Davidic: Submitted to God, merciful toward men, righteous in character, humble, characterized by lovingkindness, confidence, and loyal love.

Saulish: Partially submitted but mostly in rebellion to God, oppressive toward men, wicked in character, self-exalting, characterized by self-interest, insecurity, and paranoid defensiveness.

In recent years I’ve come to profoundly respect David for his responses to Saul. David famously refused to lift up his hand against Saul despite all Saul did to him, and he commanded his men to refrain the same. His assurance to Abishai of Saul’s eventual outcome has come to console me: “As the Lord lives, the Lord will smite him, or his day to die will come, or he will go out to battle and die” (1 Sam. 26:9-10).

Twice David confronted Saul in the wilderness, saying, “Saul, why are you pursuing me? What have I done to you?” (1 Sam. 24 and 26). And in like manner, Jesus – the seed of David – confronted another Saul of the same disposition, saying, “Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9). And Jesus demonstrated his supremacy over David by not only confronting Saul but by converting him and by turning Saul into Paul, one of His most faithful servants. So Jesus Christ overcame Saul through His own grace.

So what about you, with your opportunity to lead in the church? The time for Saul to appear before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account of how he stewarded his authority is near. Will you go the way of Saul – as we all already have done, or will you instead humble yourself, sing a new song, and follow Christ in demonstrating both integrity of heart and skillfulness of hands?

“So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands” (Ps. 78:72).

Gentle reminder that Saul was rejected as king by God after failing to deliver on the whole counsel of God (1 Sam. 15:23).

David wasn’t perfect, but his confident trust was in God’s mercy.

Psalm 89:35–36:
“Once I have sworn by My holiness;
I will not lie to David:
His seed shall endure forever,
And his throne as the sun before Me.”

Luke 22:28–30:
“But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”