Commentary - 1 Samuel 18:10-11

Bird's-eye view

In 1 Samuel 18:10-11, we are given a raw and unsettling glimpse into the spiritual decay of King Saul and the providential protection over David. This is not merely a story about a king's jealousy; it is a theological case study in divine sovereignty. God is actively managing the transition of Israel's monarchy from a man chosen for his outward appearance to a man after God's own heart. The "evil spirit from God" is a key instrument in this transition. It is a judicial act, a divine judgment on Saul's rebellion. God, who is sovereign over all spirits, both good and evil, has given Saul over to his own paranoia and envy. This passage starkly contrasts the fruit of rebellion, which is madness and murder, with the fruit of faithfulness, which is David's calm service and divine deliverance. It is a messy, real-world picture of how God works all things, even the sinful rage of a king, to accomplish His perfect will.

This scene is a microcosm of a much larger spiritual war. Saul, tormented and acting under the influence of a spirit sent from God, is a type of the worldly ruler who rages against the Lord's anointed. David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, ministering faithfully even in the face of mortal danger, is a clear type of Christ. He serves his enemy, and his enemy tries to nail him to the wall. But just as David escaped Saul's spear twice, so Christ escaped the clutches of death. The central lesson here is that God's purposes cannot be thwarted by the rage of men or devils. God's anointed will be preserved, and God's kingdom will advance, even if it has to advance through a palace full of flying spears.

Outline

Context In 1 Samuel

This passage does not occur in a vacuum. The stage was set two chapters earlier. In 1 Samuel 16, the Spirit of the Lord departs from Saul and comes mightily upon David at his anointing (1 Sam. 16:13-14). The immediate consequence is that "an evil spirit from the Lord troubled" Saul. The spiritual reality dictates the political and personal reality. The one who has lost the Spirit of God is now tormented, while the one who has received the Spirit of God is the only one who can bring him relief. This creates the intense irony of our passage: the very man who soothes the king's madness becomes the target of that same madness. The victory over Goliath in chapter 17 catapulted David to national fame, and the celebratory song of the women, "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands," was the match that lit the fuse of Saul's murderous envy (1 Sam. 18:7-8). This attempt on David's life is the first of many, marking the beginning of David's long season as a fugitive, a season that God will use to forge him into a true king.

Clause-by-Clause Commentary

v. 10 Now it happened on the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul,

Let us not be squeamish here. The text says what it says. The spirit was evil, and it was from God. This is not a contradiction, but rather a profound statement of God's absolute sovereignty. God is not the author of sin, but He is the sovereign who ordains and directs all things, including the actions of evil spirits. This is a judicial spirit, a spirit of judgment sent upon a man who had rejected the word of the Lord (1 Sam. 15:23). When God gives a man over to his sin, He is not a passive observer. He is an active agent. The word "mightily" tells us this was no subtle mood swing. This was a spiritual assault, a divine judgment unfolding in the heart of the king. Saul had opened the door to this through his rebellion, and God, in His justice, sent the tormentor in.

and he raved in the midst of the house.

The Hebrew word here is related to the word for prophesying, but in this context, it clearly means to behave in a frenzied, uncontrolled manner. It is a false, demonic prophecy. While the Spirit of God had once caused Saul to prophesy in a godly way (1 Sam. 10:10), this is a grotesque parody. Sin is always a parody of righteousness. Saul is not receiving a word from the Lord; he is manifesting the chaos of a soul abandoned by God. He is "in the midst of the house," his own palace, the seat of power in Israel. This is a public meltdown. The king's spiritual derangement is on full display, showing the entire kingdom the consequences of forsaking the Lord. A nation's health is tied to the spiritual state of its leaders, and Israel's king was raving.

Now David was playing the harp with his hand, as usual;

Here is the contrast, set in sharp relief. While Saul is in a demonic frenzy, David is engaged in his regular, faithful service. He is doing what he was brought to the court to do: soothe the king with music. There is no indication that David was doing anything provocative. He was simply being faithful in his appointed task. This is a picture of righteousness in the midst of chaos. The worshipful music of the man after God's own heart is the backdrop for the murderous rage of the man God has rejected. This is often the case; the simple, faithful obedience of God's people is what provokes the rage of the world. David's music, which once brought relief (1 Sam. 16:23), is now the occasion for an attack.

and a spear was in Saul’s hand.

This is a detail pregnant with meaning. The spear was a symbol of his kingship and his military authority. It should have been used to defend Israel from its enemies, but it is now in his hand as a potential murder weapon against God's chosen servant. This is what happens when authority becomes corrupted by sin. The instruments of justice become the tools of tyranny. Saul's heart is full of murder, and the weapon is conveniently at hand. Sin always looks for an opportunity, and the envious heart will always find a spear nearby.

v. 11 Then Saul hurled the spear for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.”

The raving gives way to overt action. The internal torment now manifests as attempted murder. Saul's thought is recorded to show us the clear intent of his heart. This was not an accident, a random muscle spasm. It was a calculated, albeit rage-fueled, decision. He wanted to execute David on the spot, to nail him to the wall like a common pest. This is the logic of envy. Envy is not content to simply want what another has; it wants the other person to not have it, and ultimately, it wants the other person to not exist. This is the spirit of Cain, who killed his brother because his brother's offering was accepted by God. Saul sees David's anointing, his success, his favor with God and the people, and his only response is to try and eliminate him.

But David escaped from his presence twice.

Here is the other side of God's sovereignty. The same God who sent the evil spirit to test and judge Saul is the God who providentially delivered David. David's escape was not a matter of luck or superior reflexes. It was the hand of God. The spear of the king, thrown with murderous intent, missed its mark. Twice. God's purpose for David was not to die on a palace wall. God's purpose was for David to sit on the throne. Until God's appointed time, all the spears in Saul's armory were utterly useless. This is a profound comfort for the believer. When you are in the center of God's will, you are immortal until His work for you is done. The rage of men is loud and terrifying, but the providence of God is silent, subtle, and absolutely certain.

Application

This scene is a stark reminder that the world is not a neutral place. There is a spiritual war raging, and it often breaks out in the most unexpected places, in our homes, in our workplaces, even in the church. Like Saul, leaders can be given over to envy, paranoia, and rage. When they abandon God's Word as their standard, they become susceptible to tormenting spirits, and their leadership becomes a spear aimed at the faithful.

Like David, we are often called to minister faithfully in the midst of this chaos. Our duty is to keep playing our harp, to continue our service to God and man, even when spears are flying. We must not be naive. The faithful service of a godly man is often the very thing that provokes the ungodly to rage. Their problem is not with you, ultimately, but with the God you serve and the grace He has shown you.

And most importantly, we must trust in the sovereignty of God that delivers. David escaped twice, not because he was lucky, but because he was the Lord's anointed. In Christ, we are also the Lord's anointed. The enemy may hurl his spears, accusations, temptations, persecutions, but he cannot pin us to the wall. God's purpose for us in Christ is secure. He who delivered David from the spear, and who delivered the greater David from the cross, will surely deliver us from every evil work and bring us safely into His heavenly kingdom. Our job is to keep playing our music, trusting that our God is sovereign over both the raver and the spear.