Have you ever wondered what was the difference between David and Saul? Saul was the first king of Israel, but God rejected him from being king and selected David to replace him.

But what did Saul do that was so bad to cause him to be rejected as king by God? When you look at all that David did, and then you look at what Saul did, it seems incredible that Saul was rejected, and David was called a man after God’s own heart!

I mean, think about it! David took another man’s wife, got her pregnant, and then had her husband killed in an attempt to cover-up his sin! And what did Saul do? All Saul did was spare the life of an enemy king and save some livestock that God had told him to kill and destroy!

The ultimate difference between David and Saul was their response when confronted with their sins. When the prophet Samuel confronted Saul about his disobedience, Saul insisted that he had indeed obeyed the Lord, even though Samuel could hear the sound of the livestock, which was evidence of Saul’s disobedience! However, when the prophet Nathan confronted David, David acknowledged his sin and repented!

Therein was the difference; Saul denied his wrong and tried to justify his disobedience, but David admitted his wrong and repented of his sin! The Bible says in Proverbs 28:13, “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.”

My friends, none of us are perfect and no matter how we try to do right, from time to time, we will do wrong! The key to forgiveness and God’s grace is not to double-down, doggedly denying our transgressions, but rather to admit our mistakes and make the needed adjustments. That was the difference between David and Saul, and that is the difference between forgiveness and condemnation.