I believe you are referring to the portion we have in 1 Samuel 27:1-7.  Let’s read that, “And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand. And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath. And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife. And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him. And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee? Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day. And the time that DAVID DWELT IN THE COUNTRY OF THE PHILISTINES was a full year and four months.”

Oh, what a sorrowful and discouraged period in the life of David.  So many times, the Lord had manifested to David that He was with him, He shielded him, and He guarded him, yet because of his rejection and his fear of Saul, David reached out to the world for the promises of God…to shield and guard him.  Can’t you see that is the natural heart of man?  Often when we are in doubt, or feel alone, or feel weak, instead of turning to the Lord, we turn to the enemy of the Lord! 

Sadly, this is not the first time David had gone to Achish, the king of Gath.  Let’s read 1 Samuel 21:10-15, “And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me? Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?”  In order to be taken in and protected by Achish, David pretended to be insane.  Although, Achish rejected David at this point, we see that in 1 Samuel 27, Achish received David. At this point, David and Achish shared the same enemy, Saul. Plus, David brought with him 600 fighting men, whom Achish could certainly use.

During this sad part of David’s history, he actually took sides with the Philistines against Israel (1 Samuel 28:1-2).  However, the Philistine commanders did not trust David, so Achish sent David back and he was not allowed to fight with them against Jezreel.  (1 Samuel 29.)

There are other examples of some going away from the Lord to find relief from their calamities.

  • Genesis 12:10, “And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.”
  • Ruth 1:1-2, “Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.” 

May we be faithful to stay in a place of the Lord’s care, love, protection, provision, and truth no matter what our circumstances.  Let’s continually be reminded of the words of the psalmist in Psalm 56:1-4, “To the chief Musician upon Jonath-elem-rechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath. Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me. Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High. What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.”  (CC)  (650.6)