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28. Hath given it. The anointing of David and his coronation, though yet future, are spoken of by God as if already accomplished. Saul had irretrievably disqualified himself to serve as king, and God’s decision with regard to him was irrevocable. In the will and purpose of God the kingdom had already been given to someone else. Nothing Saul might do now by way of worship (v. 30) would avail to change the sentence. Even prayer would not change it (see Jer. 7:16; 11:14; 14:11; PP 630). To be sure, Saul’s rejection as king did not necessarily imply that his personal probation had closed, and that God would refuse to accept him as an individual. He might yet repent personally and be converted. Had Saul been willing at this time to relinquish the throne and to live henceforth as a private individual, he might have found salvation. But it was clear that he could not use the office of king in harmony with the divine will.

Better than thou. So far as the record goes, Saul’s only mistake up to this time was that at Gilgal (ch. 13:8-14). There was no blot on his record as in the case of David with Bath-sheba and Uriah the Hittite. Both men were great sinners; the difference between them lay in the fact that, when his sins were pointed out Saul justified his course of action (chs. 13:11, 12; 15:20), whereas David sincerely repented of his sins (2 Sam. 12:13; Ps. 51).