1 Samuel 29:1-11
As long as there was no open war between Israel and the Philistines, David’s position with the foreigners could, strictly speaking, be excused because Saul’s hatred had, in fact, driven him into exile. But now on the brink of battle, this situation becomes impossible and David ought to have realized this. But he carries on his double game, showing himself ready to take up arms against Israel on the Philistine side. But the LORD, in His mercy, uses the mistrust of the princes to snatch David, just in time, from the trap which he had made for himself.
Let us remember well that, for the Christian, the world is not only foreign but an enemy. Its advances and its compliments to us are no less dangerous – like those of Achish to David (vv. 6, 9) – than its manifestations of violence.
The man famous for having killed his 10,000 Philistines was able to forget his own victories. But his enemies, on the other hand, remember them with bitterness (v. 5; 1 Samuel 21:11). And when we forget the cross and our former testimony, the world will always point the finger at us and say, "Is he not the Christian who thought he was better than us?"