Father Mike Schmitz hosts this Bible in a Year podcast episode, celebrating day 111 of the reading plan using the Great Adventure Bible timeline and Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition.

The episode covers 1 Samuel chapters 18-19 and Psalm 59, focusing on the deepening friendship between Jonathan and David, Saul's escalating jealousy and murder attempts, and David's eventual flight to Samuel at Ramah.

Father Mike explores the nature of virtuous friendship through C.S. Lewis's framework, contrasts David's trust in God with Saul's obsession with public opinion, and emphasizes the importance of praising God during trials.

Jonathan and David's Covenant of Virtuous Friendship

Jonathan and David form a covenant because 'the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul,' with Jonathan giving David his robe, armor, sword, bow, and belt.

Their friendship exemplifies what The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis calls virtuous friendship - being 'captivated by something bigger than themselves' and recognizing someone else running beside them toward the same goal.

Jonathan shows remarkable virtue by not being jealous of David's rise, understanding that 'God has plans for David, God has plans for Jonathan' and that David becoming king was always God's plan.

Saul's Fatal Flaw: Caring More About Public Opinion Than God

The women's victory song 'Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands' triggers Saul's rage because 'they have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands.'

Father Mike identifies Saul's Achilles heel: 'he cares too much what other people think of him, and he cares too little of what God thinks of him.'

Saul attempts to kill David twice by throwing his spear, thinking 'I will pin David to the wall,' but David evaded him both times.

David's Marriage Trap and Philistine Victory

Saul offers his daughter Michal to David as 'a snare for him' hoping 'the hand of the Philistines may be against him' in battle.

When David protests he's 'a poor man and of no repute,' Saul demands 100 Philistine foreskins as the bride price instead of money.

David delivers 200 Philistine foreskins because 'David is an overachiever' and the double amount pleased him well to become the king's son-in-law.

David's Flight and Psalm 59's Context of Praise Under Persecution

Michal helps David escape through a window and deceives Saul's messengers by placing 'an image and laid it on the bed and put a pillow of goat's hair at its head.'

David flees to Samuel at Ramah, beginning years of being 'constantly on the run from King Saul' while showing mercy to Saul despite receiving only 'jealousy and envy and bitterness.'

Psalm 59 is specifically 'a mictum of David, when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him,' demonstrating how David 'gives God praise' even while being hunted.

Father Mike emphasizes the power of praising God 'before the battle is over' and 'when we're in the midst of the struggle' rather than waiting for deliverance.