David in the Cave

After David killed Goliath, Saul brought him into his court, and Saul’s son Jonathan became bosom friends with David. 1 Samuel 18:1-4

Sadly, Saul was going mad due to his disobedience toward God. The kingdom was going to be torn away from him (1 Sam. 15:26-28) David was the perfect servant of Saul, wiser than any other, a capable warrior against the enemies of the King. But sin poisoned Saul’s mind, and fueled his jealousy of David over time, until the situation became so bad that Saul was seeking David’s life. As Saul saw more and more that the LORD was with David, it drove Saul to make David his enemy. 1 Sam. 18:11, 28-29

When Saul commanded Jonathan and all his servants to kill David, Jonathan took it upon himself to warn him. 1 Samuel 19:1-3

Jonathan tried to reason with Saul, and it worked for a time. 1 Samuel 19:4-6

However, Saul proved himself beyond all reason when he attacked David again. David’s wife Michal covered his escape, and David fled to tell Samuel the prophet of these things at Naioth in Ramah. 1 Samuel 19:7-18

David met with Jonathan seeking relief from the threats of Saul. Jonathan decided to test his father to see if he truly wants to end David’s life. Read 1 Samuel 20 to see the details of this story, but the end result is that Saul tried to kill Jonathan after he defended David. 1 Sam. 20:27-34

After fleeing, David went to Nob and received shewbread and Goliath’s sword from Ahimelech the priest to supply him and those traveling with him. He went from there to Achish, king of Gath. Achish recognized him and recognized the saying that had been spread about David before (21:11). David feigned madness to protect himself from the king so that he could escape in peace.

Psalm 34

1-3 - Praise for the LORD

4-7 - The LORD delivers those who cry out to Him

8-10 - Invitation to follow the LORD and enjoy the same safety

11-14 - How to properly fear the LORD

15-18 - The LORD hears the righteous, but not the sinner

19-22 - The lengths of the LORD’s salvation for the righteous

David then left there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his family heard of this, they went to him.

Further, everyone who was in hardship, or in debt, or discontented gathered to David. This is David becoming a “Robin Hood” of sorts. 400 men were following him.

David went to Mizpah of Moab and asked the king of Moab to allow his father and mother to dwell with him in safety. This connection was likely because of his grandmother Ruth, who was a Moabitess.

David himself would likely have been safe here, but the word of the LORD from the prophet Gad commanded him to go to the land of Judah. David obeyed the LORD’s command. (22:1-5)

Saul, armed with his spear and sitting at Gibeah under a tree with his servants around, heard that David and his companions had been discovered. 22:6

Saul questioned why his servants (Benjamites) had not delivered David to him. “Will the son of Jesse give you fields, vineyards and make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds?” 22:7

Saul accused them of conspiring against him by not telling of Jonathan’s covenant with David. 22:8

Doeg, the Edomite, reported seeing David come to Ahimelech at Nob. He said Ahimelech had inquired of The LORD on David’s behalf and had given him the bread and Goliath’s sword. 22:9-10

This set about one of the most shocking stories of Saul’s madness. He sent for Ahimelech. They brought his whole family of priests from Nob to Saul. 22:11

Saul questioned Ahimelech and accused him of conspiracy for helping David. 22:12 - 13

Ahimelech testified to David’s faithfulness and allegiance to Saul. Saul’s son-in-law, councilor and honorable family member. 22:14-15

Saul declared that Ahimelech and all his family would die. 22:16

He ordered his guard to slay them for helping David and not reporting David’s whereabouts. Saul’s servants refused. 22:17

Saul then commanded Doeg to do it and he slew 85 priests who wore a linen ephod. 22:18

He continued his madness and attacked Nob, the city of the priests, and killed men, women, children and livestock. 22:19

Ahimelech’s son, Abiathar, managed to escape and went to David and told him what Saul had done. 22:20 – 21

David blamed himself. He remembered seeing Doeg and thought at the time he would tell Saul. 22:22

David kept Abiathar with him for his protection. Saul was after both of them. 22:23

Psalm 52

1-5 - The wicked actions of Doeg and the LORD’s reaction

6-9 - Contrast between the wickedness of Doeg and the righteousness of David

The Philistines attacked the city of Keilah and were robbing them of their grain. 23:1

David inquired of The LORD (by Urim & Thummim) and He sent David to smite the Philistines and save Keilah. 23:2

David’s men, being fugitives from Saul, were afraid while in hiding and were more afraid to go out and be exposed while fighting the Philistines. 23:3

David asked The LORD again (by Urim & Thummim), and He said go down to Keilah; He would deliver the Philistines into their hand. 23:4

David and his men did so; slaying them with a great slaughter and came back with much spoil from the Philistines after delivering Keilah. 23:5

Abiathar came to David at Keilah and brought the ephod with him. 23:6

Saul found out David was at Keilah and since it was a town with gates and bars, Saul thought he had David trapped. 23:7

Saul summoned all the people to war, to go to Keilah, to beseige David and his men. 23:8

David suspected Saul was about to attack and called Abiathar to bring the ephod (to inquire of The LORD). 23:9

David inquired of The LORD as to whether Saul was coming to destroy Keilah, as he had heard, because of David. 23:10

He asked The LORD (by Urim & Thummim) if the people of Keilah would stoop to turning David over to Saul to save themselves. He said they would. 23:11 – 12

David and his men, who now numbered about 600, left Keilah and sought places to hide. Saul learned they had left Keilah, so he didn’t go there and the city was spared. 23:13

David stayed in the hill-country of the wilderness of Ziph, where he had strongholds. (places to hide where he had a vantage point to see the areas around him). 23:14

Saul sought for David every day, but The LORD kept David safe from Saul.

Jonathan went to David in wilderness of Ziph to encourage him. Saul was continuing to search for David to kill him. 23:15 - 16

He told David not to fear; Saul would not find him; David would be king; Jonathan would stand with David and Saul knew it. 23:17

They renewed their covenant. David remained in hiding; Jonathan went to his house. 23:18

They went to Saul in Gibeah, and told him David was hiding in the woods in strongholds in Ziph. 23:19

If Saul wanted to come, they would deliver David to him. 23:20

Saul said they were blessed for offering to help him (having compassion). 23:21

He sent them to make certain of David’s location, because David was cunning and hard to catch. 23:22 – 23

The Ziphites returned from Gibeah, but David had moved to the wilderness of Maon; in the Arabah south of the desert. 23:24

David had been warned Saul was coming. Saul pursued David into the wilderness Maon. 23:25

Saul and his men were on one side of a mountain from David and his men and were about to catch them when David and his men fled and escaped. 23:26

Saul received word the Philistines were making a raid and attacking the land. He had to abort his pursuit of David and tend to this more urgent matter. 23:27

That place came to be called Sela-hammah-lekoth. Meaning, the rock of divisions or escape. 23:28

David and his men left the area and went and dwelt in the strongholds of Engedi. 23:29

Psalm 54

1-3 - Prayer to God for protection against oppressors

4-5 - Trust in the LORD to repay enemies for their evil

6-7 - Praise for deliverance given by the LORD

After tending to the Philistines’ raids, Saul learned David was in the wilderness of Engedi. 24:1

Saul took 3,000 chosen men and went after David in the rocks where there were wild goats. 24:2

David and his men were hiding in a cave when Saul came in to cover his feet (use the bathroom). 24:3

David’s men whispered that The LORD had given David the opportunity to rid himself of his enemy if he so desired. David rose up quietly, and carefully cut off a piece of Saul’s robe. 24:4

David’s conscience hurt him for even doing that much against Saul. 24:5

David said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my lord, The LORD’s anointed, to put forth my hand against him, seeing he is The LORD’s anointed”. 24:6

With these words David restrained his men from harming Saul. Saul got up and exited the cave. 24:7

David then came out and called to Saul saying, “My lord the king!”. When Saul turned around David bowed and honored Saul in obeisance. 24:8

David asked Saul why he believed men’s lies when they said David sought to harm him. 24:9

He said he had spared Saul’s life when he could easily have killed him. The LORD had given David the opportunity, but he would not raise his hand against God’s anointed. 24:10

To prove it he held up the piece he had cut from Saul’s robe. 24:11

David said The LORD would judge between them and may avenge him of Saul, but David would never do it himself. 24:12

David quoted an ancient proverb saying, “Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness; but my hand shall not be upon you.” 24:13 Jesus quoted a form of this in Matthew 7:16 – 20 “By their fruits you shall know them, etc.”

David chided Saul asking who he was after: a dead dog, or maybe a flea? 24:14

In other words, Saul was wasting his effort because David was not personally a threat to him. Only as The LORD’s will dictated. It was out of David’s realm of control. 24:15

Saul responded by asking if it was David speaking to him (must have been a good distance between them). He referred to David as “my son” and then he wept. 24:16

Saul acknowledged David to be more righteous than he in that David rendered him good when he meant evil for David. 24:17

Saul realized David had proved this by not killing him when he had the opportunity. 24:18

Saul said a man would never allow his enemy to escape so freely. David had demonstrated Saul was not his enemy and he meant Saul no harm. 24:19

Saul acknowledged David would be king. The kingdom of Israel would be established in David’s hand. 24:20

Saul asked David to swear he would not cut off Saul’s seed after him, or destroy his name out of his father’s house. 24:21

David agreed and swore to Saul. Saul returned home and David and his men to their stronghold. 24:22

Psalm 57

1-3a - Reaching out for protection and trusting in the LORD to do it

3b-6 - The danger set before David, and the help the LORD gives him

7-11 - Steadfast praise to the LORD for His mercy and truth

Psalm 142

1-2 - Crying out to the LORD

3-4 - Following the LORD alone

5-7 - Begging the LORD to Listen

Applications

In moving through our story together this morning, which person were you closer to in your behavior? David, or Saul? Which characterizes your striving to seek God? David had plenty of faults, but he had a heart that wanted to know God and a willingness to obey His commands that Saul did not have.

Psalm 34

David must have learned quickly that the king of Gath would not be a help or protection to him in this moment.

While David did something deceitful, we must be careful and trust the judgment of God upon David, that he was indeed a “man after His own heart” (13:14)

1-3 - Praise for the LORD

To “bless the LORD” is to speak well of Him. Do we do that at all times? Is praise for God continually in our mouth?

Invite others to magnify the LORD with you. Exalt His name together!

4-7 - The LORD delivers those who cry out to Him

If the LORD can save David from the Philistines, then surely He can save me from my troubles!

The Angel of the LORD encamps around all those who fear Him, and delivers them! Joshua 5:13-15; 2 Kings 6:15-17; 2 Chron 32:1-8

8-10 - Invitation to follow the LORD and enjoy the same safety

11-14 - How to properly fear the LORD

Be obedient to Him!

15-18 - The LORD hears the righteous, but not the sinner

19-22 - The lengths of the LORD’s salvation for the righteous

Psalm 52

1-5 - The wicked actions of Doeg and the LORD’s reaction

Those who follow darkness hate the light. John 3:19-21

6-9 - Contrast between the wickedness of Doeg and the righteousness of David

The righteous laugh at the wicked. Recognizing the foolishness of his ways in spurning the Most High.

This spurs praise toward God for what He has done.

Psalm 54

1-3 - Prayer to God for protection against oppressors

God can “vindicate” us before our enemies if we trust in Him. God can take up our cause by His strength.

4-5 - Trust in the LORD to repay enemies for their evil

footnote: The LORD is with those who sustain our souls. Meaning, those with my spiritual benefit in mind ought to be my best friends. Saul didn’t understand that, and ended up blaming anyone who stood between him and what he wanted.

The LORD repaid Saul’s wickedness in the end.

6-7 - Praise for deliverance given by the LORD

Even though David had not seen the wicked truly punished yet, he trusted God enough to say that his eye had seen what it wants done upon his enemies. He knew that God would fight this battle for him, and he didn’t have to lift a finger.

Psalm 57

1-3a - Reaching out for protection and trusting in the LORD to do it

Get under the LORD’s wings and take shelter. Learn from those who chose not to do this! Matt 23:37-39

God avenges for me! He will make it right!

3b-6 - The danger set before David, and the help the LORD gives him

God’s mercy and truth goes forth against the weapons and traps of the wicked, no matter how dark or dire things seem.

7-11 - Steadfast praise to the LORD for His mercy and truth

Repetition - my heart is STEADFAST. It is established, built up.

Leads to full praise of God!

Psalm 142

1-2 - Crying out the LORD

We must pour out our complaints before the LORD, for He is the only one who can truly help. 2 Kings 19:14-19

3-4 - Following the LORD alone

This loneliness sounds like Saul from 1 Samuel 22:8

But, consider how different David takes things. Instead of taking it upon himself to slay his enemies, David cries out for justice to the LORD.

5-7 Crying out to the LORD

Emphasis for the LORD to listen; if we do the same with the right heart, He will hear us!

If we trust in God and surround ourselves with good brethren who support us doing the right thing, we will be bountifully blessed by God!