Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me."" But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it.

And David said to the young man who told him, "Where do you come from?"" And he answered, "I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite."" David said to him, "How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?""

Is there some guidance here as we considered the morality of physician-assisted suicide? The word applied to describe the armor-bearer, feared, is the same word used in the phrase, the fear of the LORD. The same word in Hebrew, yare, is used by David in questioning the Amelekite whose thinking did not begin to consider the concept of fearing the LORD.

We should not be surprised that the non-believing world does not recognize the image of God as present in all human life, but we must guard against any violation in our own life and witness.

Today's readings in the Psalms:

Morning: Psalm 125

Mid-day: 119:113-120

Evening: Psalm 50

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