“大卫作哀歌,吊扫罗和他儿子约拿单 …。” - 撒下 1:17
扫罗王和儿子约拿单都在与非利士人争战时阵亡了(撒母耳记上 31:1-6)。于是大卫作了一首哀歌来悼念他们。
大卫怎会为扫罗哀伤呢?扫罗有几次曾尝试杀害大卫,他率士兵们也花了不少时间来追捕大卫,以致大卫沦为他们的敌人非利士人的难民。
尽管如此,扫罗阵亡的消息仍然令大卫哀伤,为什么呢?扫罗蒙神拣选为以色列第一任君王,出于对主的敬仰,大卫尊重神的秩序,他也时常称扫罗为“耶和华的受膏者。”
大卫哀悼约拿单是合情合理的,他是扫罗家中第一个公开维护大卫的人,尽管这样不利于他自己将来登基作王,他仍与大卫结为盟友。约拿单请求父亲视大卫为以色列民的祝福,而不是威胁。
扫罗让大卫看到,作为以色列民的领袖不应该效法的榜样。约拿单则让大卫看到,一个人成为别人真正的朋友应该效法的榜样。大卫同时为这两个人哀伤,并不觉得有所冲突,他们二人都带给了大卫一些影响,更能帮助他活出神在他身上的目的和计划。
祷告
万有之主,我需要敬重那些被你带领进入我生命中的人。我为那些赋与我爱心和友谊的人赞美你,我又感恩我在别人身上所学到的功课。求你帮助我凡事都尊崇你的名。奉耶稣的名祈求,阿们。
撒母耳记下1
1扫罗死后,大卫击杀亚玛力人回来,在洗革拉住了两天。
2第三天,有一人从扫罗的营里出来,衣服撕裂,头蒙灰尘,到大卫面前伏地叩拜。
3大卫问他说:“你从哪里来?”他说:“我从以色列的营里逃来。”
4大卫又问他说:“事情怎样?请你告诉我。”他回答说:“百姓从阵上逃跑,也有许多人仆倒死亡,扫罗和他儿子约拿单也死了。”
5大卫问报信的少年人说:“你怎么知道扫罗和他儿子约拿单死了呢?”
6报信的少年人说:“我偶然到基利波山,看见扫罗伏在自己枪上,有战车、马兵紧紧地追他。
7他回头看见我,就呼叫我。我说:‘我在这里。’
8他问我说:‘你是什么人?’我说:‘我是亚玛力人。’
9他说:‘请你来将我杀死,因为痛苦抓住我,我的生命尚存。’
10我准知他仆倒必不能活,就去将他杀死,把他头上的冠冕、臂上的镯子拿到我主这里。”
11大卫就撕裂衣服,跟随他的人也是如此,
12而且悲哀哭号,禁食到晚上,是因扫罗和他儿子约拿单,并耶和华的民以色列家的人倒在刀下。
13大卫问报信的少年人说:“你是哪里的人?”他说:“我是亚玛力客人的儿子。”
14大卫说:“你伸手杀害耶和华的受膏者,怎么不畏惧呢?”
15大卫叫了一个少年人来,说:“你去杀他吧!”
16大卫对他说:“你流人血的罪归到自己的头上,因为你亲口作见证说‘我杀了耶和华的受膏者’。”少年人就把他杀了。
17大卫作哀歌,吊扫罗和他儿子约拿单,
18且吩咐将这歌教导犹大人。这歌名叫弓歌,写在《雅煞珥书》上。
19歌中说:“以色列啊,你尊荣者在山上被杀,大英雄何竟死亡!
20不要在迦特报告,不要在亚实基伦街上传扬,免得非利士的女子欢乐,免得未受割礼之人的女子矜夸。
21基利波山哪,愿你那里没有雨露,愿你田地无土产可做供物!因为英雄的盾牌在那里被污丢弃,扫罗的盾牌仿佛未曾抹油。
22约拿单的弓箭非流敌人的血不退缩,扫罗的刀剑非剖勇士的油不收回。
23扫罗和约拿单,活时相悦相爱,死时也不分离;他们比鹰更快,比狮子还强。
24以色列的女子啊,当为扫罗哭号!他曾使你们穿朱红色的美衣,使你们衣服有黄金的装饰。
25英雄何竟在阵上仆倒,约拿单何竟在山上被杀!
26我兄约拿单哪,我为你悲伤!我甚喜悦你,你向我发的爱情奇妙非常,过于妇女的爱情。
27英雄何竟仆倒!战具何竟灭没!”
Mourning Foe And Friend
"David took up [a] lament concerning Saul and his son Jonathan. . . ." - 2 Samuel 1:17
King Saul and his son Jonathan had died in battle with the Philistines (1 Samuel 31:1-6). So David composed a song of lament to honor them.
How could David mourn for Saul? Saul had tried to kill David several times, and he had spent considerable time hunting David down with his army. Because of that, David had become a refugee in the land of their enemies the Philistines.
Even so, the report of Saul’s death grieved David. Why? Saul had been chosen by God to be the people’s first king. David honored that out of respect for the Lord, and he often called Saul “the Lord’s anointed.”
David’s mourning for Jonathan made sense. He was the first member of Saul’s family to stand up for David. He made a covenant of friendship with David against his own prospects for the throne. Jonathan pleaded with his father to see David as a blessing to Israel, not a threat.
Saul had shown David what not to do as Israel’s leader. And Jonathan had shown how a person can be a true friend. David found no paradox in mourning both of these men. They each gave him something that made him alive to God’s purposes and plans.
Prayer
Lord of all things, I need to give due honor to the people you have placed in my life. I give you praise for those who have shown me love and friendship, and I recognize the lessons I have learned from others. Help me to honor you in everything I do. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.