So David and Abishai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul lay sleeping inside the circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people were lying around him.
— First Samuel 26:7
God placed the opportunity to kill Saul into David’s hand (1 Sam 26:7–8). Many in this situation would have been sorely tempted to strike Saul down just to put an end to the whole tiresome situation. Saul’s continual chasing of David from place to place had been one long unremitting headache.
Anyone else might have felt, “Whether it’s right or wrong, I will kill him and brave the consequences. Anything has to be better than the kind of life I have been leading because of him!” However, that was not David’s response.
Adapted from David: After God’s Heart, page 82.
Tomorrow: “David Sparing Saul a Second Time” (3)