You are the Lord God All Powerful, the God of Israel. Arise and punish those people. Do not give those traitors mercy.
They come back at night. Like dogs they growl and roam the city. Notice what comes from their mouths. Insults come from their lips, because they say, "Who is listening?"
But Lord, You laugh at them. You make fun of all of them. (Vs. 5-8)
So here's the rest of yesterday's story. David fled to the prophet, Samuel, who was in Ramah. The two of them then went to Naioth where they stayed for a few days. Saul, still crazy to kill David, sent some of his minions to capture his son-in-law and bring him back. When the group got to Naioth, Samuel was standing in the midst of a group prophets and all of them were prophesying. It was probably a loud group and the men didn't seem to be noticed as they approached the prophets. What Saul's men didn't count on was the Spirit of God drifting their way, pulling them in, then speaking through them, also. Prophesying soldiers. Caught off-guard. Speaking words from the Mighty God. You gotta know He smiled.
Saul, furious, sends another group of men to capture David. Guess what? Same thing happened. They ended up crying out the words of God. Third time being the charm, at least in theory, the king sent another battalion to bring in the nemesis. You guessed it! The Holy Spirit had words to put into their mouths, also.
If you want something done right, you just do it yourself. So, Saul leaves the comforts of home to go get the scoundrel, David, himself. He trudges to Ramah asking after prophet and shepherd. Finds they have gone to Naioth and takes out in that direction. He has barely begun his journey to Naioth when the Holy Spirit rushes upon him. Prophecy pours out of his unwilling mouth. He can't stop! Walking and prophesying until he finds Samuel. By then the king is overtaken with the Spirit. So much so that he strips off his clothes and lies down naked before Samuel. He can't be quiet. All the rest of that day and all night, Saul lay exposed and overtaken, speaking the words of God.
An interesting way to avenge David. God didn't chop off his head or splay his insides for the dogs to lick. That might have been more what David had in mind. No. God's vengeance was to strip Saul of his pride. Make the king speak God's words. Lay him flat for a while. Don't you wonder what Saul thought when he came back to himself the next day. Wondering why he was lying in the dusty street of Naioth naked? Did he remember what he'd prophecied? Was Samuel around? What did David do? We don't know from the story in 1 Samuel 19. But we can all guess. I think: The mighty king of Israel woke up to find himself in a very humiliating situation. Naked and dirty, he looked up to see Samuel, the one who had anointed Saul to be king, standing over him with a look of pity and disdain. Oh, Saul could've been so much greater. And Samuel was sorry for him. But Saul's pretension and hubris had stripped him of his kingship just as surely as he was stripped of his dignity and clothing in the streets of Naioth. Not much conversation between prophet and king. I think Samuel handed him his clothing, pointed to his own lodgings, and told him to get dressed and go home. I mean, what is there left to say when God Himself levels a person?
Saul got carried away with his own sense of power and importance. Forgot who God is because he could only think of himself. Didn't remember the Mighty God, who chose Saul as king in the first place, is watching over His people. And looking at Saul. Listening to the threats against the Lord's beloved David. "Who's listening?" God. And we better believe it.
Did God laugh at Saul? I don't think He was on His throne knee-slapping over the blathering naked king writhing in the midst of a dirty sidestreet. But I do think the irony was amusing to Him. "Saul, do you really think you can get away with your evil plans against David without My intervention?" That would be God's question. Answer. Absolutely not. God didn't kill Saul. Just his pride. Divested him for an evening of his pomp and swagger. Naked and shouting the plans and promises of God to a small town in Ramah. Made Saul get up the next morning in shame, in need of clothing and dignity.
As mean as this story sounds, perhaps, God did show mercy to Saul. The punishment wasn't tit for tat. Saul originally lost the throne because he took over the sacrifices that only the priest should do. Couldn't wait for Samuel because the prophet was taking too long to arrive. So, Saul did it his way. Not God's. That wasn't and isn't what the Lord is looking for. Someone who does her own thing no matter what He says. Seems like ultimately dethroned taught Saul nothing. He was going to change that, too. If he killed the future king - David - he might just save the throne for himself and his kids. Like God didn't know what Saul was thinking. God was listening and watching. Saul's pride made him forget where he came from. Who made him king in the first place. Whose plan he was fulfilling. Reduced Saul to a kid sneaking out at night to do the thing his parents won't allow.
The unfortunate thing is that Saul didn't learn from this public humiliation. Forgot it quickly because his own selfish agenda drove him on. He could've changed. While he was vulnerable, Saul could've cried out to the God of Mercy and been forgiven - changed. Even though this psalm pleads for God to laugh at the howling dog that Saul had become, God went for the heart instead of the crown. Showed the king that He can still overtake us without killing us. It tells me that God will be as merciful as we allow Him to be in this struggle between our agenda and his. Unfortunately for Saul, he never gave up. His heart ever harder toward David. His kingdom ever further from his grasp.
The Lord surely doesn't want our love for Him to be motivated by shame. His greatest desire is for reciprocal love. He patiently waits and works as gently as we allow Him to in order to bring us to repentance.
But God is patient with you. He does not anyone to be lost, but He wants all people to change their hearts and lives. 2 Peter 3
They come back at night. Like dogs they growl and roam the city. Notice what comes from their mouths. Insults come from their lips, because they say, "Who is listening?"
But Lord, You laugh at them. You make fun of all of them. (Vs. 5-8)
So here's the rest of yesterday's story. David fled to the prophet, Samuel, who was in Ramah. The two of them then went to Naioth where they stayed for a few days. Saul, still crazy to kill David, sent some of his minions to capture his son-in-law and bring him back. When the group got to Naioth, Samuel was standing in the midst of a group prophets and all of them were prophesying. It was probably a loud group and the men didn't seem to be noticed as they approached the prophets. What Saul's men didn't count on was the Spirit of God drifting their way, pulling them in, then speaking through them, also. Prophesying soldiers. Caught off-guard. Speaking words from the Mighty God. You gotta know He smiled.
Saul, furious, sends another group of men to capture David. Guess what? Same thing happened. They ended up crying out the words of God. Third time being the charm, at least in theory, the king sent another battalion to bring in the nemesis. You guessed it! The Holy Spirit had words to put into their mouths, also.
If you want something done right, you just do it yourself. So, Saul leaves the comforts of home to go get the scoundrel, David, himself. He trudges to Ramah asking after prophet and shepherd. Finds they have gone to Naioth and takes out in that direction. He has barely begun his journey to Naioth when the Holy Spirit rushes upon him. Prophecy pours out of his unwilling mouth. He can't stop! Walking and prophesying until he finds Samuel. By then the king is overtaken with the Spirit. So much so that he strips off his clothes and lies down naked before Samuel. He can't be quiet. All the rest of that day and all night, Saul lay exposed and overtaken, speaking the words of God.
An interesting way to avenge David. God didn't chop off his head or splay his insides for the dogs to lick. That might have been more what David had in mind. No. God's vengeance was to strip Saul of his pride. Make the king speak God's words. Lay him flat for a while. Don't you wonder what Saul thought when he came back to himself the next day. Wondering why he was lying in the dusty street of Naioth naked? Did he remember what he'd prophecied? Was Samuel around? What did David do? We don't know from the story in 1 Samuel 19. But we can all guess. I think: The mighty king of Israel woke up to find himself in a very humiliating situation. Naked and dirty, he looked up to see Samuel, the one who had anointed Saul to be king, standing over him with a look of pity and disdain. Oh, Saul could've been so much greater. And Samuel was sorry for him. But Saul's pretension and hubris had stripped him of his kingship just as surely as he was stripped of his dignity and clothing in the streets of Naioth. Not much conversation between prophet and king. I think Samuel handed him his clothing, pointed to his own lodgings, and told him to get dressed and go home. I mean, what is there left to say when God Himself levels a person?
Saul got carried away with his own sense of power and importance. Forgot who God is because he could only think of himself. Didn't remember the Mighty God, who chose Saul as king in the first place, is watching over His people. And looking at Saul. Listening to the threats against the Lord's beloved David. "Who's listening?" God. And we better believe it.
Did God laugh at Saul? I don't think He was on His throne knee-slapping over the blathering naked king writhing in the midst of a dirty sidestreet. But I do think the irony was amusing to Him. "Saul, do you really think you can get away with your evil plans against David without My intervention?" That would be God's question. Answer. Absolutely not. God didn't kill Saul. Just his pride. Divested him for an evening of his pomp and swagger. Naked and shouting the plans and promises of God to a small town in Ramah. Made Saul get up the next morning in shame, in need of clothing and dignity.
As mean as this story sounds, perhaps, God did show mercy to Saul. The punishment wasn't tit for tat. Saul originally lost the throne because he took over the sacrifices that only the priest should do. Couldn't wait for Samuel because the prophet was taking too long to arrive. So, Saul did it his way. Not God's. That wasn't and isn't what the Lord is looking for. Someone who does her own thing no matter what He says. Seems like ultimately dethroned taught Saul nothing. He was going to change that, too. If he killed the future king - David - he might just save the throne for himself and his kids. Like God didn't know what Saul was thinking. God was listening and watching. Saul's pride made him forget where he came from. Who made him king in the first place. Whose plan he was fulfilling. Reduced Saul to a kid sneaking out at night to do the thing his parents won't allow.
The unfortunate thing is that Saul didn't learn from this public humiliation. Forgot it quickly because his own selfish agenda drove him on. He could've changed. While he was vulnerable, Saul could've cried out to the God of Mercy and been forgiven - changed. Even though this psalm pleads for God to laugh at the howling dog that Saul had become, God went for the heart instead of the crown. Showed the king that He can still overtake us without killing us. It tells me that God will be as merciful as we allow Him to be in this struggle between our agenda and his. Unfortunately for Saul, he never gave up. His heart ever harder toward David. His kingdom ever further from his grasp.
The Lord surely doesn't want our love for Him to be motivated by shame. His greatest desire is for reciprocal love. He patiently waits and works as gently as we allow Him to in order to bring us to repentance.
But God is patient with you. He does not anyone to be lost, but He wants all people to change their hearts and lives. 2 Peter 3
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