Selfishness Turns Saul Against David

David had served as Saul’s personal musician and armor bearer for some time, yet saul was so wrapped up in himself he didn’t even know who he was, according to I Samuel 17:55-58.  “And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth?

And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.

And the king said, Inquire thou whose son the stripling is.  And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.  And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man?

And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”

When David had been brought to play for Saul and help soothe his spirit, I Samuel 16:21 tells us, “And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.”  That Saul had so quickly forgotten who he was shows that Saul did not care about David himself, but only about what he did for him.  Over the years, Saul had become increasingly selfish, as his position allowed him to indulge his selfishness, and his only concern was how he could use men like David to accomplish his goals.    

Saul’s son Jonathan was apparently somewhat older than David, but as we have seen, he had a similar attitude of faith.  He treated David as a beloved younger brother, as I Samuel 18:1-4 tells us.  “And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.  And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.  Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.  And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.  And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.”

Saul drafted David into the army, setting him over the army.  David was careful to follow orders and avoid offending more experienced soldiers, quickly earning their respect.  When the army returned home, they were accorded a triumphal procession, with David being given a hero’s acclaim, as I Samuel 18:6-7 tells us.  “And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music.  And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”

Saul was a selfish person and became quite jealous of the admiration David received, in I Samuel 18:8-9.  “And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?  And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.”   Saul knew that without David’s defeating Goliath, they might not have won the war, but he wanted the credit.   He became afraid the people might think David was better leader and make him king instead.  Assuming David wanted power as much as he did, Saul never quite trusted him from that time on. 

Sooner or later, selfishness destroys what could otherwise be good relationships.