He asks two plain questions: "for what have I done?" and "what evil is in mine hand?" David is pressing the matter of his innocence. Saul is chasing him, but David wants it plainly stated what crime he has actually committed. The answer, of course, is none.

"Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods." (1 Samuel 26:19)

David asks Saul to hear him. Then he gives two possible causes for Saul's pursuit. First, "If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering." David is saying that if this trouble is from God because of some offense, then let there be a right dealing with God. But then he adds the second possibility: "if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD." That points to those who have stirred Saul up by lies and accusations. For, "they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods." David is not saying he intends to worship idols. The pressure of Saul's pursuit is not just political or personal. It is having spiritual effects.

"Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains." (1 Samuel 26:20)

David pleads for his life: "let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD." He knows God sees everything. Then he humbles himself again. Saul, the king of Israel, has come out "to seek a flea." Another way of David showing how small and insignificant he is compared to the weight Saul is putting into his pursuit. Then he adds, "as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains." David is saying Saul is wasting royal strength chasing one harmless man through the hills.

"Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly." (1 Samuel 26:21)

Then I hear Saul's confession, "I have sinned." He says, "return, my son David," and promises, "I will no more do thee harm." He recognizes why. "Because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day." Saul knows David spared him when he could have killed him.

Then Saul says, "I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly." Saul is admitting not only sin, but folly. He had acted like a fool. He had gone far wrong. For the moment, the truth breaks through.

"And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it." (1 Samuel 26:22)

David does not go personally into Saul's presence. Instead he says, "Behold the king's spear!" The spear is proof. It testifies that David had been near enough to kill Saul and chose not to do it. Then David says, "let one of the young men come over and fetch it." David is willing to return what he took, but he still keeps a safe distance.

"The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed." (1 Samuel 26:23)

David now speaks of divine justice. "The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness." David places the outcome in God's hands. He is not asking to settle the matter by revenge. He is asking God to judge rightly.

Then he repeats the great principle that has governed his actions, "the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed." David saw the opening, but he would not use it to violate God's order.

"And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation." (1 Samuel 26:24)

David says, "as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes," meaning he treated Saul's life as valuable. He did not count it cheap. He spared it. Then he prays, "so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD." David looks above Saul to God. He is saying, in effect, as I valued thy life, may God value and preserve mine. Then he adds, "and let him deliver me out of all tribulation." This is bigger than one night in the wilderness. David knows his life is full of trouble. His hope is not merely to survive Saul's spear. His hope is in the LORD's deliverance through every affliction.

"Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place." (1 Samuel 26:25)

Saul ends with blessing, "Blessed be thou, my son David." Then he speaks a kind of unwilling prophecy, "thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail." Saul recognizes what he has been fighting against for a long time. David is going to prevail. Then comes the closing separation, "So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place." David does not go back with Saul. He does not trust a verbal confession more than the pattern of Saul's life. Saul returns to his place, and David goes on his way. That ending is very important. David can forgive Saul without putting himself back into Saul's hand.

This chapter closes the encounter with humility, mercy, and separation. David pleads his innocence. He leaves judgment with God. He shows proof of mercy by returning the spear. Saul confesses sin, admits folly, blesses David, and says David will prevail. But David still goes on his way. This showed me David understood something important, a confession is not always the same as repentance, and tender words are not always the same as lasting change. David trusts the LORD to render righteousness and faithfulness, and he leaves his deliverance in God's hands.