1 Samuel 18:28 Commentary and Bible Study

‘And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul's daughter loved him. And Saul was yet the more afraid of David.’ What was he afraid of precisely? That David would come at him? No, he was afraid David would somehow either mount a coup, or the people would just acclaim him, and Saul would be deposed. People were coming to rely on David more and more, as the one who represented the nation at court. But the passage tells us that Saul knew that the LORD was with David: that formed part of his fear. He did not believe in God enough to obey him, to truly praise and thank him, or to trust him for forgiveness and salvation; but he believed in God enough to know that the Lord was helping David, and he was against Saul. His conscience told him that he was doing evil to David, and it was as if he nervously glanced at him to get a very much unwanted confirmation of that. He feared God’s punishment, and the blessings on David’s life told him that his worst fears of God’s anger with him were indeed true. He feared even when he saw his daughter’s love for David. He could not control her emotions and all that he tried to do to hurt David was having the opposite effect and was being turned to blessing for David.