NOTES ON SCRIPTURE 1895 NO. 62
NOTES ON SCRIPTURE 1895 NO. 62
David, chanting Psalm 34, leaves Achish and escapes to Adullam. He is once more in the land, though it be but a cave; and there not only his own house, but all that were in distress or in debt congregate to him. Having learned the place of dependence for himself, he can become a centre and guide for the poor of the flock, whose heart did not own the rule of Saul; and they can follow his faith, considering the end of his conversation. Why David placed his parents with the king of Moab I cannot say, unless he desired to escape from their influence and fears. (We know how our Lord had to rise above His parents’ [p. 115] counsels.) While in this cave he utters three psalms (Psalm 142, Psalm 57 and Psalm 52) - the latter, I think, after he was joined by the prophet and priest. He expresses full confidence in God, “until these calamities be over-past”, (Psalm 57: 1) though at the same time sensible of the dangers with which he is surrounded. His heart is prepared, therefore he will “sing and give praise”. We naturally shrink from trials and sorrows, but where we find ourselves, like David, enjoying the resources that are in God, which our trials have caused us to have recourse to, we remember no more the path of affliction which led us thereto.
Psalm 52 is David’s utterance when he hears of Doeg’s conduct. He sees God’s discipline in all his sorrow: “I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it “. How the Spirit of God was converting every trial into an occasion for engaging his soul with the deep chords of spiritual song and the day of glory. If Paul in Arabia was caught up to heaven, surely in the cave and the wilderness the outcast David was hearing in his soul the sublime strains of God’s victory over every foe. He not only heard the harpers harping with their harps, but his own heart was attuned of God; and the divine music cheered the spirit of the rejected king.
Keilah is the next page in this interesting history; chapter 23. Whatever be the pressure or trial of our own position, if we are in the spirit and condition of soul answering to Psalm 57, we could not hear of the distress of any of God’s people, which we could alleviate, without being ready to aid them. Consequently, when it was told David, “Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors”, he inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and smite these Philistines?” And the Lord says, “Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah”. The man of real might and experience in God’s succour appeals to God before he embarks in anything . David’s men try to discourage him from it, and after he has mastered his own heart and its sorrows, he must learn to be superior to the unbelief of his associates. He inquires yet again; and a further assurance being given him from the Lord, he goes down to Keilah with his men, and is completely successful; he saves the inhabitants. But this was only to bring about another order of trial and exercise of heart for him. Once more his services are unrequited. Saul goes down to besiege Keilah, and David inquires of the Lord as to whether the men whom he had just delivered from the Philistines will deliver him up; and the divine answer is that they will. And here let us mark the difference in David’s mode of inquiry in this and in the first instance (verses 1 - 4). It does not appear that he made use of the priest when seeking counsel as to relieving Keilah; but here, when he “knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him”, and he wanted to know what should be his own line of action with reference to it, he says to the priest, “Bring hither the ephod”; and thus he makes the inquiry. This difference is interesting. In the first instance, it was a simple question as to whether he should or should not serve others, and, without questioning his motives, he has only to turn to the Lord for direction. But when our own interests are concerned we are much more likely to be led by our own will and to lack singleness of heart and purpose; and thus we need the more to realise our full acceptance and to sift our motives; and here the priesthood comes in. But in either case the answer is prompt and distinct; and it is most instructive to note the manner of the intercourse between David and the Lord - what confidence and simplicity there was between them. David asks his plain, simple questions, and the Lord answers as plainly and distinctly. He had no resource but in God; and this he was learning more and more in each stage of his life. Any soul in the Lord’s presence, and truly reliant on Him, would experience the same. The simpler such a soul is, the more it is qualified for great and exalted service. The one great with God is he who can devote all his energies according to God’s counsel to aid and serve others, but whose dependence is entirely on God, proving that his resources place him above recompense from those whom he serves. It is plain that we are not told all the services which David rendered, or the experiences which he passed through. I suppose a specimen of each particular line is recorded for us. That of Keilah I should designate, how the rejected king serves this people without requital, and this is necessary discipline for him, for any one who will walk with the true David through this evil world.