1 Samuel 23:14

“David stayed in the desert strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.”

1 Samuel 23: 14

The wilderness teaches us to find our satisfaction in God alone.

David’s location in the Desert of Ziph cross-references to the introduction of Psalm 63. This particular psalm was written by David early in his time of fleeing from Saul, when he was in the “Desert of Judah.” While many of David’s psalms do not refer to a particular time or place, the Lord clearly wanted us to know that Psalm 63 was the result of David’s wilderness (desert) experience. This psalm gives us an insight into David’s heart attitude – into what God was teaching him – while in the wilderness.

This wilderness experience is a common one for God’s people. He often leads us there when He wants to teach us without distraction. We see this take literal form in the lives of Moses and Israel and also in David’s life. Later in Scripture, we see Elijah, John the Baptist and Saul of Tarsus each led into God’s wilderness school. Even our Lord Jesus often withdrew into the wilderness for times of fellowship with His Father.

So, what is the wilderness? Where is it found? For David and many others in the Bible, it was a physical place of dry land and dangers. For others of God’s people, it is a place where God can get their undivided attention. Sometimes, it’s a hospital room or a graveside. It can be a time when relationships are broken or come to an end. For some, it’s a time when even God seems (at first) to turn His back on them and not to hear their cries. And again, it can be a place of “exile,” where we feel ourselves to be far from home and family. Regardless of the outward circumstances, the wilderness enables God to teach us painful lessons we would/could not learn in any other way. (See Michael Card’s song, The Wilderness)

As in so many other areas, David again becomes our tutor as we watch him walk through this wilderness experience. Reading this psalm, we find David using the desert topography – this vision before his physical eyes – to lead his heart to devotion and prayer. This is a technique often used in days gone by, but one that is neglected by many believers today. God’s hand is evident in His creation and the world is full of parables that can lead us to Him in worship and praise. When you find yourself worshipping God as you view a sunset or while you enjoy a mountain vista, or when you draw spiritual lessons from the things you see around you, you are duplicating David’s experience in this psalm. You are also following the example of our Lord’s own teaching. (see Matt. 6) Often our circumstances enable us to more accurately describe the “emotional topography” of our hearts to God.

So, David speaks of this soul’s yearning for the Lord, comparing it to the dry land he sees around him. (v.1) He then remembers his experience with the Lord in the sanctuary (v.2), , and uses the analogy of his physical thirst to speak of his intense desire to see God’s power and glory as he had seen it before. This is the desire of all of God’s people – to experience God’s power and to see His glory manifested in the world. All of this leads David into a worshipful frame of mind. (vv. 3-5) He is reminded of the blessing of God’s covenant love – that it is “better than life.” In this way, David acknowledges that he desires nothing above God, not even life itself. But, having life as a gift from God, he commits himself to praising God for as long as he lives. (v.4)

The combination of danger, desertion, desperation and desert leads David to the conclusion that having God is enough. This is the lesson of the wilderness: God is the only One who can fill our hearts, and who is the Satisfier of our deepest desires. Ultimately, our external circumstances matter very little and can never be a source of true satisfaction. This is why God brings wilderness experiences into our lives: to remove the distractions of the daily bustle, and to put all of our other relationships into proper perspective. He uses the wilderness to dry up our fleshly ambitions (They seem so futile and small in the wilderness!) so we will focus our desires upon what is really important: God’s grace, His presence, His provision, His covenant commitment to be our Helper and our Refuge.

David hasn’t forgotten Saul’s threats or the betrayal of the Ziphites (see 1 Sam. 23:19ff). In fact, he mentions “those who seek my life” in verses 9-11. However, the wilderness has restored his perspective by renewing his relationship with God. He is confident that God’s promises will be fulfilled in his life and that, in God’s good time, he will become king. And so, the trial of the wilderness has become a blessing to David because it stripped away everything except God.

So it should be with us. Because there WILL be wilderness experiences in the life of every one of God’s children. Because of the many spiritual benefits, God will ensure that we travel the wilderness road on a regular basis. But only when everything but God is stripped away, do we truly learn to trust his faithful covenant love, His providential timing, His wisdom and His protection. May each of us learn to thank God for the difficult circumstances that bring about such heavenly blessings.