阅读经文 

大卫生在一个怎样的世代？那是一个建立在以色列民执着于仿效周围邻国的世代。他们不愿先知撒母耳继续领导他们了，在他们眼中，有神藉着祂所差派的先知来领导他们并作他们的王，是不足够的。为了要像其他国家一样，他们想有一位在地上治理他们的君王。

当以色列的长老们来到拉玛见他时，撒母耳已经是疲惫不堪和十分困倦，他或许已经预料到会有这一天的了，他的儿子对神和对百姓都不忠心。长老们带来一个要求：“现在求你为我们立一个王治理我们，像列国一样。” 他们看到那些有影响力和日渐强大的国家，都有能够推动事情得以执行和占领其他弱小国家的有能力的君王。他们希望有一位他们能够看得见、摸得着、听得见和可跟随的君王。

以色列民要求立王，结果他们求来了扫罗王。扫罗表面上拥有所有成功的条件（高大、健壮、俊美），可是，他却很快便背叛神和按照自己的方式自行其是。（参撒上 9-15）

这就是大卫身处的世代——受一个民族的背道之害的世代，因为他们想求一位他们能够眼见、但却未能胜过试探的君王，而不接受那位他们看不见的智慧、慈爱和信实的神。

What kind of world did David enter into? He entered a world built by Israel’s obsession to be like the nations around them. They did not want the prophet Samuel to lead them anymore. In their eyes, it was not enough to have God as their King, leading the people through his prophet, Samuel. To be like other nations, they wanted to have a human king.

Samuel was worn-out and tired when the elders of Israel came to his place in Ramah. Maybe he knew this day was coming. His sons were not faithful to God or to the people. The elders came with a demand: “Appoint a king to lead us, such as all the nations have.” They saw other nations that were making a difference and gaining power. Those nations all had a king who could make things happen and take over weaker nations. They wanted a king they could see, touch, hear, and follow.

Israel’s demand for a king would give them King Saul. Saul had all the visible features of success (tall, dark, and handsome), but he would soon turn against God and do things his own way (1 Samuel 9-15).

This was the kind of world that David entered—a world poisoned by a people who wanted a visible, untested king rather than the wise, loving, and faithful God they could not see.