Saul, returned from his campaign against the Philistines, gathers three thousand chosen men to lay hold of David. Thus in the same pursuit he includes Israel’s enemies and her savior. An outward zeal for safeguarding the people of God may very well ally itself with a veritable hatred for Christ.
Saul enters a cave located near the sheepfolds to relieve himself and rest. At the back of the cave with his little troop is the man whom Saul wrongly esteems to be his enemy. God’s providence at this moment is delivering Saul, defenseless, into David’s hands. David’s companions in their ignorance conclude that God Himself is furnishing their master the occasion to avenge himself, but David’s spiritual intelligence is not fooled. His character as the rejected king is that of grace and not of judgment (it is the same with Christ), and divine providence here offers grace an admirable occasion to manifest itself.
There is also another reason for David to refrain from drawing the sword. As long as God has not Himself executed the sentence pronounced upon Saul he still bears the name “the Lord’s anointed.” Whatever the evil may be, we have no right to destroy that which God allows to subsist. Doubtless there must be full separation between ourselves and evil, but we are not called to set the bounds of God’s long-suffering. A spiritual Christian recognizes the authority which God has established even if it be enemy and apostate, and he leaves to God the care and the timing of executing judgment against it. Providential circumstances are not ordained to govern our conduct or to direct it, but to put our faith to the test. Such was the case with Moses at Pharaoh’s court where God’s providence had placed him. When the moment was come he refused to be part of that court and left Egypt, not fearing the king’s wrath (Heb. 11). It was faith that directed him and not the providential ways of God.
Nevertheless David cuts off the skirt of Saul’s robe. This was a token intended to give the enemy proof of the grace which was sparing him. David’s heart (not his conscience) reproaches him for even this act, for viewed outwardly, he had been lacking in the respect and deference due to the Lord’s anointed although down deep he was full of grace toward his persecutor.
“And David checked his men with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul” (1 Sam. 24:77So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way. (1 Samuel 24:7)). His companions are formed by him and by his example, and in this way David’s character is reflected in all those who surround him and who have acknowledged him as their leader.
The skirt of this cut robe serves to vindicate before Saul the character of the servant whom he was misjudging and to open his eyes as to his own state: “For in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou liest in wait for my life to take it” (1 Sam. 24:1111Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. (1 Samuel 24:11)). Thus God often calls sinners through circumstances where His grace has preserved them by drawing their attention to the fact that their state deserved judgment. Nevertheless, if one hardens his heart after this he must know that judgment will not be delayed. “Jehovah judge between me and thee, and Jehovah avenge me of thee” (1 Sam. 24:1212The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. (1 Samuel 24:12)).
A lovely feature of the character of the man of God comes out here. In his own eyes he is less than Saul, less than nothing: “After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a single flea.” In this vein Paul says of his dear Corinthians: “The ignoble things of the world, and the despised... and things that are not” (1 Cor. 1:2828And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: (1 Corinthians 1:28)), and of himself: “Neither the planter is anything” (1 Cor. 3:77So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. (1 Corinthians 3:7)). But those who are nothing in their own eyes are something in God’s eyes, and this exalts and glorifies Him: “Jehovah therefore shall be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and do me justice in delivering me out of thy hand” (1 Sam. 24:1515The Lord therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand. (1 Samuel 24:15)). “If God be for us, who against us?” The love of God for us: that is what glorifies Him!
“Saul lifted up his voice and wept” (1 Sam. 24:1616And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. (1 Samuel 24:16)). Seeing himself so miraculously preserved, he acknowledges (but for how long?) the grace and righteousness that are in David: “Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil” (1 Sam. 24:1717And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. (1 Samuel 24:17)). He even acknowledges that the kingdom belongs to David: “And now behold, I know that thou shalt certainly be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand” (1 Sam. 24:2020And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand. (1 Samuel 24:20)). A reprobate heart—it is very serious to consider—may be softened in the presence of grace without being changed. God does not ask us for feelings, however righteous they may be; it is faith that counts, for faith alone is able to regenerate and save a sinner.
Saul goes so far as to count on David to preserve his seed. David, a beautiful example of grace, “swore to Saul” (1 Sam. 24:2222And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold. (1 Samuel 24:22)), for grace will not be limited. Will Saul know enough to avail himself of it? No: “Saul went home.” Alas! godly Jonathan, his son, had done the same thing (1 Sam. 23:1818And they two made a covenant before the Lord: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house. (1 Samuel 23:18)). Whatever step the flesh may have taken, whatever truth the flesh may have acknowledged, there is always a point at which the flesh stops: the point where faith alone can act. Before “Come, follow me,” even the most amiable flesh turns its back, perhaps with sadness, but it prefers the “great possessions” of its home above the shame of Him who has no place in this world to rest His head! (Matt. 19:2222But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. (Matthew 19:22)).
How sweet it is to witness David’s feelings in Psalm 57 “when he fled from Saul in the cave.” He knows that “God... performeth” [The French says: “brings to a good conclusion”] all for him” (Psa. 57:22I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me. (Psalm 57:2)). His faith already takes hold of imminent deliverance: “He will send from the heavens and save me; He hath covered with reproach him that would swallow me up” (Psa. 57:33He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. (Psalm 57:3)). “They have digged a pit before me; they are fallen into the midst thereof’ (Psa. 57:66They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah. (Psalm 57:6)). This fixes his heart (Psa. 57:77My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. (Psalm 57:7)) and prompts him to trust himself completely to the hands of Him who “hath sent forth His loving-kindness and His truth” in order to save him. Prepared in this way, he does not seek to avenge himself, but he commits himself to Him who has said: “Vengeance is mine... saith the Lord.” Thus on every occasion David is prepared by the Spirit of God to commit his cause into His hands, thus free to be occupied only with the Lord and with His praise. “My heart is fixed: I will sing, yea, I will sing psalms... For Thy loving-kindness is great unto the heavens, and Thy truth unto the clouds!” (Psa. 57:7,107My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. (Psalm 57:7)
10For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. (Psalm 57:10)).