And the women sang to one another as they celebrated,
“Saul has struck down his thousands,
and David his ten thousands.”
And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?”—1 Samuel 18:7–8
Saul is angry at the truth. Saul has struck down his thousands. David has struck down his ten thousands. David is the better warrior. Saul is angry at the truth, but the truth is nothing to be angry about.
Raw truth is a dangerous thing to rail against. It’s like butting your head against a granite wall. That wall ain’t gonna give. Saul is angry at the truth, which is to say, he is angry at God. God is free to give according to His good pleasure. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights (James 1:17). What do you have that you did not receive (1 Corinthians 4:7)?
Every good is a gift. Man merits only wrath. Wages are earned. Gifts are free. If you want wages, the pay is death. If you want gifts, you can’t demand them. God is free to freely give His free gifts as He chooses. And so it is that envy is anger at God. Envy is murmuring against God. Envy is accusing the just God of injustice. Envy demands redistribution on the basis that God idolize us.
Angry at the truth, Saul eyes David (v. 9). What does this mean? He is suspicious of David. He fears David is that neighbor that Samuel told him was better than him, that neighbor to whom God would give the kingdom (1 Samuel 15:28).
Saul is jealous of the truth but suspicious of a lie. No one demonstrates greater loyalty and undying devotion to Saul than David. Jealousy often sees a twisted version of the truth and then twists the truth into a greater lie. David is better than Saul. David will receive the kingdom. But David will not usurp Saul. David is the greatest blessing God has placed in Saul’s life. David, the Lord’s Anointed, humbly bows as Saul’s servant. Saul’s jealously makes an enemy of his best servant. What should Saul have done? Jonathan models another way. Saul should have honored him and covenanted with him.
Do you see the folly of jealousy? Jealousy refuses God’s blessing if it comes on or through another person. The carnal mind believes that blessings are a zero sum game. “If you’re blessed, I’m not.” But the spiritual man looks at God’s blessings like a sunset He doesn’t have to possess it is to appreciate it, and yet, though it is not his to possess, it is still his to enjoy. Saints, we should learn and know this in the body of Christ. Having received grace upon grace, infinite grace, who are we to demand more? And yet, more we have. All is ours in Christ Jesus. A blessed toe means a blessed body. When God blesses your brother, he blesses you. But jealousy, believing itself robbed, only then becomes robbed.
No Other Boast 