1 Samuel 22:8 “Is that why you have conspired against me? No one tells me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse. None of you is concerned about me or tells me that my son has incited my servant to lie in wait for me as he does today.”
Way back when I first met Saul, he put me in mind of Shakespeare’s Macbeth—brave and promising. But just like Macbeth, Saul let’s power go to his head. He loses whatever moral compass he might have had; he doesn’t seem to care about anyone other than himself. His life becomes so twistedly narcissistic that everything seems a personal attack and everyone who opposes him must die. This path is a sad and frightening descent into madness and is incredibly hard to witness.
1 Samuel 22:13 Saul said to [Ahimelek], “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, giving him bread and a sword and inquiring of God for him, so that he has rebelled against me and lies in wait for me, as he does today?”
David’s path is quite different. He definitely loses his way when his fear leads him to lie to Ahimelek, a lie that costs Ahimelek his life, but throughout these chapters, commentary points me to Palms that show David’s inner progression back to God, his submission to God even in his fear.
1 Samuel 22:15 “Was that the first time I inquired of God for him? Of course not! Let not the king accuse your servant…, for your servant knows nothing about this whole affair.”
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for a clear picture of what happens when we ignore You and focus on ourselves (Saul’s decent into madness) and what happens when we turn our hearts back to You (David’s journey through his fear into obedience to You). Give us strength to walk the path You place us on. Draw us closer. Amen.
1 Samuel 22:16 But the king said, “You will surely die, Ahimelek, you and your whole family.
Have a blessed day.
My faith, my life, my teaching–it's all a work in progress.