1 Samuel 26 records David’s last confrontation with Saul. You’d think that would have been in chapter 24 when David cuts Saul’s robe instead of Saul himself, and Saul admits his fault. But no. Saul is at it again:

Some Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Did you know that David is hiding out on the Hakilah Hill just opposite Jeshimon?” Saul was on his feet in a minute and on his way to the wilderness of Ziph, taking three thousand of his best men, the pick of the crop, to hunt for David in that wild desert. (1 Samuel 26.1, 2, MSG)

David finds Saul’s camp with the whole army asleep. He and Abishai go down:

David and Abishai entered the encampment by night, and there he was—Saul, stretched out asleep at the center of the camp, his spear stuck in the ground near his head, with Abner and the troops sound asleep on all sides. Abishai said, “This is the moment! God has put your enemy in your grasp. Let me nail him to the ground with his spear. One hit will do it, believe me; I won’t need a second!” But David said to Abishai, “Don’t you dare hurt him! Who could lay a hand on GOD’s anointed and even think of getting away with it? … As GOD lives, either GOD will strike him, or his time will come and he’ll die in bed, or he’ll fall in battle, but GOD forbid that I should lay a finger on GOD’s anointed. Now, grab the spear at his head and the water jug and let’s get out of here.” (1 Samuel 26.7 – 11, MSG)

David accuses Saul’s general, Abner, of dereliction of duty, and once again asks Saul why he continues pursuing David when David means him no harm. (1 Samuel 26.12 – 20) And Saul confesses…again:

Saul confessed, “I’ve sinned! Oh, come back, my dear son David! I won’t hurt you anymore. You’ve honored me this day, treating my life as most precious. And I’ve acted the fool—a moral dunce, a real clown.” David answered, “See what I have here? The king’s spear. Let one of your servants come and get it. It’s GOD’s business to decide what to do with each of us in regard to what’s right and who’s loyal. GOD put your life in my hands today, but I wasn’t willing to lift a finger against GOD’s anointed. Just as I honored your life today, may GOD honor my life and rescue me from all trouble.” Saul said to David, “Bless you, dear son David! Yes, do what you have to do! And, yes, succeed in all you attempt!” Then David went on his way, and Saul went home. (1 Samuel 26.21 – 25, MSG)

David knows that Saul’s repentance is insincere, and he decides to camp out in Philistine territory where our story will pick up. David never sees Saul again.

David thought to himself, “Sooner or later, Saul’s going to get me. The best thing I can do is escape to Philistine country. Saul will count me a lost cause and quit hunting me down in every nook and cranny of Israel. I’ll be out of his reach for good.” So David left; he and his six hundred men went to Achish son of Maoch, king of Gath. (1 Samuel 27.1, 2, MSG)

With respect to Saul, there is effective repentance and pretend repentance. The Apostle Paul was clear in his letter to the Corinthians:

Yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. (2 Corinthians 7.9, 10, NIV

David, in the meantime, has done the right thing to spare Saul. Look at Psalm 23.3. We all learned, “He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Here it is in The Living Bible:

He helps me do what honors him the most.

Indeed.