Samuel's famous dictum that “to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1 Sam. 15:22) will never be forgotten. If Saul learned nothing from the prophet's words, multitudes have profited by them since his day. “To obey,'” and “to hearken” give the essence of holy living. The most costly sacrifices are no substitute for “obeying the voice of the Lord.”
The willful King—the man of the people's choice—being divinely rejected, the Lord brought forward the “man after His own heart.” How different David was from Saul may be seen in Psalm 119 (which, being an amplification of Psalm 19, is almost certainly from the pen of David): “Make me to go in the path of Thy commandments; for therein do I delight” (Psa. 119:35). “I will delight myself in Thy commandments, which I have loved“ (Psa. 119:47). “I love Thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold” (Psa. 119: 127). “I opened my mouth and panted: for I longed for Thy commandments” (Psa. 119:131). Oh, that there were such a spirit in each of us.