How The Mighty Have Fallen!

HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN!

a prayer to open

My Lord, my God, show me your heart. Ground me in your presence.

Draw me near and hold me close.

Your pride and joy, O Israel, lies dead on the hills!

Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen! . . .

O mountains of Gilboa,

let there be no dew or rain upon you,

nor fruitful fields producing offerings of grain.

For there the shield of the mighty heroes was defiled;

the shield of Saul will no longer be anointed with oil.

The bow of Jonathan was powerful,

and the sword of Saul did its mighty work.

They shed the blood of their enemies

and pierced the bodies of mighty heroes.

How beloved and gracious were Saul and Jonathan!

They were together in life and in death.

They were swifter than eagles,

stronger than lions.

O women of Israel, weep for Saul,

for he dressed you in luxurious scarlet clothing,

in garments decorated with gold.

Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen in battle!

Jonathan lies dead on the hills.

How I weep for you, my brother Jonathan!

Oh, how much I loved you!

And your love for me was deep,

deeper than the love of women!

Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen!

Stripped of their weapons, they lie dead.

After David spared Saul’s life in the cave, he spent several more years on the run, sparing the king’s life a second time and taking up residence among the Philistines. During this time, David continued to fight battles on behalf of God’s people, even defeating the Amalekites along the way. However, the Philistines waged war against the Israelites and eventually caught up with Saul and his sons. They killed three of Saul’s sons, including Jonathan. Saul was wounded critically and fell on his own sword to kill himself.

David’s time to be king had finally arrived, yet he did not rejoice at Saul’s death. Instead, David penned a beautiful, heart-wrenching lament for Saul, the LORD’s anointed; for his beloved friend, Jonathan; and for the nation of Israel. May our love for God, like David’s, translate to love even for our most persistent enemies.

• Think over Saul’s life as we have traced it through this study. What was his biggest tragedy?
• What has been the greatest loss of your life? What was your grieving process like? Where did you see God in the midst of your pain?
• Where have you experienced God’s faithfulness to his promises? How can you help yourself remember those seasons of faithfulness in the midst of doubt, suffering, and fear?

Father, thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you that your promises are true and that you are reliable and trustworthy. Help me remember the ways you have been faithful in my life and throughout history, especially when I suffer loss or when I doubt your goodness and presence. Give me the courage and strength to follow Jesus all of my days, and by your grace, set me on the right path when I stray. Amen.