2 Samuel 1:19-21 Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen! 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.
You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, or fields of offerings! For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.
Why does David ascribe such wonder and value to Saul? Jonathan I can understand. He was David's best friend. David cherished Jonathan with all of his heart. Jonathan saved his life more than once although Jonathan could have easily led David to his death and taken the throne for himself.
David mourned the loss of a man who sought to kill him many times. Saul treated David with contempt and jealousy. But why? Why did David's heart ache so much?
The answer may be seen in the way David referred to Saul throughout 1 Samuel. When faced with the opportunity to retaliate against Saul, each time David chose to not harm Saul because Saul was, 'the Lord's annointed' (Ex. 1 Samuel 24:6).
It may be that David's honoring of Saul was more a reflection of David's heart to honor the Lord. David revered the Lord highly, as we see in his dependence on the Lord for victory. A perfect example of this include David's statement to Goliath, 'I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts...' before David killed the giant.
In this situation, David reveals he is a man after God's own heart. His focus was to honor the Lord and those the Lord has put in leadership. As many of us know, King David is a forerunner to the eternal King, the Son of David, Jesus Christ.
Taken from reading 2 Samuel 1-5
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