David’s exile among the Philistines - the chapter where Israel’s fugitive king seeks asylum from Achish of Gath, receives the city of Ziklag, and survives sixteen months through raids and careful deception.

Full sung version coming soon.

Lyrics

And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul There is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines And Saul will despair of me to seek me anymore in any coast of Israel

So I shall escape out of his hand So David arose and he and the six hundred men that were with him And went to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath

And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men Every man with his household, even David with his two wives Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife

And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath And he sought him no more And David said to Achish, If now I have found favour in your eyes Let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country

That I may dwell there for why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day Therefore Ziklag belongs to the kings of Judah to this day

And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines Was a full year and four months And David and his men went up and made raids upon the Geshurites

And the Girzites and the Amalekites For those nations were the inhabitants of the land From of old as you go to Shur even to the land of Egypt

And David smote the land and saved alive neither man nor woman And took away the sheep and the cattle And the asses and the camels and the apparel

And he came back to Achish and Achish said, Where have you made a raid today And David said, Against the south of Judah And against the south of the Jerahmeelites and against the south of the Kenites

And David saved neither man nor woman alive to bring tidings to Gath Saying, Lest they should tell on us Thus David did and so was his manner all the while he dwelt

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1 Samuel 27 sung by Psalm Selah. The whole Bible, one chapter at a time.

Published 2026-05-22 · Last updated 2026-06-06
Written by Reid Wender, Editorial Director at Psalmody Press