Sorrow in Song of Remembrance

2 Samuel 1:17-27
    17 Then David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son, 18 and he told them to teach the children of Judah the Song of the Bow; indeed it is written in the Book of Jasher:

19 “The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places!
How the mighty have fallen!

20 Tell it not in Gath,
Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon—
Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

21 “O mountains of Gilboa,
Let there be no dew nor rain upon you,
Nor fields of offerings.
For the shield of the mighty is cast away there!
The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.

22 From the blood of the slain,
From the fat of the mighty,
The bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
And the sword of Saul did not return empty.

23 “Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives,
And in their death they were not divided;
They were swifter than eagles,
They were stronger than lions.

24 “O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who clothed you in scarlet, with luxury;
Who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.

25 “How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan was slain in your high places.

26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
You have been very pleasant to me;
Your love to me was wonderful,
Surpassing the love of women.

27 “How the mighty have fallen,
And the weapons of war perished!”

How the mighty have fallen!  This song was a eulogy expressing sorrow in a song of remembrance for God-given friendship of the LORD’s chosen leader who fell away and his son who was King David’s best friend, trusted and loved in a godly manner, not in a perverse way as some would twist the meaning to fit their own aberrant thinking.  David lamented their loss in battle, and composed a song to teach Israel to sing in remembrance and contemplation of their lives.  The song was not to be sung among the enemies of God’s people, but among themselves who would appreciate the homage and love behind the loss in battle, not as a triumph among their enemies.  It praised their valor in battle, not relenting until the final blow was struck against the LORD’s enemies and those of His people.  The song remembers the good of Saul and Jonathan together in life and solidarity in fighting together to the death in this battle.  It called Israel to lament their loss and remember the benefits of their rule (not emphasizing the failure of Saul who had gone astray in rejection of the LORD, but the good, since he fought for God’s people to the death).  David recalled the deep friendship with Jonathan and his grief in the loss of such a good friend and confidant.  The war was lost, the mighty fallen in the fray, but the song did say how to remember them.  We can learn how to lament the loss of God’s servants among His people by remembrance of the good over criticism of their failings after they die, whether in service or having wandered away.  Let us praise their goodness and calling over their failures as David composed this eulogy of song here.  Amen and amen.