“American Sniper”, starring Bradley Cooper, was an incredibly successful movie in 2015. Its success came in spite of the fact many people were offended by its gritty and gory portrayal of the life of the real American sniper, Chris Kyle. The movie is filled with violence; graphic and gory video presentations of the killing of men, women and children – by Chris Kyle. It didn’t hide the fact that he was addicted to war. Nor did it hide the sexual liberties of his early life or constant stream of profanity that poured from his lips. It was a realistic portrayal of a real human’s life.

At the end of the movie, after it described Chris Kyle’s murder by a fellow war veteran he was trying to help, the audiences were silent. Unable to speak they walked out quietly, reverently considering his death. Instead of the usual ear blasting music during the closing credits it ended silently with scenes of the actual funeral procession that stretched over 200 miles of Texas Highway. All along the way 1000s of people came out, alone or in groups, to honor Chris Kyle. Whatever we may think of Chris Kyle’s life, or its graphic movie presentation, we understand the impact he had on others by how he was honored in death.

In the same way whatever we may think of King Saul we can understand what he meant to the nation of Israel and to his successor, David, by David’s reaction to the news. We think he should be jubilant. His decade long nightmare of running and hiding from Saul was finally over. But no, not David. Instead he honored Saul by tearing his clothes, and then mourning, weeping and fasting for a whole day (2 Samuel 1:11-12). Then Israel’s sweet singer composed a song in honor of Saul and Jonathan (2 Samuel 1:17-27). Despite Saul’s failure to serve God with a pure heart, and everything he had done to him, David called on Israel to weep for its fallen king.

Beginning with, “Your beauty, O Israel, is slain on your high places!” (v19) David praised the good things Saul and Jonathan had done, and then called for weeping, “O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.” (v24) and ended with one more lament “How have the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished.” (v27).

We live in a world filled with death: both physical and spiritual. Do we weep over the spiritual death of souls who turn away from God while they’re still alive physically? If so, is it with the same power and passion we bring to actual funerals? Do we think in terms of the beauty of Israel being slain when precious souls are destroyed by sin? Do we love people enough to be distressed for them when their souls perish? If not, then perhaps David’s lament “How have the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished.” is for us too. Does David lament for you?