There is an exquisite tenderness about the story here recorded. David's love for Jonathan was still fresh. One can easily imagine how in the days of his growing prosperity the king would often think of the former strenuous times and of his friend's loyalty to him under circumstances so full of stress and peril.
For David the house of Saul, which had done him so much harm, was redeemed by his love for Jonathan; and he instituted an inquiry whether any were left of this house to whom he might show kindness for the sake of his friend.
The inquiry resulted in the finding of Mephibosheth, whose very lameness was tragic and pathetic, in that it had been caused by the flight of his nurse on the awful day of Jezreel, when his father and grandfather had fallen together.
To him the king restored the lands of Saul, and sat him as an honored guest at his own table. David's own account of his action was that he desired to "show kindness of God unto him." This declaration recalls the words of the covenant made between him and Jonathan long before, in which his friend had charged him to show him "the kindness of the Lord," and also that he should show this same kindness to his house forever.
In all this David appears as a man after God's own heart. The common attitude of human nature would not permit such action. It is ever the kindness of God which heaps favors on representatives of enemies.