One great defect in the character of Saul was his love of approbation. This trait had had a controlling influence over his actions and thoughts; everything was marked by his desire for praise and self-exaltation. His standard of right and wrong was the low standard of popular applause. No man is safe who lives that he may please men, and does not seek first for the approbation of God. It was the ambition of Saul to be first in the estimation of men; and when this song of praise was sung, a settled conviction entered the mind of the king that David would obtain the hearts of the people and reign in his stead.

En af Sauls store fejl var netop hans higen efter bifald. Dette karaktertræk beherskede både hans handlinger og hans tanker. I alle hans handlinger kom hans higen efter ros og selvophøjelse til syne. Han tog det ikke så nøje, om han bar sig rigtigt eller forkert ad, blot han kunne sikre sig folkets bifald. Et menneske udsætter sig for en stor fare, hvis det kun tænker på at behage mennesker og lader hensynet til Gud komme i anden række. Det var Sauls ærgerrige mål at stå højest i folkets agtelse, og da denne takkesang blev sunget, var kongen overbevist om, at David ville vinde folkets hjerte og blive konge i hans sted.