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Today’s reading from 1 Samuel 21–24 highlights Saul’s increasingly public and aggressive pursuit of David compared to David’s growing maturity and validation as Israel’s rightful king.

Chapter 21 opens with David making choices that appear questionable for someone known for being a man after God's own heart. In particular, David seems to lie and deceive. As he flees from Saul, he tells the priest at Nob in 1st Samuel 21:2,

“The king has charged me with a matter and said to me, ‘Let no one know anything of the matter about which I send you.’”

On the surface, it sounds like David is claiming Saul sent him on a secret mission, which we know isn’t true. Curious and a bit confused, I turned to a commentary (keep in mind, good practice is to read Scripture and seek the Holy Spirit's guidance before turning to others). I consult commentaries when I want to confirm my conclusions or am unsure of what is being communicated.

Some scholars argue that David was referring to Yahweh as “the king.” Considering David often speaks of God as King (cf. Pss. 5:2; 24:7–10; 145:1), it’s not outside the realm of possibility. R.D. Bergen explains:

“If it was King Yahweh (cf. 8:7; 12:12)… then David was telling the truth.”

—Bergen, R. D. (1996). 1, 2 Samuel (Vol. 7, p. 221)

While I see what is being said, I’m not convinced. Personally, I believe David weighed the options—telling the truth or feeding his hungry men—and chose survival over honesty. I don’t believe that was the best choice. Similarly, I don’t agree with him acting like a madman before Achish, king of Gath (vv. 12–15), to save his life. David, like all of us, is imperfect and in process. He doesn’t always make the right choices. With Goliath—an enemy of the Lord—his faith was bold. But with Saul—the Lord’s anointed—in the beginning, his faith seems lacking.

Yet, in the midst of this darkness, God sends David an encourager—Jonathan. The one person who stood to lose the most if David became king offers his unwavering support. In 1 Samuel 23:17, Jonathan says,

“Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father also knows this.”

Perhaps this moment of encouragement marks a turning point for David. The man who deceived in chapter 21 becomes an example of integrity in chapter 24. Given the perfect opportunity to kill Saul—an opportunity encouraged by his own men—David refuses. His faith in God’s process is evident as he says in 1 Samuel 24:6:

“The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord’s anointed.”

David’s non-action here even moves Saul, who declares in verse 20,

“Behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.”

This reminds me of a New Testament promise we have in Galatians 5:23. When we walk in the Spirit—do what is right by the Lord—He promises there is no law that can stand against us nor convict us. Even our enemies will be rendered silent. 

Takeaway: Even when our journey is difficult and we stumble; God wants to use these difficulties to shape our character. Like David, we make mistakes, but God is looking to grow us through it. Are there areas in your life where fear or difficulty has led to compromise? How might you, like David, experience change toward maturity today? Or, How might you, like Jonathan, be a source of encouragement to others in their process?