How can you say to my soul, “Flee like a bird to your mountain?” Psalm 11:1
The advice David received went straight to his heart: “Flee like a bird to your mountain… It’s time to move on.” Why? The psalmist gives two reasons:
- “For behold the wicked bend the bow; they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart” (11:2). There’s going to be trouble, David, and you’re the target!
- “If the foundations are destroyed what can the righteous do?” (11:3). David, you’ve done your best. Nothing you do now will make any difference. We are not told who gave this advice to David, but most likely these were the words of a friend who cared about him deeply.
David had been chosen by God to replace King Saul. But Saul fought against this till the end of his life. Saul was given to fits of rage and on one occasion he threw a javelin at David (1 Sam. 19:10). It would be very natural for someone who cared about David to say, “David, Saul has it in for you. His arrows are aimed at you. You are a righteous man, but you’re no longer safe.”
This is exactly what happened. David was married to Saul’s daughter Michal, and after Saul threw a spear at David, she said, “If you don’t leave tonight, Saul will kill you.” Saul already sent his agents to David’s house, so Michal let her husband down on a rope from the bedroom window and put a stuffed dummy in his bed to allow him time to escape (1 Sam. 19:16-18).
Is someone telling you “It’s too late for your family, your marriage, your church. There’s nothing more you can do. Run away!”?
