ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Monite Tisema 27, 2021

I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines

ke u mātu‘aki hola ki he fonua ‘o e kau Filisitia

1 Samiuela 27 (1 Samuel 27)

 (v. 1) And David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me anymore in any part of Israel. So I shall escape out of his hand.”

(v. 1) PEA pehē ‘e Tēvita ‘i hono loto, Tokaange ha ‘aho te u mole ‘i he fai ‘a Saula: ko e me‘a pē taha ‘oku toe kiate au ke u mātu‘aki hola ki he fonua ‘o e kau Filisitia; pea ‘e tuku ‘e Saula ‘ene kei kumi au ‘i he ngaahi feitu‘u ‘o ‘Isileli: ko ia te u hao mei hono nima.

 

David Guzik :: Study Guide for 1 Samuel 27:1

David said in his heart: The sad story of 1 Samuel 27 begins with something David said in his heart. He may have never said it out loud; he may have never said it to anyone else; he may have never said it to God. But David said it in his heart. What we say in our heart has a tremendous power to shape our thinking, our actions, even our whole destiny.

Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul: This is what David said in his heart. That was a word of discouragement coming from a heart tired of trusting God for His continued deliverance. In his discouragement David forgot God’s past deliverance.

“I remember on one occasion, to my shame, being sad and doubtful of heart, and a kind friend took out a paper and read to me a short extract from a discourse upon faith. I very soon detected the author of the extract; my friend was reading to me from one of my own sermons. Without saying a word he just left it to my own conscience, for he had convicted me of committing the very fault against which I had so earnestly declaimed.” (Spurgeon)

There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines: David decided to leave Israel and live among the idol worshipping Philistines. David was so discouraged that he thought there was nothing better for him in Israel and among God’s people.

Saul will despair of me, to seek me anymore in any part of Israel. So I shall escape out of his hand. Before David trusted in the Lord to protect him from the hand of Saul. Now, David gave up trusting in the Lord and instead left the land of promise, left the people of God, and found “protection” among the Philistines.

Saul will despair: Saul will not despair if David leaves the land of promise. Saul will not despair if David forsakes the people of God and joins the ungodly. It is David who is in despair, not Saul.

Saul could never drive David to the Philistines. If Saul told David, “You must leave the people of God and go live among the Philistines,” David would never bow to it. But discouragement and despair are more powerful enemies than Saul. Discouragement and despair will drive David to do something that Saul could never make him do.