Schemuel II 15:31 Midrasch: Midrash Tehillim

Another analogy is of someone who was walking on the road and someone was chasing him with a weapon. The pursued person escaped and was saved from his hand. Another person tried to catch him before he could get away, but he also escaped. However, before he could completely get away, a third person came to catch him and started shouting, "Save me from his hand!" This is what happened to David when Saul was chasing him. God performed a miracle and saved him from Saul's hand, as it is written (1 Samuel 19:18-20), "And David fled and escaped... And when Saul sent messengers to take him, he said, 'He is sick.'... And Saul sent messengers to see David, saying, 'Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.' And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster." As soon as David escaped, he was worried and said to Saul (1 Samuel 22:9-10), "I have seen the son of Jesse coming to Nob... and Ahimelech gave him provisions." God said to him, "Perhaps he gave him from your provisions? Didn't he give him the bread of the Presence which belongs to me?" David replied, "And didn't he give him Goliath's sword?" God said to him, "And didn't I provide for him?" Immediately, God shut his mouth, and concerning him it is said (Psalm 31:19), "Let the lying lips be put to silence." Thus, he was saved from worry, but then Ahithophel came. He began to cry out (2 Samuel 15:31), "O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness." When they were saved from all three, he began to sing, as it is written (2 Samuel 22:1), "David spoke to the Lord the words of this song."

To the chief musician, with stringed instruments. Hear my prayer, O God. The verse says (Proverbs 10:9), "He who walks in integrity walks securely." This is referring to David, as it says (Psalm 41:13), "As for me, You uphold me in my integrity." And "He who perverts his ways will be known." This is referring to Ahithophel, as the verse says (Proverbs 26:26), "Though his hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness will be revealed before the assembly." David did not love anyone as much as he loved Ahithophel, despite their disputes. Ahithophel was his counselor for all his counsel, as it says (1 Chronicles 27:33), "And Ahithophel was the king's counselor." When David heard that Ahithophel was involved with Absalom, he said (2 Samuel 15:31), "Please, let me have counsel and guidance from Ahithophel." David was not afraid of anyone except for Ahithophel. That is why David said, "Hear my prayer, O God, and do not ignore my plea. Listen to me and answer me. My heart pounds in my chest at the thought of my enemy's threats. Do not let the voice of my enemies cause me to stumble because of the sin of the wicked." God said to him, "Did you not say, 'If an army besieges me, my heart will not fear'?" (Psalm 27:3) and "I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side." (Psalm 3:6) David said before God, "Give me those who pursue me, and I will overtake them and not turn back until they are consumed." But this is not referring to Ahithophel. Similarly, he says that no enemy will shame and lift me up. He is greater than me. And he also says, "You, human, are like my esteemed warriors and scholars. What is like my order? That he arranges for me the laws. My warriors and scholars, who trained and taught me, were my rabbi." And he also says, "Together we will sweeten the secret." What is the feeling? As we learn in the daily offering in Yoma 12b, on the 24th, he broke into tears, and there were four expressions there. And why did Rabbi Yochanan say? To feel all the help, as it is said, "In the house of God, we walk with feeling." My scholars, those who inform me of the outcomes of knowledge. Once he finished his prayer, as it is said in 2 Samuel 15:32, "David reached the top where he worshipped God, and there he met Hushai the Archite." When David saw him, he said, "If you go with me, you will be a burden to me. But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, 'I am your servant, O king; I was formerly your father's servant, but now I am yours,' then you can counteract Ahithophel's advice. Then David said, "Lord of the world, I call out to you," as it is said, "To the God of gods, I call out, and the Lord saves me."