As I previously wrote in my earlier post, the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully over David. It is the Spirit that enabled Him to do wondrous exploits such as his slaying of Goliath.
We will also learn that success comes with a price. For David, the price was jealousy and hatred from people around him. First in line was the king David faithfully served.
King Saul was so jealous of David because of all the accolades David received. This was evident in the feelings he had when King Saul heard what the women were singing in 1 Samuel 18:7, “This was their song: ‘Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!'”
King Saul hurling a spear at David by Giovanni Francesco Barbieri c. 1600
When King Saul became king, he was the most handsome in Israel. He drew the admiration of the people. He was head and shoulders above his contemporaries. Now here is David, young, small, ruddy, a shepherd, who shall we say, caused people to divert their eyes from him.
And how does one react to such ill-feelings? With humility and faithfulness. David could have boasted and separated ways with the king but no, he continued his service of playing the harp for King Saul. It is like telling King Saul that even tough I have achieved these things, I am still your servant. David was faithful to his lord even when twice, King Saul hurled a spear at him intending to pin him to the wall when a spirit tormented him.
Let us imitate David’s character. That is how one becomes a man after God’s own heart.
