A Sunday sermon by Rev Ray Pountney “Radical Worship”. The reading is 1st Samuel 18:1-16. Delivered on Sunday 15th May 2022.

Walk with God and You Will Never Walk Alone

• 1 Samuel 18:1-16

  1 Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
  2 Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore.
  3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
  4 And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.
  5 So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
  6 Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments.
  7 So the women sang as they danced, and said: “Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.”
  8 Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?”
  9 So Saul eyed David from that day forward.
  10 And it happened on the next day that the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house. So David played music with his hand, as at other times; but there was a spear in Saul’s hand.
  11 And Saul cast the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David escaped his presence twice.
  12 Now Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, but had departed from Saul.
  13 Therefore Saul removed him from his presence, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.
  14 And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.
  15 Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him.
  16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.

  New King James Version