1 Samuel 26:21-25

1 Samuel 26:21-25

[21] Then said  Saul,  I have sinned:  return,  my son  David:  for I will no more do thee harm,  because my soul  was precious  in thine eyes  this day:  behold, I have played the fool,  and have erred  exceedingly.  [22] And David  answered  and said,  Behold the king's  spear!  and let one  of the young men  come over  and fetch  it. [23] The LORD  render  to every man  his righteousness  and his faithfulness:  for the LORD  delivered  thee into my hand  to day,  but I would  not stretch forth  mine hand  against the LORD'S  anointed.  [24] And, behold, as thy life  was much set by  this day  in mine eyes,  so let my life  be much set by  in the eyes  of the LORD,  and let him deliver  me out of all tribulation.  [25] Then Saul  said  to David,  Blessed  be thou, my son  David:  thou shalt both do  things, and also shalt still  So David  on his way,  and Saul  returned  to his place. 

What does 1 Samuel 26:21-25 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Saul again confessed that he had sinned, as he had done when he had sacrificed at Gilgal ( 1 Samuel 26:21; cf. 1 Samuel 15:24; cf. 1 Samuel 15:30) and when David had spared his life in the cave ( 1 Samuel 24:17). Nevertheless he seems to have failed again to follow through with genuine repentance (cf. 1 Samuel 27:1). He also admitted that he had played the fool (similar to Nabal) and had committed a serious error. Contrast Paul"s testimony in 2 Timothy 4:7. The writer did not record Saul as having gone this far in admitting his faults in the preceding chapters. Even though Saul"s words went further in confession, his behavior continued unchanged
David returned Saul"s spear to him ( 1 Samuel 26:22), the symbol of the right to rule. Perhaps David did not return the jug of water to remind Saul that he still had the power to end Saul"s life. He felt confident that God would repay each of them eventually, and he determined to wait for Him to do so ( 1 Samuel 26:23). David acknowledged that Yahweh was his real deliverer ( 1 Samuel 26:24). This may have been the occasion when David composed Psalm 54 (see its title) the last verse of which ascribes David"s deliverance from his enemies to Yahweh. Saul could have overwhelmed David"s smaller band of followers. Instead he departed with a prophetic declaration of David"s final success ( 1 Samuel 26:25; cf. 1 Samuel 24:20). The text does not record another meeting of David and Saul before Saul died.
The main lesson of chapter26 appears in 1 Samuel 26:23 : "the Lord will repay" (cf. Proverbs 20:22; Proverbs 24:29; Romans 12:17; Romans 12:19). The Lord Jesus Christ is our greatest example of one who trusted the Father to vindicate Him (cf. Luke 23:46). Our vindication does not always come in this lifetime, as David"s did. Sometimes it comes after death, as Jesus" did. Another great revelation is God"s patience with Saul. God gave him many opportunities to repent and to experience God"s blessing within the sphere of his judgment (cf. 1 Samuel 15:26), but Saul did not repent.
David had borne witness twice to Saul"s guilt before God (chs24,26; cf. Numbers 35:30). God proceeded to put him to death not long after this (ch31). David became God"s instrument in passing judgment on Saul for his sin and so became a blessing to all Israel.