Saul Kills the Priests at Nob

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

David had returned to the land of Judah, his own tribe, upon the counsel of the prophet Gad.

(6) When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men with him (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants standing about him), 

Saul's residence was in Ramah.  He was there, with a spear forever in his hand, it seems, and all his servants were around him.  He heard that David's whereabouts had been discovered.

(7) Then Saul said to his servants who stood about him, "Hear now, you Benjamites, will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds? (8) That all of you have conspired against me and none who shows me that my son has made a league with the son of Jesse, and none of you is sorry for me, or shows to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?"

Upon hearing the whereabouts of David, Saul asked his servants if David would give them fields and vineyards and make them captains so that they would betray Saul and conspire against him.  He suspected that his son Jonathan was in league with David, yet none of his servants would tell him what they knew.  Were they at all concerned for him that they wouldn't tell him what they knew about Jonathan stirring up David against him, as he assumed was the case.

(9) Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said, "I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. (10) And he enquired of the Lord for him and gave him victuals and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine."

Doeg, Saul's chief herdsman (1 Samuel 21:7), had seen David when he was with Ahimelech.  He now spoke up and told Saul about it.  He told him that the priest had given David food and the sword of Goliath, but he also added that Ahimelech had inquired of the Lord for David, but we were not told that that had happened.

(11) Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests in Nob, and they came all of them to the king.

Saul then sent for Ahimelech the priest and all his family who were also priests in Nob, and they all came to him.  It is important to note that these priests were the descendants of Eli, the priest to whom Hannah had dedicated her son Samuel so that he might minister to the Lord all his life.

(12) And Saul said, "Hear now, you son of Ahitub." And he answered, "Here I am, my lord." (13) And Saul said to him, "Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread, and a sword, and have enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?"

Saul asked Ahimelech why he had conspired against him to help David to give him bread, a sword, and had inquired of the Lord for him, so that he could rise up in rebellion against him, and to lie in wait, waiting for an opportunity to seize his crown and kingdom, as Saul supposed were David's intentions.

(14) Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, "And who is so faithful among all the servants as David who is the king's son-in-law and goes at your bidding and is honorable in your house? (15) Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? Be it far from me; let not the king impute anything to his servant, nor to all the house of my father, for your servant knew nothing of all this, less or more."

Ahimelech answered the king, first telling him that he knew David to be the honorable son-in-law of the king, faithful to do whatever the king asked of him.  However, he said that it was far from him to have inquired of the Lord for him, which I suppose must have been a duty which he owed to Saul alone as king of Israel.  He then asked Saul not to charge him or his family with any treason against the king, as he knew nothing about ill feelings between Saul and his son-in-law.

(16) And the king said, "You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father's house." (17) And the king said to the footmen who stood about him, "Turn and slay the priests of the Lord because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not show it to me." But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the Lord.

Saul told Ahimelech that he and his family would die because of what he considered treason against the king.  He told his footmen who were standing around him to kill all the priests of the Lord who were before him because he considered them conspirators with David against him.  He accused them of knowing where David had fled and not telling him where.  However, the footmen would not kill the priests of the Lord.

(18) And the king said to Doeg, "You turn and fall upon the priests!" And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests and killed on that day eighty-five men who wore a linen ephod.

Saul then told Doeg to kill the priests, which he did, eighty-five of them.  This fulfilled a promise of God that He would end Eli's descendants' reign as priests because of the iniquity of his sons, and Eli had done nothing to restrain them (1 Samuel 3:12-14).  The Biblical commentators I study pointed out that Doeg was again called the Edomite to separate him from the nation of Israel.  The Edomites were a brutal and violent people who hated Israel.  They descended from Esau, Jacob's brother, who traded his birthright for red stew.  He was called Edom after that which meant "red."  Doeg had no problem killing any Israelites even if they were priests.

(19) And Nob, the city of priests, he struck with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and infants, and oxen, and donkeys, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

So ruthless was Doeg that he killed all the inhabitants of Nob, even women, children, and even babies, and all animals.  However, the order surely came from Saul which made this the most wicked and cruel act of his, showing he was totally under the influence of the evil spirit that plagued him.

Preserve My Life from Fear of the Enemy

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(1 Samuel 22:3) And David went from there to Mizpah of Moab, and he said to the king of Moab, "Let my father and my mother, I pray you, come forth to be with you, till I know what God will do for me."

David had previously escaped to a cave and dwelt there.  His family heard he was there and came to him with many other people who desired to help David.  Now he left the cave and went to Mizpah in Moab.  He asked the king of Moab to allow his parents to stay there until he received instructions from the Lord.  David knew his parents would not be safe within reach of Saul.  Perhaps since his father was the grandson of Ruth the Moabitess, David thought his parents would be safe there in Moab.

(4) And he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold.

David brought his parents to the king of Moab, and they stayed with him all the time David was in hiding, in his place of defense, in the cave or in another stronghold.

(5) And the prophet Gad said to David, "Abide not in the hold, depart, and get to the land of Judah." Then David departed and came into the forest of Hareth.

A prophet named Gad came to David and told him not to abide where he was but to go to the land of Judah.  It appears that David must have been still in Moab, and the prophet told him he should go to Judah, David's own tribe.  So David departed and went to the forest of Hareth, where exactly that was is unknown, but I'm sure it was in Judah.  He may have composed the following psalm at that time, as it is said that according to the Syriac Orthodox Church that played a crucial role in the transmission of Biblical texts and theological writings, this psalm was "composed by David when warned by Gad the prophet..."

(Psalm 64:1) (To the Chief Musician, a Psalm of David) Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer; preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

It seems odd that at this time David would be writing songs to the chief musician, but it shows that the psalm was not designed as an expression of mere private prayer but was intended to be used again in the later worship of God.  He probably gave that heading sometime after he wrote the psalm.

David apparently cried out to the Lord with his voice and asked the Lord to hear his prayer.  David certainly wished that his life be preserved, but he was actually praying that he be preserved from fear of the enemy.  He needed help to "Fear not."  He prayed that his faith and trust in the Lord be so strong that he would not be afraid of his enemy.  Or perhaps it was more like he prayed that his situation change so that he had no reason to fear an enemy.

(2) Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked, from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity.

David prayed that the Lord protect him from the secret plans of the wicked who were pursuing him.  David did not know what their secret plans were, but God knew, and He could protect him from whatever they were.  He prayed for protection from secret plans and also outward violence from those workers of iniquity.

(3) Who whet their tongue like a sword and aim their bitter words like arrows. (4) That they may shoot in secret at the perfect; suddenly do they shoot at him and fear not.

These wicked workers of iniquity used injurious and slanderous words against David.  They attacked him with lies.  They lay in wait to secretly attack the upright with no fear of God nor man that what they were doing was wrong.  Saul, as king, felt he was the law, but apparently he had no fear of the Lord, for he surely knew he sought to kill an innocent man.

(5) They encourage themselves in an evil matter; they commune of laying snares secretly; they say, "Who shall see them?"

The wicked enemies of David talked themselves into a frenzy, convincing themselves with their reasonings and arguments that they were justified in pursuing David.  They discussed their plans for laying traps for him with no fear that anyone would see them.

(6) They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search; both the inward of every one and the heart is deep.

They searched out evil schemes; they examined every plan.  Both the inward thoughts and the secret desires of the hearts of every one of his enemies were deep, crafty, and cunning, so as not to be searched out and fully known.

(7) But God shall shoot at them an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.

However, David knew that God knew their secret plans, and He would destroy them with a single arrow.  Very suddenly, God would take them unaware.

(8) So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves; all who see them shall flee away.

The evil things David's enemies had discussed and schemed would come upon themselves.  Those who saw what happened to them would flee for fear the same might come upon them. 

(9) And all men shall fear and shall declare the work of God, for they shall wisely consider His doing.

All men would fear and reverence the Lord when they observed the judgments of God.  They would wisely realize it was indeed the work of God.

(10) The righteous shall be glad in the Lord and shall trust in Him, and all the upright in heart shall glory.

The righteous who observed those judgments would be glad in the Lord and would trust in Him to deliver them as He had done for David.  The upright in heart would rejoice as they had cause for trust and triumph.

The fact that David indicated this psalm was to be presented to the chief musician showed his desire that it be an everlasting model of worship.  Indeed, it is a perfect model of prayer.  David earnestly asked for deliverance from his enemies and then showed his confident faith in God that his deliverance was sure.

God is My Refuge

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(1 Samuel 22:2) And everyone in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented, gathered themselves to him, and he became a captain over them, and there were with him about four hundred men.

(1 Chronicles 12:17) And David went out to meet them and answered and said to them, "If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart shall be knit to you, but if to betray me to my enemies, seeing there is no wrong in my hands, the God of our fathers look and rebuke." 

After David left Gath, he escaped to a cave called Adullam.  When they heard he was there, David's family and people from his tribe came to him.  It seems that everyone who was discontented with Saul's government in one way or another, also came to David. He went out to meet all the people who had come to him and told them that if they had come to help him, his heart would be as one with theirs, but if they had come to betray him to Saul, since he had done nothing wrong against Saul, David called on God to look upon them and judge.  He became a captain over them as they desired to help him against Saul.  He gathered about four hundred men.

(18) Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the captains, "We are yours, David, and on your side, you son of Jesse; peace, peace unto you, and peace to your helpers, for your God helps you. Then David received them and made them captains of the band.

The Holy Spirit came over Amasai, chief of the captains, and he told David that they were all on his side, and he wished peace to David and all who helped him, for he knew it was God who helped him.  David then received all the people who had come to him and made them captains of his troop.  

(Psalm 142:1) (Maschil of David, a prayer when he was in the cave) I cried to the Lord with my voice; with my voice to the Lord did I make my supplication.

It was at this time while David was dwelling in the cave that he composed this short psalm.  The word "maschil" literally meant "instructive"; therefore it seems that David intended this psalm to provide insight and impart wisdom.  It may be that David didn't assign that title until sometime after he composed it when he recalled it during times of trouble and saw it as a template of prayer.  David cried out to the Lord with his humble request.

(2) I poured out my complaint before Him; I showed before Him my trouble.

David poured out his heart before the Lord, telling Him of all his troubles.

(3) When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path. In the way where I walked have they secretly laid a snare for me.

When David was overwhelmed by his troubles, God knew exactly what was going on, better than David did.  He knew that where David went his enemies had laid traps for him.

(4) I looked on my right hand and beheld, but no man who would know me; refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.

David had previously had servants at his right hand to help him, but at that time there had been no one.  His refuge in the cave had failed him because there was no way he could escape and go find help.  He felt he had no one who cared to save his life.

(5) I cried to You, O Lord. I said, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living."

David's cave as a refuge had failed him, man had failed him, but he knew that God was his refuge, the only one he could count on in the land of the living.

(6) Attend to my cry for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors for they are stronger than I.

David asked that the Lord hearken to his cry because he had been brought very low in his spirit and in physical things as he was surely hungry, weak, and exhausted.  He prayed that the Lord deliver him from those who persecuted him for they were stronger (and much greater in number) than he was.

(7) Bring my soul out of prison that I may praise Your name. The righteous shall compass me about for you shall deal bountifully with me.

David prayed that the Lord bring him out of his prison there holed up in a cave that he might again be able to give God all the glory and praise His name publicly for his deliverance.  He had faith that someday the righteous would flock to him and surround him because the Lord had delivered him and blessed him so abundantly.  Interestingly, the original word "kathar" that was translated as "compass" also means "to crown."  David knew that the Lord had chosen him to be His king, and he had faith that that would come to pass.  And of course, the Lord did answer David's prayer and sent many people to the cave to help him.

Prayer for Guidance and Protection

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(1 Samuel 22:1) David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave Adullam, and when his brethren and all his father's house heard, they went down there to him.

David departed from Gath when he had acted mad before the king of Gath, and the king threw him out.  He escaped to a cave called Adullam.  When his brothers and all his family heard he was there, they went to him.

(1 Chronicles 12:16) And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold to David.

According to the chronological order I am following that was arranged by Skip Andrews, 1 Chronicles 12 tells of the same time.  There came many people from David's tribe and from the tribe of Judah to him.  Mr. Andrews suggested that David might have written the following psalm at that time:

(Psalm 141:1) (A Psalm of David) Lord, I cry to You; make haste to me! Give ear to my voice when I cry to You!

David cried out to the Lord.  He pleaded with the Lord to hurry as his need was urgent.  God's timing is always the best, but David usually received speedy answers from God because his faith and trust in Him was so great.  He desired a speedy answer now and asked God to hear his cry.  Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, pointed out how it seemed that so many of David's psalms began with complaints.  For one thing, he very often was in trouble, but also David's psalms were not formal writings, but actual meditations of his heart.  He spoke to God about whatever was going on in his heart and his mind.  He didn't guard his words; he was an open book who spoke to his Father and closest friend candidly.

(2) Let my prayer be set before you as incense, the lifting up of my hands the evening sacrifice.

This is a very beautiful illustration of prayer.  David desired that his prayer ascend up to the Lord as incense and that it be as acceptable.  As David lifted up his hands to heaven, he desired that God look upon those as favorably as He would the lifting up of the evening sacrifice.  Actually, David offered his body as a living sacrifice to do what God would have him do.  As Paul said in Romans 12:1, we should present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God.  

(3) Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

David asked that the Lord guard his mouth, that he not speak anything rash and ill advised, but rather he would speak what the Lord would have him speak.

(4) Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies.

David prayed that the Lord keep his heart from being inclined to do anything evil.  Actually, as we are all fallen sinners, born into sin, without God we would be inclined to do evil.  David prayed that God keep him from that and from wicked men.  He prayed that he not be drawn to them by their temptations they set before him as delicacies.

(5) Let the righteous strike me, a kindness, and let him reprove me, an excellent oil which shall not break my head, for yet my prayer also is in their calamities.

David preferred the harsh reproval of righteous men to the deceitful delicacies of the wicked.  He considered the reprimand of righteous men a kindness like an excellent oil that would not harm him but help him.  He would never resent such loving counsel and would always be there for them to pray for them in their troubles, as they had been there for him.

(6) When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words, for they are sweet.

This verse is a little difficult.  Who exactly was David talking about?  I tend to think it referred to the righteous who rebuked David.  When their leaders fell, when they found themselves in their calamities, they would hear the sweet words of David's prayers as he would be there for them.  Many commentators thought it referred to David's enemies, but I don't think that is in context with the verses before and after this one.

(7) Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth as when one cuts and cleaves wood upon the earth.

David used a plural pronoun.  Does he refer to those with him or to all people who were at death's door, those who were scattered and disregarded, because Satan ruled the world?  Peter said in 1 Peter 5:8 that our adversary, the devil, roamed about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he might devour. 

(8) But my eyes are upon You, O God the Lord, in You is my trust; do not leave my soul destitute.

However, David's eyes were always on the Lord, and in Him alone he put his full trust and confidence.  He asked that the Lord never leave his soul destitute and defenseless but let his soul continually be surrounded and protected by Him.

(9) Keep me from snares they have laid for me and the gins of the workers of iniquity.

David prayed that the Lord protect and keep him from the snares his enemies had laid for him and from the traps of wicked men.

(10) Let the wicked fall into their own nets while I escape.

He prayed that the wicked would fall into their own traps, that their schemes would entrap and expose them as David was able to escape.

In this psalm of David's, he desired that his request be acceptable to the Lord.  Yes, he desired protection from his enemies, but he also wished to be pure and to resist temptations to sin.  He wished to be reproved by righteous men who would help keep him on the right righteous path.  He would never resent them, but always be with them, as they were all of them prey to the evil one.

What Time I am Afraid, I Will Trust in You, O Lord

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Psalm 56:1) (To the chief musician upon Jonathelemrechokim, michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath.) Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresses me.

This psalm follows chronologically the events of David.  He had fled from Saul to Gath where the Philistines seized him for fear he had come to seize their kingdom since he had killed their Goliath.  Some of the words David used in introducing his psalms were often a great mystery to scholars as they are found nowhere else in scripture.  Michtam is one of those words.  It's a term he used for some of his psalms perhaps for how they were to be presented or recorded.  David often introduced his psalms "to the chief musician of ________."  In the past psalms studied, it seemed that most scholars thought he referred to the musical instrument to be used.  However, the long word above is actually four words, Jonath-elem-recho-kim, meaning “the silent dove of far-off places.”  Although there could have been a musical instrument they called that, it rather sounds like the name of a song already in existence at the time, and David desired his psalm be sung to that melody.

David began his psalm by asking the Lord to be merciful to him.  We should always desire mercy and never what we deserve.  The filthy sinners that we are deserve nothing of our own and do not even deserve to be in the presence of God asking Him for anything.  Therefore, our cry should be for His mercy.  Without the Lord's mercy and intervention, men would destroy him, for they came after him daily.

(2) My enemies would daily swallow me up, for there are many who fight against me, O Most High.

David declared that he had many enemies who would daily swallow him up.  Saul indeed, had many servants who sought his life for their king.  However, a believer has many enemies that attack him on a daily basis, sin, Satan, and the world, seeking to destroy him.  Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, wrote that he didn't believe that "Most High" was meant to be a title of the Lord.  He argued that the verse should have read, "...for there are many who fight against me from on high," meaning Saul and his servants.

(3) What time I am afraid, I will trust in You. (4) In God I will praise His word, In God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do to me.

What a beautiful sentiment that we should all take to heart.  Whenever we are afraid, we should put our trust in the Lord, as David said he did.  He would praise God's word and hold onto the promises God made about protecting and delivering him.  He would not fear what man could do to him when he had God on his side.

(5) Every day they wrest my words; all their thoughts are against me for evil.

David declared that every day his enemies twisted his words.  That certainly sounds like our enemies today!  In this super-polarized world we find ourselves in today, someone is always looking for ways to twist our words into something that proves their case, for all their thoughts are evil against us, as in David's time.  We should remember that no matter the words a person may have clumsily used, if that was not his meaning, then to pretend it meant something else is to lie.

(6) They gather themselves together; they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.

David's enemies gathered themselves together, hiding themselves, but watching his every move, and they lay in wait for an opportunity to take his life.  I couldn't help but think about President Trump with this one.  If there was ever a person whose every step and every word were so carefully watched in order to take him down politically and even literally, that man was Donald Trump!

(7) Shall they escape by iniquity? In Your anger, cast down the people, O God.

David wonders if the wicked will be able to escape punishment by their wickedness.  Again, this is so illustrative of our present time when it seems that the wicked are actually too big and important to be brought to justice.  They have done wicked things so big that to expose them might destroy the country.  God must be angry with such wickedness, with people who act as gods who can do whatever they want and are not held accountable, and David asked that He bring them down in His righteous anger.

(8) You tell my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book?

The Lord alone knew how long David would wander this world.  He kept track of his sorrows and his tears; they were in God's book of remembrance, not a literal book, but God takes notice of all and remembers all.

(9) When I cry to You, then shall my enemies turn back; this I know, for God is for me.

Whenever David cried out to the Lord, his enemies were forced back.  David had full confidence that God was on his side.

(10) In God will I praise His word; in the Lord will I praise His word.

David repeated his sentiment in verse 4; he would praise God's word and His promises.  He first called his Lord "God," that is, "Elohim," the supreme Judge.  Then he used "Lord," "Yehovah," the self-existent eternal One.

(11) In God have I put my trust; I will not be afraid what man can do to me.

David repeated the rest of verse 4, that he had put his trust in God, and therefore would not be afraid of what man could do to him.

(12) Your vows are upon me, O God; I will render praises to You.

David, having received what he needed from God, would continually offer praises of glory and thanksgiving.

(13) For You have delivered my soul from death and my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living.

David recognized that the Lord had delivered him from death and from falling into destruction in order that he might be a light in the land of the living, serving and glorifying God.  Is that not the purpose of all of us?  We are here to serve and glorify God so that others may be brought to salvation.  We are to be a light unto the world, and we should not hide our lights under a bushel basket (Matthew 5:15).

Taste and See That the Lord is Good

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Psalm 34:1) (Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech who drove him away, and he departed) I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise continually in my mouth.

David apparently wrote this psalm after leaving Achish, king of Gath, at the end of the last post (1 Samuel 21:15).  The king's name was Achish, but here he is called by his title, Abimelech, which meant literally "father of the king."  David proclaimed he would bless the Lord at all times, giving Him honor, praise, and glory, continually, for all that He continued to do for David, or just for who He was.

(2) My soul shall make her boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear and be glad.

David said his soul would boast in the Lord.  He would not boast of himself, but in the Lord and what He had done for him.  The humble ones, the lowly and depressed or the poor and needy, would hear his boasts of the Lord and be glad, having hope and receiving encouragement that they might receive such deliverance from the Lord.  The humble might also refer to those with humble hearts and spirits who would rejoice with those who rejoiced and be glad to see others share in the goodness and grace of God.

(3) O magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together.

David invited the humble ones to join him in magnifying the Lord and praising and exalting His name together.

(4) I sought the Lord, and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears.

David said he sought the Lord, and the Lord delivered him from his fears.  This is interesting.  David had been afraid of Achish, Abimelech (1 Samuel 21:12), and had surely prayed to God to deliver him.  And the Lord delivered him.  Had the Lord put David in a mad fit so that the king of Gath would send him away?  1 Samuel 21:13 said that David had feigned himself mad, but actually the original word was "halal," and it meant "be mad" or "act madly."  There is another word "mirmah" that meant "feigned," and that is not included here.  Just because David acted madly doesn't mean he feigned it himself.  He changed his behavior, but it may not have been by his own will.  God could have made him act madly, and that seems very plausible considering David's retelling of the incident in his psalm.  

(5) They looked to Him and were lightened, and their faces were not ashamed.

The humble ones looked to the Lord and were brightened as they became cheerful, which is the more complete definition of the original word that was translated as "lightened."  They were not ashamed to have put their trust in the Lord, nor were they disappointed.

(6) This poor man cried, and the Lord heard and saved him out of all his troubles.

David, referring to himself as a poor man, a poor, afflicted, persecuted man, cried out to the Lord, and He heard him and saved him from his troubles.

(7) The angel of the Lord encamps round about them who fear Him and delivers them.

The Lord sets His angels around the people who reverently fear Him to watch over them, and He delivers them.  Some commentators believe David was speaking prophetically, and what is meant is the Angel of the Lord, Jesus Christ, literally encamps around them; He indwells them with His Holy Spirit, and He delivers them.

(8) O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him. (9) O fear the Lord, you His saints, for no want to them who fear Him.

David invited people to taste, try the flavor of, that is, test by experience, that the Lord was good.  The one who put his trust in the Lord was blessed.  And that doesn't mean that he is always materially blessed or blessed in the way that the world might judge blessing, but he is blessed in a way that the world cannot comprehend.  There is peace, and freedom and joy, in knowing that the Lord is in charge of one's life.  His yoke is easy (Matthew 11:30); you can let go, and let Him, and that is the real blessing that everyone desires whether they really understand it or not.  Those who fear the Lord want for nothing (Psalm 23:1) because the Lord provides all their needs (Philippians 4:19).

(10) The young lions do lack and suffer hunger, but they who seek the Lord shall not want any good.

The young lions, those who ravage and spoil by their own strength, or perhaps the very young who depend on their parents, do sometimes lack and suffer hunger, just as people who rely on themselves and other people will sometimes lack.  However, those who seek the Lord and rely on Him do not want for any good thing.  Once again, the good things of the Lord are not necessarily what the world considers good.

(11) Come, you children, hearken to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

David calls his eventual children, his eventual subjects, or any not yet followers of the Lord, to listen to him.  As many Biblical scholars see this psalm as an allusion to the Messiah, these could be the words of Jesus beckoning all to come to Him, and He would teach them about the Lord.

(12) What man desires life and loves many days that he may see good? (13) Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking guile.

All men naturally desire long lives, enjoying prosperity and happiness. David began to teach those children from verse 11 the way of the Lord.  He instructed them to guard their mouths from speaking evil.

(14) Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

David encouraged them to avoid evil, evil men and situations, and evil temptations within themselves.  He told them to seek and even pursue peace as much as humanly possible (Romans 12:18):  "If it be possible, as much as lies in you, live peaceably with all men."

(15) The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears open to their cry. (16) The face of the Lord is against them who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

Actually, the Lord's eyes are on everyone, but He watches over the righteous and listens to their cries and prayers.  However, the Lord is against those who persist in evil, and He will cut off the remembrance of them, or at least they will never be thought of except with contempt.  Hitler is remembered, but only for his evil; nothing good he ever did is ever remembered.  As we are all sinners, I like to think that this also means that the Lord cuts off the remembrance of the evil that we have done when we turn to Him (Hebrews 8:12).

(17) They cry, and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. (18) The Lord is near to them who are of a broken heart and saves such as be of a contrite spirit.

The righteous cry out to the Lord, and He delivers them out of their troubles.  The Lord is near to all who are of a broken spirit.  He loves all His children and desires that all be saved (2 Peter 3:9).  Most often it is when people reach their lowest that they turn to God, so He is always near to them then, desiring that they turn to Him, and He saves those of a contrite spirit, humbled under a sense of sin and repentant.

(19) Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. 

Even though we may be blessed by the Lord, it doesn't mean we will have no afflictions.  On the contrary, we will have many, but the Lord delivers us out of them, or sometimes through them that good may come, as "all things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."  

(20) He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.

This indeed, seems to be a prophetic reference to Jesus Christ, as not one of His bones were broken.  As far as the righteous, many human bones will be broken, however, not one of their spiritual bones will be broken, so to speak, as no one can do anything to take away their salvation in Christ (John 10:28).

(21) Evil shall slay the wicked, and they who hate the righteous will be desolate. (22) The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of them who trust in Him shall be desolate.

Evil will eventually kill the wicked.  Their evil schemes might catch up with them in this life, but it will certainly catch up with them in the next, in eternity.  Those who hate the righteous will be desolate.  The original word that was translated as "desolate" is "asham."  The primary meaning according to Strong's is "to be guilty; by implication to be punished or perish."  But "asham" is interesting, as they will be eternally ashamed when they realize what they have done, as all will come to know the truth in the end (Romans 14:11).  The Lord redeems the souls of His servants, and none of them who trust in Him shall be made desolate.  Though the evil may kill the body, they cannot kill the soul (Matthew 10:28).

I couldn't help but relate this to the recent murder of Charlie Kirk.  Evil killed the righteous, but it's the one who killed the righteous who will be desolate.  If he doesn't give his life to Jesus, he will be eternally desolate.  The righteous will never be desolate.  Though his body died, his soul was immediately in the joyful presence of his Savior.  And if his murderer came to salvation in Christ because of what he had done, Charlie Kirk would have been glad to have been a part of God's purpose for him, which he always was.  He knew the risks he took, but he was never ashamed to proclaim Christ and to do his part to bring people to His truth.

Psalm 34 was one of David's acrostic or alphabetical psalms where each Hebrew letter began a verse in sequential order.  It's a wonder that at such a time when his life was in such danger that he had the presence of mind to write a more complicated psalm.  However, as many Biblical scholars believe many of these words were prophetic about the coming Messiah, he was surely divinely inspired to write what he did.

David Takes Consecrated Bread

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(1 Samuel 21:1) Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest, and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said to him, "Why are you alone and no man with you?"

Jonathan had warned David that Saul intended to kill him, and David had run away.  He came to Nob, a city of priests, where the tabernacle was at that time.  I imagine David felt safe in the tabernacle of the Lord where he might receive counsel of the Lord.  The high priest Ahimelech was afraid when he saw David alone.  He may have heard of the king's displeasure with him, but also as the king's son-in-law, he should have had attendants with him.  David coming alone did not seem right, and he sensed trouble.  He asked David why he had come alone.

(2) And David said to Ahimelech the priest, "The king has commanded me some business and has said to me, 'Let no man know anything of the business whereabout I send you and what I have commanded you,' and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place."

David then told the high priest a lie, telling him that the king had sent him on some business and had sworn him to secrecy, so he had sent his servants away.  As good a man as David was, living a life of integrity as he had proclaimed in the last post in Psalm 26, this is the second time that we read of David lying (1 Samuel 20:6).

(3) "Now therefore, what is under your hand? Give five loaves of bread in my hand or what there is present."

David asked the priest what he had on hand, with regard to bread or something to eat, as we may assume he had had nothing to eat on his journey.  He asked the priest to give him five loaves of bread or whatever he had on hand.

(4) And the priest answered David, and said, "No common bread under my hand, but there is hallowed bread, if the young men have kept themselves at least from women."

The priest told David that he had no common bread on hand, but there was hallowed bread that had been devoted for sacred use.  However, he seemed willing to give it to David and any of his men if they had abstained from women and were considered clean.

(5) And David answered the priest and said to him, "Of a truth, women kept from us about these three days since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel."

It seems as if David may have had some men with him that he had sent away when he came to Ahimelech, unless he was still lying.  He told the priest that they had not been with women for three days since he had left and been on this journey.  Whether or not it was true, that was the length of time the law required for sanctifying themselves after being with women.  David added that the vessels of his young men were holy, not having been defiled with any ceremonial uncleanness.  He also suggested that the bread was common at that time anyway as it had been removed from the showbread table, as may be assumed because the priest said he had it on hand, as bread taken off the showbread table was then lawful to be eaten by the priest and his family.  Supposedly, in case of necessity through hunger, the bread might be lawfully allowed to strangers.

(6) So the priest gave him hallowed bread, for there was no bread there but the showbread that was taken from before the Lord to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.

The priest gave David the hallowed bread, that which had been taken off the showbread table before the Lord, in order to place fresh bread there.  It was lawful for the priests only to eat the showbread; but David and his companions were starving and no other bread could be had at the time.  Therefore he and his companions ate of it without sin, and this we know because Jesus referred to this incident in Mark 2:25-26, implying that because he had need and was hungry, his actions were not sinful, because strict legalistic adherence to laws to the detriment of people was not aligned with the spirit of the law.  "I desire mercy and not sacrifice," said the Lord (Hosea 6:6), and it was repeated by Jesus (Matthew 12:7).  Jesus also spoke of the law of the Sabbath, saying it was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath, once again meaning it should not be so legalistically adhered to so as to cause detriment to people.

(7) Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord, and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdsmen of Saul.

There was a servant of Saul's named Doeg who was either at the tabernacle or in close proximity to it.  He was the chief of the herdsmen of Saul and so might be considered more loyal to Saul than just any herdsman.  He was detained before the Lord, probably just meaning he himself chose to stay, tarrying to worship the Lord.

(8) And David said to Ahimelech, "And is there not here under your hand spear or sword? For I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me because the king's business required haste."

David asked the priest if he had any weapons on hand because he had not brought any weapons with him because the king's business had required haste.  I suppose you could say that part of what David told the priest was true.  It was the king's business to kill him, and he indeed had to leave in haste.

(9) And the priest said, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine whom you killed in the valley of Elah, behold it wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it, for there is no other save that here." And David said, "None like that; give it to me."

The priest told David that the sword of Goliath, the giant David had killed, was there wrapped in a cloth behind the place where the priestly garment lay.  He told him he could take that if he wanted it, for there was nothing else there.  David said there was nothing like it, definitely because of its size, but David had been well able to use it to cut off Goliath's head (1 Samuel 17:51), and also because it would serve as a symbol of God's faithfulness in delivering him as He had previously done.

(10) And David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath.

David fled from there to Gath, to Achish, the king of Gath.  It seems strange that David would flee to an enemy king, but Saul's rage was so great and David's life in such danger, that perhaps he felt a little safety in the presence of a rival king to Saul.  "The enemy of my enemy is my friend," as the proverb goes.

(11) And the servants of Achish said to him, "Isn't this David the king of the land? Did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, 'Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands'? (12) And David laid up these words in his heart and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

However, the servants of Achish considered David to be the king or at least recognized him as the king elect of Israel as they remembered the women dancing and singing that while Saul had killed his thousands, David had killed his ten thousands (1 Samuel 18:7).  Perhaps they even meant that David was the king of their land, as Goliath had proposed that if any man were to kill him, the Philistines would become subjects of Israel (1 Samuel 17:9), and maybe they thought David had come to overthrow Achish and take the crown.  Either way, David became afraid of what Achish might do to him when he knew that. 

(13) And he changed his behavior toward them and feigned himself mad in their hands and scrabbled on the doors of the gate and let his spittle fall down on his beard.

David changed his behavior toward the servants of Achish and pretended to be mad "in their hands," which sounds as if they may have taken hold of David.  He scratched on the doors of the gate and drooled down his beard.

(14) Then Achish said to his servants, "Lo, you see the man is mad. Why have you brought him to me? (15) Have I need of mad men that you have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? Shall he come into my house?"

Achish's servants brought David to him, but because he saw him as mad, he demanded to know why his servants brought a mad man to him as if he needed a mad man in his house.  Although this psalm ends right here, we can assume that the king sent him away, as 1 Samuel 22 begins with the fact that David left.  However, my chronological study takes me to Psalms next.

David pretending to be mad when he wasn't is yet another example of his dishonesty.  I have often pondered whether or not every lie is a sin against God.  What makes me wonder that is that the commandment against lying actually says, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."  Do not tell a lie about your neighbor.  Is that the same as telling a lie to an enemy of God to save one's life?  I suppose it could represent a lack of faith in God to deliver one out of danger when he believes he must do something to deliver himself.  Quoting Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, "Justly are troubles called temptations, for many are by them drawn into sin."  By this, he suggests that because of his troubles, David was drawn into the sin of lying.  And surely, even if it was not an actual sin against God, everything we do has a chain reaction, whether good or bad.  And there is a slippery slope we find ourselves on when we start with little white lies as they make it easier to tell bigger lies.

Lord, Judge Me and Protect Me from My Enemies

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

In the last post, at the end of 1 Samuel 20, Jonathan had warned David that his father, King Saul, intended to kill him, and David had gone away.  It is assumed that David may have written this psalm about that time:

(Psalm 26:1) (Of David) Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity; I have trusted also in the Lord; I shall not slide.

David asked that the Lord judge him, that is, judge whether or not he was just in the matter between him and Saul.  He felt he had walked with integrity and had done nothing wrong to make Saul want to kill him.  He had trusted in the Lord, and he would not waver.

(2) Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

David asked that the Lord examine him and his motives and prove whether or not they were just.  He asked that the Lord test his reins and his heart.  The reins were the kidneys, the gut, the seat of emotions.  He asked that the Lord search his heart and the pit of his emotions to test whether or not they were pure.

(3) For your lovingkindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in your truth. (4) I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. (5) I have hated the congregation of evil doers and will not sit with the wicked.

David recognized how loving and kind the Lord had been to him, and he had walked in God's truth, in His ways.  He did not associate with vain people, those who were evil and false.  He would not be in the company of dissemblers, those who lied and hid their true evil motives.  He, in fact, hated evil doers and would not associate with the wicked.

(6) I will wash my hands in innocency, so I will compass Your altar, O Lord, (7) That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all Your wondrous works. (8) Lord, I have loved the habitation of Your house and the place where Your honor dwells.

David determined to wash his hands in innocence, to be clean and pure, that he might be able to move about the Lord's altar with clean hands and a pure heart, that he might proclaim the wonderful works of the Lord with thanksgiving.  David had loved dwelling in the house of the Lord where He was worshiped, but I believe he also meant dwelling in the presence of the Lord, as he felt his Lord was always with him.

(9) Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men, (10) In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.

David asked that the Lord not count him among sinners, gathering him up for destruction with them.  He asked that the Lord not let his life be taken away by bloody men, those who shed blood, while bribing judges to pervert righteous judgment.

(11) But as for me, I will walk in my integrity; redeem me and be merciful to me.

David determined to always live a life of integrity, but even so, he realized he could never be perfect, and he asked that the Lord be merciful to him and redeem him from sin.

(12) My foot stands in an even place; in the congregations will I bless the Lord.

David proclaimed that he stood upon a sure and solid foundation, being under the protection of God's almighty and watchful providence.  Not only in private, but he would publicly praise the Lord.

This psalm of David seems rightly to have been written after he had fled from Saul.  As he had previously expressed to Jonathan, he did not feel he had done anything to warrant Saul's desire to kill him.  He pleaded with the Lord to judge him and find him guiltless and redeem him from any sins that may have plagued him, as he always strived to live a life of integrity following in the Lord's way.