The Cause of Saul's Bitterness Toward David

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 9
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The youth David meets Goliath, the giant and champion of the Philistines, who had defied "the armies of the living God" in the valley of Elah, and slays him with a smooth stone, winning a great victory. When David returned with the head of Goliath in his hand, King Saul's son Jonathan fell in love with David. Saul beheld how David's wise behavior "was accepted in the sight of all the people."
Women sang with joy saying, "Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands." From then on, SAUL EYED DAVID (1 Sam. 18:99And Saul eyed David from that day and forward. (1 Samuel 18:9)). It was malicious jealousy. No doubt he was thankful enough for the deliverance from Goliath of Gath, but now his resentment for David increased. He could not stand that the people recognize David's superiority and thus honor him above himself, their king. Such is the flesh in every one of us, and it crops out to our shame, dishonors the Lord, and causes no end of trouble.
Of the works of the flesh, as stated in Gal. 5, we would notice hatred, strifes, jealousies, anger, contention, disputes,... envying. James 3:1414But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. (James 3:14), according to Young, Vine and Marshall, reads, "If ye have bitter JEALOUSY and RIVALRY in your heart..." This was at the root of Saul's hatred for David: -it is the pride of self that cannot brook a rival!