1 Samuel 18:12 Commentary and Bible Study

‘Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul.’ That very murderous act seems to convict Saul that he was a wretched person abandoned by God, and David was the man. That actually means that Saul knew both things: he was afraid of David because it was obvious to him that the Lord was with David, and the Lord was not with him. However it took place, it was pretty amazing that David escaped it, so that even Saul concluded this was miraculous; this was an act of God. He now realises: this is the one of whom Samuel spoke, the one I am going to be violently replaced by, and he is suspicious and afraid of David. What was Saul's reaction? It certainly wasn't to accept what he saw so clearly in that moment. It was to carry on with his murderous plans. We are going to see David, who is anointed to be king, being given tremendous success, and being helped by the Lord in everything he does: everything at this period of his life is successful. And yet on the downside, he has got this constant harassment from Saul, attempts to murder him: both personally, and through his agents. Although you see David's life in considerable danger with the king against him with all his forces and arts, and though he must suffer the difficulties and lies and all the trickery, yet at the same time he is preserved all the way through. ‘Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand.’ First of all, Saul wanted David out of his sight. He couldn't stand his presence; it was such an irritation to him, such a reminder of the sentence that he was under. But also he did it to endanger David; that was his intention. David is a kind of the brigadier now; he has got a whole brigade under him. ‘And [David] went out and came in before the people.’ He wasn't showing off – it was natural for one who held that office – but he was out and about, while Saul appears to have been retreating into his palace, and so it is the one who is seen who becomes popular with the people.‘David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.’ He didn't underestimate the danger. He knew when he went out to fight Philistine raiding parties, how much care he had to take. He had to be bold and valiant and lead his people – that was expected of him, and he surely did so – but he didn't take totally unnecessary risks. He knew what this was about: that at one and the same time he was honouring God, defending Israel, and at the same time doing the bidding of Saul, who was trying to get him killed. Saul thought, ‘He is a young man; he will be rash; he will be reckless; he will be foolish; he will take risks and he will be destroyed.’ That was no doubt the hope of Saul. He was discreet about his having been anointed. Though he was seen publicly, he didn’t vaunt his authority. He had no course conduct. He was not extravagant. Isn't it interesting: the extravagance you get from people when they are promoted to high positions? We had a Lord Chancellor, not so many years ago – in the days when there were Lord Chancellors – and the gentleman, who was already a very wealthy man and very comfortably off, was appointed to this post, and the next thing we knew he was spending something hundreds of pound per roll of wallpaper to decorate his apartment. Authority and office go to people's heads. But you don't see this with David. ‘When Saul saw’ – and through his agents – ‘that he behaved himself very wisely,’ – he was wise, and fair, and just, and humble – ‘he was [all the more, we may say] afraid of him.’ He knew he was doing all in his power to subtly and cunningly bring David down, but none of it was working. How was David managing to avoid all the traps that were being set for him? All his efforts were failing, and Saul concluded that the Lord was with David, and, try as he might, he was not going to succeed. This was frustrated malice. When Saul appointed David, a very young man probably aged twenty-one, as a brigadier over a thousand; don't you think Saul calculated this will go to David’s head? Nobody hates anyone more than a proud youngster, overpromoted, who gets honour and position and authority a little ahead of time. He'll soon be strutting around, mounting the best mounts, and having a retinue of people following him to get glory to himself, and down he will come in the estimation of everyone. No longer a simple shepherd boy armed only with a sling, but now a pretentious strutting young man, too pleased with himself, and proud of himself. But David behaved himself wisely, and he held on to his humility and resisted every stroke of pride. The people loved him and supported him all the more.