Theme: CONTRITENESS
Text: “And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily. And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt”. – 1 Samuel 24:4,5.
Comment: There was no love lost between King Saul and David the poor shepherd boy who was later preferred in the place of Saul who bore rabid animosity and fear against losing his kingdom to David.
Therefore he haunted David with intent to kill him on several occasions. His hatred for David came to a head when the women of Israel rejoicing over the defeat of the boastful Goliath sang gleefully that “Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands… and what can he have more but the kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.” – 1 Samuel 18:7-9.
But David had regard for the King calling him “the LORD’S anointed”, “my father”, “my lord”. But on one occasion, he was urged on by his servants to kill Saul when they found him sleeping in a cave but David refused. And as in the text for today David showed genuine regrets after he cut off the hem of Saul’s skirt. “And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt”.
As we can see in this narrative David allowed Saul to go unscathed prompting the bewildered king to ask: “Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.” – 1 Samuel 24:16,17.