David recognized that the Lord’s anointed, even if he acted in ways that are at odds with God’s law, continued to hold a special office.1 The Lord alone has the right to remove his king and to do so in his time (see Exodus 22:28). To raise your hand against that individual was to raise your hand against the Lord.2
6 He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD’s anointed.”