1 Samuel 27:11–12: “David would save neither man nor woman alive, to bring news to Gath, saying, ‘Lest they should inform on us, saying, “Thus David did. And thus was his behavior all the time he dwelt in the country of the Philistines.”’ So Achish believed David, saying, ‘He has made his people Israel utterly abhor him; therefore he will be my servant forever.'”

June 5th, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

David, in order to get away from Saul’s constant attacks, fled to the territory of the Philistines. He and his men raided other regions, sparing no one who could give them away. David thought he was covering his tracks well. The region was far enough away from Gath that King Achish was ignorant of David’s raids. David let Achish think that the hostility of Judah toward David was increasing while in fact he was gaining loyalty in Judah by raiding their wilderness neighbors. The Philistine King Achish thought David was more securely his servant as David’s own people turned against him, but just the opposite was true. However, David was now caught up in an ever-increasing amount of lies to cover his movements. David’s fear of Saul set him up to fall into more and more lies before this Gentile king.

What is the explanation for David’s failure of character in this story? We believe it is the same dangerous trap that many of us have fallen into in our walks with the Lord, weariness. David had been on the run for some time since Saul had put a price on his head. Even those from his own tribe, the Ziphites, from the tribe of Judah, were betraying him to Saul. This kind of burden tends to wear people down, and it was wearing David down. He does not so much blow out here, as he burns out and simply gives up. It doesn’t have to be this way, but, sadly, this is the way many of God’s people have failed throughout the centuries.

We must learn to read our own life carefully. When we find ourselves getting weary, we must again come to God for strength. That sounds so simple (and it is), but there in lies the problem. It is through our confession to the Lord of our weaknesses that He responds and demonstrates His strength in us. For me, it is the message from God in Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.” Even in the moment when we feel ourselves failing, we must come to Him, acknowledge our weariness, ask Him for His strength, and then rely on it.

“You LORD, are our only source of strength. We look to no other, only to You. God Almighty.