The superscription of the 34th Psalm states: “Of David, when he disguised his sanity before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he left.”
David was a national hero in Israel, having killed the hulking Philistine giant, Goliath. David was invited into Saul’s court because of his valor and exploits. David entertained Saul and his family by playing the harp. The women sang songs that Saul stuck down thousands while David struck down tens of thousands—obviously hyperbole. Even so, that didn’t go over too well with the vain king.
In time, Saul’s jealousy and desire to eliminate any potential rivals drove him into a murderous rage, forcing David to flee and live as a fugitive in the very land he fought to preserve for Israel. However, God played some role in this; as the account says, a bad spirit from Jehovah would come upon Saul, so David’s music was the only source of relief for the troubled king. We might wonder if this bad spirit from Jehovah is just another way of saying that God allowed a wicked spirit to torment the king. In any case, Jehovah took responsibility for permitting it, as Saul’s deranged state of mind had far-reaching consequences.
At one point, David was compelled to seek refuge behind enemy lines—in Philistine territory. On that occasion, David feigned insanity to fool Achish, the king, into imagining he was crazy.
Reading the Psalm, though, there is no indication of the circumstances described in the superscription. Undoubtedly, God merely used David’s dire predicament to inspire him to write what the spirit brought to his mind. For instance, in verse 20, David wrote: “He is guarding all his bones; not one of them has been broken.”
Nearly 1,000 years later, the inspired apostle, John, explained that the Psalm had been fulfilled in Christ. Although it was customary for the executioners to break the legs of those impaled on trees and stakes to hasten death, when the soldiers came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, and so did not break any of his bones, as Jehovah had inspired David to foretell.
Jesus once spoke to a Samaritan woman about living water and the role Jerusalem had played in true worship. He went on to tell her something very profound. He said: “Nevertheless, the hour is coming, and it is now, when the true worshippers will worship the Father with spirit and truth, for indeed, the Father is looking for ones like these to worship him. God is a Spirit, and those worshipping him must worship with spirit and truth.”
I once had a conversation with a non-Christian woman who said it was “egotistical” of God to want to be worshipped. Is that true?
Jesus said the Spirit is actively looking for people to worship him with spirit and truth. Is there something wrong with God? Does God need to be worshipped?
When we consider the absolutely incomprehensible fact that God existed for eternity before he became a Creator, then the answer is clearly no. God does not need to be worshipped. He is perfectly content and self-contained. However, when God became Father, his creations, even though made in his image, were/are lesser. They are creatures. There is only one Person in existence who is not a creature. It is the Creator. Since all creatures are beholding to their All-knowing Father and Almighty Creator, it is only natural for the lesser to admire, yes, worship the greater.
The fact that God endowed humans with virtually unlimited capacity for intelligence and creativity, it is the highest calling for the creation to worship the One who created all things. Thus, in the opening stanzas of the 34th Psalm, David sings: “I will praise Jehovah at all times; His praise will be on my lips constantly. I will boast in Jehovah; the meek will hear and rejoice. Magnify Jehovah along with me; let us exalt his name together.”
Have the meek heard and rejoiced and joined in magnifying the name of Jehovah? No. Not really. At least not to the extent that God desires.
As pointed out, the 20th verse foretold a specific detail in Christ’s execution. But Jesus rose from the dead, as David’s Psalms also foretold. But that is not it. Christ explained to his apostles that although he was going away to the Father, he would return. And upon his return, the meek will hear. That is why the prophet wrote: “In that day the deaf will hear the words of the book, and out of the gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see. The meek will rejoice greatly in Jehovah, and the poor among men will be joyful in the Holy One of Israel.” – Isaiah 29:18-19
As we know, Jesus is called the son of David—the greater David. This applies especially when he returns. That is when he will become like David—a warrior King, slaughtering all of God’s enemies, ultimately smashing the nations, and removing the evil god who has been ruling the world since the beginning in Eden.
But those in union with Christ, when he returns, will take the lead in magnifying Jesus’ God and Father. They will teach those who are seeking God: “Come, my sons, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of Jehovah.” (Vs. 11)
But since they will be in the flesh for a time, they will be persecuted and hunted down like animals, just as was David, even though God had anointed him to be the king of Israel. Even so, Jehovah will become their Savior: “I inquired of Jehovah, and he answered me. He rescued me from all my fears. Those who looked to him became radiant; their faces could not be put to shame. This lowly one called, and Jehovah heard. He saved him from all his distresses. The angel of Jehovah camps all around those fearing Him, and he rescues them. Taste and see that Jehovah is good; happy is the man who takes refuge in him.”
David inquired of Jehovah on several occasions when he was on the run from his murderous father-in-law, and God answered him. During the parousia, those in union with Jesus will see his face. They will become radiant, shining like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. And to be sure, there is no distress compared to the great distress or what Jesus called the great tribulation. That is when the angel of Jehovah will come to the rescue, cutting short the tribulation on account of the chosen ones.
Although Jesus said we would be handed over to death and murdered by former brothers and family members, not a bone of ours will be broken, so to speak. Instead, in the twinkling of an eye, we shall be changed. It is our persecutors who will meet up with disaster. David’s Psalm concludes: “Disaster will put the wicked to death; those hating the righteous will be found guilty. Jehovah is redeeming the life of his servants; None of those taking refuge in him will be found guilty.”
