”Now Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, but had departed from Saul. Therefore Saul removed him from his presence, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him. Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.“
I Samuel 18:12-16 NKJV
a. Now Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him: By all outward appearance, Saul is in control. Saul has the throne. Saul has the army. Saul has the spears. Yet Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with him.
b. But had departed from Saul: This made Saul uncomfortable with David and made it hard for Saul to have David around (Therefore Saul removed him from his presence).
c. Made him his captain: Saul’s desire was not to bless David, but to set him up for harm. Saul’s jealousy has made him manipulative, working a hidden, secret agenda against David.
i. “This was under pretense of doing him honour, when it was in effect only to rid himself of the object of his envy.” (Clarke)
d. David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the LORD was with him: It isn’t easy to behave wisely when spears are being thrown at you. It isn’t easy to behave wisely when you are put out of the palace. It isn’t easy to behave wisely when you have powerful and determined enemies. Even in the midst of all those terrible circumstances, you can behave wisely in all your ways as the LORD is withyou.
e. But all Israel and Judah loved David: David became even more popular because God was with him. David was tempted to use this popularity as a spear against Saul, but he refused.
f. Because he went out and came in: This is a Hebrew figure of speech meaning, “David conducted successful military operations.” God’s hand of success was with David even though Saul was against him. Saul might attack and pain David in any number of ways, but God would not allow Saul to have the victory.
i. David was never a victim. He looked like a victim, because he was attacked. But David behaved wisely in all his ways, so he did not give into the victim’s state of mind, thinking that his fate was in the hands of the one attacking him. David knew his fate was in God’s hands, and could have peace in that. (Guzik)
Behaved Wisely
“you can behave wisely in all your ways as the LORD is with you.” This quote from David Guzik is so true! No matter what your circumstances are, you can still behave wisely in all your ways!
I am reminded of an acronym, WWJD. (What would Jesus do), and if we ask ourselves that question before we react it will help us behave wisely.
“The idea of WWJD must be properly grounded in a familiarity with Scripture”.
https://www.gotquestions.org/WWJD.html
WWJD, became popular particularly in the United States in the early 1900s after the widely read book, In His Steps by Charles Sheldon,
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/4540/4540-h/4540-h.htm
Blessings
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