Saturday, June 29, 2024  

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Today's Scripture
2 Samuel 1:1, 17–27

After the death of Saul, when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag.

David intoned this lamentation over Saul and his son Jonathan. (He ordered that The Song of the Bow be taught to the people of Judah; it is written in the Book of Jashar.) He said: Your glory, O Israel, lies slain upon your high places! How the mighty have fallen! Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon; or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, the daughters of the uncircumcised will exult. You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, nor bounteous fields! For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, anointed with oil no more. From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, nor the sword of Saul return empty. 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. O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you with crimson, in luxury, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel. How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan lies slain upon your high places. I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; greatly beloved were you to me; your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished! (NRSV)

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Reflection

At the time of death, all the past fighting between King Saul and his son Jonathan is set aside as though it never happened. Though Jonathan had disappointed Saul, though Saul had raged at Jonathan, David affirmed that “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! In life and in death they were not divided.” Some divisions are not enduring, and some divisions are not deep enough to remember in the midst of grief. Love and respect were mixed and mingled with David’s grief.

David first met Jonathan when King Saul called David to him to learn who it was that had killed Goliath. “When David had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” Jonathan then took off his robe, his armor, his sword, bow, and belt and gave them to David as a sign of making a covenant with David (1 Samuel 18:1–5). Here in 2 Samuel, in this song of lament at Jonathan’s death, David sings that Jonathan’s love was more wonderful to him than the love of women.

Maybe Jonathan saw David as his brother. Maybe Jonathan giving his clothing and weapons to David was a way to express his loyalty to David as the next king, thereby giving up his own right to succeed his father, King Saul. Or maybe “Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul,” and his soul was bound to David’s soul (1 Samuel 18:3, 1).

Whatever the words that were spoken in covenant between David and Jonathan, theirs is a love and a devotion to inspire us all. Theirs was a fidelity and a loyalty to which we can all aspire. And David’s grief was a grief that let fighting and division fall to the wayside.

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Prayer
Compassionate God, be with us as we grieve our losses and the losses of our world. In the face of death, remind us of love and devotion. Help us to let go of old angers and divisions and to live fully in and through our grief. Amen.

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Written by Nanette Sawyer, Associate Pastor for Discipleship and Small Group Ministry

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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