1 Samuel 24:16-22: a reflection

16It came to pass, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17He said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have done good to me, whereas I have done evil to you. 18You have declared today how you have dealt well with me, because when the LORD had delivered me up into your hand, you didn’t kill me. 19For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may the LORD reward you good for that which you have done to me today. 20Now, behold, I know that you will surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand. 21Swear now therefore to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.” 22David swore to Saul. Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

When David, who had Saul at his mercy in the cave, spares his life rather than killing the man who sought to destroy him, Saul is deeply moved. You are more righteous than I, Saul says, weeping; for you have done good to me, whereas I have done evil to you. David had returned good for evil, sparing his enemy when he could have killed him; and this returning of good for evil reached even Saul's hardened, hostile heart, moving him to tears and to acknowledge the wrong he had done. Good repaid for evil softened even an enemy.

Notice the effect of David's returning good for evil: it reached and softened even his enemy's heart. Saul had hunted David, sought his life, done him evil; and David had every worldly reason to kill him when he had the chance. But David returned good for evil, sparing him; and this unexpected goodness reached Saul's hardened heart, moving him to weep and to acknowledge David's righteousness and his own wrong. The returning of good for evil did what retaliation never could; it softened, for a moment, even the heart of an enemy. Good repaid for evil has a reaching power.

That is worth taking to heart, for returning good for evil can reach and soften even a hostile heart, where retaliation would only harden it. When someone has wronged us, our instinct is to retaliate, to repay evil for evil; but David returned good for evil, and it softened even his enemy Saul. Returning good for evil has a power that retaliation lacks; it can reach and soften even a hostile heart, disarming enmity. When someone wrongs you, do not repay evil for evil, which only hardens; return good for evil, as David spared Saul, which can reach and soften even an enemy's heart. Overcome evil with good, returning good for evil, trusting that such goodness can reach even a hostile heart, as David's sparing of Saul moved even his enemy to tears and confession; for returning good for evil has a reaching, softening power that repaying evil for evil never has.

Lord, when David, who had Saul at his mercy in the cave, spares his life rather than killing the man who sought to destroy him, Saul is deeply moved. You are more righteous than I, Saul says, weeping; for you have done good to me, whereas I have done evil to you. David had returned good for evil, sparing his enemy when he could have killed him; and this returning of good for evil reached even Saul's hardened, hostile heart, moving him to tears and to acknowledge the wrong he had done. Show me the effect of David's returning good for evil: it reached and softened even his enemy's heart. Saul had hunted David, done him evil; and David had every worldly reason to kill him. But David returned good for evil; and this unexpected goodness reached Saul's hardened heart, moving him to weep and to acknowledge his own wrong. The returning of good for evil did what retaliation never could. Take that to my heart, for returning good for evil can reach and soften even a hostile heart, where retaliation would only harden it. When someone has wronged me, my instinct is to retaliate, to repay evil for evil; but David returned good for evil, and it softened even his enemy. When someone wrongs me, keep me from repaying evil for evil, which only hardens; help me return good for evil, Lord, as David spared Saul. Help me overcome evil with good, trusting that such goodness can reach even a hostile heart, as David's sparing of Saul moved even his enemy to tears.