even though the Lord your God was your king

 1 Samuel 12:1-15

“You have not cheated or oppressed us,” they replied. “You have not taken anything from anyone’s hand.” Samuel said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and also his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” “He is witness,” they said.

But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we want a king to rule over us’—even though the Lord your God was your king.

Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you asked for; see, the Lord has set a king over you. If you fear the Lord and serve and obey him and do not rebel against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the Lord your God—good! But if you do not obey the Lord, and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors.

Why?

The generation of Samuel will end, so Samuel declared the word to warn his people not to forget the Lord their God, and obey God's commands.

Their ancestors were against the Lord and suffered many troubles. Even the Lord listened to their cry and set Saul as their king, obeying the Lord is the essential rule of blessing.

But if you do not obey the Lord, and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors. This has always happened in the history of Israel, and this is the nature of human sins.

How?

The Lord is my leader, friend, shepherd, and king. Do everything to honor the Holy Name of the Lord.