- Dr. Jacob Chanikkuzhy
“Achish said to his servants, ‘Look at the man! He is insane! Why bring him to me? Am I so short of madmen here?’” (1 Samuel 21:14–15). The above text refers to the abject and miserable situation in the life of King David. When David came to know that King Saul had decided to kill him, he fled from Saul’s court and sought refuge in Gath, where Achish was king. But the servants of Achish recognized David as the King of Judah and brought him before King Achish. Fearing for his life, David pretended to be mad and began to scribble on the doors, letting saliva run down his beard. Irritated and disgusted by the presence of this madman, King Achish scolded his servants for bringing David to his court. The servants released David, and he fled from there and reached the cave of Adullam, where he composed Psalm 34, a beautiful hymn of thanksgiving. (In the title of the Psalm, the king is named as Abimelech. But the incident narrated in 1 Samuel 21 refers to King Achish. Probably, Abimelech, which means “my father is king,” could be a title, while Achish could be the proper name of the king.)
David had to humble himself to an extreme degree to feign madness. This humiliating act saved his life. Yet David did not wear a long face because he had to pass through such unbecoming phases in his life. He was not sad, gloomy, or depressed. Rather, as he sat inside the cave of Adullam, his face shone with joy and confidence. Then he writes in his hymn of thanksgiving the reason for his radiant countenance: “They looked to him and were radiant” (Psalm 34:5). Yes, those who look to God cannot remain unchanged. A radiant face is often the fruit of a vibrant relationship with God, a clean heart, and a spotless character. Again, those who look to God in prayer are filled with joy as they experience His response to their prayers. “Their faces were not ashamed,” assures the Psalmist. Perhaps, as they continue to look to God and live with the conviction that they are always in His sight, they become capable of avoiding everything that could bring shame.
Having escaped the threats of two powerful kings, David was not angry with God for allowing him to pass through such dangers. Rather, he was grateful for delivering him from those threats. He even invites the readers of his hymn to “taste and see that the LORD is good” (Psalm 34:8). How can he say that God is good while fleeing for his life? It confirms that David experienced divine providence even while he was on the run. It is perhaps difficult to communicate convincingly this divine provision and providence to others. That is why the Psalmist invites the singer or reader to experience God personally. Just as one who tastes honey or touches fire needs no argument to prove that honey is sweet or that fire is hot, the best way to recognize the goodness of the Lord is simply to taste Him—to experience His goodness and bounty.
Often, one is tempted to think that powerful people can satisfy all their desires and enjoy even unlawful pleasures by preying upon the vulnerable and helpless. However, the Psalmist warns: “The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing” (Psalm 34:10). Even the ravenous and predatory people will not possess the contentment of a simple believer who looks to God to meet his needs. This does not mean that he receives everything he asks of God. When God denies something to him, He grants him the grace to find joy even without it.
The Psalmist turns a conventional idea upside down when he declares: “The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart” (Psalm 34:18). Many are the things that can easily break a human heart—death of a beloved, disease, defeat, disappointments, rejection, humiliation… Others may consider such experiences proof of one’s abandonment by God. But the Psalmist, who himself was confronted with many of these trials, declares that God is closer to such people, not farther away. God does not abandon His beloved when they encounter the crosses that are part of human life in this finite and imperfect world. Rather, He draws near to them and helps them navigate safely through these ordeals.
