1 Samuel 24:11–12: “Moreover, my father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it. Let the LORD judge between you and me, and let the LORD avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you.”

June 2nd, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

As Saul was pursuing David once again, he stopped in a cave. What he didn’t know was that David and his men were in the deepest part of the cave. David was able to cut off a corner of Saul’s robe without him knowing. When Saul left, David called after him. His argument was that if he were a wicked rebel, against the rule of Saul, then he would have killed Saul when he had the opportunity, but he’d chosen not to. The piece of Saul’s robe was proof to Saul that David was not his enemy. David also used the term, “my father,” probably not simply out of respect, but as a reminder to the king that he was Saul’s son-in-law. Saul seemed to remember that and later gave David’s wife, his daughter, to someone else. The Living Bible is clearer in verse 12 when it reads, “Perhaps the Lord will kill you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you.” You would think that would get any person’s attention, even a paranoid king like Saul.

This event raises an interesting question for us. Is there anyone in our life who has hurt us or someone we love so much that in a moment of honesty, we might say, “Lord take them. I wish they were gone from my life.” Maybe this is an unfair question, since probably everyone has at least one person in their life they wish didn’t exist. What is fascinating here is that David had a perfect opportunity to take care of his problem but he refused to touch the “Lord’s anointed.” It was even more tempting because David already had the anointing of God to be king, but he still refused to rush God’s timetable. Saul was God’s instrument to work on David’s life, using Saul to develop David’s character, integrity, and complete dependency upon God rather than self. Could it be that God has allowed such people into our lives for the same purposes? We must be careful to see God’s hand in both the positive and negative circumstance of our lives, as well as the difficult individuals who cross our paths every day.

“LORD, give us eyes to see You at work in us, even through everything that swirls around us today.”

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1 Samuel 24 KJV

¹ And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.  ² Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. ³ And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. ⁴ And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily.  ⁵ And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt. ⁶ And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’Sanointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD. ⁷ So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.  ⁸ David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself. ⁹ And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? ¹⁰ Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORDhad delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’S anointed. ¹¹ Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. ¹² The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. ¹³ As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. ¹⁴ After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. ¹⁵ The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.  ¹⁶ And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. ¹⁷ And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. ¹⁸ And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not.  ¹⁹ For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day. ²⁰ And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand. ²¹ Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house. ²² And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.