“David, Worshiping while at war”
I Samuel 19:1-17
Vs. 1-10 The object of His delight
Vs. 11-17 Someone saved our life
Intro.
Last week we saw that David wrote a song while in the waiting room of life and he gives us insight into his heart as the 9th verse changes one letter in the 17th verse making the psalm ring forth the truth that if we rest in the Lord in the waiting room we will sing his praise before too long. “Ah pastor that may have brought comfort a few moments ago but you see I’ve left the waiting room and I’m on the operating table now!” Well stay with me then as chapter 19 takes us from learning to praise the Lord in the waiting room called life too worshiping the Lord while we are at war!
Have you ever been hated? I mean really despised where people really are out to get you? You’ve passed from just their passing fancy, to their hobby and now you are their full time occupation. David experienced this and it was from his father in law and no matter how much he tried to do what was right it only seemed to anger Saul more. Most the time when I feel someone’s out after me it’s my own insecurities or there is a good reason for their anger towards me.
But even in these two situations I still find myself wanting to chuck spears at those who are out after me real or imagined. But not so with David all he does is flee the situation and compose a ballad singing God’s praise. Reading the 59th Psalm gives us a great insight into his heart during this time as we can see him pour his heart out to the Lord and in so doing we see Him praising the Lord while at war!
Vs. 1-10 The object of His delight
Vs. 1 In 18:22 Saul’s heart towards David was secretive, as his heart to kill him was all being done in the backroom. As we see in this verse that which was done in the backroom is now being communicated openly before Saul’s own advisers. Furthermore what Saul tried to do on his own, with the spear or through manipulation, he now tries to elicit help from those that oversaw the nation.
What this shows us is that when a person turns their back on God their judgment and common sense goes out the window. Saul is now calling, “evil good, and good evil” (Isa. 5:20) and this to a national hero whom the nation as well as Saul’s own administration loved. Of further interest to me is not only did Saul himself come out in the open but other than Jonathan there is no mention of any one of his cabinet members opposing Saul’s mandate to kill the national hero. Jonathan’s silence at the meeting can be attributed to his desire to save David and still correct his father from committing a great injustice, if he would have commented publicly it may have hindered both of these efforts.
The same word for “delight” that Saul had told his servants to proclaim was his heart toward David in 18:22 is the same word used here for Jonathan’s delight. Yet their actions show a very great difference in the meaning of the word in their hearts. Saul said the words but only to get David in harm’s way, Jonathan proved them by his actions. There are four things that Jonathan did to demonstrate his “great delight”:
- Vs. 1 He did not participate: These other fellows bowed to Saul even though they had in 18:5 accepted David. Clearly they were more interested in their position before the King than they were in doing what was right. No one had more to gain in the death of David than did Jonathan; after all he was the crown prince and heir to the throne, yet we see he is not interested in his father the king’s mandate.
- Vs. 2a He warned David: It was not enough that he did not participate; he went out and told David of his fathers plan and that the conspiracy involved the highest of government officials. We often think that our responsibility ends in not participating in a wrong but the bible tells us otherwise if we know what is right and choose not to do it that is wrong.
- Vs. 2b-3 He made sure David was safe: Jonathan makes sure that David is on his guard as well as out of sight until they can ascertain Saul’s plot to kill him. To further make David secure he suggests that this conversation take place where David can overhear and what he can’t hear Jonathan would let him in on.
- Vs. 4-5 He defends David before his father: Jonathan’s argument before his father could have been interpreted as treasonous but yet the next day he makes a fourfold appeal to wisdom:
- Vs. 4a “He has not sinned against you”: “Dad”, Jonathan said, “David is an innocent man!” There was nothing that David had done that was against Saul; there was no treasonous act on his part that would warrant Saul’s desire to kill him. So Jonathan reminds that in taking David’s life that it would be just plain “sin” without any justification.
- Vs. 4b “His works have been very good towards you”: “Dad, the guy has not only not done anything wrong he has done everything right towards you and your kingdom!” Jonathan reminds Saul of the fact that all David had done was to be continually a blessing towards him and the nation. All those times leading him into worship soothing his troubled heart, his continual taking the back seat behind the king never seeking the limelight. When Saul was ripping off David he said nothing and paid double. Perhaps Jonathan reminded Saul that it was his idea to make him a son in law and not David’s, as he felt unworthy to be even thought of in this manner.
- Vs. 5a “He took his own life in his hands”: “Dad you are accusing David of treasonous acts but think for a moment he risked his life when he was the only one in the nation willing to fight Goliath.” What kind enemy is this young man David when he has risked his life to save your honor and the honor of the nation?
- Vs. 5b “The LORD brought about a great deliverance for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced.” The Lord’s victory through David was the nation’s victory and Saul was blessed to have it. Saul had no problem with David when the nation was delivered by his heroism but when this same nation began to sing songs praising the same heroism that Saul had rejoiced in then his enmity began to burn! Jonathan’s argument is clear, “Your problem is not in David’s actions, it is in the fact that people began to praise those actions above yours!”
In the words “Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?” You can hear Jonathan saying, “Dad, what are you thinking there is no more loyal, trustworthy, courageous man in all your Kingdom than David!”
Now remember as Jonathan is saying these words, David is listening to what is being said about him to Saul. Here is where I find application in my own life during difficult seasons when it seems as though everywhere I turn I hear what David wrote of in Psalm 59 the “growl of dogs all around the city.” You see worship in the midst of war is only possible when we stop to hear the words of our Lord about us!
When we pause in the secure field of fellowship. And when we do we will hear our Lord’s words on our behalf, the words of our Prince of Peace speaking of His delight in us! Oh the dogs will continue growling all around the city to be sure but my Savior, my Friend, loves me and is on my side. It is He that has told me to wait in this field to hear what He has to say on my behalf!
Do you hear Him? As Jonathan told David to “be on his guard and stay in the secret place and hide”, if we will only take his counsel to heart we too will hear the One who delights in us greatly speak words of love and encouragement to our souls. And then we too will sing, “aloud of His mercy in the morning; For he has been our defense And refuge in the day of our trouble.”
How many times have I allowed the growl of dogs to flush me from my security and in so doing I have missed His words of delight? Those words I needed to hear so desperately, “You are innocent in me, I have nothing but good plans for you, I have given you my very life and that will ensure your victory!”
Vs. 6 The force of Jonathan’s argument caused Saul to resend his orders to kill David and even caused him to swear an oath to the Lord to confirm his attentions to be a changed man. Ah but a desire to change apart from repenting from the root cause of rebellion to begin with is always short lived. “I’m sorry I’ll never do it again I swear!” may have been sincere for the moment but it only went to his actions not the heart of rebellion that produced them in the first place! Some even wonder if Saul had in mind all along to put David at ease in order to make it easier to kill him?
Vs. 7 Apparently both Jonathan and David were confident in the change in Saul as David is told all that has transpired and then is brought before Saul and all is forgotten. “Good intentions without a changed heart are like lighting in a dark room, a quick flash of light then all is dark again!” Being in Saul’s “presence as in times past” had left spear holes in the wall so I wonder if David believed the best but kept one eye on Saul at all times?
Vs. 8-10 “There was war again” and it was not only going to be between the Philistines and the Israelites but between God’s beloved and Saul. David’s success always seemed to arouse Saul’s jealousy and to be certain satan had beaten that trail into his heart into a highway! Again this “distressing spirit from the Lord” is the same of which we spoke of in 16:14 where we saw that the gifts of God which came upon Saul enabling him to lead the nation were taken from him because of his refusal to be led by God.
And Saul further compounded this as he refused to repent and recognize this. Had he turned to relief from his torment in a renewed relationship with God, instead of his ruling a nation he would have found peace. The void of the Holy Spirit’s influence in his life led him to become what every man is apart from the Holy Spirit’s influence, fearful, jealous, angry and bitter.
These two men played very different instruments didn’t they? Saul played the spear, (not all that well) and David played the lyre. Saul’s song was “death” , David’s adoration to his God. Saul’s song was soothing to no one, not even himself. David’s was a comfort to all who would listen. Again Saul seeks to pin David against the wall with a spear.
As we read these words, “So David fled and escaped that night.” It marks a turning point in his life as David will become a fugitive on the run and will not again return to the palace for better than 10 years. Saul too, will mark this night as it will be the night where he may have won the battle for the palace but lost the war of his heart! Why all of this in David’s life? Well because God uses these things to perfect the imperfect transforming us more into His image using that which we would avoid to accomplish His purpose.
Vs. 11-17 Someone saved our life
Vs. 11 Here then is the very verse that caused David to compose the 59th psalm. I find that interesting as very few of us would sit down and write a song of praise to God during the worst night of our life. Here is where I’m going with this, David’s hurt upon the injustice and what was being lost brought him to what he could never lose, God’s love! Oh how often do we take our hurts and pains and proclaim based upon them that God doesn’t love us? No wonder it was said of David that he was a man after God’s heart!
Saul sends his “hit men” to his daughter’s and David’s house to kill him. This sounds like something out of one of the “Godfather” movies or the “Sopranos” but it isn’t. Michal obviously loves her husband as she advises him to do something to save his life or he would be dead by daybreak, she obviously knew her fathers fits of rage.
Vs. 12 David listens to his bride and takes advantage of the night to slip out the window like a common thief. Now fellows think of this a minute, you’re a war hero you have slain many enemies you are obviously very brave and you are now forced to run away out the bedroom window leaving your wife behind. Oh the humility of this scene in David’s life as he describes it in psalm 59 as being hunted like an animal by wild dogs.
Here then is another application point dealing with “worshiping while at war” the best songs of praise are always sung in humility and brokeness! It is a principal that Jesus spoke of in Math. 16:25 when he said, “Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” We will never truly know our wealth in Christ until we realize all that we have is our wealth in Christ! Of further interest to me are the words of Michal to David telling him that it was up to him to make the choice to be humbled.
Oh, he could have stayed and fought and chances are he would have whipped the servants of Saul, but instead he allowed the Lord to break him. Of the entire Bible characters apart from Jesus Himself more chapters are dedicated to David then any other person, 66 in total! And of those 66 chapters most of them deal with David’s humility and stripping away of the things of his life.
Vs. 13-17 David’s fleeing at night combined with Michal’s actions here bought David time to escape. The word for “Image” is the same word used for idols in fact it is the same word used for Rachel’s idols that she took from her father Laban in Genesis 31:35, only there they were small enough that she hid two of them in the camels saddle and sat on them. But clearly here this idol was large enough to pose as at least the bust of David.
This shows you that already there was idolatry in the nation and that she had done so without David’s knowledge. So she got some goat hair that matched David’s hair, put David’s clothes on it and placed it in the bed. So when the hit men came to kill David she told them “he is sick” and apparently they didn’t want to get too close to kill him as they were afraid of catching whatever made him smell like a goat and have its hair.
Saul is nothing but determined so he says, “bring him to my bed and I’ll kill him.” I wonder if Saul trusts the spear this time and the goat hair wig came off? Whatever happened Saul became aware of being deceived by his daughter and is upset. Apparently the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Amazingly Saul recognizes her injustice but can not ascertain his own and that by her deception she has kept him from committing a far greater crime. Saul calls David his enemy but David saw Saul as his friend, how sad for Saul.
Finally Michal lies about her involvement making him guilty of threatening murder to a man that needed no reason in the first place. So Michal sought to justify her action at the sake of her husband’s reputation and such will be her life, as we shall see. Next, we see that David will seek comfort from Samuel as well as those that spoke the word and will in the end only find it in the arms of the Lord.
“David, Worshiping on the run”
1 Samuel 19:18-24
Vs. 22-24 Worshiping the experience
Intro.
We last left David on the worst night of his young life as he has been forced to become a fugitive on the run. He has suffered as the hero of the nation, a most embarrassing moment as his wife helps him through the window of his house while she is left behind. Little did David know at that moment that he would not see his home again for 10 to 20 years.
What benefit did this bring David? Let’s carry that further. What benefit does any suffering by way of adverse circumstances bring us? Well I suggest to you that it is in the crucible that you and I become not only pure but also glorious. As the dross of our lives is burned away we discover that the greatest asset that we servants of the Lord have can not only never be taken from us but becomes of greater value and use through the fires than it would have ever become any other way. What is this asset that is so secure and becomes of greater value and use through trials? Why it is the Lord Himself!
I suggested to you previously that practically speaking those 17 verses offered us two great truths as to how to worship while the world is coming against you:
- First there was Jonathan’s suggestion that David hide in the secret field and wait to hear what he would say about him to his father Saul. If we are to worship the Lord in the midst of war then we need to heed this council, to stop what we are doing and wait in the field to hear what our Friend, Savior and Prince has to say about us. If we wait long enough and not allow the “growl of dogs” (psalm 59) to chase us from this spot we will hear His words saying, “You’re innocent in me, I’ve seen your faithfulness, I love you and I am on your side!” And in those words we will not only find comfort but praise to Him.
- Second, in David’s humility as his wife lowers him out his own window, we discovered that the best tune and harmony of worship is always sung in the key of humility! Ah when the Lord has become more than everything intellectually and has instead become our everything practically, then the song of praise is sung with passion. And in this, praise becomes far more than truth that sounds good, It is that which brings relief to our own soul!
The final seven verses point out two things that can be a distraction to the above two truths:
- Vs. 18 In David running to Samuel we see the mistake of seeking worship in an instrument instead of the Lord.
- Vs. 23-24 Finally we see in Saul the common mistake of making the experience what we worship instead of the Lord.
Vs. 18-21 Transformed by the presence of God
Vs. 18 When David left the window of his house at the suggestion of his wife he traveled some 10 miles north to where Samuel lived. Elsewhere, in Samuel we are told several things about this place where Samuel lived:
- It is called “Ramathaim Zophim” (Ray- ma-thim Zo-fim) {1 Sam. 1:1} as Ramah simply meant “height”, and thaim means, “double” thus “double height”. People in those days sought protection from on coming enemies and the most natural protection they could find was a high place or hill, so apparently Samuel found a hill that was double the height of any around. Now the word Zophim means “watcher” so this place had a great vista over which one could keep watch. Furthermore we are told that they stayed at Naioth, which means “dwelling or residence”.
- We also know that Samuel had started a school of the prophets and it is here that they gathered on a regular basis to worship the Lord.
Why do I bring these things up? Well it is interesting to me as we look at the 59th psalm, which David wrote during this experience and three times in those 17 verses (9, 16, and 17) he refers to the lord as his “defense”. Yeah so? Well that word rendered defense in English is actually the word “tower” or “high place” which is used to describe an inaccessible place. You see where I’m going with this?
David sets out disillusioned to Samuel’s house to the one person who understood his calling, as it was he whom the Lord sent to anoint him as the next King. David ascends the hill with the great view of everything around and goes to the person who he thought had a great view of everything going on in his life. And when he arrives where Samuel lives we are told that David, “told him all that Saul had done to him.”
So here is what happened, “Look Samuel this King thing is not working out as I thought it would. I mean I could see how the Lord was preparing me to be King during the worship leader gig, and killing the giant of the Philistines. And being made commander over the army of Israel, becoming the Kings’ son’s best friend and marrying into the royal family, perfect.” “
But Samuel, what’s up with Saul and his hit men trying to kill me and pin me to the wall, this can’t be part of God’s plan?” David is going to a man, his mentor, and trying to make sense out of his circumstances and situations as those experiences are not lining up with what he thought was the call of God upon his life. Perfectly natural don’t you think?
Now look carefully with me at these words, “And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth.” Now I ask you what’s missing? Well there is not one single word of Samuel comforting David or explaining the “Why Me” of David’s complaint. Instead all that Samuel does is take him to a worship service! A worship service? Yeh, you see the words “prophesying, and prophesied” in verses 20 and 21 are not limited to what we think of these words. You see we think that they mean to foretell the future, but they encompass more than that as they mean “to speak forth and sing God’s praise”!
So here is what happened, David went to a person who he thought could give him perspective on his life and answer the questions of “why me”. And when he arrives Samuel takes him into the presence of the Lord and there in the presence of the Lord David gains a view over all the things that were coming against him. Samuel, says in essence “David, you are going to the wrong source man, the answer is in the Lord!”
How do we know this is what happened? Well when David wrote of this experience in psalm 59 instead of saying that he traveled to the “Double High Place” where Samuel could give him perspective on his circumstances. Three times he wrote that God, “had been a tower to him, And a refuge for him in a day of adversity.” And instead of saying that Samuel had been his comfort he wrote that the “God of mercy shall come to meet him” (59:10).
Oh dear Christian our help and mercy come only from God and such comfort of His presence does not come to those who seek it in men no matter how spiritual they are. No, God alone wants to reveal Himself to you and He will come to you only when we are completely depending upon Him in the midst of the fight. God alone wants to be our “High Tower” He alone is the one that can stand above the circumstances and situations of our lives and meet us with His mercy!
In the 73rd Psalm we are told something similar as the psalmist writes, “all day long I have been plagued, And chastened every morning. If I had said, “I will speak thus,” Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children. When I thought about how to understand this, It was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood”.
Samuel taught David a very valuable lesson that day that only in worship of God does our perspective change. You see it is in worship where we are praising His character and nature that what we know to be true about Him becomes what we use to interpret our circumstances and situations! God does not create joy by new surroundings; He creates new surroundings by joy!
Vs. 19-21 As David is learning this lesson in the worship service Saul is hot on his heels and he has his spies who tell him where to find David. The guy is nothing if not persistent and though we can say many things against Saul we surely can’t fault his work ethic.
It is easy for us to see the hardness of a heart that has become so callous towards the Lord that he is now going to send his hit men to kill David in a worship service. But as I look at this verse I wonder how many times the Lord has tried to speak to my heart about some rebellion and I’ve gone on with my plans all the while ignoring the obvious?
So Saul sends his hit men to “take David” and when the first group arrives and sees Samuel conducting the worship service the “Spirit of God” comes upon them and they too begin to praise. Apparently Saul was told of this so he sends another group and the same thing happens and then he sends the third group and they too join the worship service which has now turned into a revival! These soldiers were not out to seek the Lord, they were out after murder so what do we make of this? Well I think we can see three things:
- David was there as these assassins came three separate times to kill him and each time he witnessed them be transformed by the presence of God from killers to worshipers. He wrote of this experience in the 59th psalm final two verses saying, “I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense And refuge in the day of my trouble. To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; For God is my defense, My God of mercy.”
- David saw that the Lord didn’t need to send an army and He didn’t need the counsel and comfort of Samuel. He was perfectly able to transform those who were sent to capture him into those who were themselves captured by the presence of the Lord. David did not need to flee to God he only needed to abide in Him who had placed Himself between us and the enemy!
- From the “hit men’s” perspective they must have thought that this was going to be the easiest kill they’ve had in a long time. They knew right where to find David and he was sitting right in a church service and would be of no threat. Now what this tells you and I is that the safest place for us to be when things are coning after us and we are facing those things which we feel are going to slay us is sitting at the Lord’s feet praising Him!
- From Saul’s perspective this threefold transformation served as a reminder to him that the Lord wanted to capture him by His presence as well. Instead of seeking to slay David he ought to have been desiring to be slain that he could be filled with the Spirit. These three groups of men sent on an errand to kill David each of them not returning could have pointed Saul to the truth that if only he would come to the Lord and enter into His presence he too would not ever leave!
Oh dear Christian what does it take for you and I to listen to what the Spirit has to say to us? Three sets of killers each with the same encounter with the Holy Spirit ought to have been enough to speak to Saul about his need to come back to the Lord but it wasn’t. Saul was in rebellion you see, he was fighting against the Lord and God was showing him the futility of doing this as He can turn a warrior into a worshiper.
Vs. 22-24 Worshiping the experience
Vs. 22 Apparently Saul ran out of assassins and thought to himself, “Man it’s so hard to get good hit men these days, if you want a job done right you have to do it yourself!” The great well at Sechu was about half way between where Saul lived and where Samuel, David and the hit men were. What this shows us is that news of the worship service’s revival had spread a good distance already. The name Sechu means, “look out place” and it was here that there was a great cistern where they would gather water to quench all those who were thirsty. Again these two facts ought to have served as a warning to Saul to “Look Out ” and get his dry heart right.
Now we come to a very curious passage that tells us that Saul as well begins to worship the Lord and does so for the five or so miles and then strips himself of his royal robes and falls upon his face all day and night worshiping the Lord. What are we to make of this? Well there is insight in the last phrase of verse 24 as those witnessing this ask, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
This is not the first time the nation asked this question, as you will see back in chapter 10:9-13 when he was a much younger man they wondered the same thing. I suggest to you that what folks witnessed of Saul on those two occasions were uncommon to his every day occurrence. Now follow me on this. Do you know what the people don’t ask? Well they don’t ask this question of either David or Samuel, which tells me that worshiping the Lord was part of who those two were. In fact again at the end of David’s life the nation knew him as the “sweet Psalmist of Israel”.
Are you telling me that Saul did not have an encounter with the presence and power of the Lord? No, I’m saying that he did but that even this encounter with the presence of the Lord did not change his heart! The simple facts of the next chapters will bear witness to this truth. Saul was led to take off what he so desperately wanted to hang onto his Kingly robes and he even fell down in worship of the Lord which he was in rebellion to and yet with these two incredible experiences with the Lord his heart remained unchanged.
Saul had indeed “got religion” but he did not get “relationship” and as such he did not benefit beyond the immediate. Wonderful encounters are not signs or evidence of a changed heart; only a life lived in obedience is. Many are fooled into worshiping the experience instead of the Lord and think that the emotions that are stirred indicate that all is right. The outward sign of repentance was great, the praising of the Lord was right on but by the 33rd verse of the next chapter Saul is so envious of David that he seeks to kill his son Jonathan in his determination. Oh how tragic that Saul missed the opportunity to have his heart transformed by the Spirit of God and not just for a brief time but for eternity!