I have been
reading the First Book of Samuel the last few days and I have struck by the
difference in how King Saul and his servant David acted or reacted or responded
to situations they met in life. King Saul was chosen and anointed by God to be
the first king of the Israelites. He had everything going for him. He had a
very good beginning, but he did not finish in a good and honourable way.

King Saul
disobeyed God when God was about to confirm his kingship and royal dynasty and
lost it all. It is tragic to read the explanation he gives to the prophet
Samuel:

«When I saw that the men were scattering, and
that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling
at Micmash, I thought, Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal,
and I have not sought the LORD's favour. So I felt compelled to offer the burnt
offering.» (1 Sam 13:11-12)

Notice what
he says; I saw, I thought, so I felt compelled to! This man, a king, was
governed by what he felt the people around him expected of him, and not by his
covenant obligations to obey the command of the Lord. Later he explain that he
was afraid of the men and therefore he gave in to them (1 Sam 15:24). Again he
allowed himself to be controlled by his fear instead of doing what he knew was
right.

When David
was accredited greater honour, by the people, than himself, after David had
slain Goliath, he became very angry. Later he became afraid of David, because
the Lord was with David, but had departed from himself. Therefore he tried to
kill David but fail several times. We find expression like this: Saul’s anger
flared up. In his hatred for David he even tried to kill his own son because he
spoke well of David.

David on
the other side did not try to revenge himself or even touch Saul. He could have
killed him several times, but he refused to do so because of his covenant loyalty.
Once he told Saul: “This day you have
seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave.
Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, `I will not lift my hand
against my master, because he is the LORD's anointed` (1 Sam 24,10).

David
called on the LORD to judge between him and Saul. He trusted the LORD to avenge
the wrongs Saul had done to him, but he was determined that his hand would not
touch the King. In this way David did show himself to be more righteous than Saul.
David did treat Saul well, but Saul treated David badly. King Saul allowed
himself to be controlled by his own negative thoughts and feelings. David lived
by covenant love and was governed by what was right according to the covenant
obligations he had towards God and men.

David was
able to live and act by good judgement, a clean conscience, and a childlike
trust in God. In that way he was kept from bloodshed and from avenging himself
with his own hands. He was not fighting his own battles. He fought the Lord’s
battles only. No wrongdoing was found in him. He trusted God to take care of
him and to secure his future. He trusted God to bind him securely in the bundle
of the living as well as to hurl his enemies away as from the pocket of a
sling.

David
understood that he could not lay hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless.
He understood that the Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and
faithfulness. He understood that if he valued the life of the one who wanted to
harm and even kill him, God would value his life and deliver him from all
trouble. He understood covenant. He fulfilled the covenant obligations and was
not compelled to follow his feelings or what he thought other people expected
of him. Therefore he was able to do great things and triumph. He is a hero
because he did not his feelings control him!