11 Saul also sent messengers unto David’s house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David’s wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life tonight, tomorrow thou shalt be slain. 12 So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped. 13And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats’ hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth. 14And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick. 15And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him. 16And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats’ hair for his bolster. 17And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee? 18 So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.
Psalm 59
To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David; when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him. 1 Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me. 2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men. 3 For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Lord. 4 They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help me, and behold. 5 Thou therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah. 6 They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. 7 Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear? 8 But Thou, O Lord, shalt laugh at them; Thou shalt have all the heathen in derision. 9 Because of His strength will I wait upon Thee: for God is my defence. 10 The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies. 11 Slay them not, lest my people forget: scatter them by Thy power; and bring them down, O Lord our shield. 12 For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak. 13 Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah. 14And at evening let them return; and let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. 15 Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied. 16 But I will sing of Thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of Thy mercy in the morning: for Thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble. 17 Unto Thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defense, and the God of my mercy.
Meditation
While Saul was seeking to kill David, David was praying to the Lord for deliverance (vss. 1-2). In this situation David could confidently say that it was not for his transgression or for his sin (vs. 3). “Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God” (1 John 3:20). Paul likewise knew that though bound as an evildoer, his conscience was clear: “wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound” (2 Tim. 2:9). No matter what man may do to us, God’s plan will prevail; His word is not bound.
David does not ask the Lord to kill his enemies, lest the people should forget (vs. 11). Is it not true, when afflicted we are the closest to the Lord? Sometimes, however, we feel as if our enemies are pressing down upon us like a pack of dogs, roaming and howling in the night. For they say, “who hears?” (vs. 7). God hears! The world may mock and laugh now, but, solemnly, the Lord will ultimately hold this world in derision (vs. 8; Psa. 2:4).
It is because of His strength that we have confidence in His deliverance (vs. 9). Let us not look inwards, as the world would insist, for our strength.
David does not question the Lord’s loving kindness toward him. Satan delights for us to question the goodness of God. Sometimes we fall into the error of thinking that God is against us; this is Satan’s lie.
It is good to be reminded, as has often been said, that happiness is a state of soul and not a question of circumstances. Indeed, David sings! “I will sing aloud of Thy loving-kindness in the morning” (vs. 16). Does not this remind us of another verse of Scripture? “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness” (Lam. 3:22-2322It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22‑23)). Oh, to remember this in the midst of our trials!
David not only sings of God, but to God — do we know God well enough to sing to Him? I may sing of a person, but to sing to someone is quite another thing. To sing to God implies an intimate relationship with Him.
Sadly, Michal, David’s wife (and Saul’s daughter), does not enter into any of this. She loved her mighty warrior (1 Sam. 18:20), but she was not of a kindred spirit when it came to spiritual things. It is important that we marry someone with whom we can share the things of God. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). Michal used deceit and lies to hide David’s escape. Did she need to? No, God is our defense and refuge (vs. 17). This is the world’s way of doing things: the end justifies the means in their eyes.