David's suitable response to King Saul's toxic personality.

[bartmac123]

King Saul had a toxic personality who had erratic mood swings especially when it came to how he treated David.
To elaborate, at certain times he would be nice to King David, and other times, he would become cruel.  For example, 1 Samuel 19:7-10 & 1 Samuel 24:8-22 are biblical passages that show how King Saul's treatment of David was erratic.
Therefore, King Saul's reconciliations with David ultimately failed because of King Saul own actions.
Finally, in 1 Samuel 26:20-25 bible passage, there is another chance for King Saul to reconcile with David. The 1 Samuel 26:21 verse quotes Saul request to David to return which is an attempt to reconcile.  However, David knows from his past experience that King Saul will go back to treating David badly again.   Therefore, in in 1 Samuel 26:20-25, David ultimately quietly and subtly just avoids having any sort of relationship with King Saul.  Essentially, David decides to Avoid having a relationship with a toxic personality like King Saul.
David experiences with a toxic personality like King Saul, and David ultimate decision to end his relationship with King Saul should serve as a good example for us Christians.  In other words, David does Not take revenge by vengefully attacking King Saul due to his poor treatment of David  Instead, David wisely (Matthew 5:39) turns the other cheek by just deciding to end his relationship with King Saul by avoiding him.

[Michael37]

10 minutes ago, bartmac123 said:

King Saul had a toxic personality who had erratic mood swings especially when it came to how he treated David.
To elaborate, at certain times he would be nice to King David, and other times, he would become cruel.  For example, 1 Samuel 19:7-10 & 1 Samuel 24:8-22 are biblical passages that show how King Saul's treatment of David was erratic.
Therefore, King Saul's reconciliations with David ultimately failed because of King Saul own actions.
Finally, in 1 Samuel 26:20-25 bible passage, there is another chance for King Saul to reconcile with David. The 1 Samuel 26:21 verse quotes Saul request to David to return which is an attempt to reconcile.  However, David knows from his past experience that King Saul will go back to treating David badly again.   Therefore, in in 1 Samuel 26:20-25, David ultimately quietly and subtly just avoids having any sort of relationship with King Saul.  Essentially, David decides to Avoid having a relationship with a toxic personality like King Saul.
David experiences with a toxic personality like King Saul, and David ultimate decision to end his relationship with King Saul should serve as a good example for us Christians.  In other words, David does Not take revenge by vengefully attacking King Saul due to his poor treatment of David  Instead, David wisely (Matthew 5:39) turns the other cheek by just deciding to end his relationship with King Saul by avoiding him.

Good thread title and subject.

The Saul and David conflict is an unfolding dynamic that demonstrates the factors of destiny and God's Providence at work.

[Neighbor]

a Psalm of David Psalm 57 Prayer for Safety from Enemies

To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David when he fled from Saul into the cave.

 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!
For my soul trusts in You;
And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge,
Until these calamities have passed by.

 I will cry out to God Most High,
To God who performs all things for me.
 He shall send from heaven and save me;
He reproaches the one who would swallow me up. Selah
God shall send forth His mercy and His truth.

My soul is among lions;
I lie among the sons of men
Who are set on fire,
Whose teeth are spears and arrows,
And their tongue a sharp sword.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.

They have prepared a net for my steps;
My soul is bowed down;
They have dug a pit before me;
Into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. Selah

My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and give praise.
Awake, my glory!
Awake, lute and harp!
I will awaken the dawn.

I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing to You among the nations.
For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens,
And Your truth unto the clouds.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.

[Mr. M]

12 hours ago, bartmac123 said:

King Saul had a toxic personality who had erratic mood swings especially when it came to how he treated David.

A spiritual battle ensues...1 Samuel 16:

14 But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul,

and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.

15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now,

an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee,

to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall

come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that

he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.

21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him:

and he loved him greatly; and he became his armor bearer.

22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee,

stand before me; for he hath found favor in my sight.

23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul,

that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed,

and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

David's respect was not for the man, but for the Lord's Anointed.

Saul was, in fact, still the king of Israel.

1 Samuel 24:

5 Now it happened afterward that David’s heart troubled him

because he had cut Saul’s robe. 

6 And he said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing

to my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him,

seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.” 

7 So David restrained his servants with these words, and did not allow

them to rise against Saul. And Saul got up from the cave and went on his way.

 

[AdHoc]

13 hours ago, bartmac123 said:

King Saul had a toxic personality who had erratic mood swings especially when it came to how he treated David.
To elaborate, at certain times he would be nice to King David, and other times, he would become cruel.  For example, 1 Samuel 19:7-10 & 1 Samuel 24:8-22 are biblical passages that show how King Saul's treatment of David was erratic.
Therefore, King Saul's reconciliations with David ultimately failed because of King Saul own actions.
Finally, in 1 Samuel 26:20-25 bible passage, there is another chance for King Saul to reconcile with David. The 1 Samuel 26:21 verse quotes Saul request to David to return which is an attempt to reconcile.  However, David knows from his past experience that King Saul will go back to treating David badly again.   Therefore, in in 1 Samuel 26:20-25, David ultimately quietly and subtly just avoids having any sort of relationship with King Saul.  Essentially, David decides to Avoid having a relationship with a toxic personality like King Saul.
David experiences with a toxic personality like King Saul, and David ultimate decision to end his relationship with King Saul should serve as a good example for us Christians.  In other words, David does Not take revenge by vengefully attacking King Saul due to his poor treatment of David  Instead, David wisely (Matthew 5:39) turns the other cheek by just deciding to end his relationship with King Saul by avoiding him.

Nice post. David displayed a respect for Saul even though Saul was bent on killing David. We Christians can learn a good lesson. When David could have killed Saul he didn't. He had learned that a man should not touch God's government. He was happy to wait until God intervened. So many of us, when threatened, resort to worldly tactics. They seem legal and righteous at the time, but the man of faith let's God do it in His time. See Daniel 4:17. Abraham, friend of God, could let Lot choose the best area of Canaan for his herds. Why? Because he had been promised all the land by God. He believed God, and will, once resurrected get the whole Land. Lot ended badly. He got drunk, committed incest, brought forth two implacable enemies of Israel and ended in Zoar - which means "insignificant". But Abraham will inherit all the Land. So also David. He believed God when Samuel anointed him king, but he let God make the change in His time.

[Neighbor]

Unlike what we have to endure within USA national politics today, eh?