A Man of Honour

 

David's Song about Saul and Jonathan when he finds out about their deaths, is pretty powerful. Especially when you factor in how Saul treated him while he was still alive.

“17 Then David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son, 18 and he told them to teach the children of Judah the Song of the Bow; indeed it is written in the Book of Jasher:

19 “The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places!

How the mighty have fallen!

20 Tell it not in Gath,

Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon—

Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,

Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

21 “O mountains of Gilboa,

Let there be no dew nor rain upon you,

Nor fields of offerings.

For the shield of the mighty is cast away there!

The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.

22 From the blood of the slain,

From the fat of the mighty,

The bow of Jonathan did not turn back,

And the sword of Saul did not return empty.

23 “Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives,

And in their death they were not divided;

They were swifter than eagles,

They were stronger than lions.

24 “O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,

Who clothed you in scarlet, with luxury;

Who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.

25 “How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle!

Jonathan was slain in your high places.

26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;

You have been very pleasant to me;

Your love to me was wonderful,

Surpassing the love of women.

27 “How the mighty have fallen,

And the weapons of war perished!” (2 Samuel 1:17-27).

There is something noble about being willing to view someone who is basically on the same team, but at times was against you, this way when they pass.

Saul may have been David's enemy at times, but he was also his father-in-law, his king, and the leader of his people. And it was worse for him to see this man fall before their enemies, than to focus on how he had opposed him while he was seeking to be his steward.

David was clearly a man who genuinely and truly believed in the divine hierarchy, not just as it applied to him, but also how it applied to others. Though he would fall into disgrace some time after this event, as his power to some degree went to his head, he was especially a man of honour in his younger years, and this caused many men to flock to his side.

There is something hollow about our anti-hierarchical culture that is permissive of pulling down every structure. People with that perspective cannot be trusted to build for the future, whereas David could be and did.

If we are going to rebuild this ruined civilisation we are going to have to learn to honour those that are working for the same thing, even though they may be flawed at times. David knew Saul was a tormented man, he probably deeply pitied him. Jonathan was everything David was, and would have made a very good king. But the responsibility passed to David, who believed in the structures and society he was building. We need more of that in these days.