I Samuel 24:2-6 “Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily. And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt. And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.”

Saul had rejected the word of the Lord and the Lord had now rejected him as king (see I Samuel 15:23-26). In his stead, God had chosen a young lad by the name of David, a man after God’s own heart. Rather than being smitten by remorse that would lead to a repentant spirit, Saul become bitter and took out his aggression on David the choice of God. Filled with such anger, when Saul was not fighting the Philistines, he was in pursuit of David; the man he considered his adversary. Having returned from a fight with the Philistines, Saul was informed that David was in the wilderness of En-gedi. That night Saul retired to a cave in which David and his men had taken refuge! Unawares that David was there, Saul took rest for the night. The men of David responded with these words; “Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee.” Arise; take the life of this wicked dog that has pursued you without cause.

That evening David discovered that which is possible may not always be what’s right! Was he being unjustly pursued and hunted; yes! There lay Saul and with one thrust of a dagger, David could rid himself of his enemy and assume the role of king. But, Saul was God’s anointed! In spite of the fact that Saul was the choice of the people; God had set him up as king and it was not David’s place to execute judgment upon the wicked king. Sometimes we are prone to think that if it’s possible it must be the will of God; possibilities are no assurance of providential approval.

That evening David discovered that what’s popular may not always be what’s right! Without one descending vote; in unison, all David’s men said, “Now’s your chance, take it, you have every right in the world to take his life.” Having the approval of society doesn’t make something right.

David had been driven into the waste land of the world, away from friends and family. Falsely accused by a distorted mind fueled by anger; David was destined to live the life of a vagabond. David could change all of that with the simple stroke of the sword. While that act would be possible, and would be popular; that in no way would make it right!