The Song of the Bow

The Song of the Bow

2 Samuel 1

How should a godly person respond to the death of an enemy?

Pastor Wayne Wilson begins the book of 2 Samuel and examines David’s remarkable response to the deaths of Saul and Jonathan.

Saul had persecuted David, attempted to kill him, and forced him into years of exile. Yet when David receives news of Saul’s death, he does not celebrate or rush to claim the throne. He tears his clothes, fasts, weeps, and mourns for Saul, Jonathan, and the fallen people of Israel.

The Amalekite messenger expects to be rewarded for claiming that he killed Saul. Instead, David holds him accountable for raising his hand against the Lord’s anointed. David’s response establishes an important principle for his coming kingdom: selfish ambition, deception, and wrongdoing would not be rewarded simply because they appeared to benefit the king.

David then composes “The Song of the Bow,” a moving lament intended to become part of Israel’s shared memory. He honors Saul’s courage and accomplishments without bitterness while expressing his profound grief for Jonathan—the faithful friend who loved David selflessly and willingly surrendered his own claim to the throne.

This message challenges us to regard God as holy, forgive those who have wronged us, honor what is worthy in others, and love with the selflessness demonstrated by Jonathan and ultimately perfected in Jesus Christ.

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The Fall of the House of Saul