What do you do when you’re desperate? Continuing our study through 1 Samuel, Pastor Doug Sauder unpacks 1 Samuel 22-24, where we find David is on the run! Learn how to fight spiritual battles in the face of fatigue and depletion and how to walk through these hard seasons in a way that honors the Lord and doesn’t lead to moral compromise.

Group Check-in

• What’s something you’ve seen or experienced recently that felt deeply unfair?
• How do you typically respond when you feel wronged—withdrawal, retaliation, or something else?

What’s 1 Samuel 22:6–24:22 About?

What happens when justice feels like a distant dream? In this week’s passage, David continues to run for his life—but now, the consequences of Saul’s paranoia grow darker. The king’s insecurity turns violent, and an entire town of priests is wiped out simply because they showed kindness to David. It’s a heartbreaking moment. Injustice isn’t subtle here—it’s loud, brutal, and horrifying.

We see Doeg the Edomite carry out the unthinkable while the rest of Saul’s soldiers stand back. David, horrified, feels responsible. “Because of me…” he mourns. Psalm 59 captures his cry for justice; “Deliver me from my enemies… they lie in wait for my life.”

And yet, amidst the chaos, we see glimmers of integrity and hope. David protects the last survivor. He waits on God. He refuses to kill Saul when he has the chance. While others urge him to take justice into his own hands, David chooses a different path. Why? Because he knows God is the ultimate Judge.

This is more than a political drama—it’s a spiritual test. Will David trust God to make things right, or will he try to fix it himself? His restraint, courage, and sorrow point us to a deeper truth: Justice may be delayed, but it’s never denied in God’s hands. When we entrust ourselves to the One who “judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23), we find freedom from vengeance—and strength to love our enemies.

Key Verse

“May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.”—1 Samuel 24:12 (NIV)

SOAP for the Week

Passage: Psalm 59
Reflect on David’s cry for help and his confidence that God sees every injustice.

Ice-Breakers

• What’s the most unfair thing you ever saw on the playground growing up?
• If you had to hide in a cave with a group of people, what three things would you bring with you?
• Who is someone in your life who modeled integrity even when it was hard?

Group Discussion Questions

1. In chapter 22, Saul gives an unthinkable order—to kill innocent priests. Why do you think Doeg followed through when no one else would? What does this reveal about how power and fear can corrupt judgment?
2. David mourns, “Because of me, the whole town died.” Have you ever felt the weight of unintended consequences? How do you navigate guilt that isn’t quite your fault—but still affects others?
3. When David had the chance to kill Saul in the cave, his men told him, “This is the moment!” Why did David refuse? What does this teach us about waiting on God’s timing?
4. Psalm 59 shows David praying in the face of evil. What stands out to you in this psalm? How does honest prayer help us handle injustice in our own lives?
5. Saul’s moment of remorse in 1 Samuel 24:16–22 seems genuine. Why do you think David still didn’t go back with him? What does this show about forgiveness, boundaries, and wisdom?
6. Romans 12:19 says, “Do not take revenge… ‘It is mine to avenge,’ says the Lord.” What does it look like to trust God’s justice in a world where injustice seems to win?

Practical Takeaway

We are wired for justice. Even children know when something’s unfair. That longing for fairness is part of the image of God in us. But in a broken world, justice often feels out of reach. Like David, we’ll be tempted to take matters into our own hands—to fight back, strike first, or give up entirely. But Scripture calls us to something harder and holier: to wait. To pray. To trust. Even when injustice feels like it’s winning, God is still on the throne. And He hasn’t missed a thing.

Justice will come—but it must come God’s way, not ours. When we surrender revenge and entrust ourselves to the Judge who sees all, we find freedom from bitterness, courage to do what’s right, and hope that no evil gets the final word.

Prayer

Righteous God, we are so quick to cry out, “It’s not fair!” And many times, we’re right. There’s so much brokenness around us—power abused, people harmed, and justice denied. But You are not blind to it. You see every tear, every injustice, every cry. Teach us to trust Your justice. Strengthen our hearts when we’re wronged. Keep us from bitterness and revenge. Help us be people who do what is right, even when it’s hard. Make us like Jesus, who entrusted Himself to You and overcame evil with love. Amen.