2 Samuel 1: The Bridge Between Pain and Promise

​After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. 2 And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. 3 David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” 5 Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him. 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9 And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.’ 10 So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.” 
11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the Lordand for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13 And David said to the young man who told him, “Where do you come from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.” 14 David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” 15 Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” And he struck him down so that he died. 16 And David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord’s anointed.’ ” 
David’s Lament for Saul and Jonathan
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!” 
 
 
Meditation
The sovereign rule of God moves His kingdom forward through the groaning of life, working our pain to fulfill His promises. Lament is language helping our hearts move forward in faith, bridging the gap between trials and trust in God’s sovereign grace.
 
David quietly received the crown for Israel’s king along with the news of Saul’s death (1-10). David could have joyfully taken the promised throne. But David paused to honor the pain of loss before walking into God’s promise. David lamented, and commanded his people to learn to lament too (17-18). Lament bridges the gap between the already and not yet in the kingdom of the Lord’s anointed.
 
Lament is a voice of faith crying out to God from burdens and brokenness, a prayer from pain that pushes Christian faith to the person and promises of God.  The Psalms offer language for lament; Jeremiah wrote a book called Lamentations; Jesus lamented. This story of David teaches us we must learn to stop. Lament. 
 
David’s lament celebrated Saul, even though Saul sought David’s life (as Israel’s greater king! See Luke 23:34). David’s lament reveals his elevated respect for the office of king and his deep love for Jonathan. Christian lament elevates our faith to help us see God’s rule over His enemies and their handiwork, bridging the place of grief and the glory of His good plan.
 
Jesus has already come, but His kingdom is not yet fully consummated. Lament lays a bridge for us to walk in faith from our pain to the person and promises of God.


Richly Dwelling
-The greater king has already come! But His kingdom is not yet fully consummated. How does this passage help you see the need to stop. Lament. Learning to get real with pain as you push into the promises of God?
 
-God is worthy of our trust, and He is pushing His plan forward through our pain and problems. Do you trust God and His promises? Practice lament. Be real with your pain- give it language. Then look to God and His promises, knowing Jesus will make “all sad things become untrue.”
 
-How does the finished work of Jesus give your hope and fuel faith to enter into the pain and problems of life? Where do you need to do this, constructing a bridge with lament to move from pain to God’s promises? Be specific.
 
Key Verse
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…