1 Samuel 18:1–9

Up to this point Jonathan was a young man strong in faith, who had fought the enemy. Now he goes further. When he hears David speak, his soul is bound up with David's soul. He values the moral beauty stamped on David's words more than his own outward advantages. He finds in David a soul to which his own soul answers. All at once a special bond of love and fellowship grows between them, and the charm of David's words produced it.

The challenge of the giant, repeated day after day, had exposed how poor Israel was. The eye might have searched up and down the ranks for someone able to meet the urgent need, but in vain... That solemn occasion left a terrible emptiness in the heart. Then a beloved one appeared to fill it. No wonder Jonathan's whole soul went out in genuine affection for him. And remember, it was David himself, and not only his work, that touched Jonathan's heart. He admired his victory, yes, but his person more. It is worth noticing this, and tracing its striking application to the true David.

The Spirit of God produced this fruit in Jonathan. Those who suppose it was only a question of personal affection are badly mistaken. That was there. But Jonathan was a man of faith, and no affection has the character, power, or permanence of affection driven by faith.

Like faith, like confidence, in the living God caused free love, mutual love, to flow out of their hearts... It was not a mere matter of sentiment or an impulsive movement of the natural heart: it was a bond in the Lord.

In the Scriptures the words "soul" and "life" often mean almost the same thing. Here is Jonathan, whose very life was knitted to the life of David. As we enjoy what He has done, may our hearts also be filled with the knowledge of Who He is. Then each of us can come together, having known all week the blessedness of a life bound up with the life of our blessed Lord.

Jonathan looked at David with the marks of victory on him, the head of the Philistine in his hand. He said, in effect, "There is my saviour"... His whole heart was knit to the heart of David. And not only that: he strips himself. He takes what marks him out as a warrior, and puts it on David. There is nothing too much to give to David. Yet notice this: he did not give himself. He gave his possessions, but he kept back himself. Think what he kept back! ... God measures everything that is given not by what is given, but by what is kept back.

Jonathan was Saul's heir, but he knew David would be king. He was ready to take second place in the kingdom. He spoke well of David to his father, even though it made his father angry. He was angry himself when he saw his father's evil attitude towards David. Jonathan's love for David was great, and so was his devotion to him. But one thing was lacking: he was not ready for the place of rejection. He preferred Saul's palace to the cave of Adullam with David.

Verse 2 shows that Saul was clearly glad to have David in his regular service, after he had served him so well. But Jonathan did not think of David as a servant.

The whole army of Israel profits by David's triumph. Saul, who had forgotten him, will not let him go away. The flesh, and even the flesh in rebellion, can love Jehovah's chosen one because of his kindness and the relief he gives; but it does not know him. When he is doing Jehovah's work, he is as much a stranger to Saul as if they had never met.

Though Saul knew the power of David's harp for a time, he never knew David himself. He had not learnt David, if I may put it that way — David was still a stranger to him. And how this tells us of man and of Israel still! Man will enjoy the rain from heaven and the fruitful season, but remain ignorant of the Father who orders it all for him. Jesus healed Israel, but Israel did not learn Jesus. Many pressed on Him in the crowd who never touched Him.

From the beginning Saul shows how little David has been to him. Before the battle in the valley of Elah he was already in David's debt. His harp had broken the power of the evil one again and again and set him free. It was even said that Saul "loved him greatly." But perhaps nothing varies more in quality than love. Nothing takes its colour more from the person who feels it. How much the apostle feels the need to define for Christians what true love is! We "love" those who suit our tastes — perhaps those who gratify our plain selfishness. That love can turn into complete enmity as soon as self has to give way to it in any degree. True love, on the other hand, "does not insist on its own way": it is the very spirit of self-sacrifice. Saul was not capable of such love.

In Jonathan's eyes, nothing he had was too good for David to wear. He stripped himself of everything that had marked him out before the people, so that David should wear it. Saul acted on human thoughts that shut God out completely. He pressed his own armour on David before he met Goliath. Jonathan, after the victory, clothed David with his robe, his garments, his sword, his bow and his belt. Saul meant to shield David's body from the giant's blows. Jonathan gave to David as a token of his admiration and his love. In him we see that putting self aside which is the fruit of divine grace.

Saul took David into favour after his victory over the Philistine (1 Sam. 18:2), but it lasted only a short moment. So did the admiration of the crowd when they said of the Lord, "He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak." Not long afterwards they sought to kill Him.

This was the matching fruit of the Spirit of God in Jonathan. Those who think it was only a question of personal affection are badly mistaken. That was there too. But Jonathan was a man of faith, and no affection has the character, the power, or the permanence of one that is driven by faith.

The same faith, the same confidence in the living God, made free and mutual love flow out of their hearts... Our hearts are so treacherous that faith on its own might have bred pride and perhaps jealousy. But faith and love mixed together formed a strong and blessed link... This was not a mere matter of sentiment or an impulsive movement of the natural heart. It was a bond in the Lord.

It was not only the victory but the victor that filled Jonathan's heart — not only the work done, but the one who had done it. Jonathan was not content to say, "Thank God, the giant is dead, we are delivered, and we can go home and enjoy ourselves." No; his heart was drawn and knit to the person of the conqueror. It was not that he valued the victory less, but that he valued the victor more.

Because he loved him as his own soul he made a most striking covenant with him. Nothing is said of David's side of the covenant, but Jonathan stripped himself of his robe and gave it to David... This was a plain declaration that, there and then, he was handing over to David all the royal rights that could have been his. Instead of succeeding his father, he would gladly hand his right to the throne to David. If Saul had only been wise enough to do this, how much less tragic would his history have been!

Here you have a picture of how a truly converted man starts with Christ — there is complete surrender... David stands for Christ; Jonathan for the delivered sinner... It is an immense thing to have the heart wholly surrendered to the One who has blessed you and delivered you.

Jonathan looks for nothing beyond seeing David's throne established in power... David kept the covenant made that day. At the height of his glory and greatness he remembered it, and his kindness to Mephibosheth proved it.

Even Jonathan was not there. He still held on to the old order of things. Though he loved David as his own soul, he lived and died at Saul's side. It is true that he dared to speak up for David, and sought his company when he could. He had stripped himself to clothe David, yet he never threw in his lot with him.

The power of God had helped Jonathan. So he might have been led to credit some measure of strength to himself. He sees and hears David, and at once he realises that he is nothing. Whatever he owns is good only to present to the conqueror. He strips himself of what he has to give it to David, the only one worthy in his eyes. Jonathan's robe and garments are the tokens of his royal dignity, and they belong to David. His sword, the instrument of his victories, belongs to David. His bow and the belt of his strength belong to David, for all strength belongs to the son of Jesse.

I think it caused great shock that day. People saw the heir to Israel's throne step out to this simple shepherd boy, take off his royal garments and give them, with his weapons, to David. It is the most complete surrender. He says, "My heart is yours, David, and all I have is yours."

What a sense of the worthiness of David the saviour king! For a military prince, this giving up of the sword is deeply significant — what a surrender! It is written of the twenty-four enthroned elders that they "cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power."

Christian reader, there is a lesson here for us; and not only a lesson but a rebuke. How ready we are to be occupied with redemption rather than the Redeemer — with salvation rather than with the Saviour! No doubt we should rejoice in our salvation; but should we stop there? Should we not, like Jonathan, seek to strip ourselves to magnify the Person of Him who went down into the dust of death for us? Certainly we should, and all the more because He does not demand anything from us. David did not ask Jonathan for his robe or his sword. Had he done so, it would have robbed the scene of all its charm. It was a purely voluntary act. Jonathan forgot himself and thought only of David. Love delights to strip itself for its object.

This then was the matching fruit of the divine Spirit in Jonathan. Those are greatly mistaken who suppose that it was merely a question of personal affection. That was there. But Jonathan was a man of faith. No affection has such character, power, or permanence as the affection that has faith as its living principle.

If it had not been for this divine link, David must have seemed a dangerous rival and intruder as far as Jonathan's interests went. But this very fact shows Jonathan's delightful spirit all the more, and the unselfishness that grace produces.

There is nothing too much to give to David. Yet notice this: he did not give himself. He gave his possessions, but he kept back himself. Think what he kept back! He gave all he had; he stripped himself bare. It is a wonderful appreciation, I fully admit. It is beautiful in its own way; but what was kept back was a thousand times more than what was given. Be assured, this is the way God measures everything that is given — not by what is given, but by what is kept back.

Israel celebrated this great victory with "singing and dancing" when "David returned from striking down the Philistine" (1 Sam. 18:6). Hearts that had just been full of fear were now full of joy. The women were right to give the praise to David. They answered one another as they played: "Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands." David's victory was only a faint picture of the victory won by his Greater Son. He brought the devil and his power to nothing. And He has made a people who are set free from the fear of death, and who praise and worship Him.

The women, more sensitive by nature, grasped the simple truth and said it out loud. It was not that they failed to honour the king. But they gave honour to the one who deserved it. They sensed who the instrument of Israel's great deliverance really was.

The army was thankful to meet such a joyful welcome. Everyone shared the gladness except one man. His heart was full of bitter jealousy against the man God had chosen to win this glorious victory. The poor, miserable king stood outside the joy that everyone else shared. Soon he turned that happy scene into one of deepening distress and sorrow.

He had not learnt to forget himself and rejoice to see the work done by another. It is the work of grace to be able to do this. By nature we all like to be something or do something — to be looked at and thought of. That was Saul. He was full of his own importance, so he could hardly stand the songs of the young women of Israel… Saul could not stand the thought of being second.

Each of these events shows a different side of the Lord's victory over Satan. But they all share one striking feature: the women see how great the triumph is. At the defeat of Pharaoh, "Miriam… took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing"… At the defeat of Sisera, Deborah sings, "to the LORD I will sing"… This is a beautiful display of God's grace. The woman was the first to fall for Satan's tricks, and the woman is a picture of the Church — the Bride of Christ, made up of all who have believed the gospel of our salvation. The angels must rejoice at Satan's overthrow. But we, who have been fooled by his lies and have known the bitterness of his slavery, can enter into the Lord's triumph over him most truly.

In verses 6 and 7 we see the women coming out of all the cities of Israel… what stands out is their shared appreciation of David in their song. "The women sang to one another" — there was no disagreement — every heart was full of the sense that David came first… This is personal devotion to Christ, and the Spirit's inward work producing complete agreement of mind and heart as they say how supremely worthy Christ is.

At this moment there is a bright gleam. The army has won, and the women are full of joy. It is only a sample of what the Messiah will do when He comes to reign… Here is a scene of joy and celebration. It gives a glimpse of the future, when all Israel will return with singing.

Verse 6 speaks of a time that was evidently later. David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistines, as the margin reads. This was not simply his defeat of Goliath. Apparently David had been sent out and accomplished a clear victory in which Saul had little or no part. The women came to celebrate the victory with singing and dancing. In Saul's presence they sang that Saul had struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands. That was not exactly diplomatic. The tide of popular opinion was evidently turning in David's direction, and this alarmed and aggravated Saul. Samuel had told Saul that God would give his kingdom to another (1 Samuel 15:28), and Saul sees the signs that David may very well be the man. This was another opportunity for Saul to step down willingly and give the kingdom to David. Instead he watched David suspiciously for any sign that he might want the throne.

The women, having more sensitive spirits, according to their nature, seized and spoke the simple truth. It was not that they failed to honour the king, but they certainly paid honour to the one to whom honour was due. They felt who was the instrument of the mighty deliverance in Israel.

In verses 6 and 7 we see the women coming out of all the cities of Israel. What is so clear is the shared appreciation of David in their song. "They answered one another" — there was no disagreement — every affection filled with the sense of David's pre-eminence. Beloved, what an atmosphere to be in!

This great victory was celebrated "when David returned from striking down the Philistine" with "singing and dancing" (1 Sam. 18:6). There was joy in hearts that had recently been full of fear. The women rightly gave the praise to David, answering one another as they played: "Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands." David's victory was only a faint foreshadowing of the victory of his Greater Son. He brought the devil and his power to nothing, and has produced a people delivered from the fear of death who praise and worship Him.

Very different were the feelings with which Saul regarded the person and work of David. He had not learned to forget himself and rejoice to see the work done by another. It is the work of grace to be able to do this. We all naturally like to be or to do something — to be looked at and thought of. So it was with Saul. He was a self-important man, so he could hardly bear the songs of the women of Israel: "Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands." Saul could not stand the idea of being second.

This is not yet irritation against David. It is irritation at people's opinion, which was lifting David up and lowering the king. And it came at the very moment when Jonathan's faith was sacrificing everything for the beloved one. This is because the flesh can never bear being nothing in Christ's presence.

Let us now pass on to Saul in 1 Samuel 18:8. Envy here seems to grip Saul so terribly that it gains complete mastery over him. It leads him three times to try to murder David. Some people do not know how quickly and fatally the poison of envy works. To them it seems almost unbelievable that Saul could have tried to kill the very one who had just delivered Israel, and for such a small reason. Yet I am sure of this: anyone who knows anything of his own heart can trace the seeds of great crimes in the feelings that envy prompts.

The sense of the great service that David had done faded quickly from Saul's spirit. And why? Because his object, his idol, was himself, and David's name that day interfered with it. The women, having more sensitive spirits, seized and uttered the simple truth. It was not that they failed to honour the king, but certainly they paid honour to the one to whom honour was due. They felt who was the instrument of the mighty deliverance in Israel.

He had not learnt to forget himself and rejoice to see the work done by another. It is the work of grace to be able to do this. We all naturally like to be or to do something — to be looked at and thought of. So it was with Saul; he was a self-important man, and therefore little able to bear the songs of the maids of Israel. Saul could not stand the idea of being second. He forgot how he had trembled at the voice of Goliath. He was a coward, yet he wanted to be thought brave and daring.

The tide of popular opinion was turning in David's direction, and this alarmed and upset Saul. Samuel had told Saul that God would give his kingdom to another (1 Sam. 15:28), and Saul sees the signs that David may well be the man. This was another chance for Saul to hand the kingdom over to David of his own will. Instead he watched David with suspicion, looking for any sign that he wanted the throne. Of course, David himself showed no such inclination. It was only the facts of his character and ability that spoke to both Saul and the people.

The anger of his soul exposes him once more to the attacks of the evil spirit, which seemed to have stopped for a while. Now David's harp has lost its power. Saul throws the javelin in his hand to pin David to the wall, and twice David escapes from his presence. Then fear comes on Saul. He realises that Jehovah is with David, and not with himself.

Saul was Satan's tool in his hatred of Christ. Saul only saw David. Satan saw in him a picture of Christ, who is the Son of David… It began with jealousy. David's submissive behaviour never failed, and that alone would have been enough to remove such a groundless feeling, had that been all… So Saul's jealousy ripened into Satan's hatred.

It takes a very simple heart and a single eye to rejoice in the fruit of another's work as genuinely as in the fruit of our own hands. If the glory of God and the good of His people had filled Saul's heart, he would not have given a thought to the numbers credited to him or to David. Sadly, he sought his own glory. This was the secret of his envy and jealousy… When we are honestly seeking the promotion of Christ's glory we shall not be anxious about the instrument.

The sense of the great service David had done faded quickly from Saul's spirit. And why? Because his object, his idol, was himself, and David's name that day got in the way of it… This roused the jealous sensitivity of the king: "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day on." Yes, and it was an evil eye, and Satan did not fail to take advantage of what the occasion offered.

Jonathan was occupied with David. Saul eyed him from that day on. To him he was an object of jealousy, to Jonathan of admiration. What caused this difference? The songs of the women put Saul in the second place. This the king could not endure. So jealousy took hold of the unhappy king. It urged him along a course his better judgment at times condemned, and he never really turned from it. From this time until Saul's death, David suffered his bitter hatred.

From this day onward Saul eyed David (v. 9). The next day shows the depth of his heart. The evil spirit comes upon him. When he was among the prophets he had been able to give the impression that he depended on the Spirit of God. Once he is handed over to Satan, the fruits of his wicked heart show at once. This man who "prophesied within the house" throws his spear to "pin David to the wall" (vv. 10-11).

The old remedy that had soothed the king, music, now lost its effect. When the evil spirit first came on him, it gave way to the sweet sounds of David's harp. It was no longer so. Evil in the presence of the good it hates tends to move fast and deep.

There is no telling how far this feeling may carry even a child of God, once he willingly allows it. It grows so fast. What starts as envy of another's success, prosperity, and position may soon turn into hatred, and then into plotting against him.

But Saul stood out in base and brutal contrast to the rest of Israel. A bitter and undying hatred sprang up in his heart towards the man who had delivered the people. He eyed David with a jealous eye, and sought to destroy him (verses 9, 10). Saul represents the unconverted man, the man in the flesh… The flesh is that evil principle inside the human heart that shuts out God and Christ. It will always make SELF the supreme object of life, in opposition to Christ. The flesh will have religion, and meetings, and will sometimes tolerate Christians, but it will not have Christ.

We now come to the most terrible thing envy ever accomplished, in Mark 15:10. The chief priests, God's professed servants, handed Jesus, the Son of God, over to Pilate. They did it out of that wretched, miserable feeling of envy, which had eaten away everything even human in their hearts. Here envy led them to CRUCIFY CHRIST.

It takes a very simple heart and a single eye to rejoice in what someone else has done as truly as in our own work. If the glory of God and the good of His people had filled Saul's heart, he would not have spent a thought on the numbers, his or David's. Sadly, he sought his own glory. This was the secret of his envy and jealousy. Oh, what sacred rest, what true dignity, what perfect quietness of spirit comes from self-renunciation! It is the self-renunciation that grows from having the heart wholly occupied with Christ.