Respectfully Defying Authority (I Samuel 26)

The just and justifying Lord,
Alone I put my trust in Him.
For I believe there's no reward,
In justifying self by sin.
Those God placed in authority,
I will respect in word and deed,
Though they are persecuting me,
And flaunt responsibility.

But give me wisdom to protect,
The weak and poor and the oppressed,
When lawful ministers neglect,
And cause or else ignore distress.
You are the judge, Lord, and not I.
I do not seek my own revenge.
Upon all men You cast Your eye,
And I believe that You'll defend.

So grant me wisdom, Lord, to see,
How to respond to state abuse.
Defiance shown respectfully,
When to resign, when to refuse.
And help me flee temptation's lies,
To take the law in my own hand.
Your law I'll never sacrifice,
I leave to You to save or damn.

The Lord’s Anointed (I Samuel 24)

Do not lift up your hand
Against the Lord's anointed.
Submit you to the man
By Providence appointed.
And though they persecute,
Yet do not seek vengeance.
For judgment's not with you,
But on our Savior hinges.

Believe that God will bring
Full justice to our nation.
And He will intervene,
To bring about salvation.
And He will snatch my case
From earthly judges' purview.
He'll blot out my disgrace
And bring about my rescue.

Though I make my defense,
Confronting my offender,
I trust not to my sense,
But to my Christ Defender.
For Christ alone gives peace,
His way alone enduring.
In Him my strivings cease,
I rest to His assuring.

Samuel’s Sonnet (I Samuel 16:1-13)

I'm at a loss, we chose ourselves a king,
And he has failed to follow Your demands.
"Yet do not grieve the failing of your scheme,
I'll bring a king who follows me, not man."
Behold a leader! Eloquent and strong,
A man whose gravitas demands respect.
"Yet for a leader he's completely wrong,
I see the heart, not visible aspects."
Then there are none that You have not first blocked.
And all fall short of what You call us to.
"Do not leave out the least among my flock,
For from the last I'll make a king for you.
He will with righteousness my people feed,
And be their captain, as I have decreed."