What does 1 Samuel 15:24 mean?

Once Saul hears the consequence for his disobedience, he is finally ready to confess that he has sinned. It's unclear whether he is truly humbling himself with this confession or simply trying another tactic to gain back God's approval.

Before being told directly that he had been rejected by the Lord, Saul boldly claimed to be obedient (1 Samuel 15:20). Now he reverses that and admits, "I have sinned." In essence, the king says, "I was wrong to disobey God's command and your words, Samuel." He also explains where his error came from: he feared the people who wanted to take the best animals of the Amalekites, and he obeyed them rather than God.

On one hand, Saul's confession is a good model for any who understand that we have sinned: I sinned. I was wrong. Here's what I decided was more important than obeying God. Unfortunately for Saul, his confession comes too late to change the consequences of disobeying God in the first place. Sincere or not, it only came after he was confronted with his own lies. It's more about avoiding punishment than accepting responsibility.