1 Samuel 16:23 (YLT)

Passage

And it hath come to pass, in the spirit of <FI>sadness from<Fi> God being on Saul, that David hath taken the harp, and played with his hand, and Saul hath refreshment and gladness, and the spirit of sadness hath turned aside from off him.

Nearby Context

1 Samuel 16:21 And David cometh in unto Saul, and standeth before him, and he loveth him greatly; and he is a bearer of his weapons.

1 Samuel 16:22 And Saul sendeth unto Jesse, saying, `Let David, I pray thee, stand before me, for he hath found grace in mine eyes.'

1 Samuel 16:23 And it hath come to pass, in the spirit of <FI>sadness from<Fi> God being on Saul, that David hath taken the harp, and played with his hand, and Saul hath refreshment and gladness, and the spirit of sadness hath turned aside from off him.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "Spirit", "hath", "come", "pass", "sadness", "saul", and "david". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "Spirit" and "hath", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The prior verse says "And Saul sendeth unto Jesse saying Let...", giving immediate footing for "Spirit" and "hath". In 1 Samuel context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "Spirit" and "hath" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.