2 Samuel 1:11-16: a reflection

11Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them; and all the men who were with him did likewise. 12They mourned, wept, and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13David said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?” He answered, “I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite.” 14David said to him, “Why were you not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?” 15David called one of the young men and said, “Go near, and cut him down!” He struck him so that he died. 16David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have slain the LORD’s anointed.’”

When David learns that Saul is dead, he does not rejoice, though Saul had hunted him for years and sought his life. Instead, David and his men tear their clothes, and mourn and weep and fast for Saul and for Jonathan and for the people of Israel. And when a young man boasts of having killed Saul, expecting a reward, David is appalled: How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed? For David held it a grave thing to raise a hand against the one God had anointed, even though that one was his enemy.

Notice two things in David's response. First, he genuinely grieved for Saul, the man who had persecuted him; he did not gloat over the death of his enemy, but mourned him. And second, he held the LORD's anointed sacred, refusing to reward or condone the one who had raised a hand against Saul, even though Saul's death removed a threat to David and opened his way to the throne. David's reverence for what God had appointed did not bend to his own advantage.

Both are worth learning from. David grieved even for an enemy, rather than rejoicing at his fall; and he honored what God had set apart, even when doing so cost him and disregarding it would have benefited him. We, too, are called not to gloat over the downfall of those who have wronged us, but to grieve; and to reverence what God has appointed, even when it would be to our advantage to disregard it. Do not let the fall of an enemy gladden you, nor let your own advantage tempt you to disregard what God holds sacred. Grieve as David grieved, and reverence what God has appointed, even at cost to yourself.

Lord, when Saul, who had hunted him for years, was dead, David did not rejoice but mourned him, and he refused to reward the one who had raised a hand against the LORD's anointed, even though Saul's death opened his way to the throne. Teach me from both. David grieved even for an enemy, rather than gloating over his fall; and he honored what you had set apart, even when it cost him and disregarding it would have benefited him. Help me, too, not to gloat over the downfall of those who have wronged me, but to grieve; and to reverence what you have appointed, even when it would be to my advantage to disregard it. Do not let the fall of an enemy gladden me, nor let my own advantage tempt me to disregard what you hold sacred. Help me grieve as David grieved, and reverence what you have appointed, even at cost to myself. Give me his heart, which honored you above his own advantage.