As God stood by David in his duel with Goliath, so he stood by him in
many other of his difficulties. Often when he thought all hope lost,
the arm of God suddenly succored him, and in unexpected ways, not only
bringing relief, but also conveying instruction on God's wise and just
guidance of the world.
David once said to God: "The world is entirely beautiful and good, with
the one exception of insanity. What use does the world derive from a
lunatic, who runs hither and thither, tears his clothes, and is pursued
by a mob of hooting children?" "Verily, a time will come," said God in
reply, "when thou wilt supplicate me to afflict thee with madness."
Now, it happened when David, on his flight before Saul, came to Achish,
the king of the Philistines, who lived in Gath, that the brothers of
Goliath formed the heathen king's body-guard, and they demanded that
their brother's murderer be executed. Achish, though a heathen, was
pious, for which reason he is called Abimelech in the Psalms, after the
king of Gerar, who also was noted for piety. He therefore sought to
pacify David's enemies. He called their attention to the fact that
Goliath had been the one to challenge the Jews to combat, and it was
meet, therefore, that he should be left to bear the consequences. The
brothers rejoined, if that view prevailed, then Achish would have to
give up his throne to David, for, according to the conditions of the
combat, the victor was to have dominion over the vanquished as his
servants. In his distress, David besought God to let him appear a
madman in the eyes of Achish and his court. God granted his prayer. As
the wife and daughter of the Philistine king were both bereft of
reason, we can understand his exclamation: "Do I lack madmen, that ye
have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence?" Thus it
was that David was rescued. Thereupon he composed the Psalm beginning
with the words, "I will bless the Lord at all times," which includes
even the time of lunacy. (46)
On another occasion David expressed his doubt of God's wisdom in having
formed such apparently useless creatures as spiders are. They do
nothing but spin a web that has no value. He was to have striking proof
that even a spider's web may serve an important purpose. On one
occasion he had taken refuge in a cave, and Saul and his attendants, in
pursuit of him, were about to enter and seek him there. But God sent a
spider to weave its web across the opening, and Saul told his men to
desist from fruitless search in the cave, for the spider's web was
undeniable proof that no one had passed through its entrance. (47)
Similarly, when David became indebted to one of them for his life, he
was cured of his scorn for wasps. He had thought them good for nothing
but to breed maggots. David once surprised Saul and his attendants
while they were fast asleep in their camp, and he resolved to carry
off, as proof of his magnanimity, the cruse that stood between the feet
of the giant Abner, who like the rest was sleeping. Fortunately his
knees were drawn up, so that David could carry out his intention
unhindered. But as David was retiring with the cruse, Abner stretched
out his feet, and pinned David down as with two solid pillars. His life
would have been forfeit, if a wasp had not stung Abner, who
mechanically, in his sleep, moved his feet, and released David. (48)
There were still other miracles that happened to David in his flight.
Once, when Saul and his men compassed David round about, an angel
appeared and summoned him home, to repulse the raid of the Philistines
upon the land. Saul gave up the pursuit of David, but only after a
majority had so decided, for some had been of the opinion that the
seizure of David was quite as important as the repulse of the
Philistines. (49) Again, in his battle with the Amalekites, David
enjoyed direct intervention from above. Lightning in flashes and sheets
illumined the dark night, so enabling him to carry on the struggle.
(50)