David's Inspired Rescue

Psalm 34

Our psalm for this week is a psalm of praise and testimony to the Lord that David wrote when he found himself in a dangerous situation and the Lord gave him a rather unique and ingenious idea of how to get out alive.  David spent many years while a young adult on the run from King Saul, who unjustly sought his life. On one occasion he thought that he would hide out in the land of the Philistines with King Achish of the royal house of Abimelech.  The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right? Not necessarily! In I Samuel 21:10-15 we read what happened. King Achish’s counselors warned him that David was the one that the Israelites wrote songs about, telling of all the Philistines he had killed, and that he couldn’t be trusted.  David heard this and knew then that his life was in danger here. How could he escape without them coming after him? God planted a thought in his mind that he should pretend to be stark-raving crazy, and hopefully Achish wouldn’t kill him, but rather kick him out of the country. So David crawled around on hands and knees, drooling, and acting crazy, and as David had wished, he was safely let go.  He was sure to give all praise and thanks to the Lord for this deliverance!

David could have boasted to himself and others that he was rather smart to come up with such an ingenious plan.  Don’t we often do that? We like to pat ourselves on the back, boasting about how smart we are when we think up this or that.  David knew that wasn’t right, and instead was going to boast in God (vs. 2). If we are going to boast in anything, the only thing fitting is to boast in what God has done for us.  The prophet Jeremiah also echos this in Jeremiah 9:23-24.

Because of King Saul’s erratic and frightening behavior, David had countless occasions when he was afraid, even for his life.  Rather than getting overwhelmed he did the only sensible thing, and that was seek the Lord for help and deliverance (vs. 4). In times of trouble, no one is closer than Jesus. Every day, and at all times we need to praise the Lord that we are His people and He is our Deliverer (vs. 1). One thing that David mentions which he was thankful for was that the Lord sends His angels to surround and protect him when in danger, just like when he was in danger in the courts of King Achish (vs 7).  When we are in danger, as well, the Lord and His angels surround and protect us.

Has anyone ever invited you to take a bite of some delicious food? “Try it! You’ll like it!” That is what David is inviting us to do with the Lord in verse 8. He is telling those who do not know the Lord yet to come to Him. See what a good, kind, and loving God He is.  He could have abandoned David to the Philistines when he made a blunder by going there to begin with, but He didn’t. The Lord was loving and gracious, and rescued him. The Lord is not stingy, but lavishly pours His love and grace upon us.  Don’t partake of His Word with meager bites. He wants us to devour whole meals each day.

To “fear” the Lord is to show deep respect and honor to Him, not acting flippant, trifling, or frivolous (vs. 9).  We should show true reverence by a humble attitude and genuine worship. David also promises us that God will provide for the needs of His children (vs. 10).  He will provide all we need, not necessarily all we want.  God knows our needs.  Many good and faithful Christians face deep poverty and terrible hardships.  To have God is to have all we really need. God is enough. Sometimes God allows us to go without so that we grow more dependant on Him, but He will always provide all we need.

If we truly love and fear God then we will obey Him (vs. 11-14). Jesus was very clear about this when speaking to His disciples (John 14:23).  God’s obedient children won’t lie or do evil. They will do good and promote peace.  As David closes this psalm he renews the promises of God to deliver us when in trouble (vs. 17-22), and uphold and comfort those who are brokenhearted and cast down. We all, to some degree or another, see times of trouble, and David’s words from the Lord are here to encourage us.