David Determines to Serve The Lord No Matter What Happens

Commentary

It is thought by Bible scholars that this psalm was written by David. When he killed Goliath in the valley of Elah it not only spelled triumph for David but it spelled trouble as well. King Saul immediately became jealous of him and tried to kill him. David finally began to become weary of running from Saul and at last his faith failed him. He made a very bad decision when he decided to go down to Gath and seek asylum with Achish, one of the Philistine lords (I Sam. 21). You can imagine what the Philistines would have thought about this Bethlehem youth who had killed their own Goliath. So when he showed up in Gath seeking political asylum he was immediately thrown in prison.

Too late David realized his mistake and became very afraid. So he pretended to be mad, and he did it so well that Achish the king released him and threw him out of the country. Once safely back in Israel David went to the cave of Adullan in the hill country of Judea southwest of Jerusalem.

This is one of the greatest Hymns of invitation that David ever composed for all the people to join him in praise (vv.  1-3). Looking over his past experrience he is determined that from now on he will praise the Lord no matter what happens to him. He asks the Lord to save him and he will keep his eyes on the Lord (vv. 4-5). He said he was a nobody but, when he prayed, the Lord heard him and saved him (v. 6). He is brought into a full realization that God protects (v. 7). Who knows how often we have been protected or delivered from harm by an angel assigned to guard us.

Application

Looking back over my life I am so thankful as to how God has protected and provided for me.