David feared God and did not dare to overthrow the divine order arranged by God. In God’s kingdom there is a divine order of authority. Saul was not a self-appointed king; he was the king appointed and anointed by God (1 Sam. 10:1). Saul was therefore the divine authority, and David feared God in this. David kept the God-ordained order of authority among God’s elect. By so doing, David laid a good foundation for himself to be the king of God’s elect in the coming days. If he had rebelled against Saul, he would have been to the people an example of rebellion against the God-ordained, appointed king. Cf. note Gen. 9:25¹ and note Jude 1:9³.

Following some ancient versions; the Hebrew text reads, it (my eye) spared you. What David did here was exactly what the New Testament teaches concerning not repaying evil for evil but overcoming evil with good (Rom. 12:17, 21).

David’s God-fearing and God-honoring life subdued the reckless Saul and stopped Saul from pursuing him (vv. 16-22). In his relationship with Saul, David is a very good pattern for the New Testament believers in the church life as God’s kingdom (Rom. 14:17).