Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, [as] the LORD liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host [is] good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favour thee not.
Ver. 6. Surely, as the Lord liveth.] He swareth by Jehovah, of whom haply he had got some notions, either from the ancient patriarchs, or at least from David, whom haply he thought to please herewith; Diodate saith, he flattered with him; sure it is that David flattered grossly with Achish, 1Sa 29:8 which if Achish had known, he would never have said -
Thou hast been upright.] It is better, saith one, to live so as thine enemies may be amazed at thy virtues, than that thy friends should have cause to excuse thy vice.
Nevertheless the lords favour thee not.] Great men are not always good men. That was an extraordinary example of a nobleman of this nation, who in the worst of times, when he came into jeering company of great ones, would begin and own himself one of those they called Puritans, and so anticipated them. a "Not many mighty, not many noble are called": blessed be God that any are.
a Mr Burroughs on Hosea i. p. 307.