Day 113: Broken Trust

Today's readings: 1 Samuel 21-22 and Psalm 52.

I. 1 Samuel 21 tells part of David's life as a fugitive from Saul's murderous rage. He arrives at Nob, where he meets the priest Ahimelech, whom he deceives to obtain food for himself and the men with him. Having no ordinary bread, Ahimelech gives him the consecrated Showbread and the sword of Goliath, which had been stored there. Jesus would later refer back to this incident when challenged by the Pharisees about the Sabbath (Mk 2:25-28). David fled to Gath, where he tricked the Philistine king into thinking he was mad. This was presumably done so he could hide there for a time unmolested. 

In the next chapter, David then fled to the Cave of Adullam. There, he is joined by his family and 400 loyal followers, and he becomes their leader. He takes his parents to Moab for safety and returns to Judah upon the direction of the prophet Gad. Then Saul reveals the depth of his madness as he orders the slaughter of Ahimelech and the priests at Nob for assisting David. Doeg the Edomite happily carried out the massacre, which included a general massacre of the families of the priests, when Saul's guards refused to commit such sacrilege.

The BIY Companion, Vol I, has some good commentary on this:

The bread of the presence is a sign of how God, out of love, fed the people of Israel in their desert wanderings. At every Mass, the priest elevates the true bread of the presence, the Eucharist, saying, "Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb." (p. 242)

II. Psalm 52 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes (verse numbers removed):

A lament psalm that contrasts the godly and the ungodly. Like the Psalmist, those who trust in God's mercy will be planted securely in God's presence and thank him forever. Those who trust in riches, speak arrogantly and deceptively, and devise schemes to oppress the faithful will not escape God's judgment. (p. 874)

The BIY Companion, Vol I, has some good commentary on this psalm as well:

Doeg the Edomite betrays Ahimelech and the priests, but David responds with Psalm 52. David prays for justice, committing himself to walk in righteousness even in the midst of dishonest and evil people. In his Inferno, Dante places traitors at the deepest level of hell. Judas is one of the figures portrayed in this circle of hell, along with Lucifer and other deceivers. (p. 242)

Presumably, Doeg the Edomite is a resident of Dante's lowest level of hell, also. That's all for today!