1Sa 29:4 | KingComments | STEP | God in His providence will prevent the great folly of David and lead him back to Him. He makes sure that David does not have to come along in a battle of the Philistines against the people over whom He anointed David to be king. This deliverance is not due to anything of David. He can only praise the LORD for His grace. The LORD uses the memories of the other Philistines to put pressure on Achish to send David home. The LORD works in secret for David by turning the hearts of his enemies against him. Thus, the Lord can also work for us in secret by working enmity against us in the hearts of men. This is a way to deliver us from a situation from which we cannot deliver ourselves and in which we may have been landed by our unfaithfulness. Achish tries to keep David with him by giving a good testimony of his full dedication to the cause of the enemy. But the pressure is getting too high. It was not unusual for Israelites to serve in the armies of the Philistines ( ). At the decisive moment, however, they left and joined Saul again. David could do the same. They emphasize their distrust in David by reminding Achish of the testimony about David and citing it in full ( ). They know that well. On a previous occasion that David has been in their land, they have also referred to it ( ).

‏ 1 Samuel 29:4

The Philistine Testimony About David

God in His providence will prevent the great folly of David and lead him back to Him. He makes sure that David does not have to come along in a battle of the Philistines against the people over whom He anointed David to be king. This deliverance is not due to anything of David. He can only praise the LORD for His grace.

The LORD uses the memories of the other Philistines to put pressure on Achish to send David home. The LORD works in secret for David by turning the hearts of his enemies against him. Thus, the Lord can also work for us in secret by working enmity against us in the hearts of men. This is a way to deliver us from a situation from which we cannot deliver ourselves and in which we may have been landed by our unfaithfulness.

Achish tries to keep David with him by giving a good testimony of his full dedication to the cause of the enemy. But the pressure is getting too high. It was not unusual for Israelites to serve in the armies of the Philistines (1Sam 14:21). At the decisive moment, however, they left and joined Saul again. David could do the same. They emphasize their distrust in David by reminding Achish of the testimony about David and citing it in full (1Sam 18:7). They know that well. On a previous occasion that David has been in their land, they have also referred to it (1Sam 21:11).