Bless the Lord at all Times
Before King David ascended to the throne, he repeatedly was on the run to escape the murderous intentions of King Saul — not because he was afraid of Saul, but because he didn’t want to be in the position of killing one whom the Lord had anointed. On one such occasion, he fled to the neighboring Philistine region of Gath (Goliath’s hometown). While there, David overheard a servant warning King Achish about his reputation as a warrior and was afraid they would kill him since they knew who was. He feigned madness in response, clawing at the palace court gates and letting drool run down his beard. David’s behavior was so convincing that Achish chose not to interrogate or detain him, letting him leave instead.
David’s radical decision to play the madman and his Oscar-worthy performance is chronicled in 1 Samuel 21. It then is referenced in the superscription for Psalm 34.[1]
When Psalm 34 is read responsively or antiphonally, the atmosphere usually is one of exuberance. The leader begins, “I will bless the Lord at all times,” and the people respond, “His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Two verses later, the leader’s “O magnify the Lord with me” is met with “and let us exalt his name together” from the people.
The enthusiasm is hard to miss, but it also can be hard to duplicate when reading it alone — without the vibrancy of other voices. Expressing gratitude in times of lack, conflict, sorrow or suffering is not nearly as easy as giving thanks in times of abundance, peace, joy or ease. Choosing to bless the Lord at all times is just as radical as David’s decision to play the madman. Could it also be liberating?
[1] I Samuel 21 identifies the Gath king as Achish. However, the Psalm 34 superscription calls him Abimelech, which is a “hereditary royal title, not a proper name.” See Robert Alter, “The Book of Psalms: A Translation with Commentary” (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2009), 117.
