David Defeats the Philistines: When the Sound of Marching Comes

Big Idea: God’s anointed king moves by dependence on the living God instead of his own instinct and experience. Victory comes not from David’s might, but from God’s direction.

Strength Is a Terrible Substitute for Dependence

King David has finally arrived. After years of waiting… hiding… running… enduring betrayal, injustice, and delay—David is now king over all Israel. The throne is secure. Jerusalem is captured. The nation is unified. The promises of God are visibly coming together.

There is roughly 15 years between David’s first anointing by Samuel and his final third anointing as king over all Israel.

The Three Anointings of David

David is anointed three times, not once:

1.  Anointed by Samuel Privately (1 Samuel 16:1–13 c. 1025 BC approx.)

David is likely 15–17 years old

This is a divine designation, not a public coronation

David returns to shepherding sheep afterward

2. Anointed King over Judah (2 Samuel 2:1–4 c. 1010 BC)

Saul is dead

David is 30 years old (2 Sam 5:4)

He reigns in Hebron

Duration: 7 years, 6 months (2 Sam 5:5)

3. Anointed King over All Israel (2 Samuel 5:1–3 c. 1003 BC)

The tribes finally unite

Ish-bosheth is dead

David becomes king over the whole nation

The Three Anointings of David

Total Waiting Time From 1 Samuel 16 → 2 Samuel 5 is about 15 years of waiting

This Includes:

Serving Saul

Being hunted by Saul

Living in caves

Betrayal by the Ziphites

Refuge among the Philistines

Loss, grief, and uncertainty

This is a delay designed by God.

Strength Is a Terrible Substitute for Dependence

By the time we reach 2 Sam 5:17–25, David is:

Seasoned, not impulsive

Proven, not presumptuous

Dependent, not self-confident

That’s why—even after 15 years of confirmation and multiple victories—he still: “inquired of the LORD”

David waited years to move into God’s promise, so he had no problem waiting moments to move in God’s timing. Those who learn to wait long are not anxious about waiting short.

Strength Is a Terrible Substitute for Dependence

So David is finally anointed King over all of Israel and immediately, the Philistines come.

David is finally anointed king over all Israel—and immediately the Philistines come looking for him.

That should wake us up. Spiritual promotion provokes spiritual warfare. When God puts His hand on you, the enemy puts a target on you. Don’t expect the attacks to stop after a victory—expect them to intensify. Why? Because Satan knows this: if he can keep you beaten down, discouraged, and constantly reacting, you’ll never walk boldly in the authority God has already given you. He’s not just after your defeat—he’s after your momentum.

Victory doesn’t scare the enemy—momentum does.

Being constantly discouraged by Satan isn’t God’s plan for you.

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV

11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Strength Is a Terrible Substitute for Dependence

God is not reacting to your failures—He is already working toward your future. The enemy wants you stuck in survival mode; God calls you to walk forward in faith.

So what makes this passage so powerful is not David’s military brilliance. It is not his experience as a warrior. It is not even the loyalty of his mighty men. What makes this one of the most instructive passages in all of Scripture is this simple, repeated truth with 5 simple words: David inquired of the LORD.

Twice. Same enemy. Same terrain. Different instructions. 2 Sam 5:17-25 is a masterclass in spiritual dependence.

2 Samuel 5:17–25 ESV

17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. 19 And David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.” 20 And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood.” Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim. 21 And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away. 22 And the Philistines came up yet again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. 23 And when David inquired of the Lord, he said, “You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees. 24 And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, for then the Lord has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” 25 And David did as the Lord commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba to Gezer.

Context Matters: The Crown Has Just Been Placed

Verse 17 opens with a key phrase: “When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel…”

They didn’t panic when David was ruling Judah. They didn’t mobilize when he was hiding in caves. They didn’t move when Saul was chasing him. But when David is anointed king over all Israel—then they act.

Why? Because the Philistines understood what many believers forget: unity under God’s chosen leadership is dangerous to the enemy.

Context Matters: The Crown Has Just Been Placed

David represents more than a political threat—he represents the unfolding covenant purposes of God.

And so the Philistines go looking for David. “And David heard of it and went down to the stronghold.”

David does not rush headlong into battle. He retreats—not in fear, but in wisdom. The stronghold is a place of refuge, assessment, and prayer.

Before David draws a sword, he bows his heart.

The Valley of Rephaim: Geography with a Theological Message

Verse 18 tells us where the Philistines deploy: “Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.”

That name matters.

Rephaim is associated throughout Scripture with giants, ancient enemies, and overwhelming odds. This is not just a battlefield—it is a psychological statement.

The Philistines are essentially saying:

This is where heroes fall. This is where strength meets its limit. This is where giants dominate.

And David knows the history.

The Valley of Rephaim: Geography with a Theological Message

But notice what he does not do.

He does not assume victory because:

He has defeated Goliath

He has won battles before

He is now king

Experience is not a substitute for dependence.

So David does something profoundly countercultural for a seasoned warrior:

“And David inquired of the LORD…”

First Inquiry: “Shall I Go Up?”

David asks two questions:

“Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” (v.19)

That first question is critical.

David does not ask how to fight until he knows whether to fight.

That is spiritual maturity.

Too often we ask God to bless decisions we’ve already made instead of submitting the decision itself.

God’s answer is clear:

“Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.”

This is not ambiguity. This is assurance.

And David obeys.

Baal-Perazim: The Lord Who Breaks Through

Verse 20 records the outcome: “And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there.”

Then David names the place: “The LORD has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood.”

Baal-Perazim means Lord of Breakthroughs.

Baal-Perazim is the proper biblical name as it appears in English translations, but it is a Hebrew compound name, not a Philistine one—and David is intentionally redeeming and redefining the word baal in this context. David names the place Baal-Perazim to make a point: the Philistines’ so-called god didn’t break through—the LORD did. Yahweh alone is the Master of the breakthrough.

Micah 2:13 ESV

13 He who opens the breach goes up before them; they break through and pass the gate, going out by it. Their king passes on before them, the Lord at their head.

Baal-Perazim: The Lord Who Breaks Through

With this royal naming, David does not credit strategy or army might and courage. He credits the LORD.

The imagery is powerful: a dam bursting, water overwhelming resistance, unstoppable force.

And David memorializes it.

Because victories remembered become fuel for future faith.

False Gods Abandoned

Verse 21 gives us a telling detail: “And the Philistines left their idols there…”

Their gods couldn’t save them. They flee, leaving behind what they trusted in.

False gods always fail when confronted by the living God.

And David has the idols removed.

Victory is incomplete if compromise remains.

The Second Attack: Same Enemy, Same Place

Verse 22 is stunning: “And the Philistines came up yet again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.”

Same enemy. Same location.

Here’s the danger: Success breeds assumption.

Satan often attacks the same place over and over again

David could have said: “We know this drill.” “Same battlefield, same strategy.” “God did it this way last time.”

But David knows something essential: God is not obligated to repeat His methods.

So what does David do?

“And when David inquired of the LORD…”

Again.

This is dependence.

A Different Answer from the Same God

God’s instruction this time is completely different:

“You shall not go up; go around to their rear…”

Wait. Delay. Maneuver.

God is teaching David—and us—that obedience is not formulaic.

Faith listens freshly.

The Mulberry Trees and the Sound of Heaven

Then comes one of the most beautiful verses in Scripture:2 Sam 5:24

2 Samuel 5:24 ESV

24 And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, for then the Lord has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.”

2 Samuel 5:24 KJV 1900

24 And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the Lord go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.

The Mulberry Trees and the Sound of Heaven

This is not poetic flourish. This is supernatural signal.

David is told to wait—not for noise from the enemy—but for movement from heaven.

The sound of marching is not David’s army.

It is the LORD going before him.

The Mulberry Trees and the Sound of Heaven

When we see the work of God happening around us, it is like the sound in the mulberry trees – the rustling sound should awaken us to prayer and devotion. A time of crisis or tragedy is also like the sound in the mulberry trees – the rustling sound should awaken us to confession and repentance. “Now, what should I do? The first thing I will do is, I will bestir myself. But how shall I do it? Why, I will go home this day, and I will wrestle in prayer more earnestly than I have been wont to do that God will bless the minister, and multiply the church.” (Spurgeon)

The Verse That Steadies Anxious Hearts

When we don’t know when to act… When moving too early could mean disaster… When waiting feels unbearable…

God says: Listen for My movement.

Don’t force the door. Don’t rush the outcome. Don’t confuse urgency with obedience.

When heaven moves, then you move.

Theological Truth: God Fights for His Anointed

God explains why the sound matters: “For then the LORD has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.”

God fights for His people

Victory is decided before the swords clash.

David’s job is alignment, not initiation.

Exodus 14:14 ESV

14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

Obedience Leads to Sustained Victory

Verse 25 concludes: “And David did as the LORD commanded him…”

That sentence summarizes the entire passage.

Not brilliance. Not boldness. Not bravery.

Obedience.

And the victory is thorough.

Learning to Wait for the Sound

Some of us are exhausted not because the battle is hard—but because we are moving without listening.

David teaches us:

Pray before acting

Ask again after success

Do not assume yesterday’s obedience covers today

Wait for God’s timing, not just His promise

When anxiety rises, remember:

God goes before His people.

Listen. Wait. Then move.

Learning to Wait for the Sound

The same God who went before David goes before you.

He has not stopped marching.

The question is not whether God is moving.

The question is whether we are listening.

When the sound of marching comes… then act.

Until then—rest in Him.