An Interesting Word in Psalm 34

The subtitle of this Psalm helps us place its context: "Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he left." 1 Sam 21:10-15 – In fear and unbelief David pretended to be insane. In spite of that he recognized that deliverance ultimately came from the Lord. David was alone, desperate, and afraid. OK, it is the word that translates into "pretended to be insane" or "acted like a madman" when he was afraid. This was his reaction to his fear of what these people might do to him. And these people were actually the Lord's enemies! This is where he is hiding in fear from Saul and is now pretending to be insane because of his fear of these people. (Don't you just love the king's response: Why have you brought me another madman; don't I have enough of them around me already?)Later on when David writes Psalm 34 he gives God all the credit and praise for delivering him from these fears. So in verse 2 David says: "I will boast in the Lord." This is the same word from which we read that David "pretended to be insane." What is he saying? Rather than boast in his deception or that the king did not harm him, David acknowledged the deliverance was from God. Rather than act insane (Eccl 9:3: insanity is in all our hearts), David was “mad” about God; he was insane for God. He boasted in God as his deliverer and protector. WOW! The mercy and grace of God to us in our insanity transforms our hearts to be mad about Him instead of being insanely fearful.