1 Samuel 26:23

26:21-25 Saul repeated his good words and good wishes. But he showed no evidence of true repentance towards God. David and Saul parted to meet no more. No reconciliation among men is firm, which is not founded in an cemented by peace with God through Jesus Christ. In sinning against God, men play the fool, and err exceedingly. Many obtain a passing view of these truths, who hate and close their eyes against the light. Fair professions do not entitle those to confidence who have long sinned against the light, yet the confessions of obstinate sinners may satisfy us that we are in the right way, and encourage us to persevere, expecting our recompence from the Lord alone.

The Lord render to every man his righteousness, and his faithfulness,.... Or recompense every man that deals justly and faithfully with others, as he had done with Saul; or the Lord, who is just and faithful to his promises, reward the men that act the good and upright part; and this was a prayer of faith; for David doubted not that, though Saul might fail, yet God could not: for the Lord delivered thee into my hand this day; or, "into an hand" (x) into the hand of Abishai, who had it in his power to slay him, when he went and took the spear that was at his bolster, and would have done it, but David suffered him not: but I would not stretch forth my hand against the Lord's anointed; nor suffer another to stretch forth his hand against him; so careful and tender was he of his life. (x) "in manum", Pagninus, Montanus.

23 . The Lord render , &c.] Better, shall render. In 1 Samuel 24:19 the equivalent of these words is put Into Saul’s mouth. David is not sounding his own praises, but as before ( 1 Samuel 24:12 ) declaring his confidence that God will eventually recompense him for his upright and loyal behaviour. Cp. Psalm 7:8 ; Psalm 18:20 . 1 Samuel 26:23

The LORD render to every man his {l} righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed. (l) Thus he protests his innocency toward Saul, not defending his justice in the sight of God, in whose presence none is righteous, Ps 14:3,130:3.

If the Lord have stirred thee up - The meaning is clear from the preceding history. "An evil spirit from God troubling him" was the beginning of the persecution. And this evil spirit was sent in punishment of Saul's sin 1 Samuel 16:1 , 1 Samuel 16:14 . If the continued persecution was merely the consequence of this evil spirit continuing to vex Saul, David advises Saul to seek God's pardon, and, as a consequence, the removal of the evil spirit, by offering a sacrifice. But if the persecution was the consequence of the false accusations of slanderers, then "cursed" be his enemies who, by their actions, drove David out from the only land where Yahweh was worshipped, and forced him to take refuge in the country of pagan and idolaters (compare Deuteronomy 4:27 ; Deuteronomy 28:36 ).

20. as when one doth hunt a partridge—People in the East, in hunting the partridge and other game birds, pursue them, till observing them becoming languid and fatigued after they have been put up two or three times, they rush upon the birds stealthily and knock them down with bludgeons [Shaw, Travels]. It was exactly in this manner that Saul was pursuing David. He drove him from time to time from his hiding-place, hoping to render him weary of his life, or obtain an opportunity of accomplishing his destruction.

David then bade the king send a servant to fetch back the spear and pitcher, and reminded him again of the recompense of God: "Jehovah will recompense His righteousness and His faithfulness to the man into whose hand Jehovah hath given thee to-day; and (for) I would not stretch out my hand against the anointed of the Lord."

The second betrayal of David by the Ziphites occurred after David had married Abigail at Carmel, and when he had already returned to the desert of Judah. On 1 Samuel 26:1 and 1 Samuel 26:2 compare the explanations of 1 Samuel 23:19 and 1 Samuel 24:3 . Instead of "before (in the face of) Jeshimon" (i.e., the wilderness), we find the situation defined more precisely in 1 Samuel 23:19 , as "to the right (i.e., on the south) of the wilderness" (Jeshimon).

[Bible] And David said to him, From whence comest thou? And he said to him, Out of the camp of Israel have I escaped. And David said to him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen, and are dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also. And David said to the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead? And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, Here am I. And he said to me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. He said to me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me. So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he had fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither to my lord. Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: And they mourned and wept, and fasted until evening, for Saul and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they had fallen by the sword. And David said to the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite. And David said to him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thy hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed? And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died. And David said to him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD'S anointed. And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son:

66 The Advocatejbip David, 1 Sam. 12. la, 1 1, 14/ and as the Corin* tbians had, that*s the Queftion. True, thou fhalc be compleatly fav'd at laft,but yet whether 'ds nou beft to leave thee a Memento of God's Difpleafore at thy Sin, by awarding, that theSm>rdJhall ne^er* deftirffrom thy Hdtfe^ or that fomc fore Sickneis or ot]^cr Diftrefles (hall haunt thee as long as thoi^' * liveft, or perhapsthat thou fhalt walk mthout tbe^ light of God's Countenanee for fever al Tears and 4^ Day. Now, if anyof thefe three things happen to^ thee, thou muft exercife Patience, and wait j thuf" did David, I waited fatientls' ; and again he exer-j cifcs his Soul in this Virtue, faying, My Soul^wait^ thou only upon him, for my Expe^ation is from him^, Pfal. 62. 5. For novo we are judj^ed of the Lord^thaf-. we may not be condemy^d with the Wwld : And by this Judgment, tho' it fets us free from their dam- 1 nation, yetwc arc involved in many troubles, atul j Eerhaps muft wait many a Day before we cafrj now that (as to the main) the Verdid hath gone^^ on our fide. Thus therefore, in order to thy wai*. ting on him without fainting, it is meet that thott Ihouldft know the Methods of him that managei thy Caufe for thee in Heaven ; and fuffer not Diftruft to break in and bear fway in thy Soul, fe he will at length bring thee forth to thelioht, ani thou /halt behold his !{ighteou/hefs. She alfo that it thine EnetTiy fhaS fee it, and Shame p^nli cover her that faid unto thee, P^ere is thy God ?