Let us read 2 Corinthians 9:8, “Besides, God is able to make every blessing of yours overflow for you, so that in every situation you will always have all you need for any good work.” (ISV)
God is able to make every blessing overflow on us, and this is applicable to every area of our lives. This also means that we will experience of God’s bountiful blessings that will overwhelm us even beyond our understanding.
God honored David in the midst of his enemies
The Psalmist David says it this way in Psalm 23:5, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” (ESV)
Notice how the table that God prepared for David was not before those who were favorable to him, but in the sight of all his enemies who were against him. These were those who were desiring David’s downfall. It was in their midst that God had prepared a banquet for David. God also had anointed David’s head with oil. This anointing has significance in a couple of ways, in that it symbolizes affluence, and also signifies the anointing of the Holy Spirit on David’s life. The anointing made David special both without and within. David also testified that his cup overflowed with God’s abundant blessings, and that God’s favor rested on him.
When speaking about the bountiful blessings of God, we will understand that the Lord also gives us His abounding protection to those of us who are His children.
In David’s life he faced attacks from both the Amalekites and Philistines, and this was not something to be perturbed about. However, David also faced opposition from his own family members. Also King Saul who was supposed to protect David, the one who had benefitted much from David, hunted him with the vengeance to have him killed. David’s own son Absalom also turned against his father, and pursued him in order to confiscate his father’s throne. We see that David enemies were both from within his family, and from outside as well.
David sought God to defend him
It was in such a situation that David sings in Psalm 54:1, “O God, save me by your name, and defend me with your might.” (GW)
David called on the Lord to save him from his enemies. The reason David was blessed by God was that he had learnt to call on the Lord in all circumstances. God’s name is above all names, and is to be revered above all, and David knew that he could call on the name of the Lord to save him. In the second part of the verse David calls on the Lord to defend him with His might. Remember that only a person who is upright can call on the Lord to be his defender, and David had walked in uprightness before the Lord. Though David had been wronged and treated unfairly, he knew that He could call on the powerful name of the Lord.
In times of danger we too must learn to call only on the Lord. If we too want to experience the divine protection of God over our lives, it is necessary that we be just and live uprightly. We live in a world filled with injustice, and no one can even question others about the same.
David is betrayed
The situation that prompted David to write this Psalm is found in 1 Samuel 23:19, Then the men of Ziph went to Saul in Gibeah. They said, "David is hiding with us in fortified camps at Horesh on the hills of Hachilah, south of Jeshimon. (GW)
David did no harm to King Saul, but Saul was so filled with envy against David that he was looking for an opportunity to have him killed. Just to protect himself from Saul, David hid with the people of Ziph. However, these men of Ziph went to meet Saul to inform him that David was hiding in their camp.
These men of Ziph sure knew who David was. They knew that David had defeated Goliath and won the victory against the Philistines. Also, David had waged many battles against the Philistines and won the wars for the Israelites. Saul had no reason to harm David who had done him so much good. Bible scholars estimate that the distance between Ziph and Gibeah where Saul stayed would have been approximately 30 kilometers. Can’t imagine that the men of Ziph travelled so far just to disclose to Saul that David took refuge amongst them. Most probably these men did this to win some favors from King Saul for their land of Ziph.
Beware of opportunists
We can call these men opportunists who wait for favorable circumstances to get their own work done. Judas Iscariot was one of them who when he took the thirty pieces of silver from the chief priest and began to look for an opportune time to betray Jesus. These are those who when there is trouble between two people, will subtly step in to see how they can use the situation for their own benefit.
The dangers that came to David were from King Saul who was supposed to protect him. He was in a predicament that we often find ourselves in wherein we don’t really know who we can turn to or who could help us out. It was in such a time that David knew that God was one who would not ignore his prayers, but hear his prayers, and give a just reply to his requests. People may change, but we have a God who will never change. All through his life David trusted only in the Lord to be his protector, and never sought after men to be his security.
We read in 1 Samuel 23:20, Now therefore, O king, come down whenever it is a desire of your soul to come down— our part will be to deliver him into the king’s hand.” (TLV)
The men from Ziph knew that Saul longed to get hold of David, and they connived with Saul to have David delivered to him. This is a sad situation because the men of Ziph had nothing against David, however they wanted to trap David and hand him over to King Saul.
These men of Ziph represent those who function in their own strength, and depend on their own wisdom to do things. There are many who think that that they can do anything with their own strength. It is one thing to say, ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’ and it is another thing to do things in our own strength because we have the power, the influence or the money to do so. It is good for us to examine ourselves to see how we handle the challenges that come our way. Do we depend on our own strength and wisdom or do we handle them with God’s wisdom and strength. Every trouble that comes our way we should take it first to the Lord in prayer for He is a God of righteousness and justice.
God’s right hand upheld David
The evil men who wanted to deliver David into the hands of King Saul were not aware of where David stood in his relationship with God.
We read in Psalm 18:35, “You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great.” (ESV)
David had the assurance that he was safe in the hands of God for he declared that the right hand of God supported him. There was no way any human being could snatch David out of the hand of God. God was David’s shield, and the more people opposed him, the stronger David became. The Amalekites, the Philistines, King Saul or even David’s son Absalom could not overpower him because the Lord was with David.
Every child of God must remember that we are in the hands of God, and His right hand sustains us. The right hand of God signifies His strength, and hence He will hand us over to no one. We must constantly remind ourselves that the Lord is with us, and there is nothing that will overcome us.
Saul was so pleased when the men from Ziph came to him because he found a group that was willing to partner with him in his unjust treatment of David. Remember Saul was just a young man looking after his father’s donkeys, but the Lord elevated him to the position of being king over Israel. To be king over Israel meant a position of great honor and entitlement, but sadly this made Saul proud, jealous, angry, and hateful against David. He wanted to use his position to destroy David.
There should be no room for jealousy, pride, or hatred in the life of a believer. Only if we watch against this will God stand by our side, and His right hand will uphold us.
The strange blessing
We read in 1 Samuel 23:21, And Saul said, "May you be blessed by the LORD, for you have had compassion on me. (ESV)
Isn’t is strange that Saul blessed these men from Ziph in the name of the Lord, when in reality they were traitors who for their own benefit wanted to betray the trust that David had in them. Remember that the spirit inside Saul was an evil spirit that hunted David down. Both Saul and David were chosen by God, but when David was filled with the Holy Spirit of God, Saul was tormented by an evil spirit that prompted him to pursue David unjustly in order to take his life.
Be careful not to receive blessings from everyone, but discern the spirits because some people do not have the Spirit of God in them. Not everyone who preaches the word of God is a man of God or a prophet of God, and the word reminds us that we should discern who is God’s own, and who is not.
Beware of false prophets
Jesus warned us in Matthew 7:15-16, "Be on your guard against false prophets; they come to you looking like sheep on the outside, but on the inside they are really like wild wolves. You will know them by what they do. Thorn bushes do not bear grapes, and briers do not bear figs. (GNB)
The false prophets looked like sheep on the outside, but they were actually wild wolves on the inside. There are many who will pretend to be children of God, they will come in the name of the Lord, they will even teach the word, but they are like wolves because their intentions are not good, and their ways are not acceptable to God. We can discern such false prophets by their fruits. Note how they will talk about their own accomplishments or they will talk about the faults of others. We can be sure that this is not good fruit and we must avoid them. The fruit of their lives will be of no use or consequence to us because it is bad.
We read in 1 Samuel 23:22, Go and make sure once more; find out for certain where he is and who has seen him there. I hear that he is very cunning. (GNB)
These men of Ziph were sent back to make sure that David was still there as they had informed him. Their trip was futile because they were now sent back to make sure that David was still in their territory, and Saul also wanted to know the exact location to find David.
The men of Ziph had no business to interfere in this matter between King Saul and David. By interfering and betraying David they were now sent on an errand by King Saul. Notice how Saul referred to David as cunning when in reality David risked his life to fight against Goliath, and against the Philistines on behalf of Saul. Saul was giving David a bad name only because he was jealous of him, and hated the thought that David would succeed him as king.
All of this is written in the word of God as a caution to us. These are last days and Satan is out to deceive the people of God.
David was surrounded
We read in 1 Samuel 23:26, Saul and his men were on one side of the hill, separated from David and his men, who were on the other side. They were hurrying to get away from Saul and his men, who were closing in on them and were about to capture them. (GNB)
Saul’s men had surrounded David and his men, and it seemed that David would be captured and killed. Remember that David was safely upheld by the right hand of God.
There are times when we too feel trapped, and think that there is no way out of the situations we are in. We may even feel helpless, and without any strength. For some this could be some issues in the family or work place by way of sickness, relationship issues or financial issues. There are many things that cannot be told to anyone outside except to the Lord.
God’s amazing timing and deliverance
We read in 1 Samuel 23:27, Just then a messenger arrived and said to Saul, "Come back at once! The Philistines are invading the country!" (GNB)
Just at the time when Saul thought he had got David, the messenger reminded him that the Philistines had invaded the country, and that Saul’s kingdom was at stake. Saul instead of using his authority to take care of his country was misusing it in a meaningless pursuit of David and the consequence was that the enemies had invaded his country. Saul had to abandon his plans and rush back to save his kingdom.
Watch how God’s timing is so perfect. Our timing may go wrong, but God will always be on time.
Think about the story of Esther where Haman thought that he had prepared the gallows ready for Mordecai. When Haman went to the king, and heard that the king wanted to honor a man in the kingdom Haman misunderstood that the king spoke about him. That very day Haman had to honor Mordecai at the King’s command, and the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai was used for him instead. This is the way God works.
All that God has planned for us will happen in God’s time, and no one can stop it from happening. Notice how David ruled well, and lived long to a ripe old age, but Saul died a tragic and early death. The end is at hand, and it is important that we live the way that God wants us to live so that like David our lives too will be blessed.
Rev. F. Andrew Dixon
www.goodnewfriends.net
