Series: The Word
I Samuel 19:1-10 LSV (Literal Standard Version)
1 John 1:5 ESV
I Samuel 19:9 (the Spirit of sadness)
Psalm 16:1 ESV
Psalm 144:1 CEV
Every time I read (and re-read the story of David and Saul I am reminded that David suffered greatly at the hand of King Saul.
It seems like even though David didn’t deserve Saul’s constant attacks, nothing could stop them.
Even when David tried to soothe Saul, the King was consumed with jealousy and he sought to kill David.
I Samuel 19:1-10 in a literal translation we are told, “And Saul speaks to his son Jonathan, and to all his servants, to put David to death, and Jonathan son of Saul delighted in David exceedingly, and Jonathan declares [it] to David, saying, “My father Saul is seeking to put you to death, and now, please take heed in the morning, and you have abided in a secret place and been hidden, and I go out, and have stood by the side of my father in the field where you [are], and I speak of you to my father, and have seen what [is coming], and have declared [it] to you.” And Jonathan speaks good of David to his father Saul and says to him, “Do not let the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his works [are] very good for you; indeed, he puts his life in his hand, and strikes the Philistine, and YHWH works a great salvation for all Israel; you have seen, and rejoice, and why do you sin against innocent blood, to put David to death for nothing?” And Saul listens to the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swears, “YHWH lives—he does not die.” And Jonathan calls for David, and Jonathan declares all these words to him, and Jonathan brings in David to Saul, and he is before him as before. And there adds to be war, and David goes out and fights against the Philistines, and strikes among them [with] a great striking, and they flee from his face. And a spirit of sadness [from] YHWH is to Saul, and he is sitting in his house, and his javelin [is] in his hand, and David is playing with the hand, and Saul seeks to strike with the javelin through David, and through the wall, and he frees himself from the presence of Saul, and he strikes the javelin through the wall; and David has fled and escapes during that night.”
In the English Standard Version verse 9 refers to the Spirit of God as being a harmful spirit and while that may be true, the Literal Standard Version refers to the spirit from the Lord as a ‘spirit of sadness’.
A few things ‘jump out’ at us from this passage of scripture in both versions (the LSV and the ESV).
First, Saul was against David and his own son Jonathan stood by his friend David.
Second, Saul promised he would not kill David.
Third, from the Literal Standard Version the Spirit from the Lord (a spirit of sadness) came upon Saul while David was playing his lyre (I might add to keep Saul calm), and Saul had a javelin in his hand and he attacked David.
Scripture doesn’t say the Spirit of sadness from God was given to Saul. What we know is that Saul had a spirit of sadness.
The bottom line is that when translating or reading any translation there are certain things we must bear in mind. One of those is that the nature and character of Yahweh God is unchanging. Always without exception. We know from 1 John 1:5, “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”
The second is that scripture does not contradict scripture. There is no darkness in God. God is all light and reveals light.
In 1 Samuel 19:9, the Spirit of sadness came and Saul took action against David. I consider…perhaps the Spirit of sadness was sadness of the Lord that stemmed from Saul’s refusal to love and trust David.
God would be very sad that Saul continued to attack David.
It seemed like no matter how hard David tried, Saul continued to change his mind and attack David.
Still, even though David continued to be attacked by Saul, David wrote in Psalm 16:1, “Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.”
David continued to turn to God.
David asked God to protect him from Saul.
David proclaimed his trust and allegiance to God.
David continued to trust God.
Psalm 144:1 (a Psalm of David) says, “I praise you, LORD! You are my mighty rock, and you teach me how to fight my battles.“
Even though David was continuously attacked by King Saul, he recognized that God was his rock.
God was who David could count on when times were tough.
God was unchangeable and David trusted in God.
We’ve all been there. We have been in a bad spot when we had to choose to continue to stay the course and trust God. When that happens, we speak words of faith (which is what God intends) that proclaim God is our rock.
David also added a prayer in Psalm 144:1 asking God to teach him how to fight his battles.
Those faith builders are gifts in our lives that keep on giving.
Spiritual Practice: Refuge
Turn to God and let God BE your refuge.
In God, Deborah
Comentarios