Let God Avenge You
Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. He said to Saul…”This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the LORD’s anointed’ ” … “I have not wronged you but you are hunting me down to take my life.
May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hands will not touch you. As the old saying goes, ‘From evil doers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you.”
When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud. “You are more righteous than I ,” he said, “You have treated me well but I have treated you badly...May the LORD reward you well for the way you have treated me.
I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. Now swear to me by the LORD that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.” So David gave his oath to Saul.
May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hands will not touch you. As the old saying goes, ‘From evil doers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you.”
When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud. “You are more righteous than I ,” he said, “You have treated me well but I have treated you badly...May the LORD reward you well for the way you have treated me.
I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. Now swear to me by the LORD that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.” So David gave his oath to Saul.
I Samuel 24:8-22
“I have not wronged you but you are hunting me down to take my life. May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hands will not touch you.” These are the words of a broken man - a man broken by the Spirit of God. A man dependent on God to avenge him when wronged. No wonder God called him “a man after my own heart.” David depended on God to bring judgment against his adversary.
Saul was consumed with hunting down David to kill him. He had three thousand of Israel’s finest troops looking for David to kill him. On one such mission, Saul went into a cave to relieve himself unaware that David and his men were in the back of the same cave. David’s men urged him to kill Saul but he said, “I will not lay my hands on my lord, because he is the LORD’s anointed.” David made a decision that he would leave everything in the hands of the LORD.
Saul’s response was: “You are more righteous than I...May the LORD reward you well...I know you will surely be king…” David’s Adversary had become his Advocate.
David made the decision not to kill Saul but rather to allow God to bring judgment and the response was a blessing from his “enemy” Saul and a recognition of David’s future as king,.
It is always tempting to attack and take vengeance on people who wrong us and who actively work to harm us. Such things can happen on the job, in the family and even in church. But, no matter how much we have been hurt, we should always refrain from seeking vengeance because God clearly says, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay” (Romans 12:19). Leave it to God.
Saul was consumed with hunting down David to kill him. He had three thousand of Israel’s finest troops looking for David to kill him. On one such mission, Saul went into a cave to relieve himself unaware that David and his men were in the back of the same cave. David’s men urged him to kill Saul but he said, “I will not lay my hands on my lord, because he is the LORD’s anointed.” David made a decision that he would leave everything in the hands of the LORD.
Saul’s response was: “You are more righteous than I...May the LORD reward you well...I know you will surely be king…” David’s Adversary had become his Advocate.
David made the decision not to kill Saul but rather to allow God to bring judgment and the response was a blessing from his “enemy” Saul and a recognition of David’s future as king,.
It is always tempting to attack and take vengeance on people who wrong us and who actively work to harm us. Such things can happen on the job, in the family and even in church. But, no matter how much we have been hurt, we should always refrain from seeking vengeance because God clearly says, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay” (Romans 12:19). Leave it to God.