Good evening! The following scripture in The Second Book of Samuel is The Song of The Bow:
“The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil. 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. Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!”
- 2 Samuel 1:19-27 (KJV)
“The beauty of Israel is slain:” In this song, David shows the great love and generosity in his heart towards Saul. It shows that David didn't kill Saul with a sword or with in his heart.
- He saw beauty in Saul
- He wanted no one to rejoice over the death of Saul
- He wanted everyone to mourn, even the mountains and fields
- He praised Saul as a mighty warrior
- He complimented the personality and loyalty of Saul (not divided)
- He called the daughters Israel to mourning, and praised the good Saul did for Israel
All this is a powerful testimony of how David kept his heart free from bitterness, even when we was greatly wronged and sinned against. David fulfilled these words in The First Book of Corinthians, and The First Book of Peter:
“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil. Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.”
- 1 Corinthians 13:4-7(KJV)
“And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”
- 1 Peter 4:8 (KJV)
David could do this because of his great trust in God and God's power. He knew that God was in charge of his life, and that even if Saul meant it for evil, God could use it for good.
“How are the mighty fallen!” David doesn't say it, but we understand that Saul fell long before this. He fell when he hardened his heart against God, against the word of God through the prophet, and against the man after God's own heart. Saul's death on Gilboa was the sad conclusion to his prior fall.
‘I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan:” David's mourning for Jonathan makes more sense to us. Jonathan was David's deep friend and partner in serving God.
“Thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.” We remember that David's own experience of love with women was according to God's will. His multiple marriages kept him from God's ideal: one man and one woman in a one-flesh relationship.
God bless!
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