David spared Saul’s life out of reverence for God’s authority and respect for the office Saul held as the Lord’s anointed. Though Saul was seeking to kill him, David refused to take matters into his own hands, showing his fear of God and his unwillingness to sin in order to secure the throne.
While hiding in the wilderness, David had two clear opportunities to kill Saul. The first was in the cave at En Gedi:
“Then the men of David said to him, ‘This is the day of which the Lord said to you…’ And David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.”
(1 Samuel 24:4)
But afterward, David was convicted:
“The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed…”
(1 Samuel 24:6)
He confronted Saul with respect:
“Look, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you today into my hand… yet I did not kill you.”
(1 Samuel 24:10)
The second opportunity came when David and Abishai entered Saul’s camp and found him sleeping:
“God has delivered your enemy into your hand… let me strike him… But David said… Do not destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless?”
(1 Samuel 26:8–9)
David took Saul’s spear and water jug as proof and again called out to him:
“As your life was valued much this day in my eyes, so let my life be valued much in the eyes of the Lord…”
(1 Samuel 26:24)
David’s restraint showed his trust in God’s timing. He knew the throne was his by promise but refused to gain it through violence or rebellion. His actions displayed integrity and submission to God’s authority.
