The reason King David's reign lasted while Shaul's did not.
Things that are truly infinite are infinite through and through. You can recognize at their starting point that they have that quality. Juxtaposed to this is the philosophical concept of "kol hoveh nifsad", "all that is present in a state of existence eventually degrades (back to nothing)". Like the Bechayeh writes that the moment a child is born it begins to dry up (and begins the process of biodegradation).
For this reason we see that king David and Solomon were anointed with a "horn" of oil, as apposed to king Saul and Yehu, who were anointed with a "vial" of oil. The horn, on the one hand, is grouped together halachicly with the hoofs, that both are "leftovers" and have a lower status regarding tumah than even the skin. The horn, on the other hand, is hard and has a strength to last a long time and is attached to the head, above the head even. (Interestingly, in monetary laws, the "keren" is the main part of payment as apposed to the "tosefes" etc.) In our divine service this represents self-sacrifice, that which is above intellect, as the horn is above the head.
The concept of Shaul is also described in the Torah as "Shaul from the breadth of the river". The river represents expansive understanding (just as a spring represents intellects seminal point). Nonetheless, even intellects most expansive state is limited and Shaul's kingdom didn't last.
The time to come is called "yom shekulo aruch", "a day that is completely long". Even on the "beginning" of that day you can recognize it's length. For this reason the beginning of king David's reign was anointed with the horn and marked by the service of self-sacrifice.
From mamer Ve'al Hanisim 5729
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