There’s no doubt that David felt completely isolated. Living in a cave, he was completely humiliated. It’s hard to imagine how he managed to get through this time. But God was at work. David hides in the cave of Adullam, which literally means “refuge.” Soon, his family would join him there, along with about 400 men in total. He was no longer alone and isolated – a true gift from the Lord.
However, his peace would be devastated when Saul discovers his position and eventually proceeds to execute the priests David visited in the previous chapter.
In my opinion, it’s safe to say that in the state of mind Saul was in, Ahimelech was a dead man no matter what. If David had not lied to him, he would have known of the conflict firsthand, and Saul undoubtedly would have made him choose a side. Observing Ahimelech’s character, and how much he respected David, it’s very likely he could have sided with him, and died with honor.
This would have been slightly better than being framed for a conspiracy he knew nothing about, but the point is, it was Saul’s maniacal approach that ultimately led to this slaughter. In Saul’s paranoia, he had already made his mind up there was some kind of rebel alliance forming against him. He didn’t even question Ahimelech, but rather, accused him immediately of conspiring against him because of Doeg’s whispering in his ear.
With that being said, David is far from innocent. David’s lying made matters much worse than they had to be, and he knew he was guilty. Both here, and in Psalm 52 (which he penned specifically about this event) he regrets how he handled the situation. His immediate response to Abiathar is, “I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have brought about the death of every person in your father’s household.” David took responsibility.
Most often, our first response is to look for someone else to blame or give a half-hearted apology. David was not perfect, but he did admit his fault. He knew the character of Doeg, and yet, did not act as he should have to correct the situation. David does all he can do at this point. He offers to protect Abiathar in the horrible aftermath, and surprisingly, through all the chaos, manages to spend time with the Lord penning Psalm 52.