1 Samuel 21 Commentary.
What Doeg, the Edomite, does here is the subject of Psalm 52. What David does here is the subject of the teaching we find in the gospel according to Matthew in Chapter 12.
What David experienced at Gath is possibly the subject of Psalm 34. These events give context to the many psalms of David. These are not songs meant to top the charts! You want to read them repeatedly when you find yourself in David’s situation.
This historic account won’t tell us much. We also dislike the fact that David lies. It makes David’s references to the name of the LORD distant. But read the Psalms and see how David is deeply connected to his Creator.
Then you won’t judge him harshly! Then you understand why the LORD Jesus uses this account to teach us the realities of the Sabbath. The rituals are the means to reach God. How the rituals become irrelevant when the LORD is already there!
These are difficult times for the LORD’s anointed. He consults the LORD at Nob, but only at a huge cost to the LORD’s priests. We are not told what the LORD tells him, but we know these are tough times for young David, still a youth at this point.
An isolated and disillusioned David finds himself at Gath of the Philistines. The plan backfires. He shouldn’t have gone there in the first place. But we understand.
Decision-making in times of deep crisis can be very difficult. For many saints, the deepest crisis is not exactly the presence of difficulties but the absence of a clear-cut direction from the LORD. But there is a message in the silence.
David’s decision to seek refuge at Gath, in the enemy territory, is every saint’s option. And it is wrong. It is not an open door for the saint. It wasn’t for David. The Philistines at Gath made it clear to David. Now the LORD must save David from the Philistines. He had run away from Saul to another problem: A jump from the hot pan into the fire itself.
So the LORD saves David at Gath, only to throw him back into the right ring. He must fight and not run away. Could this be the message here? When salvation comes in installments, then you know the LORD is up to something.
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