"I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever, with my mouth will I make known your faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever; your faithfulness shall You establish in the very heavens. I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, Your seed will I establish for ever, and build up your throne to all generations." (Psalm 89:1-4)
This covenant with David was made after he became king, as we learn from the 7th chapter of 2 Samuel; but it was in effect made long before.
When David was yet a shepherd lad, the Lord sent Samuel to anoint him king over Israel. The anointing was accomplished, and David was the chosen king. Yet for a long time there was no visible evidence of it. Instead of donning royal robes and taking his place at the head of the people, he retained his shepherd's frock and staff, and continued at the head of his father's flock.
Then came the time when he was called to court, but only as the servant of the king. But his position was far from enviable. Not only was he a servant, but he was hated, and his life was in constant danger. So this anointed king was obliged to flee for his life, and hide with a few friends in the caves of the mountains, living as best he could. The king with all his army hunted him like a partridge, so that he could not remain long in any place, but must continually flee, yet he did not lose courage.
A study of David's confidence in God during these wanderings is a most profitable employment. Let us note two or three instances.
The Slaughter of the Priests
Once in his flight from the wrath of Saul, who was bent on taking his life, David came to the high priest at Nob, and received food. One of Saul's ruffians, Doeg the Edomite was present, and went and told Saul that Ahimelech the high priest had inquired of the Lord for David, and had given him bread and the sword of Goliath.
This was enough for the mad monarch. He at once called to him the high priest, and all the priests that were with him, the entire family of priests, and although they were innocent of the slightest disloyalty, he ordered them, eighty-five in all, to be slaughtered simply because one of them had performed a kindness to David. This shows the bitterness of Saul's rage against David. "And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David. And Abiathar showed David that Saul had slain the Lord's priests. And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of your father's house. Abide with me, fear not: for he that seeks my life seeks your life: but with me you shall be in safeguard." (1 Samuel 22:20-23)
Such language would have been vain presumption if it had not been for the promise of God. As it was, it showed sublime confidence. David, an outlaw, who was so hated that not only those who showed him a kindness, but even the relatives of such ones, were ruthlessly slain, said to a refugee, "Abide with us, fear not; the same one is seeking the lives of us both; but you are safe with me."
David in the Wilderness of Ziph
At another time, David in his flight from Saul took refuge in a cave in the wilderness of Ziph. But the Ziphites were treacherous, and, desiring to curry favor with Saul, they went to him, and betrayed David's hiding-place. Not only did they tell Saul where David was, but they added: "Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand." (1 Samuel 23:20)
This pleased Saul wonderfully, but as he had often failed to seize David, just when he thought he had him fast, he determined not to be foiled this time. So he sent the Ziphites back with instructions to take particular note of all David's hiding-places, and come again with information, and then, said he: "I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah." (1 Samuel 23:23)
This plan was carried out, and Saul and his men went to the place where David was, and "Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them." (1 Samuel 23:26)
Just then, however, a messenger came to tell Saul that the Philistines had invaded the land, and so he was compelled to turn back, just as David seemed to be in his grasp. Thus the Lord delivered David; but before this deliverance appeared, just when the men of Ziph were leading Saul and his force to his hiding-place, when it seemed as though escape was impossible, David took his harp and sang this song of trust: "To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Does not David hide himself with us? Save me, O God, by your name, and judge me by your strength. Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Behold, God is my helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul. He shall reward evil unto my enemies: cut them off in your truth. I will freely sacrifice unto You: I will praise your name, O Lord; for it is good. For He has delivered me out of all trouble: my eye has seen His desire upon my enemies." (Psalm 54:1-7)
Note that David did not say: "The Lord will deliver me," but, "The Lord has delivered me."
How was that, since he was in a great danger at the time that the psalm was composed? Why, the Lord had done it by His promise. The promise to David was just the same to him as though he had already seen the deliverance. Yea, he had seen it, since faith makes one see as present reality the things that are yet to come.
David Fleeing from Absalom
We pass by many interesting incidents, and come to the time when David had been on the throne a long time, and his own son had rebelled against him. In the basest manner Absalom had treacherously turned the hearts of the people from David, and now had only one desire, and that was to take his father's life.
Taken wholly by surprise by the strong conspiracy that had secretly been formed against him, David was forced to flee from his palace, with but a few attendants. And so seemingly hopeless was his case that a miserable creature dared to curse him to his face, and throw stones at him, declaring that God was now punishing him for his sins as he deserved. While thus an outcast, he sang again, as we read in the 3rd Psalm: "A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, there is no help for him in God. But You, O Lord, are a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of my head. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and He heard me out of His holy hill. I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about. Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: for You have smitten all my enemies upon the cheek bone; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongs unto the Lord; your blessing is upon your people." (Psalm 3:1-8)
David was not saved nor did he trust in God because of his own goodness, but because of God's mercy. David was a sinful man, as are all men; but his heart was tender, he acknowledged his sinfulness and God's righteousness, and believed God's promise. It is natural for men to think that God is unrighteous because they are; and the more they know themselves to be unrighteous, the more they think God to be the same. Thus it is: It is most common for one to say: "I am so great a sinner, I dare not believe that God forgives my sins."
But God has declared that His righteousness consists in the forgiveness of sins. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
Therefore to say or to think that God cannot or will not forgive sins, is to charge Him with being unrighteous. Thus it is that sinners often make God out to be as bad as they are.
Not so with David; sinful as he was, he would insist that God was nevertheless righteous and faithful. God had promised him that he should be king, and not only that, but that his throne should stand for ever. But this promise was through Christ, for the throne of David was the throne of the Lord: "Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is yours; yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head above all." (1 Chronicles 29:11)
And the promise that he should sit on the throne and that it should be established for ever, was the promise of everlasting righteousness which God would freely give him through Christ. "Your people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified." (Isaiah 60:21)
So David's confidence was in God's promise. God had said that he should be king, and no man or men could frustrate God's purpose. It was not for David's sake but for the Lord's own sake, to vindicate His kindness and faithfulness, that God preserved David, and in this David was confident.
The Same Fulfilled unto Us
"And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God has fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus again." (Acts 13:32-33)
To everyone the call is sent: "Come to the waters! And he that has no money, come, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." (Isaiah 55:1)
The promise is: "To him that overcomes, will I grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His throne." (Revelation 3:21)
Yea, He has "loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, And has made us kings and priests unto God and His Father." (Revelation 1:5-6) "You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
And the "Holy Spirit of promise" (Ephesians 1:13) is the anointing oil that assures us of this. Therefore the Lord says: "Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David." (Isaiah 55:3)
As surely as David was delivered from his enemies, because God had made him a promise, just so surely shall we be delivered, "if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." (Hebrews 3:6)
Therefore let us sing: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He has visited and redeemed His people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David; As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant; The oath which He swore to our father Abraham, That He would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve Him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our life." (Luke 1:68-75)--Present Truth, December 30, 1897--Original title: The Throne of David. The Sure Mercies of David.--1 Samuel 22, 23
E.J. Waggoner