Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? The goodness of God endureth continually. (v 1)
In this response to betrayal by his enemy (1 Sam 21:1-9, 22:6-22), David contrasts the end of the wicked and the righteous. While his enemy may boast in his mischievous actions - his scheming lies resulted in the murder of godly priests - David's trust is in God.
First of all, it is worth noting that when Doeg betrayed David, his intention may have been to get into Saul's good books, but with a few words of betrayal, innocent lives were endangered and lost. The godly should guard the use of their tongues.
...A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it! It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell. (James 3:5-6 TM)
The difference between the righteous and the wicked is where their confidence lies. The wicked trust completely in their wealth, which could only lead to more wickedness (v 7), whereas, David is certain he will prosper because his confidence is in the Lord. He looks forward to the demise of his enemy, and to experiencing God's unfailing love.
Children of God will experience betrayal and adversity because we have an Enemy who works through men to thwart our progress in life. If your plans have been derailed by someone used of the devil, encourage yourself with David's thoughts. The triumph of the wicked man is temporary. God will eventually strike down your Enemy once and for all (v 5 NLT).
But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. (v 8)
With your eyes fixed on the Lord, hold your head up high in the knowledge that His love for you never fails. Instead of being a victim, triumph in what the Lord has already done and will do for you (v 9). Wait for His mercies, for He will vindicate you in due course (click here for further notes on this).
Like David, make the choice to dwell in the secret presence of God, where you will be safe and secure from the enemy's plans. And even if he appears to succeed, do not despair, for his reward will come in due course. Instead, keep your eyes on the prize and high calling in Jesus Christ.
The [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like the palm tree [be long-lived, stately, upright, useful, and fruitful]; they shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic, stable, durable, and incorruptible]. Planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God. [Growing in grace] they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap [of spiritual vitality] and [rich in the] verdure [of trust, love, and contentment]. (Psalm 92:12-14 Amp)
Scripture quotations marked TM are taken from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
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