Day 120: David Mourns Saul (2025)

Hey everyone, before we get started today, I want to let you know the Bible in a Year has brought the Word of God to so many people. As you know, you're part of this community, changing lives in so many incredible ways.
We're humbled to play this role in God's plan and consider it our ongoing mission to keep bringing the Word of God to as many people as possible. So what I'm saying is the end of this year is not going to be the end of Bible in a year.
So far, Ascension has been able to add the podcast to YouTube. You might have found it that way.
Maybe you're watching right now on YouTube. And also, we're working on translating it into different languages so you could have the Bible in a year in other languages than English.
But of course, this takes a significant investment to bring projects like these, you know, free of cost to our listening communities. And we want to keep them free of cost to all those people who participate because we want to get the word of God out there.
And because of that, we have to rely on generous contributions from listeners like you to help defray these costs and to enable us to continually provide new audiences with this life-changing content. So if you would like to help support the Bible in a Year mission, you can go to ascensionpress.com support.
That's ascensionpress.com. We'll read all the way from Genesis to Revelation, discovering how the story of salvation unfolds and how we fit into that story today.
It is day 120. We finally made it to this day.
One, two, zero. We are reading from 2 Samuel chapter one.
Yesterday, we said goodbye to 1 Samuel, which, of course, was all one book at one point. But we don't we can pay no attention to that and realize that we're making progress to 2 Samuel chapter one.
We're also diving for the first time into 1 Chronicles chapter one. We're also praying Psalm 13.
As always, the Bible translation that I am reading from is the Revised Standard Version, 2nd Catholic Edition. I'm using the Great Adventure Bible from Ascension.
If you want to download your own Bible in a Year reading plan, you can visit ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a Year. You can also subscribe to this podcast by clicking subscribe.
It's that easy to do. As I mentioned, we're dipping our toes into 1 Chronicles for the first time.
Now, Chronicles is, it's kind of a unique book. One of the reasons it's unique is because typically it would be the last book in the Hebrew canon, right? So it'd be the last book in the Jewish canon of scripture.
If it was included in that, it would be because what's happening is 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles, it is going to be focused on a couple of things. One is the temple and worship.
The other is the kingdom and the Messiah. And so what we're going to find is that the person who wrote Chronicles, who might have been the scribe Ezra, we're not sure.
I'm not sure. Maybe somebody knows.
The person who chronicled Chronicles is basically setting the stage for ultimately the temple to be reestablished and temple worship to be given its part of place, but also setting the stage for the Messiah. And it uses King David as the prototype for the Messiah.
So while we are going to go through 2 Samuel and hear all of the stories of not just David the great and not just David the wise, but also David the sinner, 1 and 2 Chronicles are not going to really emphasize David's sin. Now, they're not trying to obfuscate that, right? They're not ignoring that because they know you can just read 2 Samuel and you can read the rest of the Bible, right? So what the chronicler, we'll call him the chronicler, is doing when it comes to writing about David is emphasizing David's strengths.
In particular, not just to glorify David, but to highlight this is what the Messiah will be like. The Messiah will have all the virtues of David plus whatever more, right? So as we go through this, keep this in mind.
The first couple chapters of Chronicles are a lot of names. If you thought we've had names up to this point, boy, howdy, are you in for a treat.
If you love the names, then you are going to love the next couple of days as we go through 1 Chronicles. As I said, today is day 120, reading 2 Samuel chapter 1, 1 Chronicles chapter 1, and Psalm 13.
The second book of Samuel, chapter 1.

David mourns Saul and Jonathan.

After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites,

David remained two days in Ziklag.

And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul's camp with his clothes torn and earth upon his head.

And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and did obeisance.

David said to him, Where do you come from? And he said to him, I have escaped from the camp of Israel. And David said to him, How did it go? Tell me.
And he answered, The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead. And Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.
Then David said to the young man who told him, How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead? And the young man who told him said, By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa. And there was Saul leaning upon his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him.
And when he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me, and I answered, Here I am. And he said to me, Who are you? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
And he said to him, Where do you come from? And he answered, I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.

David said to him,

How is it that you are not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?

Then David called one of the young men and said,

Go, fall upon him.

And he struck him so that he died.

And David said to him,

Your blood be upon your head,

for your own mouth has testified against you,

saying, I have slain the Lord's anointed. David's Lamentation And David lamented with his lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son.
And he said it should be taught to the people of Judah. Behold, it is written in the book of Jashar.
He said, Your glory, O Israel, is slain upon your high places. How are the mighty fallen? Tell it not in Gath.

Publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon.

Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice.

Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.

You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you,

nor upsurging of the deep.

For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,

the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil. From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.
Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely, in life and in death they were not divided, they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you daintily in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle? Jonathan lies slain upon your high places. I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan.
Very pleasant you have been to me. Your love to me was wonderful,

passing the love of women. How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished.
The First Book of the Chronicles Chapter 1 From Adam to Abraham Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalal, Jared, Enoch, Methudelah, Lamech, Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The sons of Japheth, Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshach, and Tiras.
The sons of Gomer, Ashkenaz, Diphoth, and Togarmah, the sons of Javan, Elisha, Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim, the sons of Ham, Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan, the sons of Cush, Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Ra'amah, and Sabdikah. The sons of Ra'amah, Sheba, and Edan.
Cush was the father of Nimrod. He began to be a mighty one in the earth.
Egypt was the father of Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naftuhim, Pathrusim, Kasluhim, from whom came the Philistines, and Kaphtorim.

Canaan was the father of Sidon, his firstborn, and Heth, and the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, the Arkites, and the Sinites, the Arvadites, the Zemurites, and the Hamathites. The sons of Shem, Elam, AsshShur, Arpachshad, Lud, Aram, Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshach.
Arpachshad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah was the father of Eber. To Eber were born two sons.
The name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided, and the name of his brother, Joktan.

Joktan was the father of Almudad, Shelef, Hazarmaveth, Jera, Haderam, Uzal, Diklah, Ibal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah, and Jubab. All these were the sons of Joktan.
Shem Ar of Abraham The sons of Abraham, Isaac and Ishmael. These are their genealogies, the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaoth, and Kedar.
Adbil, Mibsam, Mishma, Duma, Massah, Hadad, Tima, Jetur, Nafish, and Kedema. These are the sons of Ishmael.
The sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine, Shibor, Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shua. The sons of Jokshan, Sheba, and Adan.
The sons of Midian, Ephah, Ephur, Hanok, Abidah, and Elda'ah. All these were the descendants of Keturah.
Abraham was the father of Isaac. The sons of Isaac, Esau, and Israel.
The sons of Esau, Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. The sons of Eliphaz, Timan, Omar, Zephi, Getam, Kenaz, Timnah, and Amalek.
The sons of Reuel, Nehath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizah. The sons of Seir, Lotan, Shobal, Zibion, Ana, Dishan, Ezer, and Dishan.
The sons of Lotan, Hori, and Homam. And Lotan's sister was Timnah.
The sons of Shobal, Alian, Manahath, Ebal, Shephai, and Onam. The sons of Zibion, Ahiah, and Anah.
The sons of Anah, Dishon. The sons of Dishon, Hamran, Ishban, Ethran, and Charan.
The sons of Ezer, Bilhan, Zaavan, and Jaakhan. The sons of Dishan, Uz, and Aran.
These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the Israelites, Belah the son of Beor, the name of whose city was Dinhabah. When Belah died, Jabab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead.
When Jabab died, Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his stead. When Husham died, Hadad the son of Bidad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, reigned in his stead, and the name of his city was Avith.
When Hadad died, Samlah of Nasrekah reigned in his stead. When Samlah died, Shaul of Rehoboth on the Euphrates reigned in his stead.
When Shaul died, Baal Hanan the son of Akbor reigned in his stead. When Baal Hanan died, Hadad reigned in his stead, and the name of his city was Pai, and his wife's name, Mehetabel, the daughter of Metred, the daughter of Mizahab.
And Hadad died. The chiefs of Edom were chiefs Timnah, Aliyah, Jetheth, Aholibamah, Elah, Penon, Kenaz, Timan, Mibzar, Magdiel, and Aram.
These are the chiefs of Edom. Psalm 13.
Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies. To the Choir Master, a Psalm of David Consider and answer me, O Lord my God.
Lighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death. Lest my enemies say I have prevailed over him.
Lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in your merciful love.
My heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.
Father in heaven, we give you thanks and praise. We thank you for all of the ways that you have interacted with us.
And for the course of our lives, God, you have guided us, you've strengthened us, you've protected us, you've lifted us up when we've fallen down, you've forgiven us when we've needed your mercy, and you have continually led us to this moment of our lives. Whether we are 14 years old and listening to your word, or whether we are 94 years old and listening to your word, Lord God, every one of our breaths has been a gift from you that we didn't deserve.
Every heartbeat has been a gift from you that we did nothing to earn. They've all been gifts.
And even if our hearts stop beating at 14, our hearts stop beating today, every heartbeat, every breath up to this moment will have been a gift from you. And so we thank you for all the unseen ways in which you have guided our lives, all the unseen ways in which you have protected us, all the potential dangers and potential ways in which we could have fallen, we could have

been destroyed, and yet here we are today, able to listen to your word, able to receive your love, and able to love you in return. We thank you for this, and please help us to have that lens, the lens that no day is earned, but every day is a gift.
In Jesus' name we pray, amen. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen. So, okay, golly.
Man, oh man. Okay, here we go.
We have this First Chronicles. It's going to be fun.
You guys, it already is fun because of all the names. But one of the things we have to keep in mind is there is never anything in Scripture that's wasted.
There's almost always, not just almost always, there is always something the Lord is telling us. Again, the chronicler, the one authoring the book of Chronicles is pointing out something important.
And even though God has not been mentioned once in Chronicles chapter one, God is not mentioned at all. We hear the names of some characters that we know.
We know Adam. We know Seth.
We know Enoch.

We know Noah. We know all these people.
We know Nimrod. Remember that guy? We know these names now because we've heard their stories.
And remember that every one of their stories had God directly involved with their stories. And so even though in 1 Chronicles 1, there's not one mention of God.
It just starts with a bunch of names, we know that the one who is unnamed in 1 Chronicles is the great and almighty God himself. And so that these names actually mean something to us.
They don't mean something to us because of them. They mean something to us because of what God has done in them and what God had done through them and with them.
It's so good. Again, sometimes, you know, God goes unnamed in our lives.
Sometimes God goes unnoticed in our lives. And yet our lives matter because he is present.
And that's so, so powerful for every one of us to remember. The only other thing I want to highlight is that here we are in 2 Samuel chapter 1, where David mourns the death of Saul and

Jonathan, and he sings this song. David is the classic songwriter.
He is the Renaissance man of the Old Testament, where he fights and he leads, but he also writes poetry, writes and writes songs. And this lament, lament, this lamentation of David that praises his enemy, Saul and praises his great, great dear friend, Jonathan.

David says, people of Israel, remember this song, learn this song, and sing this song

of the first king of Israel and his great son, Jonathan.

And so it's a great, incredible reminder to us all that it's one thing to have enemies.

It's another thing to allow our enemies not only to pursue us, like Saul pursued David, but to hold us captive. David refused to be held captive by the memory of Saul.
He refused to be held captive by Saul's animosity towards him. He refused to be held captive by Saul's jealousy.
And so even in death, David honored Saul, both in song and in taking essentially justice on the man, the Amalekite, who claimed that he killed King Saul. David did not allow himself to be held captive, held prisoner, held hostage by the memory of Saul.
And so that can be a reminder for us too, right? We have people in our lives that want to hold us captive. They've chosen to be our enemy for whatever reason.
And yes, we can maybe do whatever kind of battle we need to do, a spiritual battle. We can do engaging with them for justice, but they don't necessarily have to have permission to hold us hostage.
And definitely their memory does not have permission to hold us hostage because you and I have been redeemed by Jesus Christ himself, and we've been set free. Just like David could rise above King Saul because he was anointed, so you are anointed in Christ.
And so the memories of the past are real. Their effects and consequences in our lives are real.
But also the freedom that we experience in Christ is real. And so you and I have permission to not be held hostage by our enemies, to not be held hostage by the past, not be held hostage by even the sorrow and the pain that's really truly in our lives, but with God's grace to be able to move forward like David is now moving forward.
There are things in our pasts that are real, that are affecting our present, but God himself is giving you a future. And so we'll say yes to that.
That is easier said than done. Believe me, I completely understand that it's easier said than done.
And so we need to pray because it's not just a matter of willpower. It's not just a matter of like, if you really, really try.
No, it's a matter of grace. And so let's ask the Lord for each other on behalf of each other, that he can give the grace to be

able to get out from underneath the past, to get out from underneath those who were or are our

enemies and live in freedom. Please pray for each other.
I'm praying for you. Please pray for me.