Struggling With Inner Testings
1 Samuel 24:5–7
Paul J. Bucknell
Perplexing moments | Inner testings | Personal resolve | Questions
2. Struggling With Inner Testings (1 Samuel 24:5-7)
In this section, we further learn how to identify and work through these kinds of decisions.
4 Then David arose and cut off the edge of Saul’s robe secretly. 24:5 And it came about afterward that David’s conscience bothered him because he had cut off the edge of Saul’s robe. 6 So he said to his men, “Far be it from me because of the LORD that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’S anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the LORD’S anointed.” 7 And David persuaded his men with these words.
David’s Conscience and The Spirit
David, who had killed tens of thousands, realized that taking Saul’s life was wrong and at the last minute, instead, he cut off a small part of Saul’s robe (4). Afterward, “David’s conscience bothered him” (5). The Spirit of God was working deeply within David’s decision-making process to prioritize God’s esteem for God’s anointed over his own self-protection. “Far be it from me.” David even goes further and rebukes himself for seeking revenge (6).
6 So he said to his men, “Far be it from me because of the LORD that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’S anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the LORD’S anointed.”
In the end, he had to explain himself to his men. Here is the big hero who appears like a coward. They had a hard time understanding, so he “persuaded his men," emphasizing the difficulty David faced in stopping his men from harming King Saul (7). His main argument focused on how David censored his actions out of respect for God's anointed.
Developing a Practical Theology of Responsibility
Just a bit further down in verse 12, we see David affirming his resolve to respect King Saul—despite him being a madman, a persecutor, and a destroyer of many good men: “May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you” (12). David was not going to raise his hand against God’s anointed. He trusted that God could and would do what He wanted when He wanted regarding Saul.
David refused to mirror what was reflected in the world around him, even if much of the pressure came from his loyal men. We must not be people pleasers but God-pleasers, and despite David’s mistakes, his resolve in this decision made him a great person.
In the end, we still find it would be several years of hiding in the wilderness before this time arrived, but David was right in affirming his response to the opportunity. We all face different situations that unexpectedly enter our lives, sometimes forcing us into very important decision-making moments. As God’s people, we must not just react to the pressures but carefully judge and discern what God desires.
Responsibility is one’s expected duty in a specific situation. David, in this case, was supposed to seek vengeance, save his country from a crazy tyrant, and lead his men to victory. But there was also a commitment to honor what God had done by anointing Saul as higher in authority than everyone else, including himself. This kind of understanding can’t influence our core values unless we spend time with God.
The sense of responsibility is shaped by conscience, God’s Word, one’s sex, family, culture, and more. Many factors influence how a person understands responsibility. David himself struggled with others’ expectations, personal and group protection, and God’s sovereignty in keeping King Saul alive. “If God anointed him, then I dare not go against God’s appointment.” God’s values must take precedence over ours, no matter what challenges we face. It could mean losing a position, a job, friendships, or even life, as in David’s case. Yet, David trusted that if he honored what God honored, God would guide him powerfully. He wisely, and in faith, based his seemingly reckless decision on God’s Word and trusted God to care for his life and his men: “May the LORD avenge me.”
Perplexing moments | Inner testings | Personal resolve | Questions