But when Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually.
1 Samuel 18:28–29, ESV
With God, there is no middle ground. God is either with you, or He is not. Saul’s heart was proud, and he forgot God in the sense that he forgot it was God whom he was meant to serve and not the other way around. For this reason, God pulled away from King Saul, and where the void was anger, jealousy, and resentment filled in. As King, Saul had no reason to fear David, but his jealousy caused him to see David as a threat, even so far as to try and kill him with his spear. But God was with David and had great success. In giving David his daughter, Saul had thought that it would give him greater power over David, but when a person belongs to God, there is no other that will control him. David was always a servant of God and knew that all glory belonged to God. David’s respect for the office of King was evident as he understood that Saul, though imperfect and continually tried to bring harm to him, was God’s anointed. As people of God, we are called to respect those placed in authority and the office they hold. This is not because they will always do right in the eyes of God, but it is out of the knowledge that all power comes from God. We are called to resist anything that would put us against God’s will, but resistance to wrong is not the same as disrespect of authority or the office. David knew his place and did not seek to do differently but was open to God’s will and ready to receive correction. He did not do things out of vain ambition when it came to Saul. He did not utilize his friendship with Saul’s son Jonathan but was a true friend. He did not use Micah as his wife to give him greater power over the King, but continued to do as he had been doing, as he believed was being faithful to God’s calling. Not all aspects of David’s life is a model of a righteous man, but like David, we are called to seek after God’s heart, and those who are not of God will stand in fear of what God will do.