David wrote Psalm 34 when he was pretending to be insane or crazy before the King of Gath. David fled from Saul's palace after Jonathan, Saul's son, warned David that his father, Saul, was out to kill him. He ended up fleeing to the territory of Israel's enemies. Gath was one of the tribes that was ruled by a Philistine King, Achish, also known as Abimelek in Psalm 34. When David realized that he had been recognized by the enemies, he pretended to be crazy by pounding his head on the city gate and foaming at the mouth, spit dripping from his beard. As a result, he was let go and fled to the cave of Adullam, which was about 10 miles from Gath. It became a refuge place for David. At this moment, he was all alone until he met people who were desperate and willing to follow his leadership.
Despite the uncertainty, David continued to praise and trust God. David wrote, "I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the Lord's greatness; let us exalt his name together. I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles. For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him (Psalm 34:2-7)." David could easily blame God for all the mess that he was in because he didn't do anything wrong against Saul. He could have reason in himself that God could have prevented this from happening. After all, God is a powerful God. However, David understood that evil could happen because of someone's rebellion. In addition, David might not have known that God was using his suffering to make him the king that God wanted him to be.
David never blamed God, but he put his faith and trust in God. He completely trusted his life in the hands of God. No matter the trouble that we are facing today, let us put our lives in the hands of God and trust Him completely. As we trust God, his assurance and peace will overcome our fears and anxious hearts.
Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you). How did David find assurance despite his uncertainty? How can I find peace and assurance in my fear and anxious heart? Do I trust God?
Write down all the worries you face today and lift them up to God.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven, You are my refuge in my troubles. Please help me to praise and trust you in my sufferings. Please help me to overcome my fears and anxiety with your peace and assurance. You are bigger than my problems, and thank you that you are taking care of me. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.