The Sin and Sorrow of Israel’s Kings - 7 Min Read

This saving repentance is an evangelical grace, whereby a person, being by the Holy Spirit made sensible of the manifold evils of his sin, doth, by faith in Christ, humble himself for it with godly sorrow, detestation of it, and self-abhorrency, praying for pardon and strength of grace, with a purpose and endeavour, by supplies of the Spirit, to walk before God unto all well-pleasing in all things.

-2LBC 15.3: Of Repentance Unto Life and Salvation

The Reign and Sin of King Saul

Tall and handsome (1 Samuel 9:2), Saul the Benjaminite is known today as Israel's first king. Following Samuel's anointing of King Saul, the Bible records that "God gave him another heart" (1 Samuel 10:9). In short order, Saul unifies 330,000 people of Israel and Judah in the thorough defeat of the Ammonites (1 Samuel 11:1-11). Within a few years, King Saul finds himself in conflict with a formidable foe: the Philistines. With the chariots of this enemy amassing like the “sand on the seashore” (1 Samuel 13:5), the people of Israel “hid themselves in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns” (1 Samuel 13:6). Even worse, “Saul was at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling” (1 Samuel 13:7).

While at Gilgal, Saul waits for the Prophet Samuel for seven days (cf. 1 Sam. 10:8), but the trembling people begin to scatter away from their mighty king. In response, Saul “offered the burnt offering” (1 Samuel 13:9). Immediately, Samuel greets King Saul, inquiring about his participation in the burnt offering. Upon Saul’s admittance of his actions, Samuel rebukes him for not keeping the command of the Lord because only priests may offer sacrifices to God (1 Samuel 13:13). Only two chapters later, King Saul disobeys the Lord's command (again) not to spare any person or animal from among the Amalekites (2 Samuel 15:3). For the second time in Saul’s reign, the King of Israel fails to perform the commands of the Lord (1 Samuel 15:10), which leads to the anointing of Saul’s successor, a shepherd from Bethlehem named David.

The Reign and Sin of King David

In a stark transition within this narrative, the author of Samuel states that “the Spirit rushed upon David” (1 Samuel 16:13). One verse later, the author writes, “Now the Spirit of the Lord departed Saul” (1 Samuel 16:14). With this, the story advances with the military successes of David, reminiscent of Saul’s victory over the Ammonites. After slaying the Philistine giant on behalf of Saul and Israel, the fame of the shepherd stretches across the land (1 Samuel 18:6-7). Eventually, Saul’s jealousy leads to rage, the harassment of David, and finally, his death (1 Samuel 31:4). After mourning the tragic death of Saul, David begins his reign over the united monarchy of Israel.

The early years of David’s reign are full of military triumph and national success. God covenants with David, saying, “your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16). Despite God’s promises and the Spirit’s indwelling, David, like his predecessor Saul, struggles with personal sin and fails to obey the commands of God. In 2 Samuel 11, David’s eyes linger on the bathing body of Bathsheba (vv. 2-3). His eyes inform his heart of the opportunity to gratify his evil desire (Mark 7:21-23). In short order, David’s affair with Bathsheba leads to the successful murder plot of her husband, Uriah (vv. 14-17). King David stands in violation of at least the sixth, seventh, and tenth commandments (Exodus 20:13-14, 17).

Two Types of Sorrow, Two Different Outcomes

Now that we have put Saul and David’s sins before us, let’s examine each man’s response to their personal sin through the lens of the Apostle Paul’s writing in 2 Corinthians 7:10. This verse states, “For godly grief produces repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.” One of the best ways to grasp the difference between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow for the purpose of our own repentance, is to compare the response of King Saul (worldly sorrow) with the response of King David (godly sorrow) after each man receives rebuke from one of God’s prophets.

Saul’s Worldly Sorrow

Following Saul's sin, in 1 Samuel 15, Samuel confronts the king regarding his transgression. Here is his response: “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice” (v. 24). Although Saul is keenly aware of his fear of man, his words are less of a confession of sin and more of an excuse for sin. In the phrase “I have transgressed,” the word transgress means “to pass over.” Saul is saying, “I overlooked the commandment of the Lord.”[1] Any doubt of Saul’s worldly sorrow fades when his real motives for admitting his sin surface in verse 30, when Saul pleads for Samuel to honor him before the people. Saul’s admittance of his sin is an example of worldly sorrow. He is less concerned about reconciling with God and more concerned about receiving honor from Israel.  Saul’s sorrow is worldly and produces death (2 Corinthians 7:10).

David’s Godly Sorrow

Following David's sin, in 2 Samuel 12, Nathan confronts the king regarding his transgressions. Here is his response: “I have sinned against the Lord” (v. 13). By reading the rest of chapter 12, the reader can discern the difference between David’s heart and Saul's. Here, David cries out to God, worships the Lord, and accepts the consequences of his sins (vv. 15-23). Additionally, David displays godly sorrow in Psalm 51, a psalm of repentance. In contrast to King Saul, Psalm 51:4 displays that David’s concern is God-centered, stating, “Against you, you only, have I sinned.” David’s sorrow is godly and produces repentance that leads to salvation.

Conclusion

The Westminster Larger Catechism contains a very wise, pertinent question, asking, “Whence ariseth the imperfection of sanctification in believers?” Perhaps another faithful way to ask this question is: “Why do true believers still sin?” The answer is as follows:

The imperfection of sanctification in believers ariseth from the remnants of sin abiding in every part of them, and the perpetual lustings of the flesh against the spirit . . . and their best works are imperfect and defiled in the sight of God (Q. 78).

Here, we learn the lesson that as long as we breath, we will undoubtedly sin. In these times, we must, like David, come before our Heavenly Father with godly sorrow, detestation of our sin, and self-abhorrency, praying for pardon and strength of grace (2LBC 15.3).

God is faithful.

Notes:

[1] Joyce G. Baldwin, 1 and 2 Samuel, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 124