Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David. For I will harm you no more, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Indeed I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.”
1 Samuel 26:21

When is repentance not repentance? Saul sinfully wanted to kill David. God never allowed him to accomplish that sinister scheme, but Saul kept trying. David kept running.

David had two perfect opportunities to kill Saul (1 Samuel 24 & 26), which would have halted the madness. On both occasions, David refused to kill Saul. David knew that Saul had been chosen by God to be Israel’s first king and David rightly honored Saul’s position, even if Saul was a most dishonorable man! Instead, David trusted God.

After the second time David spared Saul, Saul was moved to acknowledge his sin, promised not to continue pursuing David, and acknowledged the foolishness of his actions.

Saul proves that mere words of confession and repentance—even when fueled by deep emotion, are not always true repentance. Though it is true that Christians often confess the same sins over and over, and God is faithful to forgive time and again, true repentance is marked by a genuine desire to turn from sin, and to obedience to the Lord. Apparently that was not the case for Saul. He was so blinded by sin that he even resorted to the sin of necromancy (attempting to consult the dead for counsel) since God would not answer him.

Sin not truly repented of will eventually have a blinding effect. Saul was spiritually blinded by his sin. Lord, grant us repentance before we are blinded by our sin.