David is a real renaisance man. Not only is he a great warrior and a brilliant politcal strategist he is also a poet and a worship leader. Like any good worship leader, when he hears the news of Saul's death he writes a song that expresses the grief he feels and makes all the people sing it:
David took up this lament concerning Saul and his son Jonathan, and he ordered that the people of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar) (1:17-18)
These first 4 chapters of 2 Samuel deal with the process of unifying Israel under the rule of a new king, David. It's a bloody and drawn out process because Saul's guys are still hanging around and think that they should continue as king. But the trend is definitely in David's favor:
The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker. (3:1)
David handles himself extremely well - I mentioned earlier his political savvy.
All the people took note and were pleased; indeed, everything the king did pleased them. (3:36)
But even though the people were pleased with everything David did many of those in his command didn't quite get him. They didn't comprehend his sense of honor and respect for God and for doing the "right" thing in God's eyes. Some of his guys, apparently in an effort to promote themselves in David's eyes, went and killed Ishbosheth who was one of the last remaining of Saul's sons. I suppose they thought his was going to please David. But...
David answered Rekab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble, when someone told me, ‘Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and put him to death in Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his news! How much more—when wicked men have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed—should I not now demand his blood from your hand and rid the earth of you!” (4:9-11)
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