What on earth would possess this Amelekite to claim victory for Saul’s death? What a bonehead! His lie cost him his life. I suspect he thought he would impress David by killing the king and paving the way for David to become king. I’m sure he thought he could claim the prize without having to carry out the deed, but as we can see, David knew something was off, big time. This first book of 2 Samuel begins with Saul and Jonathan’s ending, and it’s encouraging to see that even after their deaths, David didn’t celebrate or cop a prideful attitude. Instead, he wrote a song and demanded that “it be taught to the people of Judah (v. 18).” That’s a deep respect for the title there. Even through being chased and threatened and having to go into hiding, David still clung to the fact that Saul was God’s chosen king and that God’s promise for David to be king would be fulfilled in God’s time. That’s beautiful faith. Furthermore, in his song, David honored both Saul and Jonathan. He easily could have devised a song that took aim at Saul’s faults, but he didn’t. He celebrated Saul’s accomplishments in a song that was recorded in the Book of Jashar and passed down to generations until it reached us. That’s a powerful message, and we should take note.
Writing prompt: song of praise
Have you ever had a boss that you didn’t really like but respected because he was your boss? I’ve had a couple. I’m not sure I’d be willing to write a song about them, but let’s try! Think of someone you don’t really like but respect and give them credit for their accomplishments in a poem or song today.
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