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A psalm of David when he was with Abimelek and pretended to be out of his mind. Abimelek drove him away, and David left.

34 I will thank the Lord at all times.
    My lips will always praise him.
I will find my glory in knowing the Lord.
    Let those who are hurting hear me and be joyful.
Join me in giving glory to the Lord.
    Let us honor him together.

I looked to the Lord, and he answered me.
    He saved me from everything I was afraid of.
Those who look to him have joyful faces.
    They are never covered with shame.
This poor man called out, and the Lord heard him.
    He saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord stands guard
    around those who have respect for him.
    And he saves them.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.
    Blessed is the person who goes to him for safety.
You holy people of God, have respect for the Lord.
    Those who respect him have everything they need.
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry.
    But those who look to the Lord have every good thing they need.

11 My children, come. Listen to me.
    I will teach you to have respect for the Lord.
12 Do you love life
    and want to see many good days?
13 Then keep your tongues from speaking evil.
    Keep your lips from telling lies.
14 Turn away from evil, and do good.
    Look for peace, and go after it.

15 The Lord looks with favor on those who are godly.
    His ears are open to their cry.
16 But the Lord doesn’t look with favor on those who do evil.
    He removes all memory of them from the earth.

17 Godly people cry out, and the Lord hears them.
    He saves them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is close to those whose hearts have been broken.
    He saves those whose spirits have been crushed.

19 The person who does what is right may have many troubles.
    But the Lord saves him from all of them.
20 The Lord watches over all his bones.
    Not one of them will be broken.

21 Sinners will be killed by their own evil.
    The enemies of godly people will be judged.
22 The Lord will save those who serve him.
    No one who goes to him for safety will be found guilty.

David at Gath

10 That day David ran away from Saul. He went to Achish, the king of Gath. 11 But the servants of Achish spoke to him. They said, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one the Israelites sing about when they dance? They sing,

“ ‘Saul has killed thousands of men.
    David has killed tens of thousands.’ ”

12 David paid close attention to what the servants were saying. He became very much afraid of what Achish, the king of Gath, might do. 13 So he pretended to be out of his mind when he was with them. As long as he was in Gath, he acted like a crazy person. He made marks on the doors of the city gate. He let spit run down his beard.

14 Achish said to his servants, “Just look at the man! He’s out of his mind! Why are you bringing him to me? 15 Don’t I have enough crazy people around me already? So why do you have to bring this fellow here? Just look at how he’s carrying on in front of me! Why do you have to bring this man into my house?”

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