After defeating Goliath and winning a series of battles as chief of warriors, David reached the height of his popularity and glory in Israel. However, he would lose it all in an instant. This was because, Saul was jealous of David’s popularity. This led him to live a long life as a fugitive. David said, “There is only a step between me and death,” and his fugitive life was miserable. His adversaries and traitors told Saul of David’s whereabouts, so he had to constantly run and hide. He was in constant danger of death. However, during the period of his suffering, he wrote many Psalms and sang beautiful songs to God. The battle with Saul was different from the battle with Goliath. This was because David had made up his mind not to kill Saul, the king anointed by God. In other words, David could only run away from Saul. His mind was plunged into melancholy during the seemingly endless ordeal. However, in the midst of the worst of his suffering, his spirituality reached its peak, and he prophetically spoke the words that Jesus would later speak on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” When David was young, he always experienced the Lord’s immediate help. When he fought lions and bears to protect his sheep, the Lord immediately helped David. When he fought against Goliath, the Lord immediately helped him. During this long ordeal, however, David had to learn a new lesson in faith. It was the lesson of continuing to trust in the Lord even when no tangible help was given. The Lord is pleased with the praise we offer at the height of our joy, but in truth, He values more the songs we offer while groaning in pain. Following David’s example, let us continue to offer praise to the Lord even when we are in pain.
ゴリアテを倒し、また戦士の長としても連戦連勝を収めたダビデは、イスラエルにおいて人気と栄光の頂点を極めた。しかしながら、彼はそれを一瞬にして失う事となる。サウルがダビデの人気を妬んだからだ。それにより彼は、長い逃亡生活を送る事となっ
た。ダビデは「私と死との間には、ただ一歩の隔たりしかありません」と語ったが、その逃亡生活は悲惨なものであった。ダビデに敵対する者達や、裏切り者達が彼の居場所をサウルに伝えたため、ダビデは絶えず逃げ隠れしなければならなかった。彼は常に死の危険に直面していたのだ。しかしながら、彼はその苦しみの期間に、多くの詩篇を書き、神に向かって麗しい歌声を上げた。 サウルとの戦いは、ゴリアテとの戦いとは異質なものであった。何故なら、ダビデは、主から油注がれた王サウルを殺める事はしないと心に決めていたからだ。つまり、ダビデはサウルから逃げる事しか出来なかったのだ。いつ終わるのか分からない試練の中で、彼の心は憂鬱に陥った。しかしながら、苦しみの極限の中で、彼の霊性は逆に最高潮に達し、「我が神、我が神どうして私をお見捨てになったのですか」と、後にイエスが十字架上で語られる言葉を預言的に語ったのであった。若き日のダビデにはすぐに神の助けが来た。羊を守るために野の獣と戦った時、すぐに主はダビデを助けた。ゴリアテと戦った時にも主の助けはすぐに来た。ところが、この時、ダビデは新しい信仰のレッスンを学ばなければならなかった。それは、目に見える助けがすぐに与えられなくても、主を信頼し続けるかどうかというレッスンであった。主は、私達が喜びの絶頂で捧げる賛美も喜ばれるが、それ以上に苦しみの中で捧げる賛美をより喜ばれる。ダビデに倣い、私達はたとえ痛みの中にある時でも、主への賛美を捧げ続けよう。
