10And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? 12And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
Psalm 56
To the chief Musician upon Jonathelem-rechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath. 1 Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me. 2 Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High. 3 What time I am afraid, I will trust [confide] in Thee. 4 In God I will praise His word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. 5 Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil. 6 They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul. 7 Shall they escape by iniquity? In Thine anger cast down the people, O God. 8 Thou tellest my wanderings: put Thou my tears into Thy bottle: are they not in Thy book? 9 When I cry unto Thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me. 10 In God will I praise His word: in the Lord will I praise His word. 11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. 12 Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto Thee. 13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not Thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?
Meditation
In the lead up to this event, David lies (1 Sam. 21:2), eats the holy bread that was for the priests alone (1 Sam. 21:6; Lev. 24:9), arms himself for protection (1 Sam. 21:8), and flees to the Philistines! What a pitiful refuge they proved to be — “man would swallow me up” (vs. 2). The servants of Achish recognized David as the one who had slain his ten thousands (1 Sam. 21:11). Secure in their midst, with no obvious means of escape, David was much afraid. The sword of Goliath, the Philistine, was of no help.
In his extremity David remembers that fear can only be countered by confiding in God (vss. 3, 11). When I place my trust in God, when my confidence is such that I can praise His word, then I will not fear what flesh can do unto me (vs. 4). “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe” (Prov. 29:25).
People may take and twist our words and look for opportunities to destroy us (vss. 5-6), but we can leave them with God knowing that their judgment ultimately rests with Him (vs. 7). Do we trust His word? Can we say with the Apostle, “For I know whom I have believed” (2 Tim. 1:12)?
God has not promised to take us out of all difficulty especially when it is the result of our own doing. May we never forget that sinful behavior has consequences; “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7). But God has promised to be with us, though the sense of His presence may well be lost upon us. All my wanderings are inscribed in His book. Not one shed tear goes unnoticed — He stores my tears in His bottle. “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee” (Isa. 43:1-2). Though written for Israel in a day yet to come, we can draw comfort from these verses, and how much more so, for we have that present assurance of Christ’s love for us — who indeed “shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (Rom. 8:35).
Many years ago there was a particularly dark time in my life: an aunt died, my grandfather died, an uncle died, all in addition to other funerals that I attended that gloomy year. When my grandfather’s manufacturing business was sold, many items were auctioned. Among those goods was a small, green glass laboratory bottle with a glass stopper — a particularly fine specimen. A cousin of mine, one who had not so long before lost her mother, bid on that item. The price went up, and up, until finally she obtained her prize! The next day — the Lord’s Day — I saw it on her dresser with a note card leaning against it. On that card was one verse: “put Thou my tears into Thy bottle” (vs. 8).
When I undertake to fight the good fight of faith (1 Tim. 6:12) in my own strength, with my own carnal weapons (2 Cor. 10:4), I will fail. It is only when I cry unto the Lord that my enemies are turned back (vs. 9).
Can I say with David, “this I know, for God is for me” (vs. 9)? When we think that all are against us, we do well to meditate on this verse. It was the goodness of God that led me to repentance; and it is His goodness that sustains me in the Christian path (Rom. 2:4; 2 Cor. 12:9). If David could say, “I know,” so much more can we. “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:31-3231What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:31‑32)).
Like the previous psalm, this one also ends in praise, praise to a God that alone can keep our feet from falling. Furthermore, it is praise that rests upon His word. Our confidence in God is founded upon a revelation from Him and not on our own wishful thinking. It reminds me of Jude’s doxology at the close of his short exhortation to the saints of God, when the darkness of apostasy seems to be overwhelming. “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen” (Jude 24-25).