In these early stories of David, I find a lot of similarity between him and Joseph at the end of Genesis. Remember that Joseph also was chosen abruptly for greatness – he got no vote. For thirteen years he served as a slave and then as a prisoner – but he excelled no matter what his state because “the Lord was with him.”
David’s life is far from enviable. Though Saul has adopted David into the Royal family, he is determined to kill him. Saul gives him more and more responsibility, hoping the job will kill him – but “in everything [David] did he had great success, because the Lord was with him” (1 Samuel 18:14).
The difference between David and Saul is noticeably revealed in 1 Samuel 23. David, boxed in at Keilah, “inquires” of the Lord – not once, but twice. Saul had long since stopped doing so. It is interesting that during all these chapters, the story is consumed with the account of Saul’s attempt to kill David, and all the while, the Philistines are continuing their aggression against the People of God. That’s the way it goes. When God’s people take their minds off what the Lord wants, and focus solely on what they want, the enemies of God’s people always succeed against us. Always keep in mind what the Lord wants for your life, how he wants you to live. Take Him into your confidence. Your life may not always be a bed of roses, but you will succeed in all the Lord would haveyou to do. There is no greater success than that.