Then David went and took the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the open square of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged them on the day when the Philistines had killed Saul in Gilboa. 13 He brought up the bones of Saul and of Jonathan his son from there, and they gathered the bones of those who had been hanged [with their arms and legs broken]. 14 They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father; and they did all that the king commanded. After that, God was moved by prayer for the land. – 2 Samuel 21:12-14
The Holy Spirit wants us to note that, if Saul was guilty of violating one oath which was sworn before God, David – the man after God’s own heart – was careful to respect and to keep another oath which was, as stressed here, sworn before God. And so, over against Saul the covenant-breaker, the Holy Spirit sets David the covenant-keeper. As if to say, now Israel has a king who keeps covenant.
God will lead and be with each of us in our times of intercession.
[ Our Victory in Christ ] In the same way the Spirit [comes to us and] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words. – Romans 8:26
