“That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.” — Psalm 64:4
“And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.” — 1 Samuel 18:11
Both of these verses reveal a painful reality in the life of God’s servants: attacks often come suddenly and secretly. Sometimes the enemy does not attack openly but waits for the moment when the heart is unguarded. The Psalmist speaks of men who “shoot in secret,” while Saul openly hurled a javelin at David in jealousy. Yet in both cases, God preserved His servant.
David had done nothing but serve Saul faithfully — playing music to calm his troubled spirit and fighting the Lord’s battles. Yet Saul’s heart was filled with envy. The javelin that flew across the room was not just a weapon of iron; it was the outward expression of a heart poisoned by jealousy. Still, the Scripture says, “David avoided out of his presence twice.” God protected the man who walked uprightly.
Faithfulness does not exempt a believer from sudden attacks, but it does place him under God’s protection. The enemy may shoot the arrow, but the Lord governs where it lands.
Illustration #1 — Joseph: The Hidden Attack That Became a Pathway
Joseph experienced the same principle. His brothers secretly plotted against him and sold him into slavery (Genesis 37:18–28). Their attack came suddenly and without warning. Yet God turned their evil into good and eventually placed Joseph in authority in Egypt. What began as a hidden attack became the pathway to God’s greater purpose. “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good.” (Genesis 50:20).
Illustration #2 — The Lord Jesus: No Enemy Could Touch Him Before His Hour
The Lord Jesus Himself endured secret attacks. In John 8:59, the religious leaders “took up stones to cast at him.” In Luke 4:29–30, an angry crowd tried to throw Him off a cliff. Yet the Scripture says He “passing through the midst of them went his way.” Until the appointed hour of the cross, no enemy could touch Him. God’s timing governs every attack.
Believers must remember three truths:
- Secret attacks are real — the enemy sometimes strikes suddenly.
- God sees what others hide — no arrow is unseen by heaven.
- God preserves His servants until their work is finished.
The javelin may fly and the arrow may be shot in secret, but the child of God rests in the sovereign protection of the Lord.
“The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.” — Psalm 121:7