When the Philistine lords demand David’s removal before battle at Aphek, their suspicion becomes providence - keeping David from raising his hand against his own people. First Samuel 29 is an 11-verse narrative in which God works through enemy politics to preserve David, dismissed by King Achish with the tribute “you a

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Lyrics

Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies at Aphek And Israel pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds and by thousands But David and his men passed on in the rearward with Achish

Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David The servant of Saul the king of Israel who has been with me These days or these years

And I have found no fault in him since he fell away unto me unto this day But the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him And the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return That he may go again to his place which you have appointed him

And let him not go down with us to battle lest in the battle He be an adversary to us for wherewith should he reconcile himself Unto his lord with the heads of these men

Is not this David of whom they sang one to another in dances Saying, Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands Then Achish called David and said unto him, Surely as the LORD lives You have been upright and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good

For I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming unto me Nevertheless the lords do not favour you Wherefore now return and go in peace that you displease not the lords Of the Philistines

And David said unto Achish, But what have I done And what have you found in your servant so long as I have been with you That I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king

And Achish answered and said to David, I know that you are good In my sight as an angel of God notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines Have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle

Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with the servants of your lord That are come with you and as soon as you be up early in the morning And have light, depart

So David and his men rose up early to depart in the morning To return into the land of the Philistines And the Philistines went up to Jezreel

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1 Samuel 29 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