Pray the word with David Platt is a resource from Radical.net.

Yet another instance, infersonal of David's sparing Saul's life of a moment, where

David could have taken Saul's life and eventually stepped into what he already

knew was going to be his role as King, but he doesn't. He says, as the Lord

lives, the Lord will remove him in his timing. And David says, the Lord forbid that

I should take things into my own hands and harm the Lord's anointed, the one

that God has set up in this place of authority at this time. And there's so much

to consider as we think about these opportunities that David had to usurp the

throne, to take the throne that was going to belong to him, to take Saul's life,

but the picture we see in this story and in the instance before this is a

picture of patient trust in God. As David considers his life and his leadership,

he refuses to harm the one whom God has put as an authority over him, even when

that authority is working to kill him at that moment. David responds with

patient trust in God. I think about reading Romans recently. I'm having a

conversation with my family during family worship about the end of Romans

chapter 12 when verse 19 says, beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to

the wrath of God. For it is written vengeance is mine. I will repay says the Lord

to the contrary. If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him

something to drink. For by so doing, you will keep burning coals on his head. Do

not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. I think that's the

picture we see playing out here in first Samuel. Obviously, what Saul is doing

is evil. But what David refuses to do is to let another person's evil lead him

...