The Lord, Our Refuge and Defense

Within a chronological Bible study, this interlude of psalms:

(Psalm 11:1) (To the Chief Musician, A Psalm of David) In the Lord I put my trust; how can you say to my soul, "Flee as a bird to your mountain"?

David put his trust in the Lord.  Therefore, how could anyone say to him, whether it be enemies, companions, or even thoughts within himself, that he should run away to a mountain for safety, when it was the Lord who was his safety and protection.

2) For lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow on the string, that they may secretly shoot at the upright in heart.

The reason behind the suggestion that David should flee was that the wicked were making ready to attack, to secretly shoot upright men.

(3) If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

If the very foundations of law and justice are destroyed, what can the righteous people do?  That is perhaps still the suggestions of the opposition or the weak in faith, even a temptation of oneself, that there's nothing one can do when evil is all around and the very foundations have been destroyed.  That is, if one puts his trust in man and government...

(4) The Lord in His holy temple, the Lord's throne in heaven, His eyes behold, His eyelids try the children of men.

The Lord is in His church, with His people.  His throne is in heaven where He sees all and searches the hearts of all.  The Lord knows all, and all is in His control.

(5) The Lord tries the righteous, but the wicked and him who loves violence, His soul hates.

When the righteous go through trying times, the Lord is allowing that for our growth and refinement.  Oh, that we should remember that and still hold fast to faith in Him, for we know that He hates the wicked and those who commit violence, and His righteous judgment will prevail.

(6) Upon the wicked He will rain snares, fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest, the portion of their cup.

The Lord will rain snares upon the wicked, sometimes in their own traps they are caught.  He will send His judgment upon them as a terrible storm, if not in this world, definitely in hellfire and brimstone in the next.  Their portion which will be measured out to them in proportion to their sins, God, in righteous judgment, has appointed for them to drink.

(7) For the righteous Lord loves righteousness; His countenance does behold the upright.

The Lord Himself is completely righteous, and therefore righteousness, as it lies both in punishing the wicked and in maintaining the righteous cause of His people, is loved by Him as it is agreeable to His nature.  God's countenance beholds the upright; He looks with pleasure on them, takes delight in them, takes care of them, and protects and defends them, which was an encouragement to David to trust in the Lord.

Whether from outside sources or from thoughts within himself, this short psalm shows David's struggle with, and triumph over, a strong temptation to distrust God.  That is a struggle we all find ourselves in from time to time, so the feelings are normal.  However, like David, we must triumph over those feelings and put our trust in our only salvation, the Lord God.

David's Cry for Protection Against Falsehood

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Psalm 12:1) (To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David) Help, Lord, for the Godly man ceases, for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

This is a psalm of David which he may have written during his times of fighting the Philistines.  Saul kept putting David out front in the battles in hopes that the Philistines would kill him.  At this point, I don't think David realized that Saul was his enemy.  David wrote it to the chief musician on "Sheminith."  As that word comes from a root word meaning "eight," Strong's defines it as "probably an eight stringed lyre."  David often wrote his psalms to the musicians he wished to play them.

He began by asking the Lord to help.  It seemed to him that there were no Godly men, that they had ceased from living.  He believed the faithful had failed and had fallen away when things got hard, or perhaps he just meant they had died and were no longer among men.  Or maybe they had just failed in what they were trying to do.  He surely had seen no good men standing up for God and against Goliath.  It sort of resembles the times we live in now, where it seems evil has taken over, and we wonder where the good men are who will stand up against it?

(2) They speak vanity everyone with his neighbor; with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.

It seemed men only spoke vanity, or uselessness, or even deceit.  They might flatter to draw you in, but they are double minded, saying one thing and doing another, not to be trusted.

(3) The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaks proud things.

This may have been spoken by David as a prayer, "May the Lord cut off all flattering lips..." or he may have meant it as a fact that the Lord will always judge and cut off the wicked eventually.  The tongue that speaks proud things might be one who says great things in deceit, or maybe literally prideful things, and the Lord hates pride and a proud heart (Proverbs 16:5).

(4) Who have said, "With our tongue we will prevail; our lips our own; who is lord over us?"

The wicked men believed they would prevail, knowing they purposely spoke flattery and deceit as a way to prevail.  Their lips were their own; they would speak what they pleased, and they saw no one as lord over them who had a right to control them or prevent them from speaking what they wanted to speak.  So the wicked think, but so little do they know...

(5) "For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise," says the Lord, "I will set in safety from him who puffs at him."

However, the Lord will rise up for the oppressed poor and the groaning needy and will put them in safety from the one who puffs at them.  "Puff" is an interesting choice of words, and David used it in another psalm (Psalm 10:5).  It puts one in mind of the big bad wolf who huffs and puffs and blows away.  Strong's defines the original word "puach" as "blow with the breath or air; hence to fan (as a breeze), to utter, to kindle (a fire), to scoff: - blow (upon), break, puff, bring into a snare, speak, utter."  It has a wide range of meanings, but we can safely assume that David meant someone who breathed contempt, deceit, and maybe even threats, definitely evil, as he had been talking about their tongues.

(6) The words of the Lord pure words, as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

In contrast to the wicked and their wicked tongues, the words of the Lord are pure and holy and true, pure as the purest refined silver that had been purified seven times.  The number seven in the Bible was symbolic of completion or perfection.  The words of the Lord are perfect!

(7) You shall keep them, O Lord; You shall preserve them from this generation forever.

The Lord shall keep and preserve the poor and the needy, saving them from an oppressive and perverse generation forever.  Or perhaps it means the Lord would keep His words and promises and save His people from perverse generations forever.  Either one is true of the Lord.

(8) The wicked walk on every side when the vilest men are exalted.

When the vilest men are exalted to high places and offices, the wicked walk boldly all over.  I can't help but relate this to our present time when it seems that wickedness abounds, and the perpetrators of it are now so open and bold and in your face.

In this psalm, David complains of the decrease of God’s faithful servants and of the prevalence of falsehood and treachery in the world.  He foretells the destruction of the wicked, especially of the deceitful and proud, and assures himself and others that no matter how corrupt the times were, God would deliver and preserve His people and fulfill His promises to them.

David Marries Saul's Daughter Michal While Saul's Jealousy Grows

Continuing a chronological Bible study after a brief interlude of psalms:

(1 Samuel 18:1) And it came to pass when he had made an end of speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

At the end of 1 Samuel 17, David had reacquainted himself to Saul after killing Goliath when Saul had not recognized him.  Then after speaking to Saul, he won the heart of Saul's son Jonathan who saw in David qualities that he loved and was attracted to, probably because they were much like his own, and Jonathan loved David as he loved himself.  This is the love that God commanded for all His people in Leviticus 19:18, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

(2) And Saul took him that day and would let him go no more home to his father's house.

Formerly, David had been Saul's musician to calm his demons and must have been little noticed by the king, but now Saul brought him into his palace to stay.  He didn't allow David to go back and forth to his father's house as he had done before.

(3) Then Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved him as his own soul. (4) And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

Jonathan made a covenant of friendship with David because he had a great love for him.  He stripped himself of his princely garments as he was the son of the king and gave them to David.  He even gave him his sword, his bow, and his belt.  This was due to the great kinship he felt for David and probably to have David look the part of a prince rather than a shepherd.

(5) And David went out wherever Saul sent him and behaved himself wisely, and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul's servants.

David went wherever Saul sent him, and he was made a leader over the men of war.  He always behaved wisely, so that he was accepted by all the people and by Saul's own servants, as well. 

(6) And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul with tambourines with joy and with instruments of music.

At that time, when Saul and David had returned from the killing of Goliath and their victory over the Philistines, the women came out as they usually did after great victories, singing and dancing with tambourines and other musical instruments, to meet King Saul returning from battle.

(7) And the women sang as they played, and said, "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands." (8) And Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him, and he said, "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands. And what can he have more but the kingdom?" (9) And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

Although they were supposed to be greeting their king, the women began singing that Saul had killed his thousands, but David had killed his ten thousands.  That made Saul angry with jealousy.  The way Saul saw it, as he had already bestowed great honor on David, and now the people saw him as greater in battle than he was, the only thing left for David to accomplish was to have the kingdom, and Saul watched David carefully from that day forward.

(10) And it came to pass on the next day, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house. And David played with his hand, as at other times, and a javelin was in Saul's hand.

The next day that evil spirit from God that had tormented him before came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house.  We aren't told what he prophesied, so it may have been the rantings of a mad man since the evil spirit had come upon him.  David was playing music with his hand, probably the harp, as he had done other times when the evil spirit had come upon Saul.  Saul held a javelin in his hand.

(11) And Saul cast the javelin, for he said, "I will strike David to the wall." And David avoided out of his presence twice.

Saul cast the javelin at David, saying that he would pin him to the wall.  However, David escaped Saul twice, as it appears Saul tried twice to pin David.

(12) And Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him and was departed from Saul.

Then was Saul afraid of David because he could see that the Lord was with him, protecting him, and that He had departed from Saul.

(13) Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand, and he went out and came in before the people.

Saul then removed David from his court, but probably because he did fear David and God's hand on him, he did not completely dismiss him, but he made him captain over a troop of one thousand, perhaps hoping he would be slain by the enemy at the head of his troop.  However, David went out and came back again before the people, probably with great honor and respect, which was the opposite of what Saul desired.  It reminds me of the psalm David wrote that I studied in the last chapter, which may have been better placed chronologically after this chapter, "Let them fall by their own counsels..." (Psalm 5:10).  That is, let his enemies' plans fail; let their plots work against them and expose their guilt.  But then again, it may have been perfectly placed as an answer to David's prayer.

(14) And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him. (15) Therefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.

David always behaved himself wisely, and the Lord was with him.  That made Saul fear him even more as he was gaining favor more and more because of his wise conduct, and that was further proof that the Lord was surely with David.

(16) But all Israel and Judah loved David because he went out and came in before them.

All of Israel and David's own tribe, Judah, loved him as he went before the people.

(17) And Saul said to David, "Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give you as wife, only be valiant for me and fight the Lord's battles." For Saul said, "Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him."

As Saul had promised to the one who killed Goliath, he offered his daughter Merab to David as his wife on the condition that he remain valiant for him and fight the Lord's battles.  Saul still hated David, but rather than him trying to kill him, he would put David out there against his enemies so that the Philistines would kill him.

(18) And David said to Saul, "Who am I? And what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?"

David seemed surprised at Saul's offer, although that had been promised to the one who killed Goliath.  However, David had not killed Goliath to get all the rewards.  He did it to defend God's honor and that of His people Israel.  You see David's humility here, as he asked Saul why such a lowly man as he was, a shepherd, from a family that was not particularly greatly esteemed or upper-class, should become son-in-law to the king.

(19) But it came to pass at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife.

However, Saul did not follow through with his word.  When it came time for Merab to marry David, Saul gave her instead to Adriel, a Meholathite, probably one from Abel-Meholath (Judges 7:22).  Although that could be seen as a great injustice to David, in his modesty before displayed, David showed no signs of resentment.

(20) And Michal Saul's daughter loved David, and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.

A younger daughter of Saul, Michal, loved David, and when it was told to Saul, he was pleased with the idea, probably because it gave him a chance to save face with the people after his breach of promise and perhaps another chance to put David in harm's way.

(21) And Saul said, "I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." Therefore Saul said to David, "You shall this day be my son-in-law in the twain."

Saul decided he would give Micah to David as his wife so that he could use her as a trap for David, that the Philistines would come against him.  He told David that he would be his son-in-law "in the twain."  As the word means "two," he either meant David would have a second chance to become his son-in-law, or perhaps it referred to the second of his two daughters.  Actually, Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Bible, suggested it meant he would have both daughters, as Merab had actually been betrothed to David, although she never married him.

(22) And Saul commanded his servants, "Commune with David secretly and say, 'Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore be the king's son-in-law." (23) And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, "Does it seem to you a light thing to be a king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?"

It appears that David needed some persuasion to take the deal, and Saul sent his servants to flatter David and encourage him to become the king's son-in-law, by telling him that the king had delight in him, and all his servants loved him.  However, David told them that this was no trifling matter, that a poor shepherd, such as he was, should up and become the king's son-in-law.

(24) And the servants of Saul told him, saying, "In this manner spoke David." (25) And Saul said, "Thus shall you say to David, 'The king desires not any dowry, but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies.'" But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

Saul's servants told him what David had said.  He sent his servants back to David to tell him, since it seemed to him that David mentioned his poverty as a reason why he could not afford a proper dowry to become the king's son-in-law, that Saul did not desire a dowry, but he wanted a hundred foreskins of the Philistines to be avenged of his enemies.  Of course, his real desire was that David be killed by the Philistines.

(26) And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. And the days were not expired, (27) When David arose and went, he and his men, and killed of the Philistines two hundred men, and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full count to the king, that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter as wife.

When Saul's servants told David what Saul said, it pleased him to consent to being Saul's son-in-law.  After all, David willingly went out wherever Saul sent him (verse 5).  David wasted no time, and he and his men killed two hundred Philistines, double what Saul had asked for, and brought all their foreskins back to Saul.  It seems David felt satisfied then that he was worthy to accept the position of the king's son-in-law.  Saul, realizing he could not refuse, gave Michal his daughter to David as his wife.

(28) And Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him. (29) And Saul was yet the more afraid of David, and Saul became David's enemy continually.

Saul could tell that the Lord was with David and now he was married to his daughter, whom he realized loved David very much.  Their marriage, which Saul had hoped would destroy David before it ever happened, would now pave the way for his ascending to Saul's throne.  That made him even more afraid of David, and he became David's constant enemy.

(30) Then the princes of the Philistines went forth, and it came to pass after they went forth, David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was much set by.

Then the princes of the Philistines went to war against the Israelites, being provoked by their loss after David killed Goliath.  So much for Goliath's word that if an Israelite killed him, the Philistines would become the servants of Israel (1 Samuel 17:9).  David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, probably showing himself to be more expert in the art of war and more successful in his attacks on the Philistines than all the others.  His name came to be prized, valuable, as was the original meaning of the word "yaqar" that was translated as "set by."  He was held in high esteem by the people.

It is very noteworthy that David's prayer in Psalm 5 that his enemies fall by their own counsels was continually answered by God in that all Saul's schemes to destroy David only served to make him greater and more well esteemed by all the people.  Once a mere shepherd boy, he was now a prince next in line for the king's throne.

Prayer for Guidance and Protection

My chronological Bible study structured by Skip Andrews has taken a short intermission with psalms that David may have written at the time of the events in the study.  David had just defeated Goliath and had given the glory to the Lord.

(Psalm 5:1) (To the chief musician upon Nehiloth, a psalm of David) Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation.

David wrote this psalm to the chief musician on the flute, which is what most early Bible commentators believe is meant by Nehiloth.  He began by asking the Lord to hear his words and consider his thoughts.

(2) Hearken to the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I will pray.

The fact that David was crying out to the Lord and pleading with Him to really hear and pay attention to his prayer, seems to place this psalm at a time when David was more distressed than he would have been at this time.  However, since there are 150 psalms, and David wrote at least half of them, Mr. Andrews did the best he could at placing them chronologically during David's time.  Although David had been anointed by God to be king of Israel on earth, He acknowledged that he was subject to the King of the universe.

(3) My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You and will look up.

I believe David's point was that he prayed to the Lord every morning.  Every morning the Lord heard from David, and he would look up to the Lord for guidance.

(4) For You are not a God who has pleasure in wickedness; neither shall evil dwell with You. (5) The foolish shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity.

David knew that he could go to the Lord with his complaints or requests for help regarding the wicked because the Lord took no pleasure in wickedness.  He did not allow the wicked to stand in His sight as He hated all workers of sin and wickedness.  Every one of us, including David, sin at one time or another, some more often than others.  But David spoke of the workers of iniquity, those who made it their mission to do evil.  The God of love and mercy who will forgive all who come to Him and repent, has no such love for the ones who purposely do evil in His sight.

(6) You shall destroy them who speak falsehood; the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

David knew that the Lord would bring to destruction liars as He hated bloodthirsty men of fraud.  A man might lie without danger of the law of man, but he will not escape the law of God.  Again, this pertains to the workers of deceit and fraud.  While we all may occasionally experience the chastisement of the Lord because of lying or some such sin of fraud, that is because God loves us and wants to teach us.  It is the workers of deceit and fraud who have no fear of the Lord that He abhors.

(7) But as for me, I will come to Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; in Your fear I will worship toward Your holy temple.

But as for David, he would go to the Lord daily, every morning, in the midst of His great love and mercy.  In reverential fear of the Almighty God, he would worship before the temple of God, if not before the physical temple, he looked toward and forward to that temple of God's holiness, which may have meant the Messiah, as David often prophesied about the coming Messiah.

(8) Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make Your way straight before my face.

But as for David who would sin in his lifetime, unlike a worker of iniquity, he would come to the Lord daily asking Him to lead him in the righteous way of the Lord, not in David's imperfect way against his enemies, but in the Lord's perfect will and way.  He asked the Lord to make His way straight or plain so that he might clearly discern it.

(9) For no faithfulness is in their mouth, their inward part very wickedness, their throat an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.

David spoke of his enemies.  The original word "koon" translated as "faithfulness," meant more precisely "to be erect, set up," so when used figuratively, it meant "established, fixed, sure."  In that way, there was nothing fixed, established, sure, and trustworthy, in their mouths, nothing that could be trusted as faithful.  Their hearts were very wicked, and as their mouths flattered with deceitful words, their throats were as graves open to receive their victims.  The words of the wicked, from an abundance of wickedness in their hearts, are used to trick and lure victims to their destruction.

(10) Destroy them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions, for they have rebelled against You.

The original word "asham" that was translated as "destroy" meant more precisely "to be guilty, by implication to be punished or perish."  I couldn't help but notice the similarity to our word "ashamed."  Let them become ashamed as their evil plots work against them and expose their guilt.  Cast them out in the multitude of their sins.  I don't believe David's prayer was to literally kill his enemies and cast them into hellfire, nor do I believe it would be Christian and proper to pray so, as we all have a multitude of sins.  However, the enemies of God, those who have rebelled against Him and His word, should be cast out from among God's people as their wickedness is exposed.  Maybe it's because I have not personally been tested by an enemy who wanted to kill me, and therefore have not desired vengeance, but my heart honestly hurts that such wickedness in the world today is against God.  And I have prayed that the wicked's schemes fall on their own heads and are exposed.  What is harder to do, and what I believe Jesus intended for us to do when He told us to pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:44), is to pray for their salvation and mercy for them because they are just lost to the devil, and that is a dreadful sorrowful thing.

(11) But let all who put their trust in You rejoice; let them ever shout for joy because You defended them; let them also who love Your name be joyful in You.

David prayed that all the people who put their trust in the Lord be able to rejoice and shout for joy because He had defended them.  It's easy to rejoice and shout for joy when we perceive our prayers have been answered positively to our liking, and our enemies have not succeeded, but we should always be joyful in the Lord just because of His name and Who He is.  After all, His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9), and we can't always see that what looks bad to us is actually good in the long run.  Additionally, we know that in the end, we win, that is Jesus Christ wins and takes us with Him to His eternal home.

(12) For You, Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor will You surround him as a shield.

David acknowledged that the Lord would ultimately bless the righteous, and that is not because of righteousness in themselves, but because they love and follow their Lord's guidance, they make Him the Lord of their lives, and because they do that, He surrounds and protects them with His favor because they are His.

The 23rd Psalm

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Psalm 23:1) (A Psalm of David) The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

As David wrote half of the 150 psalms of the Bible, the chronological study I am following puts the psalms in places that seem to relate to what was going on with David at the time.  In the last chapter and post, David had just killed Goliath with only a sling and a stone, and he gave all the credit to the Lord.  The 23rd Psalm does seem like a fitting one at this time in David's life.  

Being a shepherd himself, David could see that the Lord was a shepherd to him, taking care of him, so that there was nothing else he needed or wanted that wasn't provided.  As the apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:19, God would supply all your need, and again as the Lord said to Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:9, His grace is sufficient for His strength is made perfect in weakness.  That was certainly the case with David confronting Goliath.

(2) He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.

I look at this verse two ways.  The Lord makes him take a refreshing break, to lie down in the cool green grass.  We all need rest and refreshment to carry onward.  But probably what is meant is that the Lord provides for and feeds His sheep in the green pastures.  They are able to eat their fill and then lie down in contented rest and safety.  The Lord led David beside the still waters, not rapid torrents that would frighten His sheep, but still quiet waters for replenishment and rest.  Again it was Paul who said in 1 Corinthians 14:33, God is not the author of confusion, but of peace.

(3) He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

The Lord restored David's soul.  Whenever he was tired or disheartened, the Lord refreshed and restored his soul.  He led David in the paths of righteousness.  His Spirit was upon him to lead him in the right ways, and David acknowledged the fact that it was the Lord leading him, and that it was for God's own glory and because of His own grace and mercy, and not by anything David had done.

(4) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Even though he might be in danger of death, as sheep who wander in a dark valley, and as when he confronted Goliath, he would not be afraid because he knew the Lord was with him to guide and protect him.  The shepherd guides his sheep with his staff but sometimes has to use the rod to keep wandering sheep in line for their own safety.  That's the way we should view the Lord's rod of chastisement; He wants to teach us in the way to go.  As Proverbs 13:24 says, "He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him chastens him promptly."  The Lord loves us and that is why he chastens us, to teach us the way in which we shall prosper and grow, away from the way of destruction. 

(5) You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.

Not only does the Lord provide, but He provides abundantly, as if He prepared a feast.  Not only that, but He prepares the table, anoints with oil, and provides to overflowing, in the presence of enemies!  Again there is no confusion with the Lord.  Though the enemy may be at the door, we can partake of the Lord's peace that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:7).

(6) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

The word "surely" is more like "assuredly, verily;" it's a truth.  Goodness and mercy will follow the one who looks to the Lord as his shepherd, all the days of his life, and beyond that in the house of the Lord forever.

The Lord is the pastor or shepherd of His people.  They shall want for nothing.  He guides, feeds, and protects them.  Even in the greatest dangers, they may be confident in His protection.  He provides abundantly, and they can be assured of His continual mercy and provision and eternal joy.

David and Goliath

Continuing a chronological Bible study after a brief interlude of psalms:

(1 Samuel 17:1) Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle and were gathered together at Shochoh in Judah and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah in Ephes Dammim.

In chapter 16, David had been anointed to be the next king and had meanwhile gone to live in the palace of King Saul as his musician, Saul not knowing David was to replace him.  Chapter 17 reverts back to the Philistine wars (1 Samuel 14:52).  The Philistines gathered their armies together at Shochoh, a city in the tribe of Judah, and actually camped between Shochoh and Azekah in a place called Ephes Dammim.

(2) And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together and pitched by the valley of Elah and set the battle in array against the Philistines.

Saul gathered his men together and they camped by the valley of Elah, also called the valley of Terebinth for the terebinth or turpentine trees.  Saul set his army in array, prepared to go against the Philistines.

(3) And the Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, and a valley between them.

The Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, apparently at or near Ephes Dammim, and the Israelites apparently went up a mountain from the valley of Elah and faced the Philistines, with the valley of Elah between them.

(4) And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

Someone called a champion of the Philistines, named Goliath, went forth out of the camp of the Philistines.  He was a giant of a man, six cubits and a span in height.  A cubit was the length from the cubitus (the elbow) to the end of the middle finger, about eighteen inches.  A span was the span of a hand, from the tip of the middle finger to the bottom of the thumb at the wrist.  That was generally thought to be about half a cubit, or nine inches.  Therefore Goliath was about nine feet nine inches tall.

(5) And a helmet of brass on his head and armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat five thousand shekels of brass.

Goliath wore a helmet of brass on his head and a coat of chain mail that weighed 5000 shekels of brass, or 156 pounds, meaning Goliath must have been a very strong man to carry all that weight.

(6) And greaves of brass on his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders, 

Goliath had shin armor of brass on his legs and something of brass between his shoulders.  The original word "kiydon" that was translated as "target" was most often translated as "spear" or "shield."  It was likely something of brass to protect his neck.

(7) And the staff of his spear like a weaver's beam, and his spear's head six hundred shekels of iron, and one bearing a shield went before him.

The staff of Goliath's spear was like a weaver's beam on which the weaver's cloth was rolled, but there is no consensus on the exact size of that.  The spear's head weighed 600 shekels of iron, or about eighteen pounds.  One carrying a shield went before Goliath.

(8) And he stood and cried to the armies of Israel, and said to them, "Why have you come out to set battle in array? Am not I a Philistine, and you servants to Saul? Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me."

Goliath stood in the valley between the two mountains of armies and cried out to the army of Israel.  Why had they set a battle line as if to fight the Philistines?  He seemed to be suggesting that it was needless as he was a Philistine and their dispute could be settled by a battle between just him and a servant to Saul, as he called the Israelites.  He told them to choose a man and send him down into the valley to Goliath.

(9) "If he is able to fight with me and to kill me, then will we be your servants, but if I prevail against him and kill him, then shall you be our servants and serve us."

Goliath proposed that the Israelites send one man out to fight him, and if he was able to kill him, the Philistines would become the servants of Israel.  However, if Goliath was able to kill the Israelite man, then Israel would be servants to the Philistines.

(10) And the Philistine said, "I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight together."

Goliath taunted the Israelites, challenging them to send one man to fight him.

(11) When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

When Saul and the Israelites heard those words of Goliath, they were disheartened and afraid.  Saul had formerly behaved with much courage against his enemies, but now the Spirit of God had left him, and he was afraid.  

(12) Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse, and he had eight sons, and the man went among men an old man in the days of Saul. (13) And the three eldest sons of Jesse followed Saul to the battle, and the names of his three sons who went to the battle, Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

David was the youngest son of Jesse, the Ephrathite from Bethlehem Judah.  Jesse had eight sons, and he was considered an old man among men in the days of Saul, maybe said to explain that he was too old for war, but his three oldest sons, Eliab, Abinadab, and Shammah, followed Saul to battle.

(14) And David was the youngest, and the three oldest followed Saul. (15) But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.

David, Jesse's youngest son, did not follow Saul to battle, but left Saul's palace to return to his father to tend his sheep.

(16) And the Philistine drew near morning and evening and presented himself forty days.

Meanwhile, the Philistine Goliath came near the Israelite camp every morning and evening for forty days, daring them to send down a man to fight with him, and probably taunting and ridiculing them for their cowardice in not doing it.

(17) And Jesse said to David his son, "Take now for your brethren an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to your brethren, (18) And carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brethren fare and take their pledge."

Jesse told David to take some food out to his brothers at the Israelite camp.  He told him to also take ten cheeses to the captain of one thousand men under whom his brothers fought.  He told him to see how his brothers were faring and bring back what they had to say in return.

(19) Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.

Saul, David's brothers, and all the army of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, or probably actually in array on the mountain just above the valley because they weren't actually in battle yet but prepared for it, as it appears that only Goliath was in the valley calling on someone to come down and fight him.

(20) And David rose up early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and took and went as Jesse had commanded him, and he came to the trench as the host was going forth to the fight and shouted for the battle. (21) For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.

David rose up early in the morning, leaving his father's sheep in the care of a keeper, and took the provisions Jesse had told him to take, and went to where the Israelite army was.  He came to the trench of the army just as they were preparing to go forth to battle and shouted for it, for the Israelites and the Philistines had put themselves in battle lines to go forth against each other.

(22) And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage and ran into the army and came and saluted his brothers.

The original word "keliy" that was translated as carriage, actually more precisely meant anything prepared, any apparatus--utensils, vessels, bags, furniture, tools, weapons, etc.  In this case, I'm sure it rather meant the vessels in which were the provisions he brought.  He probably left those in the care of the keeper of such things for the army and ran to greet his brothers among the army.

(23) And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spoke according to the same words, and David heard.

As David talked to his brothers, Goliath came forth, speaking the same words he had been speaking for forty days, telling the Israelite army to send one man out to fight him.  David heard him.

(24) And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were sore afraid. (25) And the men of Israel said, "Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely to defy Israel has he come up, and it shall be, the man who kills him, the king will enrich him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father's house free in Israel."

When they saw Goliath come forth, all the Israelites were afraid and fled from him.  However, they spoke among themselves, probably trying to encourage one another, that the king had said he would reward the man who killed Goliath, enriching him with great riches, giving him his daughter in marriage, and making his father's house free from tributes or taxes.

(26) And David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, "What shall be done to the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?" (27) And the people answered him after this manner, saying, "So shall it be done to the man who kills him."

David spoke to the men near him and asked what was to be done with the man who killed Goliath and took away the dishonor that the uncircumcised pagan Philistine was doing to Israel, for that detestable man was not one to be defying the armies of the one true living God.  The people told David what they had been discussing in verse 25, that the king would enrich such a man who killed Goliath and reward him and his father's house. 

(28) And Eliab, his oldest brother, heard when he spoke to the men, and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, "Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the haughtiness of your heart, for you have come down that you might see the battle."

David's oldest brother Eliab heard what David had been saying to the men, and he grew angry, probably because he felt what David had said was a reproach of him and the others who did not have the courage to fight Goliath.  He asked David why he had come there.  He suggested that he had been negligent in the care of his father's sheep, that perhaps he was too proud to be merely a shepherd, and he had come down to see the battle for selfish reasons.

(29) And David said, "What have I done now? Is there not a cause?"

David asked Eliab what blameworthy thing he had done.  He had merely spoken what he felt.  Was there not a reason for his indignation against this uncircumcised Philistine and a concern for the glory of God and the honor of the people of Israel?

(30) And he turned from him toward another and spoke after the same manner, and the people answered him again after the former manner.

David turned from Eliab and spoke to another man near him, asking him what was to be done about this Philistine and the man who should attempt to kill him, and probably also communicating to him his indignation against the pagan wretch who defied the one true living God and His people.  People told him the same thing about how the king wished to reward the man who killed Goliath.

(31) And when the words were heard which David spoke, they reported them to Saul, and he sent for him.

Eventually the words that David had been speaking reached Saul, and he sent for David.

(32) And David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine."

When David came before Saul, he told him that no more should men be afraid of Goliath, nor should Saul worry about who to send, for he volunteered to go fight him.  

(33) And Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you a youth, and he a man of war from his youth."

Saul told David he was not able to go against Goliath as he was but a youth, and Goliath, besides being a giant of a man, had been an experienced man of war since his youth.

(34) And David said to Saul, "Your servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock, (35) And I went out after it, and struck it, and delivered it out of its mouth, and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck it, and killed it."

David told Saul that as a shepherd of his father's sheep, he had opportunities to fight and kill dangerous beasts who would take lambs from the flock, and he had been successful and rescued the lambs.

(36) "Your servant killed both the lion and the bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God."

David went on to tell Saul that he had killed a lion and a bear, and he saw the Philistine Goliath as just another beast deserving of death because he had defied the armies of the one true living God.

(37) David said moreover, "The Lord who delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the Lord be with you."

David went on to add that He knew that the Lord who had delivered him from the lion and the bear, would deliver him out of the hand of that Philistine.  David had complete faith that the Lord would give him victory over Goliath.  Saul, seeing that great faith and assuredness of victory, told David to proceed and prayed the Lord be with him.

(38) And Saul armed David with his armor, and he put a helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.

Saul armed David with his own personal armor.  He put a brass helmet on his head and covered him with a chain mail coat.

(39) And David girded his sword upon his armor, and he assayed to go, for he had not proved it. And David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these, for I have not proved them." And David put them off him.

David girded his sword onto the armor and appraised how it would work on him since he had not before tested it.  He then told Saul that he could not use the armor because he had not ever tested and practiced with such armor.  He took the armor off.

(40) And he took his staff in his hand and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a pouch, and his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine.

Having taken off the armor, David took his staff in his hand and picked up five smooth stones out of the brook.  He put them in a shepherd's pouch that he had, and with his sling in his hand, he drew near to the Philistine.

(41) And the Philistine came on and drew near to David, and the man who bore the shield before him. (42) And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him for he was a youth, and ruddy, and of fair countenance. (43) And the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

The Philistine came toward David, with a man bearing a shield before him.  When Goliath the Philistine saw David, that this fresh-faced good-looking kid was going to fight him, he had disdain for David.  He asked him sarcastically if he was dog to be beaten by David's stick or staff.  Goliath then cursed David by his pagan gods.

(44) And the Philistine said to David, "Come to me and I will give your flesh to the fowls of the air and to the beasts of the field."

The Philistine, probably having so much disdain for so pitiful a combatant, that he would not go forth as if to consider this an actual battle, told David to come to him, and he would give his flesh to the birds and the beasts.

(45) Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a shield, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. (46) This day will the Lord deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you, and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day to the fowls of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel."

Then David told Goliath that although he had come to David with a sword and a spear and a shield, he, David, had come in the name of the Lord of all the hosts, the heavenly hosts and the hosts of the world, and particularly the armies of Israel whom Goliath had defied.  And rather than Goliath giving David's flesh to the birds and the beasts, the Lord would deliver Goliath to David, and he would give the carcasses of the Philistines to the birds and the beasts, so that all the world would know that there was the all-powerful living God in Israel.

(47) "And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands."

David went on to add that everyone there would know that the Lord did not need the swords and spears of men, for this battle was His and His alone, and He Himself would deliver the Philistines into Israel's hand.

(48) And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hasted and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.

Then the Philistine Goliath came toward David, and David ran toward him and the Philistine army.  So confident in his complete faith of the Lord to deliver him and Israel, he ran directly toward the enemy and did not flee as the Israelite army had done.

(49) And David put his hand in his bag and took from there a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to the earth.

David then retrieved a stone from his pouch and using his sling, slung the stone and struck Goliath on his forehead.  The stone went deep into his forehead, and Goliath fell on his face to the ground.  Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Bible, pointed out what he called a difficulty, with how David could strike Goliath in the forehead if he was wearing a brass helmet (verse 5).  I see no such difficulty as he could have struck him in between his eyes or even in his eye, as the original word "metsach" also meant "brow."  If David struck right underneath the brow of Goliath's eye, it would account for how the stone could sink deep into Goliath's head, into his brain, and kill him instantly.

(50) So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone and struck the Philistine and killed him, but no sword in the hand of David.

Thus David killed Goliath with just a sling and a stone; he had no sword or spear, nor any such weapon.  The Lord, working through David and his great faith, killed the Philistine just as David said He would in verse 47, "not with sword and spear."

(51) Therefore David ran and stood upon the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.

David ran toward the body of Goliath and stood on it.  He took Goliath's sword out of its sheath and cut off his head with his own sword.  When the Philistines saw that their champion had been killed, they fled.

(52) And the men of Israel and of Judah arose and shouted and pursued the Philistines until you come to the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath and to Ekron.

The men of Israel and Judah rose up out of their camps and their trenches, shouted, and pursued the fleeing Philistines back to the gates of their own city, Ekron, one of the five principalities of the Philistines.  The wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, a city in Judah, and to the borders of Gath and Ekron, Philistine cities.

(53) And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents.

The Israelites returned from chasing the Philistines and plundered their camp.

(54) And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.

David took the head of Goliath to Jerusalem, and he kept Goliath's armor in his own tent.

(55) And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the host, "Abner, whose son is this youth?" And Abner said, "As your soul lives, O king, I cannot tell." (56) And the king said, "Enquire whose son the stripling is."

When Saul had seen David go forth against Goliath, he asked the captain of his army, whose son he was.  Saul had evidently not recognized David when he tried to arm him with his armor.  That seems a bit strange, but then Saul employed David when his mind was plagued by the evil spirit, and even then he may not have had occasion to actually see much of David.  I can imagine servants whisking David into the room of the king who was sitting or lying down and having him play his harp behind the king.  Abner, the captain of his army, said that he did not know whose son David was, so the king sent him on a mission to find out.

(57) And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.

As David returned from killing Goliath and with his head in his hand, Abner took him aside and brought him before the king, Saul.

(58) And Saul said to him, "Whose son are you, young man?" And David answered, "I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite."

Saul asked David whose son he was, and David told him he was the son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite, which I suppose differentiated him from any other Jesse.  Perhaps this refreshed Saul's memory of David, but we aren't told that specifically.

Robert Hawker, in his Poor Man's Commentary, made the observation of how illustrative David and this encounter were of the coming Messiah.  Goliath, with his bold and open defiance of Israel and with his taunting of the people, was symbolic of Satan who goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).  David who was very indignant that no one defended the Lord's honor is likened to Jesus in the prophecy in Isaiah 63:5, he "looked and there was none to help...therefore my own arm brought salvation to me..."  

I saw even more similarities in the event.  As the Messiah defeated Satan without a sword, so David defeated Goliath, actually the Lord Himself through David.  And when David stood upon the body of Goliath, I couldn't help but think of Genesis 3:15 when God prophesied and cursed the serpent in the garden of Eden that the eminent seed of the woman, the Messiah, would bruise the head of the serpent, the devil.  You can just picture Jesus crushing the head of the serpent, and David cut off the head of Goliath.  I am always in awe of the many places you find Jesus in the Old Testament!

How Excellent is the Lord's Name in All the Earth!

Continuing with an interlude of psalms in the midst of a chronologically ordered Bible study:

(Psalm 8:1) (To the chief musician upon Gittith, a psalm of David) O Lord, our Lord, how excellent Your name in all the earth! Who has set Your glory above the heavens.

David addressed this psalm to the chief musician on Gittith, which Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries defines as a Gittite harp.  He began with an exclamation of the excellence of the Lord in all the earth.  His glory is infinitely above the glorious heavens.

(2) Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings have You ordained strength because of Your enemies, that You might still the enemy and the avenger.

I believe that David was alluding to the fact that the Lord always seemed to use the youngest, weakest, and lowest of people, babes, to show His great strength to confound His enemies and to still their voices and actions.  When He used such lowly and weak people who themselves would have no such great strength, there was no doubt that the Lord Himself subdued His enemies.

(3) When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, (4) What is man that you are mindful of him? And the son of man that You visit him?

When David looked upon the heavens and contemplated the awesome vast work of God, the entire universe with the moon and all the stars which He created and set in their proper places at their appointed times, he wondered why God would take notice of such a lowly short-lived creation.  Why would a God who was so vast and glorious, who had created such a vast and glorious universe, turn His thoughts on man and his descendants who were as blips in God's eternity?

I want to take a moment to contemplate the meaning of God ordaining the stars.  He not only created them, but He set them in their appointed positions at their appointed times.  One of the arguments against a Creator God and an earth that is only about 6000 years old is that the earth is many millions of light years away from the stars.  For us to be able to see the light of the stars would mean the earth had to be millions of years old for the light to reach it.  But God ordained the stars; He established and ordered them just as they were.  God is not restricted by time.  He's the very author of time.  Time will do as God orders it.  We want to explain God in puny human terms and understanding, but He is so much greater and vaster than anything we could ever imagine.

(5) For You have made him a little lower than the angels and have crowned him with glory and honor.

What is man that God would make him only a little lower in nature than the angels?  And that would be just for a short time, as the saints will be immortal with the angels and crowned with glory and honor.

(6) You made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all under his feet: (7) All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field, (8) The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that passes through the paths of the seas.

And God gave man dominion over all the earth and put all things in subjection to him (Genesis 1:26).  How awesome is it that God gave so much honor to man who seems so little and insignificant in the scheme of God's eternity?!

(9) O Lord, our Lord, how excellent Your name in all the earth!

David ended his psalm with the same words with which he began it.  He doubtless felt even more humility and gratitude after considering all that the Lord had done for man, and for him, specifically.  While we don't really know when this psalm was written by David, it appears to be at a time when he contemplated how small and insignificant he was and how incredibly awesome it was that the Lord should bestow such honor on him.  That makes it plausible that it could be at this time chronologically when he had just been anointed by God to be the next king and had come to live in the palace of the present king (1 Samuel 16).

The Glory of God's Works and His Word

As part of the interlude at this point in my chronological Bible study, here is another psalm of David:

(Psalm 19:1) (To the chief musician, a psalm of David) The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork.

The visible heavens, the entire expanse of the sky, declare the glory of God.  That first view of a starry night strikes awe in everyone who beholds it.  We are instantly made aware of something and Someone much greater than ourselves.  As the apostle Paul said in Romans 1:20, the invisible things of God are clearly seen by the things He has made.  The vastness of the universe and all within it that could not create itself, points to a most awesome all-powerful Creator God.  The heavens declare the glory of God!

(2) Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night shows knowledge. (3) No speech nor language; their voice is not heard.

Every day and every night repeat the demonstrations of God's glory, thus declaring it daily and giving us a clear knowledge that there is a Creator God.  Even though the heavens use no speech or language, their message is heard by all nations of people of all languages.

(4) Their line has gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, (5) Which as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber rejoices as a strong man to run a race.

The heavens' message has gone out through the entire world.  In the heavens, the Lord set a place for the sun which is gloriously adorned with light like a bridegroom in a beautiful garment who comes forth from his bed chamber, having rested all night.  As a strong man or champion cheerfully enters a race with confidence, so the sun speeds forward regularly with no effort as in a race or a game.

(6) Its going forth is from the end of the heaven and its circuit to the ends of it, and there is nothing hid from its heat.

The sun's course is constant from one end of the heaven to the other, and no part of the earth is ever hidden completely from its light and heat.  All parts of the earth benefit from its heat at one time or another.

(7) The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

The law of the Lord is perfect, the law of nature, which teaches the knowledge of God, and the law given to Moses and the prophets, which teaches more perfectly the knowledge of God and our duty to Him.  This law of the Lord converts the soul of man, from the fallen man as he was born, bringing him back to Him.  The word of the Lord is sure, faithful and true, making even the most simple-minded of men wise.  The laws of man are often so convoluted so as to make something appear right that is simply wrong, such as with abortion.  The law of man creates a right for women to kill their unborn babies; it creates all sorts of scenarios in which to weigh on the sympathies of the people.  However, God's law is so simple that all people can understand it--do not kill, period.  The law of man creates a right for those of the same sex to marry, again creating scenarios to elicit sympathy, whereas God said it was an abomination, period.

8) The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

The statutes of the Lord are right, and they rejoice our hearts because they guide us to eternal happiness.  The commandment of the Lord is pure with no imperfection or corrupt tendency, and it enlightens the eyes, another way of saying that it brings wisdom.

(9) The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

Having reverential fear of the Lord because He holds one's life and the world and the universe in His hands, is clean or pure, and there is nothing in it that would corrupt the soul ever.  The judgments of the Lord are completely true and righteous, so that in what seems to be irony, he who fears the Lord need not ever fear.  One who trusts in the Lord need not worry about what God will do, as He is always just and right and perfect.  He who fears the Lord need not fear anything else.

(10) More to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold, sweeter also, than honey and the honeycomb.

God's judgments are more valuable than gold, certainly to one's soul and eternal life.  They are sweeter than honey.  God's law gives more pleasure to the soul than whatever brings the greatest pleasure to the palate.

(11) Moreover by them is your servant warned, in keeping of them is great reward.

God's law and His judgments keep His servants on the right moral path.  There is great reward in them because they are designed for our good, for our best life, and for eternal life in God's kingdom, which is our greatest reward.

(12) Who can understand errors? Cleanse me from hidden faults.

I believe the sense is who can ever know all the ways he wanders astray from the law of God.  Some sins are quite obvious, but others may not be so obvious.  David asked to be cleansed from those hidden faults he did not realize he had.

(13) Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

He asked the Lord to restrain him from deliberate arrogant sins, as well as from those secret sins.  He asked that sin not have dominion over his life.  With the Lord's guidance and judgments, then he would be upright and innocent from great or much transgression because he would not commit it.

(14) Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.

He asked that his words and his thoughts always be acceptable to the Lord, that they not stray from the law and judgments of the Lord, Whom he recognized was his very strength and the redeemer and salvation of his soul.

The early commentators I study divide this psalm into three parts.  First, there is the revelation of God in His works; then there is the deeper revelation of Him and His grace in His word; and finally, a prayer for that understanding and grace.  The psalm in its entirety is a beautiful model of a song of praise and prayer.

The Human Condition

Continuing a chronological Bible study set forth by Skip Andrews, we move to a psalm of David.  In the last post, in 1 Samuel 16, David was anointed to be the next king.  However, Saul did not yet know this, and he called David to be a musician for him.  Although the following psalm seems inappropriate for this time in David's life, as I started with this particular chronological study, I must complete it so that I don't miss any part of the Bible. 

(Psalm 39:1) To the chief musician, to Jeduthun, a psalm of David: I said, "I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue; I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me."

David wrote this psalm to the chief musician, Jeduthun, who was, and remained under the reign of David, one of the chief leaders of worship.  David purposed to take heed of his actions and to mind his tongue that he not sin.  He would bridle his tongue and restrain himself from saying what was in his mind.  While these seem like expected thoughts of someone new to the palace of the king, the fact that he spoke of the wicked, sounds like it was a later time.  There has yet been no evidence of David facing the wicked, so once again, I don't feel that this is the correct chronological place for this psalm.  However, being new to the palace, it would be smart to bridle his tongue before anyone.

(2) I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good, and my sorrow was stirred.

It seems David was quite silent, as if mute.  He held his peace even from saying good things, and because he held all his feelings in, his sorrow was stirred.  Again this sounds like a later point in David's life when he had a reason for sorrow or anguish.  However, a lesson here might be that it is not good to hold all thoughts and feelings inside.  Even if it is not wise to speak them to present company, those feelings can always go to God.  One can always pour out his feelings to God in prayer, and then he might find answers to prayer which will direct him and give him relief.

(3) My heart was hot within me; while I was musing, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue, (4) "Lord, make me to know my end and the measure of my days, what it is, that I may know how frail I am."

While David meditated on the subject on which he had been silent, that sorrow that was stirred became as a flame inside of him, and he had to speak to the Lord.  He seemed to be suggesting he was weary with life and wanted to know how much longer he must endure it.  Perhaps he meant he was weary with his present struggle and wanted to know how much longer he must endure that.  These definitely are not the words of a young fresh-faced man just anointed by God and living in the palace of the king and surely don't belong here chronologically.  However, recognizing how frail one is and his need for God are appropriate responses to any situation.

(5) "Behold, You have made my days a handbreadth and my age as nothing before You; verily, every man at his best state is altogether vanity." Selah.

He realized that his life was but the span of a hand or even nothing in the eternity of God.  He recognized that man at his best was really nothing in the scheme of God's eternity.  All his projects, plans, schemes, etc., soon come to nothing, as even his body would return to dust and pass from the sight and remembrance of men.  "Selah" meant a suspension of music or a pause at that point in the psalm, according to Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries.

(6) "Surely every man walks in a vain show; surely they are disquieted in vain. He heaps up and does not know who shall gather them."

He sees man as walking in a vain show, an illusion, in which there is nothing solid or satisfactory.  Men are full of anxiety as they bustle about doing things that are of no real value.  Men heap up things, possessions or wealth, in a lifetime, not knowing who will gather them to themselves after they are gone. 

(7) "And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You."

Realizing that man's life on earth is only vanity, he turns his attention back to God, the only one in whom his hope lies.

(8) "Deliver me from all my transgressions; make me not the reproach of the foolish."

He asked the Lord to deliver him from his transgressions and pardon his sins.  He seemed to acknowledge that his sins were the source of his troubles and sorrow.  He asked that he not be a laughingstock of the foolish and Godless, because in his transgressions he might be ridiculed as a hypocrite and a fake.  His desire was to be more Godlike, a reflection of his Lord, an object of divine favor, that would put the foolish and Godless to shame.

(9) "I was dumb; I did not open my mouth because You did it."

I believe the sense is that at that point he became mute again and held his tongue from complaining, realizing all was God's will.  He was submitting to God's will.

(10) "Remove Your stroke away from me; I am consumed by the blow of Your hand. (11) When You with rebukes correct man for iniquity, You make his beauty to consume away like a moth; surely every man is vanity." Selah 

He quit complaining and submitted to God's will, but then prayerfully asked that God remove that cup from him, so to speak, as Jesus prayed in Luke 22:42, "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; nevertheless, not My will, but Yours be done."  Jesus demonstrated that submitting to God's will did not mean we couldn't humbly ask for His deliverance.  Without God's deliverance, David felt he would be totally consumed.  When the all-powerful God of the universe rebukes a man, all his vain beauty, strength, desires, etc., are brought to nothing.  Every man is vanity, nothing, with no strength or permanency, by the ease with which God takes away all on which he had prided himself.  

(12) "Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; do not hold Your peace at my tears, for I am a stranger with You, a sojourner, as all my fathers."

David pleaded with the Lord to hear his prayer, his cries, and not to refuse to answer him, for he was a stranger with God, a sojourner, just passing through this world to the next, in eternity, just as his forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, lived their entire lives as men with no permanent home here.  They lived their lives on a journey to their promised land, an illustration of how we are to live as on a journey to our promised land, our eternal home in heaven with Jesus.

(13) "O spare me that I may recover strength before I go away and am no more."

David asked that the Lord spare him from complete destruction so that he might recover his strength before this calamity completely consumed him until he was no more.

This psalm was evidently composed in a time of affliction and does not belong here chronologically, but as it cannot be ascertained exactly when it was written, the author of this particular chronological Bible study placed it here.  The feelings expressed in the psalm often feel incongruent with one another, and I believe that might be the point.  They are all the feelings that might pass through the mind of one undergoing a trial.  In the beginning, one might try to suppress his feelings and not give voice to them, until they become so intense like a fire burning inside, that he must let them out.  Those thoughts often explode into complaints about the vanity, unfairness, and sorrows of human life.  Then the mind turns back to God, realizing He is the only hope in this fallen world.  It is brought back into submission to God, and one seeks forgiveness and deliverance, and also strength to endure the trial.

We can take comfort in the fact that these thoughts are quite normal and do not shock God.  He allowed them to be written in His book of instruction for our lives.  Even David had these thoughts, and he was a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22).

David is Secretly Anointed

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(1 Samuel 16:1) And the Lord said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided Me a king among his sons."

At the end of the last chapter, the Lord had completely rejected Saul as king over Israel after he had disobeyed the Lord's commandment again.  Samuel had cried to the Lord and still mourned for Saul, how long the scripture doesn't say, but in 1 Samuel 13:14, when Samuel first told Saul his kingdom would not continue, and God had sought a man after his own heart to replace him, David was not yet born.  And now the Lord was telling Samuel to fill his horn with oil to make ready for a journey and go and see Jesse the Bethlehemite, the father of David.  God told Samuel he had made one of Jesse's sons His king.

Something else that struck me about this verse was that the Lord in effect told Samuel to stop mourning because He had rejected Saul.  For one, it was useless to continue mourning when God had made His decision and was not going to change it.  But also, to keep mourning over someone who had rejected God and whom God rejected seems to elevate that person over God.  There comes a time when we must give such people over to God and trust He will deal with them righteously, which He will because He is completely righteous, just, loving, merciful, and all good.  He also wishes all people to be saved, but some people are more hard-headed, and it takes a little more trouble in their lives to turn them.  God knows what they need and we must trust Him to deal with them, and we must turn our attention back to God and what we should be doing for His kingdom.

(2) And Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears, he will kill me." And the Lord said, "Take a heifer with you and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.'"

Samuel wondered how he would be able to do what God instructed when surely Saul would kill him if he heard about it.  The Lord told Samuel to take a heifer with him, and if questioned, just say he was going to sacrifice it to the Lord.  In those times, there were occasions when a sacrifice might be made anywhere for different reasons, so that should satisfy Saul.

(3) "And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint to Me whom I name to you."

The Lord told Samuel to call Jesse to the sacrifice, and He would tell Samuel what to do.  He was to anoint the person whom the Lord named to him at that time.

(4) And Samuel did that which the Lord spoke and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, "Do you come peaceably?"

Samuel did what the Lord had told him to do, and he went to Bethlehem with a heifer.  The elders of the town were fearful of why Samuel might be coming to them.  As a prophet of the Lord, he might have come to denounce them and bring some judgment on them for their sins.  Therefore, they asked if he had come to them peaceably.

(5) And he said, "Peaceably. I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and called them to the sacrifice.

Samuel said he had come peaceably to sacrifice to the Lord, and he invited the elders to sanctify themselves and go with him to the sacrifice.  Sanctifying themselves would probably have consisted of washing themselves and changing to clean garments and preparing their hearts and minds to offer acceptably to the Lord.  Samuel then called Jesse and his sons to sanctify themselves and go to the sacrifice, as well.

(6) And it came to pass, when they had come, that he looked on Eliab and said, "Surely the Lord's anointed is before Him."

When Jesse and his sons came, Samuel took notice of Jesse's oldest son, Eliab, and thought that he must have been the one that God wanted anointed as king.

(7) But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look on his countenance or on the height of his stature because I have refused him; for not as man sees, for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."

However, the Lord told Samuel not to look at Eliab's appearance or his height as qualifications for being king.  The Lord had not chosen Eliab because He did not look at the outward appearance of a man, but rather He looked at the heart.

(8) Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, "Neither has the Lord chosen him." (9) Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, "Neither has the Lord chosen him."

Jesse called his second son, Abinadab, to pass before Samuel, but he said that the Lord had not chosen him.  The same with Jesse's third son, Shammah; Samuel said the Lord had not chosen him either.

(10) Again, Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, "The Lord has not chosen these." (11) And Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your children here?" And he said, "There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he keeps the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and fetch him, for we will not sit down till he comes here."

One by one, Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but each time Samuel told him the Lord had not chosen them.  He then asked Jesse if all his sons were there.  Jesse told him there was only the youngest left who was tending the sheep.  Samuel told Jesse to send for him, for they would not sit down at the table to eat of that part of the peace offerings which belonged to Samuel as he had offered the sacrifice, and which he had invited Jesse and his sons to partake of, until the youngest son joined them.

(12) And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and with a beautiful countenance and good-looking. And the Lord said, "Arise, anoint him, for this is he."

Jesse sent for his youngest son, David, and brought him to Samuel.  David had a ruddy complexion and was good-looking with a beautiful countenance.  It's funny, I always thought of ruddy as sort of rough and ruddy or red, more like Esau (Genesis 25:25), whom I pictured red, rough, and hairy.  However, the dictionary definition of ruddy is "having a fresh, healthy red color."  That seems more fitting for young David, fresh-faced and good-looking.  The Lord told Samuel that David was the one He wanted anointed.

(13) Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brethren, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

Samuel took the horn of oil he had carried with him and anointed David in the midst of his brothers.  Dr. John Gill in his Exposition of the Bible, wrote that the sense was more like he "anointed him from the midst of his brethren," as in he was chosen from the midst of his brothers.  Or I suppose that if he did anoint him in the midst of his brothers, that they had no idea it was because he was to be king, for there was "secrecy with which Samuel was directed to manage this affair, and which was necessary to observe, to keep it from the knowledge of Saul."  The Spirit of the Lord came upon David that day and was with him from that day forward.  Samuel, having done his duty, rose up and went back to Ramah.

(14) But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.

However, the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul.  It's not as if the Lord had only so much Spirit to give, and when He gave it to David, it must come from Saul.  But David was now God's chosen leader, His anointed, and Saul no longer was because of his disobedience.  An evil spirit then troubled Saul.  It is said to be from the Lord, but I imagine that just withdrawing His Holy Spirit would make Saul susceptible to evil spirits.  I think of it as like it was for Job; God gave Satan permission to torment him.  God doesn't have an evil spirit, but evil spirits are definitely under His command, and He could call them at any time to exact His purposes. 

(15) And Saul's servants said to him, "Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubles you. (16) Let our lord command your servants before you to seek out a man, a skillful player on a harp, and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon you, that he shall play with his hand, and you shall be well."

Saul's servants observed that he was troubled by an evil spirit.  They asked that they be allowed to seek out a harpist who would play when the evil spirit was upon him, as “music hath charms to sooth the savage breast.”

(17) And Saul said to his servants, "Provide me now a man who can play well and bring him to me." (18) Then answered one of the servants, and said, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skillful in playing, a mighty valiant man, a man of war, prudent in matters, a handsome person, and the Lord is with him."

Saul told his servants to find him such a man.  One of his servants said he knew of a son of Jesse who was skillful in playing, as well as a valiant man of war who spoke well and was handsome, and most of all, the Lord was with him.  He had all the qualities that would make him fit to be in the palace of the king.  I find it interesting that the servants could tell that the Lord was with David, and that He had sent an evil spirit to Saul.  They could discern spirits, and it seemed just a simple matter of fact.

(19) Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, "Send me David your son, who is with the sheep." (20) And Jesse took a donkey with bread, a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Saul.

Saul sent messengers to Jesse and told him to send his son David to him.  Jesse took a donkey and loaded on it bread, a bottle of wine, and a kid goat, as gifts to the king, and he sent David with them to Saul.

(21) And David came to Saul and stood before him, and he loved him greatly, and he became his armor bearer. (22) And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Let David, I pray you, stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight."

When David came before Saul, the king was very pleased with him, and he put him into his service.  The original word "keliy" that was translated as "armor" actually was transcribed most often as "vessel" or "instrument."  There is no evidence that David was an armor bearer for Saul, so it is most likely that he became a personal servant to Saul, bearing household vessels, or it may just be that he was a bearer of musical instruments.  Saul sent word to Jesse asking that David be allowed to stay with him as he had found favor with him.

(23) And it came to pass, when the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took a harp and played with his hand, so Saul was refreshed and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

David did stay with Saul, and whenever the evil spirit came upon Saul, David would play his harp for him, and Saul would become refreshed and well, and the evil spirit left him.  Certainly, it appears that Saul knew nothing of David's being anointed as his successor.  I believe it can be safely assumed that his anointing was done privately.  Had even his brothers known that David was to be king, that word would have spread quickly.

The Lord Rejects Saul

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(1 Samuel 15:1) Samuel also said to Saul, "The Lord sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, hearken to the voice of the words of the Lord."

At the end of the last chapter, we were told how Saul re-established his kingdom over Israel after Jonathan's victory.  Saul fought his enemies on all sides, including the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, and the Philistines, defending Israel against them.  He assembled an army and struck the Amalekites, delivering Israel out of the hands of all who plundered them. It may be that Samuel spoke to Saul sometime before he struck the Amalekites, judging by what comes next.  Samuel told Saul that the Lord had sent him to anoint him as king over His people, therefore Saul had an obligation to listen to and obey the commands of the Lord.

(2) "Thus says the Lord of hosts, 'I remember what Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him on the way, when he came up from Egypt. (3) Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'"

Samuel told Saul the words of the Lord of all hosts, the heavenly host of angels, Israel's army, and all the armies of the world.  He remembered what the Amalekites had done to Israel when they were coming out of Egypt when they were faint and weary (Exodus 17:8).  In Deuteronomy 25:17-19, God retold about the event, about how the Amalekites killed the most feeble of the Israelites who lagged behind the others.  God said then that when Israel had been given rest in their promised land, He would blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.  It seems the time was now, some four hundred years later!  He told Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites, not sparing any of them, not man, woman, child, or any of their animals.  All were to be totally wiped out.

(4) And Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen and ten thousand men of Judah.

Saul gathered the people together in a place called Telaim, which may be Telem in Judah (Joshua 15:24).  He assembled two hundred thousand footmen and another ten thousand men from Judah.  As has been discussed before, Samuel probably wrote these accounts later in his life and after a time when Israel and Judah were two separate kingdoms.

(5) And Saul came to a city of Amalek and laid wait in the valley. (6) And Saul said to the Kenites, "Go, depart, get down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

Saul and his army went to a city in Amalek and laid wait in the valley.  The Kenites were not Israelites but were on friendly terms with the Israelites.  They were apparently living among the Amalekites, and Saul sent word to them to get away from the Amalekites so they would not be destroyed with the Amalekites, and that was because they had shown kindness to Israel when they came out of Egypt.  Jethro, Moses's father-in-law had been a Kenite, and these people were likely his posterity.  The Kenites heeded Saul's warning and departed from the Amalekites.

(7) And Saul struck the Amalekites from Havilah to when you come to Shur that is across from Egypt. (8) And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

Saul struck the Amalekites from one end of their country to the other, from Havilah in the northeast to Shur in the southwest.  He utterly destroyed all the people, at least the ones he came across in the land; it seems some escaped as we will hear about the Amalekites again.  However, Saul did spare the king of the Amalekites, Agag.

(9) But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. But everything vile and wasted, that they destroyed utterly.

The Lord had said to destroy absolutely every living thing, but Saul saved all the best of the animals, and I suppose you could say the best of the people, the king.  Anything that was good, and I imagine useful to Saul, he would not destroy, but anything defective and not good, he did destroy.

(10) Then came the word of the Lord to Samuel, saying, (11) "It repents Me that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not performed My commandments." And it grieved Samuel, and he cried to the Lord all night.

The Lord spoke to Samuel.  Repent means to change, reverse course.  When people repent of their wrongdoing, they have a change of heart, they are sorrowful for what they have done, they confess their wrongdoing, and they change their ways.  The Lord's nature does not change; He does no wrong, and His heart never changes.  What does change is how He deals with matters.  He showed kindness and mercy to Saul as he was once a fine and good man (1 Samuel 9:2), and he must have followed the Lord initially for the Lord said that he had now turned away from following Him.  The Lord would now change His purpose for Saul and how He would deal with him because he had turned from the Lord and did not obey His commandments.  It's the way the Lord blessed His people when they did good and chastised them when they sinned.  His love for them never changed, but how He dealt with them did.

The Lord knew all along what Saul would do; nothing takes Him by surprise so that He must change course.  The change is written the way it is for our benefit, for our instruction.  God knew all along that Saul was just a placeholder for David, the king He wanted for Israel, a man after His own heart (Acts 13:22).  Actually, the Lord had already changed the course for Saul in 1 Samuel 13:14 when He through Samuel told Saul his kingdom would not continue because he had not kept God's commandment.  So He actually never changed, but He was letting Samuel know how he dealt with Saul was about to change.  It grieved Samuel very much, and he cried to the Lord all night.

(12) And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, "Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set him up a place and is gone about and passed on and gone down to Gilgal.

Samuel rose up early the next morning to meet Saul, but he was told that Saul was not there.  He was told that Saul had come to Carmel in Judah which would have been on his way back from Amalek.  He had set up a "place" for himself there.  The original word "yad" literally means "hand."  Maybe "hand" didn't make sense to the KJV translators, so they used a generic "place."  But this probably was some sort of hand as a monument to himself; "he set him up a hand."  The hand represented power, strength, dominion, or even direction, so it could have pointed to the place where Saul had gained his victory.  From Carmel, it sounds as if he did not make a straight trek back, but went here and there, probably in some sort of celebratory manner, and then went to Gilgal where he probably expected to meet Samuel there.

(13) And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, "Blessed you of the Lord; I have performed the commandment of the Lord."

Samuel came to Saul, and Saul greeted him, calling him blessed of the Lord because he had sent him on a great mission and he had succeeded.  It's remarkable that he thought he had performed the commandment of the Lord.  Either he really did think that doing 90% of the Lord's commandment was performing well, or he knew he had not completely obeyed God's commandment, and he was lying to Samuel to save himself from Samuel's reproof.

(14) And Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?" (15) And Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God, and the rest we have utterly destroyed."

If Saul had performed the commandment of the Lord, which was to utterly destroy every living thing (verse 3), then why did Samuel hear the bleating of sheep and lowing of oxen?  Notice Saul said "they" had brought them back from the Amalekites.  He seems to always shift the blame to someone else.  "The people" had spared the best of the sheep and oxen to sacrifice to the Lord, something He had not asked for and had strictly commanded against.  But they all utterly destroyed the rest of the livestock.  Also I have noticed that Saul always seems to say, "the Lord your God."  He doesn't say "the Lord our God" or "the Lord my God."  I can't help but think it was his way of trying to manipulate Samuel's feelings by saying all he did was for his Lord.  "You wouldn't want to take from your Lord, would you?"

(16) Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stay, and I will tell you what the Lord has said to me this night." And he said to him, "Say on." (17) And Samuel said, "When you were little in your own sight, were you not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed you king over Israel?"

Samuel told Saul he wanted to tell him what the Lord had spoken to him that night before.  He reminded Saul that when he was little in his own sight, as he had said in 1 Samuel 9:21, that he was of the smallest tribe and of the least of the families in his tribe, God had made him king over Israel.

(18) "And the Lord sent you on a journey, and said, 'Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.' (19) Why then, did you not obey the voice of the Lord, but did fly upon the spoil and did evil in the sight of the Lord?"

Samuel continued relaying how the Lord had then sent Saul on a mission to utterly destroy the Amalekites until every living thing was consumed.  He asked Saul why he did not obey the command of the Lord, but seized upon the spoil of the Amalekites and therefore had done evil in the sight of the Lord by disobeying Him.

(20) And Saul said to Samuel, "Yes, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord and have gone the way which the Lord sent me and have brought Agag the king of Amalek and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. (21) But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal."

Incredibly, Saul told Samuel that he had obeyed the Lord, but it was those people who took the spoil that he knew should have been destroyed, but it was to sacrifice to Samuel's Lord, a good thing, right?  Even though he said he had obeyed the Lord, he admitted that he had spared the king of the Amalekites and brought him back.  Saul may have thought he had done what was most important to the Lord, and that was what should be important to Samuel, but at the very least, Saul showed a careless respect for the Lord and His commands.

(22) And Samuel said, "Has the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, to hearken than the fat of rams. (23) For rebellion is the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from king."

Samuel asked Saul if he thought the Lord had more delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, or rather in obedience to Him.  Then he said rebellion was witchcraft, or divination, which is how the original word "qesem" was usually translated.  Either word refers to seeking knowledge by occult means and from a spirit other than God.  Samuel said that stubbornness was a sin and idolatry.  It's the idolatry of oneself, judging himself to be more knowledgeable than God at a given moment.  I can't help but think of the current times when everything seems acceptable.  Surely God didn't know how the times would change, and divorce, abortion, same-sex marriage, etc., would demand different rules--man elevating himself over God.  Samuel told Saul that because he had rejected the word of the Lord, God had rejected him as king.

(24) And Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words because I feared the people and obeyed their voice."

Saul told Samuel he recognized that he had sinned against the commandment of the Lord, but it was because he feared the people.  Once again he blamed the people.  He admitted that he feared the people more than he did the Lord.  Actually, I don't believe that was really true; he just wanted to lay the blame elsewhere.  "I have sinned, but..."  Anytime there is a "but," it negates what came before it.

(25) "Now therefore, I pray you, pardon my sin and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord." (26) And Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel."

Saul asked Samuel to pardon his sin and continue with him to Gilgal to worship the Lord, possibly in offering sacrifice to Him to atone for his sin.  However, Samuel told him he would not go with him because he had rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord had therefore rejected him as king over Israel.  Samuel had not seen any true repentance of Saul, and he left him for the Lord to deal with, as we sometimes have to do.  Ephesians 5:11 says to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but reprove them.  There comes a point when a person's fruits or actions show what is really in his heart, and we can no longer have fellowship with that person, but it doesn't mean we can't still love and pray for him.  However, several places in the Bible tell us how keeping company with sinners will eventually corrupt and harm us:

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14)

Be not deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good morals. (1 Corinthians 15:33)

...Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4:4)

A violent man entices his neighbor and leads him in a way that is not good. (Proverbs 16:29)

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2)

And many more, but once again, this does not mean we have nothing to do with sinners.  We are all sinners, and Jesus associated with sinners, fortunately for us!  But He didn't live with the sinners; they weren't His closest disciples.  That is the point.  He loved and helped sinners; He encouraged us to love and help them.  But He would tell them to go and sin no more.  And He also said whoever would not receive you or hear your words, shake the dust off your feet of that place and leave.  And that doesn't mean you won't come back to see or talk to that person again, especially if it is someone close, but the danger comes when you commune with that person continually, and you begin to accept his sin as okay which shows approval of it, and before you know it, you find yourself slipping into his ways.  With that, one last verse:

The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; he who keeps his way preserves his soul. (Proverbs 16:17)

Sometimes you just have to remove yourself from bad company and friends and not associate with them anymore in order to save your own soul.

(27) And as Samuel turned around to go away, he laid hold on the skirt of his robe, and it tore. (28) And Samuel said to him, "The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, better than you. (29) And also the Strength of Israel will not lie or repent, for He is not a man that He should repent."

As Samuel turned around to leave, Saul grabbed hold of his robe to detain him.  Since it only says "he" and "his," we can't be positive that it wasn't Samuel who tore his own robe or that he might have torn Saul's robe.  Any way that it happened had the same meaning.  Samuel told Saul it was a sign that the Lord had torn the kingdom of Israel away from him and had given it to a better man than he was, a neighbor of his.  The Lord was the Strength of Israel.  Undoubtedly, little Israel could never in history have made it this far without God's mighty hand.  Samuel told Saul that the Lord did not lie when He said He was taking the kingdom away from Saul, and He would not change His mind the way a mere man might.

(30) Then he said, "I have sinned; honor me now, I pray you, before the elders of my people and before Israel and turn again with me that I may worship the Lord your God." (31) So Samuel turned again after Saul, and Saul worshipped the Lord.

Saul acknowledged he had sinned, and there was no "but" this time or blaming of others.  He acknowledged that he himself had sinned, and he asked that Samuel stay with him to worship the Lord.  However, note that it was to not embarrass him among the people of Israel.  Once again, it was all about Saul.  However, there was probably some wisdom in that, that the people not totally reject Saul until the Lord raised up David who may not have even been born yet.  That seems a plausible reason for why Samuel turned back to Saul, after all.  Besides, Saul was begging, and Samuel was a good and Godly man.  Samuel stayed with Saul while he worshipped the Lord.  Note that scripture didn't say that Samuel worshipped the Lord with Saul.  I'm sure he didn't agree with the things Saul did and said in his worship, so he allowed those things to be between Saul and his Lord.

(32) Then Samuel said, "Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came to him cautiously. And Agag said, "Surely the bitterness of death is past." (33) And Samuel said, "As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women." And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

Then Samuel told Saul to bring Agag, the king of the Amalekites whom Saul had spared, to him.  Agag came forward to Samuel cautiously and seemed to suggest that all the death and violence could be put behind them, and perhaps his life could be spared.  However, Samuel told him that just as his sword had made women childless, he was going to make Agag's mother childless, and he proceeded to chop Agag to pieces.  He did this before the Lord; he finished the job that God had commanded Saul do.

(34) Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul. (35) And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless, Samuel mourned for Saul, and the Lord repented that He had made Saul king over Israel.

Then Samuel left and went back to his residence in Ramah, and Saul went to his place in Gibeah.  Samuel never again went to see Saul, but he still mourned for him and probably prayed for him.  Just as discussed above, one can still love and care and pray for someone without being his constant companion.  Once again, we have that word "repent."  Samuel just said that the Lord did not repent (verse 29).  However, I believe the context is that the Lord does not repent the way man repents.  Our dictionary definition of "repent" is "to feel sorry, self-reproachful, or contrite for past conduct; regret or be conscience-stricken about a past action, attitude, etc."  Obviously, the Lord does not do that.  The Biblical meaning does mean that for people who have a change of heart and repent for their sins.  But another meaning is to merely change direction.  That's what the Lord did.  He changed direction from having Saul as king to making David king.