Commentary - 1 Samuel 19:8-10

Bird's-eye view

This brief but potent section of 1 Samuel brings to a head the simmering conflict between Saul, the rejected king, and David, God's anointed. We see the stark contrast between David's faithfulness and success, which are direct results of God's favor, and Saul's spiraling paranoia and murderous rage, which are the direct results of God's judgment. The scene is a microcosm of the great spiritual war. On the one hand, you have David, faithfully serving, bringing peace and order through his music, a type of Christ. On the other, you have Saul, tormented by his sin and rebellion, an instrument of chaos, a picture of the worldly ruler who resists the reign of God's true king. The spear thrown is more than just a momentary fit of rage; it is the kingdom of man attempting to defy and destroy the kingdom of God. But God's providence is absolute, and His anointed will not fall before the impotent rage of the reprobate.

The central lesson here is the sovereignty of God over all things, including the evil intentions of wicked men and the demonic spirits that afflict them. Yahweh is not a passive observer; He sends the evil spirit to chasten Saul and to test David. This is not to make God the author of sin, but rather to show that He is the author of the entire story, and He writes all the lines, even the lines spoken by the villains. David's escape is not a matter of luck or quick reflexes, but a demonstration of God's sovereign protection over His chosen king, whose throne will ultimately lead to the throne of the Messiah.

Outline

Context In 1 Samuel

This passage does not occur in a vacuum. It is the culmination of a repeating pattern. David has success, the people celebrate David, Saul's jealousy is kindled, and he attempts to kill David. We have already seen this in chapter 18. But with each repetition, the stakes are raised. Saul's plots become more overt, moving from subtle manipulation to outright violence. This incident follows a brief respite, a temporary reconciliation brokered by Jonathan (1 Sam. 19:1-7). But peace with a man abandoned by God is a fragile thing. David's fresh military victory (v. 8) is the spark that ignites the same old powder keg of Saul's envy. The narrative is teaching us that repentance in the unregenerate is shallow and temporary. Saul's problem is not David; his problem is God, and David is simply the walking, talking, harp-playing reminder of God's choice and Saul's rejection.

Key Issues

Clause-by-Clause Commentary

v. 8 Then there was war again. And David went out and fought with the Philistines and struck them with a great slaughter, so that they fled before him.

The story of God's people is a story of conflict. "War again." This is the normal state of affairs for the church militant. We should not be surprised when we find ourselves on the battlefield. David, as the true king in waiting, does what a king is supposed to do. He fights the Lord's battles and protects His people. He doesn't wait to be asked; he simply goes out. This is the mark of a faithful man. And notice the result: "a great slaughter." David is not a participant trophy kind of warrior. He is overwhelmingly successful. Why? Because the Lord is with him. This victory is not just a political or military event; it is a theological statement. God is demonstrating, for all of Israel to see, who His chosen instrument is. Every victory for David is another nail in the coffin of Saul's legitimacy. The Philistines fleeing "before him" is a picture of what happens when God's enemies come up against God's anointed.

v. 9 Now there was an evil spirit from Yahweh on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, and David was playing the harp with his hand.

Here we have one of those verses that makes modern evangelicals nervous, but which the robust saints of old took in stride. An "evil spirit from Yahweh." Let's be very clear. God is sovereign. This means He is sovereign over everything, including evil spirits. This does not make God evil, any more than a king who uses a foul-mouthed executioner to carry out a just sentence is himself foul-mouthed. God is not the author of the evil in the spirit, but He is the author of its mission. He sends it. It is on a leash. This spirit is an instrument of divine judgment upon a disobedient king. Saul has rejected the Spirit of God, and so God has given him over to another spirit. This is the terrifying reality of divine abandonment.

And look at the scene. It is a portrait of two kingdoms. Saul sits, stewing in his own bitter juices, clutching his spear, the symbol of his violent, failing, man-centered rule. David stands, serving, playing his harp, an instrument of peace, worship, and order. David is ministering grace to the very man who wants to kill him. This is a profound picture of the gospel. Christ comes to serve and to save those who are His enemies, armed with nothing but the beautiful music of grace. Saul represents the world, tormented, resentful, and violent. David represents the kingdom of God, peaceful, serving, and ultimately triumphant.

v. 10 And Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, so that he stuck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.

The rage boils over. Saul acts on the demonic impulse. He attempts to murder God's anointed. The phrase "pin David to the wall" is wonderfully graphic. This is the desire of every Christ-hater. They want to stop the music, silence the testimony, and nail the threat to the wall. This is what they would eventually do to David's greater Son. But the time is not yet. "He slipped away." Was this just a lucky duck? Was David just quick on his feet? Of course not. This is the hand of God. This is divine providence in action. God's purpose for David was not going to be thwarted by a spear, just as His purpose for Christ would not ultimately be thwarted by a cross. The spear sticks quivering in the wall, a monument to Saul's impotent rage. He can strike the wall, but he cannot strike God's chosen.

And so David fled. This is not cowardice; it is prudence. David understands that God's protection does not mean he should be foolish. He uses the means God has provided, in this case, his own two feet. He escapes "that night." The darkness of the night corresponds to the spiritual darkness that has now fully descended on Saul's house. For David, this is the beginning of his time as a fugitive, a time of testing and trial that God will use to forge him into the king he is called to be. The flight from Saul is a necessary part of his path to the throne.

Application

First, we must have a robust doctrine of God's sovereignty. We cannot trim and tidy up the Bible to fit our modern sensibilities. If the text says God sent an evil spirit, then God sent an evil spirit. Our job is not to defend God's reputation from His own Word, but to bow before it. God is in control of all things, and this is our great comfort. Nothing, not even the rage of kings or the malice of demons, can operate outside of His sovereign decree. He uses the wrath of man, and the wrath of devils, to praise Him.

Second, we must recognize the spiritual battle we are in. There is a Saul-spirit in the world that hates the music of the gospel. It hates faithful obedience. It hates the success that God gives to His people. And it will throw spears. These spears may be words of slander, acts of persecution, or temptations to despair. We should not be surprised when the world acts like Saul. It is in its nature.

Finally, we must walk as David did. He was faithful in his calling, whether that was fighting Philistines or playing the harp. He served his enemy. And when the attack came, he trusted in God's providence. He did not take matters into his own hands. He did not throw a spear back. He fled, trusting that God would preserve him for the throne He had promised. We too are called to a kingdom, and our path there will be through many tribulations. We must walk by faith, serve our enemies, and trust that the God who protected David will bring us safely to our promised inheritance, for the sake of David's Son, Jesus Christ.