Saul and Jonathan

Saul and Jonathan

In life they were loved and gracious,

And in death they were not parted.

O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul,

Who clothed you in scarlet and finery

Who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold.

How the mighty have fallen in battle!

2 Samuel 1:23a,24-25a

The story of King Saul, Prince Jonathan, and the shepherd boy, David, is remarkable in many ways; but for me, the heart of this story is David’s refusal to hurt or vilify the man who was actively seeking to destroy him.  Saul’s jealousy of David knew no limits; David’s love and respect for God’s anointed leader overcame whatever King Saul threw at him.  The deception, the skulduggery, the assassination attempts – any or all of these things would have given David ample reason to strike back.  He steadfastly resolved not to go in that direction, however, and would not allow anyone to do it for him.

When Jonathan and Saul were killed in battle, David composed a song in memory of the fallen king and his son, uplifting the king as the divinely designated leader of God’s covenant people and genuinely grieving over his death.  David’s example of unconditional love for his enemy is a profound lesson in how to view those who would like nothing more than to put us down.

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Brother, sister, let me serve you, let me be as Christ to you.

Pray that I may have the grace to let you be my servant, too.

We are pilgrims on this journey, we’re together on this road.

We are here to help each other walk the mile and bear the load.
The Faith We Sing, No. 2222