Wickedness Proceedeth from the Wicked (1 Samuel 24:13)

2024-03-28

As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. (1 Samuel 24:13)

David spoke this proverb to Saul. There would be many men that would strike Saul down for being an enemy; their wickedness flows from being wicked. Unlike them, David could not bring himself to do wickedly by killing the Lord’s anointed king, even if he were an enemy. “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” (1 Samuel 24:5-6).

It is only the Lord’s place to exact vengeance. “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19). However, David was ready to kill Nabal for his ingratitude and lack of hospitality. “Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good. So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall” (1 Samuel 25:21-22). It was only by the grace of God that David was withheld from the evil: “Blessed be the LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil” (1 Samuel 25:39).

David waited for his tenacious enemy to perish at the Lord’s hand, learning from these instances. “So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together” (1 Samuel 31:6).