The passuk says, ˂ֶרָדַּבּ ˃ְרָמְשִׁל ˃יֶנָפְל ˂ָאְלַמ ַחֵלֹשׁ יִכֹנָא הֵנִּה כ גכ Imagine if a person would actually feel that Malachim are always surrounding him and protecting him. ˃יֶכָרְדּ לָכְבּ ˃ְרָמְשִׁל ˂ָלּ הֶוַּצְי ויָכָאְלַמ יִכּ תהלים צא יא Hashem positions His Malachim to protect you wherever you are. Or better yet, feeling that Hashem Himself is right next to you at all times. Dovid HaMelech was famous for being unusually close to Hashem. How did this happen?
Dovid was told by his father, Yishai, to go to the battlefield, and bring food for his brothers who were soldiers in Shaul HaMelech’s army. When Dovid came, he noticed that nothing was happening. The Yidden were petrified, since the Pelishtim had a powerful giant on their side, Golyas HaPelishti. Golyas had challenged them that they should send one of their soldiers to him, and whoever overpowers the other will decide their fate. If Golyas kills him, then all Yidden are his Avadim.
And if the Yid overpowers Golyas, then all the Pelishtim lost the battle. Everybody was terrified until Dovid arrived. When Dovid’s older brother Eliav saw Dovid, he accused him of being a wicked shepherd, who isn’t doing his job and taking care of the sheep. Dovid could have told him that his father Yishai sent him to the battlefield, but Dovid said nothing. Why?
Notice how Dovid has no interest in defending himself to his big brother. A true Melech has Middas HaHish'tavus, i.e., he doesn’t care if people love him or hate him! He has only Hashem, and he doesn’t need people! The Chovos Halvavos at the beginning of Shaar HaBitachon says that if you have Bitachon in humans, then Hashem leaves you in their hands, and you lose true Bitachon in Hashem.
A Person Without Family Support, Learns to Be Totally Dependent on Hashem
It seems odd that the first 30 years of his life Dovid lived alone. His family despised him, thinking he was a Mamzer and they were hoping that his unsafe job (of taking care of his sheep in dangerous areas) would kill him. Yet, Dovid told Shaul HaMelech that he is ready to take on Golyas, since he already killed a lion and a bear who tried to kill his sheep.
Dovid said that as soon as the lion grabbed the sheep, he pulled it out of his mouth, and he killed the lion! What kind of recklessness is this? A normal person would run for his life, and be happy that the sheep would be eaten instead of him! However, a person who lives without family support, like Dovid, learns to be totally dependent on Hashem.
And he has a totally different Shulchan Aruch. He doesn’t have the normal warmth, love, and support that families and friends are supposed to give, and he becomes alone with one support; the: בּוֹ אֵר ע םָלוֹ Creator of the world! He’s Mamash in his own world, and he can have a high level of Bitachon since his sole support in life is Hashem Himself!
No wonder Dovid had no interest in defending himself to his older brother, Eliav. He doesn’t need Eliav’s support, Kavod, and recognition, since Eliav was never a source of strength in Dovid’s life; only Hashem.
Try To Make an Impression ONLY On Hashem, Not on People
Instead of depending on family and friends, it’s preferable to be close to Hashem. Notice how Dovid was always loaded with enemies, and even betrayal on the part of Klal Yisroel. They ridicule him, desert him, and are disloyal to him, and his life has one chain of the worst enemies; Avner, Shaul, Avshalom, Sheva ben Bichri, Shim'i ben Gera, Do'eg, Achitofel; it’s just unbelievable!
It seems that Hashem wanted Dovid to always be pure of the need of human approval, so he can be a true Melech who doesn’t need people. We have a lifetime to spend trying to wean ourselves from our lust for Kavod and recognition, approval and support of humans; and to spend loads of extra time running to Hashem.
