King Saul’s life in 1 Samuel 22–26 reveals how unrepentant sin can destroy the mind and heart. Saul’s jealousy of David grew into paranoia, self-pity, and ultimately madness. Yet David, who walked closely with God, displayed peace and wisdom. Learn that true wisdom—and true mental and spiritual stability—come only from walking with God.

https://youtu.be/lWwGBiHE5nA

Table of contentsSin Can Cause Mental IllnessSaul's Violent OutburstsSaul’s ParanoiaSaul’s First Mental BreakdownMy Friend’s Bipolar DisorderSaul’s Bipolar Disorder or Unrepentance?The Wisdom From Walking with GodSaul’s Change of Heart?Saul’s Second Mental BreakdownOutward Sorrow Is not Evidence of RepentanceJimmy Swaggart’s Outward SorrowNoah’s And David’s RepentanceGain Wisdom from walking with God

The first mission trip I went on was with my previous church, Grace Baptist. We traveled with World Impact to Los Angeles, primarily for a work trip to assist them with repairs to one of their buildings. However, we also conducted some evangelism in Central City East, which is more commonly referred to as Skid Row. It contains one of the largest populations of homeless people in the United States.

You can see that many of the homeless people are mentally ill. Now, let me be clear: I believe some of these individuals are mentally ill through no fault of their own. Their mental illness is no more their fault than other illnesses or diseases are anyone's fault. However, just as some illnesses and diseases are caused by sin, mental illness can also result from sin.

Sin Can Cause Mental Illness

Saul is one of the most vivid portrayals of mental illness in Scripture. We can watch his mental decline throughout 1 Samuel.

Saul's Violent Outbursts

I believe his sickness began with his insane jealousy of David:

1 Samuel 18:7 The women sang…“Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” 8 Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 And Saul eyed David from that day on.

Soon after this, there are three recorded instances of Saul trying to pin David to the wall with his spear. When Saul started to believe his son, Jonathan, was with David, he also began trying to kill him. These violent outbursts show him unraveling mentally.

Saul’s Paranoia

David knew he was no longer safe in Jerusalem, so he fled and began hiding in the Judean wilderness. Saul went after him:

1 Samuel 22:6 Now Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men who were with him. Saul was sitting at Gibeah under the tamarisk tree on the height with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him.

Saul is sitting under a tree in the shade while all his servants are standing around him. When Saul has his spear in his hand, you try to fade into the background and hope he doesn’t notice you. Now Saul begins scolding his men:

1 Samuel 22:7 And Saul said to his servants who stood about him, “Hear now, people of Benjamin; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds,

Saul is from the tribe of Benjamin, and David is from the tribe of Judah; therefore, Saul appeals to their tribal loyalties to persuade them to support him instead of David. But, knowing that’s not enough, he also tries to bribe them, letting them know that since he’s king, he’s the one who can give them land and promotions: “David is a fugitive. He’s in exile. He can’t give you anything. He has nothing to offer. Don’t support him. But I can give you whatever you want, so you should support me.” He’s like a corrupt politician

1 Samuel 22:8 that all of you have conspired against me? No one discloses to me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse (referring to David; Saul won’t even use his name). None of you is sorry for me or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant (referring to David) against me, to lie in wait, as at this day.”

Notice the repetition of the words' me' and 'my,' and picture Saul saying this in a whiny voice. It must have been miserable serving Saul. This has to be the worst pity party in all of Scripture. It’s almost hard to imagine a grown man talking this way, say nothing about the king of Israel. He even said, “None of you is sorry for me.” He really thinks he’s the victim, even though he’s trying to murder David.

Paranoia is one of the other hallmarks of mental illness, and Saul thinks everyone is against him: first, David, his most loyal general, then his son, Jonathan, whom he suspected of turning David against him, and now he thinks all of his men are conspiring against him. And it gets even worse. Much worse. The rest of this chapter is one of the darkest in the Old Testament. Saul becomes convinced that a town of priests is against him, so he has all of them murdered.

Saul’s First Mental Breakdown

There were up to 3,500 caves and underground chambers in the Judean wilderness, and David and his men were hiding in them. You would think there’s almost no chance of Saul being able to find David, but in a dramatic example of God’s providence, Saul had to go to the bathroom, and he chose the cave where David and his men were hiding.

Before Saul went to the bathroom, he took off his robe, set it on the ground, and David was able to cut off a corner of it without Saul knowing. Then, when they left the cave, David called out to Saul, told him he could have killed him, showed him the corner of the robe as evidence, and, wanting to convince Saul that he meant him no harm, he humbly compared himself to a dead dog and a flea that Saul didn’t need to worry about:

1 Samuel 24:16 As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept.

Picture what this looked like: Saul has been trying to kill David. Now he’s crying in front of all of his men and calling David his son.

My Friend’s Bipolar Disorder

I have a good friend, and if it wasn’t for him, I might doubt that bipolar disorder is a real mental illness, suspecting that it is just one more worldly explanation to excuse people’s poor behavior. But I still remember the first time my friend called me about 15 years ago during one of his manic episodes. He was a completely different, unrecognizable, and unreasonable person.

Over the years, there have been more phone calls, sometimes when he’s manic and other times when he’s depressed. During these episodes, he swings back and forth between mania and depression, sometimes over the course of days or even hours. He will call me and be the happiest person in the world, only to call the next day and be so depressed that he says he wants his life to end.

Saul’s Bipolar Disorder or Unrepentance?

Now, let’s connect this to Saul: he’s unbalanced and losing his mind, and if he were alive today and visited a psychiatrist, I don’t think it would take long before he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

He would be told he had some hormone imbalance, a thyroid disorder, neurotransmitter issues, nutritional deficiencies, an overactive or underactive gland, or maybe some environmental issue like mold in the palace, or trauma from his past that caused his illness.

But here’s the truth: While these issues might contribute to other people’s illnesses, Saul didn’t have any of these problems. His problem was unrepentance. He was a proud man who often felt sorry for himself, repeatedly played the victim, and wouldn’t turn from his sins when confronted, and it drove him crazy.

1 Samuel 14:35 Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first altar that he built to the Lord.

I read this and think, “Are you kidding me? This was the first altar Saul had ever built!” How could he grow up in Israel, become a man with a family, and have never built an altar? But it reveals how little of a relationship he had with God. When Saul didn’t slaughter all of the Amalekites, Samuel confronted him, and Saul kept referring to God as “Your God.” Saul never had a relationship with the Lord.

The Wisdom From Walking with God

There is a wisdom that comes from walking with God, and Saul didn’t have it. Proverbs is the book of wisdom, and this is one of the main themes. There are many verses I could share with you, but here are just two…

Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom

Wisdom begins with a relationship with the Lord. So, people who don’t know the Lord lack wisdom. They look foolish and confused.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

When we walk with the Lord, we are guided along straight paths in life. On the other hand, those who don’t walk with the Lord will lack straight paths and may face instability at best, or chaos at worst.

It is one of God’s graces when we’re able to meet people who have walked with the Lord for a long time. Their lives are not absent from trials, but they are still characterized by peace and harmony. The other side of this is that if wisdom and peace come from knowing and walking with the Lord, then those who reject God, like Saul did for years, often lack these qualities. Their lives are frequently marked by turmoil and confusion, just like Saul’s.

Saul’s Change of Heart?

Speaking of Saul’s confused life, look at his response, and notice it sounds like an incredible change of heart:

1 Samuel 24:17 He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. 18 And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands.