Lament and Rejoice

 DEVOTION

2^ND SAMUEL

LAMENT AND REJOICE

2 Sam 1:13-20

13 David said to the young man who brought him the report, "Where are you from?" "I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite," he answered. 14 David asked him, "Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?" 15 Then David called one of his men and said, "Go, strike him down!" So he struck him down, and he died. 16 For David had said to him, "Your blood be on your own head. Your own mouth testified against you when you said, 'I killed the LORD's anointed.'

17 David took up this lament concerning Saul and his son Jonathan, 18 and ordered that the men of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar):

19 "Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights. 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 be glad, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice. 21 "O mountains of Gilboa, may you have neither dew nor rain, nor fields that yield offerings [of grain]. For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul — no longer rubbed with oil. 22 From the blood of the slain, from the flesh of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, the sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied. 23 "Saul and Jonathan — in life they were loved and gracious, and in death they were not parted. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. 24 "O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and finery, who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold. 25 "How the mighty have fallen in battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights. 26 I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women. 27 "How the mighty have fallen! The weapons of war have perished!"

NIV

First, was it right for David to have this Amalekite struck down because he followed the orders of Saul and killed him straight out before the chariots of the Philistine were just about upon them, and they would abuse Saul. However, as far as David was concerned, this Amalekite was the one who killed God’s anointed. Again, a culture we do not understand, for we live in a different time and place and under the rule of law. Yet, David then mourned the loss of Saul and wrote a sonnet, a lament that was written in the book of the upright, as this word Jashar, in the Hebrew, means upright, correct, right, and that is also how the Septuagint states it, the book of the upright. It appears that David’s lament was to point to Saul, Jonathan, and the rest who had fallen as upright men of Israel. It is most appropriate to begin anything by first giving praise to the glory of the LORD. Then, to give honor to the slain, those who have died in battle. How the mighty have fallen. We are not the army of Israel who fought against the Philistines, but nevertheless, we fight a battle against the dark forces of this world and the rulers and principalities and the forces of evil in the heavenly, or spiritual realm. Therefore, we should first give all the glory to the Lord when one of us warriors of the Lord has been slain by death. David did not want the slaying of Saul and the army to be proclaimed in the cities of the uncircumcised, lest they rejoice. We have seen evil lift its ugly head, with the striking down of the innocent, because of the hatred evil has for the children of God. Although even the uncircumcised did not applaud, they did not condemn the evil, but the method evil used. However, when we gather around one of our fallen, there is no question that a mighty warrior of the Lord has gone home. Yes, we may lament because we are without them, as David laments over Jonathan, who was a brother to David, who loved him more than the love of a woman. It is right that we can mourn because we are left behind, but we also should rejoice for a warrior of the Lord has been slain by death, and has left their body to journey into the presence of Jesus. Therefore, lament and rejoice.