Escaping Your Cave of Fear
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Introduction
Introduction
This Psalm is an acrostic Psalm written by David. This Psalm is concerning David when he pretended to be insane in the presence of Abimelech (king of the Philistines) who drove him out and he departed to the cave of Adullum.
10 David fled that day from Saul’s presence and went to King Achish of Gath. 11 But Achish’s servants said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Don’t they sing about him during their dances: Saul has killed his thousands, but David his tens of thousands?”
12 David took this to heart and became very afraid of King Achish of Gath, 13 so he pretended to be insane in their presence. He acted like a madman around them, scribbling on the doors of the city gate and letting saliva run down his beard.
14 “Look! You can see the man is crazy,” Achish said to his servants. “Why did you bring him to me? 15 Do I have such a shortage of crazy people that you brought this one to act crazy around me? Is this one going to come into my house?”
1 So David left Gath and took refuge in the cave of Adullam. When David’s brothers and his father’s whole family heard, they went down and joined him there. 2 In addition, every man who was desperate, in debt, or discontented rallied around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.
Prior to this in 1 Samuel David having fled from Saul - had gone to the priest Ahimelech at Nob and after getting food also took with him the sword of Goliath. David fled to the Philistine city of Gath - hoping I guess to be safe there? However upon arrival the kings servants recognized him - possibly from the sword that had belonged to Goliath who was from Gath! David himself said there is none like it.
9 The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want to take it for yourself, then take it, for there isn’t another one here.” “There’s none like it!” David said. “Give it to me.”
The songs that they sung of David that drove Saul to despise David were known by the Philistines also. Hearing the people talk of him David became fearful in the land of the Philistines.
He decided then to pretend to be insane and acted like a madman even letting saliva run down his beard. The king seeing this believed he was a madman and crazy and let David go for he had no need of a crazy person in his presence. Leaving the city of Gath David took refuge in the cave of Adullum.
Fear of Saul brought David to the Philistine city and the fear of the Philistines drove David to pretend to be insane and flee again in fear to the cave of Adullum. Upon coming to the cave David’s family heard and came and joined him and in addition to family every other person - desperate, in debt, discontent, etc all came around him.
And maybe you are there today. Stuck in some kind of fear. You call it concern, but that concern has become a cocoon, forbidding you from living beyond your cave of fear. May this Psalm be not only inspirational but instructional as well for how we can come out of our cave of fear.
1 I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. 2 I will boast in the Lord; the humble will hear and be glad. 3 Proclaim the Lord’s greatness with me; let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me and rescued me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him are radiant with joy; their faces will never be ashamed. 6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him from all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and rescues them. 8 Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the person who takes refuge in him! 9 You who are his holy ones, fear the Lord, for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 Young lions lack food and go hungry, but those who seek the Lord will not lack any good thing. 11 Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 12 Who is someone who desires life, loving a long life to enjoy what is good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from deceitful speech. 14 Turn away from evil and do what is good; seek peace and pursue it. 15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry for help.
16 The face of the Lord is set against those who do what is evil, to remove all memory of them from the earth. 17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles. 18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he saves those crushed in spirit.
19 One who is righteous has many adversities, but the Lord rescues him from them all. 20 He protects all his bones; not one of them is broken. 21 Evil brings death to the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished. 22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants, and all who take refuge in him will not be punished.
Sing Praises of the LORD
Sing Praises of the LORD
1 I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. 2 I will boast in the Lord; the humble will hear and be glad. 3 Proclaim the Lord’s greatness with me; let us exalt his name together.
David more than likely realized that it wasnt his cleverness that saved him from the people in Gath, and it was fear and fleeing from Saul that brought him on the road to Gath to begin with. David in the cave considering the events begins to write - I will bless the LORD — at all times. Bless - [bay-rock] and it can be translated bless or praise and has the sense of bowing the knee in worship. David then says His praise will always be on my lips. He will always be ready and willing to praise Him. David is declaring that he will worship and sing praises not just in good times or easy times, but in all times. The LORD can be worshipped at ANY and ALL times. Before you scoff and say that’s easy for him He was a king - remember the context of this psalm - no one was in a more fearful and perilous situation than David when writing these words.
Spurgeon spoke wisely when he said “He who praises God for blessings will always have blessings for which to praise God.”
David writes that he will boast int he LORD; the humble will hear and be glad and then he enjoined those with him to proclaim the LORD’s greatness and to exalt His name together. David wanted to lift up the LORD and not himself. Left to his own devices David would be driven mad and drooling on himself - as would we all. David desires to lift up the LORD and it is the humble who would be glad to see the LORD lifted up. The humble realize there is nothing glorifying about themselves, but when you lift up the LORD He has much to be praised and proclaimed!
David says proclaim His greatness with me and let’s exalt Him together. When it comes to fear our fear can be contagious and can cause others to also become fearful. Just take note of the pandemic - the more fear was proclaimed the more people became afraid. Something that is more contagious than fear though is FAITH. We proclaim our faith as we worship and praise the LORD and proclaim His greatness. As God’s people sing God’s praises and proclaim His greatness and exalt Him as we should our worship begins to push back our fear.
Look Unto the LORD
Look Unto the LORD
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me and rescued me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him are radiant with joy; their faces will never be ashamed. 6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him from all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and rescues them. 8 Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the person who takes refuge in him!
9 You who are his holy ones, fear the Lord, for those who fear him lack nothing. 10 Young lions lack food and go hungry, but those who seek the Lord will not lack any good thing.
What does David sing? He sings of God being His answer he needed. David says I sought the LORD and He answered me and rescued me from ALL my fears. David didnt find rescue in his own answers - it was only when he sought the LORD was he rescued from his fears - all of them. Seek the LORD He will rescue you from ALL your fears. David says all who look to Him are radiant with joy and their faces will never be ashamed. Those who look to the LORD are directing their gaze towards Him and are putting their attention to Him and their faith in Him. Those in times of trouble, confusion, pain, worry, stress, fear etc - if they look to the LORD they will become radiant with joy. Shining and exuding a sense of joy or over-all well-being.
This poor man - David refers to himself as a poor man - one who has little but not enough to resort to begging. David says as a poor man he cried out to the LORD and the LORD heard him and saved him from all his troubles. If the LORD saved him from all his troubles certainly he could and would do the same for others. Who wouldnt look to LORD knowing that He will answer and can save one from all their troubles? David writes that the angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him and rescues them. David using military imagery that he is familiar with envisions the LORD’s divine protection.
David then writes a challenge to those who would read and hear his psalm and praises. The LORD saves all who call and cry out to Him. David calls out for people to test this. David says taste and see that the LORD is good. David isnt saying just believe that the LORD is good He says test that the LORD is good. Taste and experience His goodness for yourself. Determine on your own if He is good, find out for yourself. As David has tasted the LORD’s goodness we are all called to come taste and see that the LORD is good. Taste isnt suggesting a sip or nibble either - it implies feeding on the LORD through His Word and experiencing all He has for us. Those who look to the LORD discover not only that He saves from times in our life but that He indeed satisfies for all of our life. How happy is the one who takes refuge in Him.
You who are His holy ones fear the LORD and the promise is that those who fear the LORD lack nothing. The idea is that those who fear the LORD have no lack of needs. They do not lack the necessary things. Young lions lack food and go hungry and starve with a severe want.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield. The Lord grants favor and honor; he does not withhold the good from those who live with integrity.
Those who seek the LORD will not lack any good thing. If it is lacking it is not good. Those who fear the LORD need fear nothing else for the fear of the LORD drives out all other fear.
Learn the Fear of the LORD
Learn the Fear of the LORD
11 Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 12 Who is someone who desires life, loving a long life to enjoy what is good? 13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from deceitful speech. 14 Turn away from evil and do what is good; seek peace and pursue it.
David continuing on goes from praise to exhortation to instruction. A move from public praise to a type of preaching instruction. The instruction that David lays out is that which possibly is a missing factor from their religious life. The instruction is on how to have a fear of the LORD. David refers to those who need instruction on fearing the LORD as children. Without a fear of the LORD is immature in their walk with the LORD, for the mature know to fear God. The fear of the LORD is not ill-defined or elusive concept but one that can be instructed and known. The fear of the LORD is not merely academic either but must be worked out practically. The fear of the LORD is not merely learned but it must be lived - similar to James in his epistle
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him?
17 In the same way faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works.
David begins by teaching the practical ways in which the fear of the LORD is manifested. Desire what is good. To love life is to desire a full and fulfilling life. This is the abundant life that Christ talked about - not that the word of faith teachers speak of.
10 A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.
This abundant life has little to do with possessions, status and fame, but has lots to do with character, faith and a desire to honor the LORD. This one seeks the LORD and want nothing less than what He wants for their life.
4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.
The fear of the LORD results in self-control over our tongue and lips, or more specifically our speech. One who has a healthy fear of the LORD is mindful over the words they speak. If we can control the tongue we can control the body as James says in James 3.
23 The one who guards his mouth and tongue keeps himself out of trouble.
3 Lord, set up a guard for my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips. 4 Do not let my heart turn to any evil thing or perform wicked acts with evildoers. Do not let me feast on their delicacies.
Turn away from evil and do what is good; seek peace and pursue it. This means abandoning sin once and for all, doing good as God gives strength and opportunity, and being a peacemaker and not a troublemaker. Not that they are to seek “peace at any price,” for peace depends on purity but they do make every effort not to make enemies. “Pursue” means that we have to work at it, with the help of the Lord.
We learn then that the fear of the Lord is no ethereal, academic matter. The fear of the Lord involves acting consistently with God’s character and with His commands. It means we must forsake deception, and we must speak truthfully. It means that we must cease pursuing evil and must pursue peace instead. The fear of the Lord not only involves doctrine, it implements it.
The fear of the LORD demands a response in how we live.
Take Refuge in the LORD
Take Refuge in the LORD
15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry for help. 16 The face of the Lord is set against those who do what is evil, to remove all memory of them from the earth. 17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he saves those crushed in spirit. 19 One who is righteous has many adversities, but the Lord rescues him from them all. 20 He protects all his bones; not one of them is broken.
21 Evil brings death to the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished. 22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants, and all who take refuge in him will not be punished.
The basis by which David is encouraging his readers and us to take refuge in the LORD is the basis of relationship. Verses 15-18 David describes the relationship of the LORD with those needing refuge. The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and His ears are open to their cry for help. We need not fear knowing the LORD has His eyes on us. He sees us and our troubles and affliction. What more is that His ears are open to hearing the cry for help - we do not have to fear that He cant hear or worse wont hear. He is actively listening for the cry on which to act upon. The face of the LORD is against those who do evil to remove all memory of them from the earth. The relationship of the LORD with those who seek refuge is that He is for the righteous and against the evil. The righteous cry out and He rescues them from all their troubles. The LORD is near the brokenhearted and He saves those crushed in Spirit. Two things are worth taking note of from this revelation of the LORD’s relationship to the righteous.
Nowhere in this psalm is it suggested that the righteous life of faith and obedience will exempt them from trouble.
God also promises that the righteous can call on Him and He will see them through all their troubles. The evil have none to call on.
One who is righteous has many adversaries - just for being righteous - Abel was killed by Cain just because he was accepted by God. Jesus has adversities and adversaries. The LORD has rescued Him.
The assurance is that no one who trusts in the LORD is lost.
Conclusion
Conclusion
We have a choice to let our circumstances drive us to our cave in despair, anger, fear, etc or to our knees in praise and worship.
20 Bringing them before the chief magistrates, they said, “These men are seriously disturbing our city. They are Jews 21 and are promoting customs that are not legal for us as Romans to adopt or practice.”
22 The crowd joined in the attack against them, and the chief magistrates stripped off their clothes and ordered them to be beaten with rods. 23 After they had severely flogged them, they threw them in jail, ordering the jailer to guard them carefully. 24 Receiving such an order, he put them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains came loose.
When we choose to praise our chains are set loose.
Those who are exhorted to “taste and see that the Lord is good” (v. 8a) are co-worshippers with David, Israelites who have come to worship God. They are not pagans, nor are they apathetic with regard to their attendance at worship. The blessings which they are encouraged to experience are those which David himself has experienced.
We can safely infer that those David was challenging and exhorting have not and did not experience the fullest blessings of God. Why would he exhort others to experience what they already possess? If the Israelites of David’s day were devout enough to regularly worship, why did they need to be encouraged to taste, and experience the goodness of the Lord?
I think that they just like people in the church today, go through the rituals of worship, but fail to have the relationship with God which enables them to personally experience the provision and protection of God David had come to know. We must not only look to God but we must also taste for ourselves to see and experientially know God’s goodness.
The fear of the LORD is not merely learned but it must be lived out practically.
The LORD is open and listening and acting on behalf of the righteous. Nothing exempts the righteous from troubles but the LORD promises to rescue the righteous and save the crushed in spirit.
God redeemed David, just as He had redeemed Israel from Egypt, and He is able to redeem us from our troubles
If we experience hardship for a time, and then see that hardship go away, can we not still say we have been delivered or rescued?
Sometimes God delivers us by keeping us from any real harm. He may allow us to be bruised by afflictions, but he will not allow us to be broken (i.e. destroyed).
Charles Spurgeon writes: ‘David had come off with kicks and cuffs, but no broken bones. No substantial injury occurs to the saints.… Their real self is safe; they may have flesh-wounds, but no part of the essential fabric of their beings shall be broken.’
We can escape our cave of fear by following David’s lead from Psalm 34
We are quite obviously mistaken if we expect complete deliverance in this life. That awaits the life to come
The righteous are delivered and the wicked are desolate - the choice is ours.