to the influence of t he spirit of evil from the Lord, although they were no doubt made when that spirit was

upon him. For God never tempts man to sin; but he sinneth when he is drawn away by his own passion, and

enticed by it. If proof were needed that the spirit whom God sent was not evil in himself, it would be found in

this, that while formerly David's music could soothe the king, that power was lost when Saul had given way

to sin. On the first occasion of this kind, Saul, in a maniacal176 fit, twice poised177 against David the javelin,

which, as the symbol of royalty, he had by him (like the modern scepter); and twice "David turned (bent)

aside from before him."  178

The failure of his purpose only strengthened the king's conviction that, while God had forsaken him, He was

with David. The result, however, was not repentance, but a feeling of fear, under which he removed David

from his own presence, either to free himself of the temptation to murder, or in the hope, which he scarcely

yet confessed to himself, that, promoted to the command over a thousand men, David might fall in an

engagement with the Philistines. How this also failed, or rather led to results the opposite of those which

Saul had wished, is briefly marked in the text.

With truest insight into the working of such a mind, the narrative traces the further progress of this history.

Perhaps to test whether he really cherished ambitious designs, but with the conscious wish to rid himself of

his dreaded rival, Saul now proposed to carry out his original promise to the conqueror of Goliath, by giving

David his eldest daughter Merab to wife, at the same time professing only anxiety that his future son-in-law

should fight "the battles of Jehovah." The reply given might have convinced him, that David had no

exaggerated views of his position in life.179 It is idle to ask why Saul upon this so rapidly transferred Merab

to one180 who is not otherwise known in history.

The affection of Michal, Saul's younger daughter, for David, promised to afford Saul the means of still

further proving David's views, and of bringing him to certain destruction. The plan was cleverly devised.

Taught by experience, David took no further notice of the king's personal suggestion of such an alliance.181

At this the courtiers were instructed secretly to try the effect of holding out a prospect so dazzling as that of

being the king's son-in-law. But the bait was too clumsily put, - or rather it failed to take, from the thorough

integrity of David. Next came not the suggestion merely, but a definite proposal through the courtiers, to

give the king as dowry within a certain specified time a pledge that not less than a hundred heathen had

fallen in "the Lord's battles." If the former merely general admonition to fight had not led to David's

destruction, a more definite demand like this might necessitate personal contests, in which, as Saul

imagined, every chance would be against David's escape. But once more the king was foiled. David, who

readily entered on a proposal so much in harmony with his life -work, exe cuted within less than the

appointed time double the king's requirements, and Michal became his wife.

And still the story becomes darker and darker. We have marked the progress of murderous thought in the

king's mind, from the sudden attack of frenzy to the scarcely self-confessed wish for the death of his victim,

to designed exposure of his life, and lastly to a deliberate plan for his destruction. But now all restraints were

broken through. Do what he might, David prospered, and all that Saul had attemp ted had only turned out to

the advantage of the son of Jesse. Already he was the king's son-in-law; Michal had given her whole heart

to him; constant success had attended those expeditions against the heathen which were to have been his

ruin; nay, as might be expected in the circumstances, he had reached the pinnacle of popularity. One dark

resolve now settled in the heart of the king, and cast it shadow over every other consideration. David must

be murdered. Saul could no longer disguise his purpose from h imself, nor keep it from others. He spoke of it

openly - even to Jonathan, and to all around him. So alarming had it become, that Jonathan felt it necessary

to warn David, who, in his conscious integrity, seemed still unsuspicious of real danger. Yet Jonathan

himself would fain have believed that his father's mood was only the outcome of that dreadful disease of

which he was the victim. Accordingly, almost within hearing of David, who had secreted himself near by, he

appealed to his father, and that in language so telling and frank, that the king himself was for the moment

won. So it had been only frenzy - the outburst of the moment, but not the king's real heart -purpose - and

David returned to court!