David mourned and wept and fasted for Saul and his son Jonathan. It would appear quite strange to us that David would weep for Saul after all that he had undergone at the hands of Saul. We might even be tempted to label David as shedding crocodile tears in his public mourning of Saul. But nothing could be further from the truth. David is sad at the passing of two great sons of Israel, and more so for the manner in which they died: at the hands of their enemies. David had declared Saul the anointed of God. Despite how far Saul had strayed away from the commands of God or how much he had stopped listening to God, David still held Saul in high regards and would not stretch forth his hands to harm him even when an opportunity presented itself. David understood that judgment and revenge belong to God alone. And most importantly, David understood what forgiveness is all about.
David mourning for Saul and his son Jonathan shows us what human relationship should be. Despite being mistreated by Saul, David still regarded him as his father and mentor. He chose to see in Saul the many things they had in common. He chose to focus on the successes that Saul had as a warrior son of Israel.