“And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters; but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.” 1 Samuel 30:6 This particular crisis takes place before David is seated as king of Israel. He has already been chosen by God, and anointed by Samuel, but God has not removed Saul as yet. David and his men had left Achish, king of the Philistines, and returned home to his hideout home at Ziklag.When they arrived, they found that theAmalekites had attacked the city and burned it. 1 Samuel 30:3 gives the narrative, “So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters were taken captives.” There was great grief for David and his men as we come to verse 6 (above). I’m interested in the last part of the verse: “but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.”
In the midst of all this turmoil, David knew where to turn. He had seen God work in the past, so he knew what to do. 1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.” He encouraged himself in the Lord by remembering God’s blessings of the past.
1. He Remembered the Bear and the Lion – 1 Samuel 17:34, 35 “And David said unto Saul, thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock 35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered him out of its mouth: and when he rose up against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.”
2. He remembered the Philistine Giant, Goliath – 1 Samuel 17:50 “So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and slew him; and there was no sword in the hand of David.”
3. He remembered who gave him the victories – 1 Samuel 17:37 “David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.”
4. After remembering, He prayed – 1 Samuel 30:8 “And David enquired of the LORD, saying, (he prayed two specific prayers) 1.
Shall I pursue after this troop? 2.
Shall I overtake them?
5. God answered his prayer – vs. 8 “And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.”
It went from discouragement to encouragement, from grief to joy, and all because of David encouraging himself in the LORD, praying and obeying the prayer. We should take encouragement from this when we find ourselves in a crisis. Now, hear the rest of the story.
I Samuel 30:18, 19 “And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives. 19 And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor anything that they had taken to them: David recovered all.”