One of the reasons I like to preach on Old Testament texts is that the OT contains such interesting and vivid stories.  I Samuel 21, was my OT reading for today.  However, I don’t see a lot of sermon material in the following. Stories surrounding David are never simple and straight forward.

David though already anointed to be king by Samuel is on the run from king Saul who means to kill him.  David seeks refuge with Achish the king of the Philistine city of Gath.  This is the area from which Goliath came, who got stoned and then lost his head.  Achish’s advisors recognized David and remembered how the people sang of David striking down ten thousands of people. David knew he was in trouble.  Not only because of Goliath, but when Saul previously had offered his daughter Michal as David’s wife, he put the bride price at 100 Philistine foreskins (ouch).  David and his men brought Saul 200 foreskins (ouch ouch).  David, always overachieving, counted out the foreskins in front of Saul. 

David was a persona non grata in Philistia.  So, what to do?  David was no dummy.  He pretended to be insane, scratched on the doors of the gate and let drooled like a mad man.  The king took one look at him and said, “Look at him!  Don’t you see that he’s insane?  Why bring him to me?  Do I have such a shortage of lunatics that you bring this man so that he can show me he’s insane?”

You can read of David and Michal’s marriage in I Samuel 19 & 2 Samuel 3 & 6.