Do Not Destroy (Part I) Series

TO THE CHOIRMASTER: ACCORDING TO DO NOT DESTROY. A MIKTAM OF DAVID, WHEN HE FLED FROM SAUL, IN THE CAVE.

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,

for in you my soul takes refuge;

in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,

till the storms of destruction pass by.

I cry out to God Most High,

to God who fulfills his purpose for me.

He will send from heaven and save me;

he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah

God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!

My soul is in the midst of lions;

I lie down amid fiery beasts—

the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows,

whose tongues are sharp swords.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!

Let your glory be over all the earth!

They set a net for my steps;

my soul was bowed down.

They dug a pit in my way,

but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah

My heart is steadfast, O God,

my heart is steadfast!

I will sing and make melody!

Awake, my glory!

Awake, O harp and lyre!

I will awake the dawn!

I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;

I will sing praises to you among the nations.

For your steadfast love is great to the heavens,

your faithfulness to the clouds.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!

Let your glory be over all the earth! [1]

Running in fear for his life, the king of Israel had at last come to a cave in the Judean hills. Having been raised up from his position as a humble shepherd watching his father’s flocks, the young man had ascended to the powerful position of a commander of the armies of Israel. Married to the king’s daughter, his best friend the king’s son, and secretly anointed to be the king, David had reached dizzying heights that most people would find unimaginable. Just as suddenly as he had reached those exhilarating heights, he was plunged to the depths as he was compelled to flee for his life. From the sublime to the muck of despair within a moment of time. Though he knew that God had commissioned him to reign over the people of Israel, David’s Kingdom was suddenly reduced to a dark cave in the Judean wilderness.

Fleeing into the dark recesses of a cave in the wilderness of Judea, David at last had time to reflect. It is important to note that he didn’t flee just so he would have time to think, but because he was running for his life he sought refuge and found it in a cave. Secure for the moment, David at last found a place where he could rest—and he was definitely in need of rest. David found refuge in a cave. In that cave, he was out of sight of prying eyes that might betray him and deliver him into the hands of Saul. In that cave he had a measure of protection that he hadn’t had earlier. However, there was something even more important in the cave. In the cave, David at last had a respite from the pressures bearing down on him, and he was able to cry out to the LORD his God. The LORD met David in the cave; and there, the LORD revealed His might and mercy to His weary servant. David needed that revelation; and each of us need the same revelation, if not at this moment, then in the very near future..

RESTING IN A CAVE —

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,

for in you my soul takes refuge;

in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,

till the storms of destruction pass by.

I cry out to God Most High,

to God who fulfills his purpose for me.

He will send from heaven and save me;

he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah

God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!

[PSALM 57:1-3]

There is something exceptionally tragic to read of David, the King of Israel, seeking respite in a cave. We know that David survived this dark episode in his life and that he ultimately rose above the trials that were then driving him into the dim recesses of a Judean cave. Nevertheless, at this moment, all hope appeared gone and the man whom God had anointed to be King must have questioned what advantage serving God gave.

David was in despair. He had nowhere to turn. He felt that he was deserted and no one would stand with him. David had forgotten that our feelings often deceive us—and our feelings assuredly will deceive us if we allow them to guide our thinking and our actions. Pursued as he was and facing the danger then threatening him, David did the one thing that was most necessary—he stopped to rest and to cry out to the LORD.