Lament


2 Samuel 1:17-27
17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son, 18 and he said it should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar. He said:
19 "Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!
20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.
21 "You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, nor fields of offerings! For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, 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 turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.
23 "Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! In life and in death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles; they were stronger than lions.
 24 "You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
25 "How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! "Jonathan lies slain on your high places.
26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant have you been to me;  your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women.
27 "How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!"

You have to admire a life that is lived out loud, boldly and honestly. In such a life, genuine emotion is expressed without apology; mistakes are made and not hidden but confessed; and consistent adherence to your true self is the norm. For me, by the beginning of 2 Samuel, that is David. David has allowed God to form and shape his character by walking with Him closely day by day, hiding nothing. By this point in the story, we know a man who stands before others and God with honesty, fierceness, and raw strength. David is quite impressive.

As he mourns the passing of Saul and Jonathan, that honesty comes pouring out yet again. It is remarkable that David didn’t do the dance of joy over Saul’s grave. No longer is someone alive who would take his life if given even the smallest chance. No longer does someone stand in the way between him and the throne that God said would be his. Now he will finally have in his hands what truly belong to him. But David does the exact opposite of dance for joy. Instead the sorrow in his heart over the death of the Saul and Jonathan pours out. He laments before God and the people. He does this because it is the right thing to do and for him, it is the honest thing to do. Not one single person would have faulted him for celebrating at the death of his enemy – except for God. And David followed God first.

David has exercised a considerable restraint over the last several years as he waited for God’s plan to unfold. His character has been shaped and formed by God’s hand as he lives on the run, avoiding Saul’s murderous rage. He has become a warrior and leader who is now prepared to lead God’s people to the pinnacle of their national power. Apparently, he is now ready and God finally puts him in the place he has been promised. Sadly for David, it is without his best friend who receives words of love and appreciation in this lament. We sorrow with David over the loss of his brother, Jonathan.

God’s plans are always worth the wait. He alone knows when we are ready for the next thing to come along. He alone knows how to prepare us for the days and work ahead. Rushing His plan will always end badly and waiting patiently for Him to work things out will always end well. This is what we learn as we agonized with David as he ran from Saul and led men through the wilderness. So while we take this moment to listen to his lament, we look forward anxiously to see how he will handle life as the king and we await with anticipation how God will be honored by a king who loves him.

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