NOTES for Sa1 16:1-23

The Lord's choice fell upon David. As had happened more than once before and would happen many times again, the Lord does not choose by human standards, and so David is not called from a powerful and wealthy family. But now not only is the king chosen from among the lowly of this world; the royal office itself is humbled. For many years, David's anointing as king will remain a secret, hidden not only from the whole people but even from many of his friends and companions. The mystery of David's royal calling must ripen like a seed hidden in the earth.

The Spirit of the Lord, however, departed from Saul. It is significant that after this an evil spirit takes possession of Saul, for once a person has lost his connection with God, it is difficult to return to the state he was in before encountering Him. Moreover, there is a danger of falling below that original level. The evil spirit is also described here as coming from God, but of course in a completely different sense from the Holy Spirit. In other words, one might say that the Lord allowed the evil spirit to come because Saul had lost God's protection.

And it is no accident that only David's music could calm Saul. Through David's playing on the strings, Saul could briefly touch the inner peace he had lost, the peace born in David's soul from standing before God.