The title of this psalm says:

‘Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.’

So the psalm is connected with the dangerous experience David had with the Philistines in Gath, as recorded in 1 Samuel 21:10-22:1, after which he fled to the cave of Adullam. This time in his life was not his finest hour. If faith is ‘living without scheming’, as someone described it, then what was David up to? What was going on?

But by God’s grace and mercy, this very human being came out of it with a testimony to the goodness of God, and he had life-lessons to pass on to others. This beautiful psalm came to the boil and bubbled over through the heat of his trial and his less than ideal response to it. But it is correct to note, as Matthew Henry comments, that although this psalm was inspired by a particular occasion, there is little in it that relates to that occasion, but there is much that is of more general help and instruction.

It is encouraging that, in the Bible, God in His sovereignty even rules and overrules in the sins and failures of His people, and regularly uses those very things to further His purposes in them and through them.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

PRAYER: Lord, may nothing in my life be wasted, but used for your glory.