The armies of the Philistines and of Israel reach the place where they set themselves in battle formation. “David and his men passed on in the rearward with Achish,” for according to the king’s promise they have been made his bodyguards. The princes of the Philistines challenge this: “What are these Hebrews?” This is what always happens when a believer places himself in a false position by seeking the world’s protection. He cannot gain the world’s confidence unless perhaps the world is depending upon him like Achish because he has made God’s people abhor him and has given himself into bondage in this way. Moreover Achish, we must observe, has still other motives for confidence, and we cannot help but see in him a certain natural nobility, won over by the apparent uprightness of David’s character (Alas! it is not even apparently so in God’s sight). Achish defends David before the princes: “I have found nothing in him since the day of his falling away to me to this day” (1 Sam. 29:3). Achish bears testimony to him: “As Jehovah liveth, thou art upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the camp is acceptable to me; for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming to me to this day” (1 Sam. 29:6). A most favorable testimony, but one based on the fact that “David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel” (1 Sam. 29:3), had become and would remain the servant of Achish.
Did David have a good conscience at having merited these praises? Was his heart really at ease before the high opinion of the uncircumcised king who was showing himself more noble and more honest than the Lord’s anointed? Could he receive this praise as he had once received that of Abigail (1 Sam. 25:28)?
However that might be, Achish’s confidence does not succeed in overcoming the distrust of the princes, for it was precisely David’s character of faithfulness which could move him to return to his old master. Not so long ago he had smitten his ten thousand Philistines, in this in accord with Saul who had smitten his thousand. Why should he be for Achish today rather than for Saul? The lack of a clear-cut position in regard to the world can only produce conclusions like these. Our very faithfulness in the past is turned against us. Achish is obliged to reckon with the opinion of the princes, a policy unknown to a faithful believer, for God’s mind, opinion, and will direct him. But God uses men’s mistrust to save His beloved from a more serious fall than when he went up against Nabal to avenge himself. “Now,” says Achish, “return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines” (1 Sam. 29:7).
In the face of this animosity David (and this is one of the most humiliating points in his history) denies his faith and his character: “But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee to this day, that I should not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?” (1 Sam. 29:8). What have I done? David could say this in truth to Jonathan (1 Sam. 20:1) and to Saul himself (1 Sam. 26:18) but he could not in good conscience say this to Achish.
Knowing nothing of David’s secret undertakings against Israel’s enemies, the Philistine king could not find him at fault. But it is his own people whom David is asking to fight against; his people whom he terms “the enemies of the king”!
Achish acknowledges yet more explicitly the purity of David’s intentions: “I know that thou art acceptable to me, as an angel of God” (1 Sam. 29:9), but the conclusion is that he must return. “Depart,” Achish tells David (1 Sam. 29:10). In sum, weighed in the same balance the opinion of the world surrounding him carries greater weight with Achish than the supposed integrity of David.
All of this shows us the abyss separating the family of God from the world, since even in respect to the child of God who is unfaithful to his calling the world is apprehensive and refuses his co-operation. This is only just. God makes us to feel, and it is grace on His part, that in this position we have nothing: neither the approval of God nor the favor of the world.
David returns back. What a helping hand the Lord has extended to him, although against his own will at the most critical moment of his entire life up until now! God has not abandoned him for a single instant. What grace! But what has become of the happy fellowship of heart with the Lord which had found expression in the songs of the sweet psalmist of Israel?