SAUL OF GIBEAH, DAVID OF BETHLEHEM
Out of Ephraim’s hilltops rough I Samuel 1-8
Elkanah from the clan of Zuph
Came down to Shiloh’s sacrifice
His yearly worship should suffice
The Lord Most High to satisfy
His warring wives to pacify
But Hannah’s heart was filled with pain
Her barren womb was public shame
Her broken heart poured out her prayer I Samuel 1:9-20
In silent grief she tore her hair
She cried before the Lord who heard
Give me a child and hear this word
My son will be your very own
I make this vow before your throne
Once he is weaned he shall be yours
Devoted to your holy cause.
The sons of Eli were a curse I Samuel 2:12-36
Their cravings went from bad to worse
They stole the sacrificial meat
Great hunks of flesh, so indiscreet
And with the women at the tent
They fornicated with contempt
To Eli’s house a prophet came
Announcing judgment on their game
But Samuel grew in grace and fame I Samuel 2:26
One night the Lord called out his name I Samuel 3:1-21
To Eli’s house a message send
Their wicked game had reached its end
Both Eli’s sons would lose their lives
Their sin could not by sacrifice
Be set aside nor nullified
The Lord would not be pacified
The ark was seized by Philistines I Samuel 4:1 – 5:12
And Eli died and all his line
The fat, old priest rocked off his seat
And broke his neck, the rout complete
But while the people screamed in pain
The Lord was waging his campaign
Against the gods of wood and stone
Before the ark Dagon fell prone
The idol rocked with broken neck I Samuel 5:4-6
Before the ark it lay, a wreck
The head of Dagon in the sand
On threshold fell its out-stretched hand
With outstretched hand the Lord of Hosts
Poured judgment on this pagan boast
The Philistines with dread were filled
And sent the ark back up the hill I Samuel 6
At harvest time the ark returned
The Philistines their lesson learned
But once again they fell to war I Samuel 7
And Samuel rained down shock and awe
The battle won, but Israel failed
Give us a king! The people wailed I Samuel 8
This royal quest displeased the seer
“Do as they ask and do not fear!”
From Gibeah, where no man prayed I Samuel 9
Pursuing donkeys that had strayed
Came Saul the lofty son of Kish
And asked the seer to grant his wish
The Benjamite’s assignment tough
Had led him to the clan of Zuph
The donkeys made of him an ass
He wondered what would come to pass
Come dine with me, I have some news I Samuel 9:19
Your asses have been found, so use
The time to rest and wait a while
This news is sure to make you smile
And at the feast the son of Kish
Received a portion on his dish
A hunk of flesh to his surprise
He wondered what this signified
Then Hannah’s son with flask of oil I Samuel 10
Announced to Saul his calling royal
And on the handsome Benjamite
The Spirit came in power and might
Then Samuel summoned every clan I Samuel 10:17
Of Israel to enthrone the man
They had requested as their king
To fight their wars and honour bring
And Benjamin was called to bear
The crown on Kish’s son and heir
But Saul among the bags was hid
All Israel’s hopes fell on this kid?
Long live the king! The people cried
And little Saul was filled with pride
To Gibeah repaired the king
To plough his fields as if nothing…
…had changed and surely nothing had
The town of Jabesh Gilead I Samuel 11
Came under siege by Ammonites
The new king turned to ancient rites
In rage the king took up the knife
Twelve hunks of meat called men to strife
Girls from Jabesh healed our nation
Pay your debt, make reparation
On Israel’s throne now sat a king
This monarch wasted everything
His head was higher than the rest
His heart bent low and self-obsessed
To Gilgal all the nation came I Samuel 11:14
And Hannah’s son with force proclaimed
The Lord our God alone does reign I Samuel 12:16
At harvest time he called down rain
They all went home to tend their crops
Saul’s victory had put a stop
To eastern threat, but now was time
To settle scores with Philistines
Then Jonathan with valour bold I Samuel 13:3
Provoked the ancient foes to hold
A show of force, display their might
And Israel fled into the night
The scattered army made Saul fear
And Samuel’s failure to appear
Alarmed poor Saul, whose choice unwise
Led to the route of his demise
Saul crossed a line to his disgrace I Samuel 13:8
He trespassed into sacred space
And Samuel tore him off a strip
The kingdom through his hands would slip
Six hundred Benjamites remained
The rest had fled, no heart retained
Six hundred men of Gibeah
Sounds like a tale familiar
To Gibeah repaired the king I Samuel 13:16
The Philistines still threatening
Then Jonathan again arose
And skirmished with the ancient foes
And panic-struck the Philistines
Retreated from their battle lines
But Saul denied his people bread I Samuel 14:24
Who could not chase them as they fled
This careless curse and foolish fast
Came back on Saul’s own son who cast
His brightened eye on honey sweet
Which strengthened him in battle’s heat
In hunger now the soldiers saw I Samuel 14:32
The plunder and the livestock raw
Like raven wolves the meat they tore
Their bloody beards were drenched in gore
For Saul, God was an afterthought
Shall we pursue the foe we fought?
But on that night the Lord replied
With deafening silence which implied I Samuel 14:37
Some sin had shut off heaven’s voice
The king or people, that’s the choice
The lot was cast, the king was named
The honey-boy confessed his shame
Embittered king and sweetheart prince I Samuel 14:45
Stood face to face in grave offence
Saul was prepared to slay his heir
The men of Israel in despair
Rescued the lad and not one hair
Fell to the ground and no-one dared
To blink or think or kneel or yield
And heaven’s silence filled the field
The Son of Kish suppressed his foes I Samuel 14:47
The Lord gave rest, allayed their woes
But to the West the Philistines
Had reinforced their battle lines
And in the south Amalekites
Remained a threat they had to fight
Through Samuel came the Lord’s command I Samuel 15:1
From Amalek let no-one stand
The Benjamite obeyed the Lord
And Amalek was put to sword
But Israel fell to gluttony
And Saul to self-idolatry I Samuel 15:12
On Carmel’s top Saul’s monument
Enraged the Lord who in lament
Declared his grief to Samuel
Who wept all night for Saul as well
To Bethlehem, the house of bread I Samuel 16:1
Came Samuel as the Lord had said
Among the sons of Jesse there
Is one I’ve chosen who shall bear
The crown of Israel, which I take
From Saul who limps between mistakes
My Spirit has withdrawn from Saul
For one so tall shall surely fall
One by one came Jesse’s sons I Samuel 16:6
But Samuel’s heart could choose not one
Each time he thought this is the choice
Inside there came a still small voice
Don’t contemplate the outer part
My eyes survey the soul and heart
Is that the lot? No more beside?
Well, David’s with the sheep outside
Go fetch him, we shall not sit down I Samuel 16:11
Until he comes to take the crown
In from the field the ruddy youth
Was brought to Samuel and the truth
Revealed, the prophet poured his oil
On David’s locks, pronounced him royal
And Jesse’s sons were mystified
Was this anointing justified?
Into the vacant heart of Saul I Samuel 16:14
There slid a demon who would gall
Him into fits of bitter rage
And none could calm him or assuage
The storms of melancholic gloom
Or lift him from impending doom
Ghosts of Gibeah haunted him
Giants of Gaza taunted him
A minstrel for the bitter king I Samuel 16:17
Might soothe his nerves and music bring
So David from the field was brought
For service in the royal court
And when the demon frayed Saul’s nerves
The shepherd-harpist sang and served
Until the royal heart was calm
And Gil’ad’s hero found some balm
But to the wicked comes no rest I Samuel 17:1
And giants rising in the West
Had turned the lofty son of Kish
Into a midget whose one wish
Was for a saviour to arise
And smite the giant betwixt the eyes
But none was found in Israel’s folk
None who could lift oppression’s yoke
Then David came from Bethlehem I Samuel 17:17
With bread and cheese for Jesse’s men
And heard the giant’s challenge bare
But none stood up to meet his dare
And so, the gutsy shepherd boy
With sling and pebbles was deployed
As Dagon bowed before the Lord
This giant fell, let loose his sword
Then David with an out-stretched hand I Samuel 17:51
Lifted the sword and took his stand
The Philistines in silence gazed
As giant’s head by boy was raised
Then with a roar all Israel rose
And back to Gath they chased their foes
But Saul observed with jealous dread
As praises poured on David’s head
But Jonathan the royal heir I Samuel 18:1
Bowed low before the lad who dared
To trust the Lord with life and limb
And pledged allegiance to his king
Their hearts in covenant were knit
Thus Jonathan stripped off his kit
And David in return did swear
The children of his friend to spare
Ten thousands that the boy had slayed I Samuel 18:6
Now festered in Saul’s heart and preyed
Upon his little minded fears
He kept at hand his sharpened spears I Samuel 18:10
Then in a fit of evil rage
He launched one at the minstrel-page
Whose nimble feet and thinking sharp
Let him escape into the dark
Then Saul deployed a different dart I Samuel 18:20
One aimed at David’s lusty heart
His daughter Michal would seduce
The harpist hero and reduce
His aspirations down to size
She’d trap him with her lovely eyes
The dowry said the son of Kish
A hundred rings of pagan flesh I Samuel 18:25
The boy of Bethlehem arose
And circumcised two hundred foes I Samuel 18:27
His enemies emasculated
Oh Saul, he had miscalculated
So wretched Michal traded in
For twice the weight of human skin
A marriage doomed to early fail
The shepherd boy o’er king prevailed
Now Saul was breathing death and threats I Samuel 19:1
And told his men with no regrets
To slay his upstart general
But Saul’s own children loved him well
Saul once again let loose a spear
And David fled in mortal fear
The honey-prince had pled his rights
And Michal helped him flee by night
Now David stole the hearts of all
Who came to him for help, but Saul
Sent posses out to capture him I Samuel 19:20
And David knew his odds were slim
Just one false step would lead to death
Would this one be his final breath?
And so in Samuel’s dwelling place
He found a refuge from the chase
The naked truth must be detailed
Saul went himself on David’s trail I Samuel 19:23
And came to Naioth in pursuit
But there he laid aside his suit
And prophesied all that day long
While David fled to Jonathan I Samuel 20:1
The royal heir and loyal page
Swore endless peace from age to age
Then David fled to Nob instead I Samuel 21:1
Where priests supplied the holy bread
And David took the giant’s sword
The one who had defied the Lord
He took that sword back home again I Samuel 21:10
To Achish king of Gath and feigned
Insane and let his spit run down
So Achish drove him out of town
And David fled again and gave I Samuel 22
To refugees a place, a cave
A haven in the wilderness
For desperados in distress
But Doeg, shepherd of King Saul
Betrayed the fugitive and all
The priests bar one he slew
And Saul in deeper evil grew
To Keilah came the Philistines I Samuel 23
To loot the corn at harvest time
And David asked the Lord to guide
His battle plans if he should side
With Keilah’s folk and lift the siege
Will they betray me to my liege?
So to Engedi David fled
And in a cave he made his bed
But there the men of Ziph betrayed I Samuel 23:19
The Son of Jesse while he stayed
The ranting monarch’s futile chase
Was met by David’s act of grace
While David hid within the cave
The king turned in his shame to save
Four hundred men with Jesse’s son
Urged him to act and have it done
The Lord has made this come to pass I Samuel 24
Now let your javelin do its task
But David would not raise his hand
Against the Lord’s anointed man
While unaware the king sat down
And David sliced the royal gown
Then Saul emerged and joined his men
And David called out, check your hem!
My lord, the king, why do you chase
And hunt me down to your disgrace
The Lord will judge twixt you and me I Samuel 24:12
I’ve done no wrong, so let this flea
Escape and you go home again
Now let me live, go with your men!
And Saul cried out in wretched shame
David, my son, on me the blame
A foolish man and husband harsh I Samuel 25
Rejected David’s men who asked
For food to celebrate a feast
But Nabal answered like a beast
And David in a Saul-like rage
Set out to slay the fool and stage
A massacre of all his folk
But Abigail his plans revoked
Then once again in royal rage I Samuel 26
Saul planned to kill his loyal page
Again the Ziphites sold his place
And Saul set out to track and trace
But David crept into the camp
By night, the stars his only lamp
And stole the royal jug and spear
Then called on Abner to appear
Why have you let your master down? I Samuel 26:15
Some knave might steal the royal crown
For when the king is fast asleep
His bodyguard his soul should keep
But you have failed the royal brief
And I held back the hand of grief
My lord, the king, return to home
And I will dwell out here alone
In Ziklag David feared no ill I Samuel 27
And Achish let him raid at will
Until the lordly Philistines
To fight with Saul had come the time
Then David made as if to fight
Against the lofty Benjamite
But Achish in a bind was caught I Samuel 29
Sent David back to hold the fort
As battle neared, the king called out I Samuel 28
The Lord ignored his plaintive shout
Across the line the monarch’s tread
Transgressed again and with the dead
Advice from Samuel’s ghost he sought
Whose angry spectre cursed the thought
And from the grave he prophesied
Tomorrow you’ll be by my side
As fell the mistress by the door
Her hands for mercy reached, implored
As Dagon fell, face to the ground
His hands stretched out, the morning found
So fell Goliath at the feet
Of shepherd boy, complete defeat
Now Saul fell lifeless, filled with dread I Samuel 28:20
Tomorrow he would lose his head
At Ziklag David’s heart was broke I Samuel 30
Amalekites kidnapped his folk
Six hundred angry men gave chase
Four hundred men kept up the pace
The victors held in scant regard
Two hundred o’er the bags kept guard
The ones who with the bags had stayed
Brought to their mind a king afraid
Gilboa’s mount was Saul’s last stand I Samuel 31
The Benjamites could not withstand
Nor fight the mighty Philistines
And Saul fell there with all his line
The Philistines made sport of Saul
And nailed his body to the wall
The men of Jabesh marched all night
And buried Saul with proper rites.
When Saul first came to Samuel
A cut above all Israel
The lofty lad of Gibeah
Was seeking asses here and there
When Samuel came to Bethlehem
The ruddy lad was by the pen
Attending to his father’s sheep
Was this the one God’s folk to keep?
The Benjamite carved up the realm
The shepherd boy now took the helm
Both by Samuel’s horn anointed
Both by God as king appointed
Both were true to town of birth
One of plenty, one of dearth
Saul in shame this earth departed
David wept, was broken-hearted. II Samuel 1:17
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