SERIES: The Life of David
TEXT: 1 Samuel 18:6-16
MESSAGE: “David and Saul”

“Haters are the people who will broadcast your failures and whisper your success.” – Will Smith

“Saul not only does not love David; he hates him.” — Tim Chester

Q: What can we learn about hatred & how did Saul nurture it in his heart?

TEXT: 1 Samuel 18:6-16

“After David’s victory over Goliath, the tension between Saul and the young runt rises to an epic level. Not for David, of course, but for Saul. Saul sees the kingdom slipping from his grasp, and he knows it is just a matter of time before his reign will end and the reign of David will begin.” — J. D. Greear & Heath Thomas

Q: What can we learn about hatred? How did Saul foster hatred in his heart? It was through…(1. The Song 2. The Spear 3. The Success)

1. The Song (v. 6-9)

“As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. 7 And the women sang to one another as they celebrated, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” 8 And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 And Saul eyed David from that day on.”

“…the intensification or manification characteristic of the second verse is used to set David’s triumphs above (Sauls). Saul, who earlier had made the mistake of listening to the voice of the people, now is enraged by the people’s words.” — Robert Alter

“It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.” — Psalm 118:9-10

“A succession of verbs develops the enmity that will dominate his soul until his death: he was very angry, raved, threw the spear, was afraid, removed him, and finally, stood in awe of him, sensing for the first time, perhaps that more than mere popularity was involved—that God’s purposes were being worked out in this young man.” — Eugene Peterson

2. The Spear (v. 10-12)

“The next day a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand. 11 And Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David evaded him twice. 12 Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.”

“Saul picks up the verb of striking from the song of the celebrant women that so galled him.” — Robert Alter

“When it comes right down to it, envy is something in your heart when you see other people with success, other people having joy, and other people getting things, it just is a dagger in your heart. Envy is that which makes you think everybody else’s situation is really about your situation. In envy, whatever is happening to other people is about you.” — Timothy Keller

3. The Success (v. 13-16)

“So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David had success in all his undertakings, for the Lord was with him. 15 And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.”

“Leading God’s people in their battles was supposed to be Saul’s role (9:16), but now it is David who is doing it, and being loved for it. Put simply, David is a success. He does everything he is asked to do with great success (18:5), more success than any other officer (v 30). But David is not simply a good fighter. The key is that the LORD is with him. In everything he did, he had great success, because the Lord was with him” (v 14; see also v 28). Even more significant is verse 12: “The Lord was with David but had departed from Saul.” — Tim Chester