Crazy

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me
    and delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant,
    and their faces shall never be ashamed.” – Psalm 34:4-5

David’s rejoicing and proclamation of God’s faithfulness here is referencing a very interesting and crazy story.  Psalm 34 is actually in reference to when David got himself in a sticky situation, but was able to escape with his life.

This reference can be found in 1 Samuel 21, and if you’re not familiar with it, I recommend you give it a study.  I’ll try to paint you a simple picture.  David was running away from King Saul because he felt like Saul was trying to kill him.  David went to the house of the Lord to find a weapon and ended up with GOLIATH’s sword.  

So David takes Goliath’s sword, and flees the house of the Lord because, well, Saul could find him there and kill him.  And where does David end up?  He ends up finding refuge and hiding in Gath, a Philistine city. 

Unfortunately for David, he’s kind of famous for killing a giant named Goliath (a Philistine by the way!).  Well so much for hiding because people recognized him as the one who killed the giant Philistine. What David does next is pretty amazing.

“So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard. 14Then Achish said to his servants, "Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? 15Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?” - 1 Samuel 21:13-15

David pretends to go crazy… destroying things… and foaming at the mouth.  With that award-winning acting, David got away from that predicament in Gath and leads us to Psalm 34.  I specifically picked out verses 4 and 5 because I love his praise here.  David does not take God’s faithfulness for granted and knew that if not for God’s protection he surely would have been captured by either Saul or the Philistines.

I love how David refers to those who look to God.  Those who look to God are radiant and are never ashamed.  We may have not been in the same circumstance as David, but God is still good and has saved us and continues to bless us.  Psalm 34 has helped me to realize that I need to be radiant and unashamed of my faith and of my heavenly father!

Lord in Heaven you have saved us. You’re the creator of all things and you are merciful, loving and good.  There is nothing more satisfying than you, and I pray that we would be a church that is radiant in our communities and families. That we would be unashamed of the Gospel and live out a life that furthers your Kingdom.  In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen

Zane