An evil spirit from the Lord troubled him, and the Spirit of God departed from him.'
Modern psychologists would call Saul's case an instance of insanity brought about by indulgence in passion and self-will. Is there any reason why the deeper, more religious explanation should not be united with the scientific one? Does not God work in the working of natural' phenomena?
What we nowadays call insanity is not very far off from a man who habitually indulges in passionate self. will, and spurns God from any authority over his life.
What were Saul's characteristics now? The story tells of bursts of ungovernable fury, of unslumbering and universal suspicions, of utter misery, seeing enemies everywhere and complaining, None of you hath pity upon me,' of ferocious cruelty and gloomy despair, of paroxysms of agonizing but transient remorse.
It is an awful picture, and it grimly teaches lessons that we shall be wise to write deeply on our hearts.
What a ruin a man makes of himself! How hideous a godless soul is!
What unhappiness is certain if we dismiss God from ruling our lives!
How useless remorse is unless it leads to repentance!
