Imagine David seeking asylum in Philistia. Then, when there, he makes as if he really belongs in one.
Faith takes us from good to better; fear takes us from bad to worse. Realizing he was persona non grata at Nob, David “fled that day from before Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath” (1 Sam 21:10). Gath? Goliath’s hometown? Imagine David walking down the main street with the giant’s sword dragging on the ground behind him. And soon the town gossip reached the ears of the king: “Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of him to one another in dances, saying: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?” (v 11). On hearing these words, David was “very much afraid” (v 12), and decided that the sensible thing was to act like he had no sense. “So he changed his behavior before them, pretended madness in their hands, scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva fall down on his beard” (v 13). Obviously it was a convincing act, and the king responded, “Look, you see the man is insane. Why have you brought him to me?” (v 14). The king seemed to think he already had more than enough madmen in town. And, with that, David was unceremoniously evicted from Gath. One of the most beautiful psalms ever penned came from this experience. Psalm 34 is titled, “A Psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.” Note: Achish was his name; Abimelech was his title, like Caesar or Pharaoh. The psalm includes the following: “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.…This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Ps 34:4-8).