I know well that thou shalt surely be king— He knew this, says St. Chrysostom, from David's manners, from his kingly virtues, as well as his uncommon success; but, above all, he knew his divine designation to the throne. Saul, says Dr. Trapp, being melted by those coals of kindness which David had heaped upon his head, poureth out himself in a flood of passions, and, for the present, spake as he thought. But good thoughts make a thoroughfare only of wicked hearts: they stay not there, as those that like not their lodging: their purposes, for want of performance, are but as clouds without rain, or as Hercules's club in the tragedy, of a great bulk, but stuffed with moss and rubbish. David complied with Saul's request, and sware to him; for Saul, foreseeing that his family would be in David's power, and conscious to himself how cruelly and treacherously he himself had treated him, exacts an oath from David, not to cut off his seed when he came to the throne, nor to destroy his name out of his father's house; an oath which David generously took, and honourably and religiously performed. He would not, however, trust himself to Saul: he knew too well his inconstancy, perfidy, and phrenzy. Never trust thine enemy, says the son of Sirach, though he humble himself; take good heed, and beware of him, Sir 12:10, &c. Two remarks naturally arise upon this pathetic speech of Saul's, and David's behaviour to him. The first is, that his sense of David's generosity must be very strong, when he beseeches God to reward it. Indeed Saul had no equivalent to give David for the kindness shown him; and therefore he refers him to GOD for retribution. For if, after this, he should even save David's life, yet still he could only save the life of his best benefactor; whereas David both spared and saved the life of his most mortal enemy. The second is, that David, by sparing his enemy, found himself possessed of one of the highest satisfactions in the world; to see his enraged prince his petitioner! to see his foe his suppliant! conscious, and confessing his own guilt and David's superiority! and begging that mercy to his issue which he himself had just experienced, and had not deserved! Who would not save an enemy, for the joy of so glorious a triumph!
Reflections on the foregoing chapter.
We can never so reasonably promise ourselves an extraordinary protection and deliverance from whatever calamities or dangers most nearly threaten or press us, by some wonderful act of God's own immediate power and vigilance, as when we have, out of mere piety or conscience, or out of the obligations of Christian charity and compassion, forborne the doing of an ill act, which was in our power to do, and the doing whereof, according to all human reason, would, for the present, have freed us from that oppression which is most grievous to us; for by that we declare, that we will have no other refuge than what is agreeable to His good will and pleasure. Whereas, they who are ready to lay hold of any advantage that is offered to do their enemy mischief, and, in the taking it, prescribe no other rules to themselves than what their enemies would observe if they had the same opportunity, make it manifest, that they depend on another security than the shadow of God's wings for the passing over of their calamities. If our enemies have traduced us with false and unworthy imputations, and we come to have credit enough by as scandalous reports to take away their good name, and for truth and justice sake we forbear to do it, we may be confident that their tongues, how sharp and venomous soever, shall not be able to hurt us; but that God, by some way or other, will make our innocence and uprightness appear, through all the clouds of prejudice and calumny which their malice has raised about us. If we are unjustly persecuted by a great and powerful enemy, who, in his rage and fury, would take our life, and whilst he is using all his skill to entrap us, and get us into his power, himself falls into our hands, and it is in our power to revenge the wrong he has done to us, and, by taking his life, prevent any act of future violence upon us; and we do, out of piety and duty, if he be our prince, or a person to whom we owe obedience, or out of humanity or generosity, if he be our equal, refuse to take that advantage, and spare that blood which we might shed, and wait God's leisure for a deliverance, without any guilt of our own; we may humbly presume, that he will interpose his protection in our behalf, and frustrate all attempts of violence upon us, if, notwithstanding this temper and obligation on our part, the malice and rancour of our enemies continue. If a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? says Saul, (1 Samuel 24:19.) when he was convinced of the integrity of David's heart, by his not taking advantage of him in the cave where he might have securely destroyed him: and when some of his friends would have persuaded him, that God had delivered his enemy into his hand, and that he might do as seemed good to him. (1 Samuel 24:5.) Saul was never so confounded with the shame of his own jealousy and malice, as by this act of piety and magnanimity in David; and though he had long known that he was anointed, and appointed by God to reign as king after him, yet he did not so thoroughly believe it till this great instance of the temper of his mind, and of his relying upon God's purpose so entirely, that he would not, by an act of his own, endeavour to bring that honour and security upon himself sooner than His wisdom intended it to him. Now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand. We can never receive a greater earnest that God will himself wonderfully help us, than when he gives us grace not to help ourselves by any ill means which are offered to us.