Was Smith Speaking about Spiritual Deliverance?

Joseph Smith prophesied that God would always deliver him from his enemies, yet Smith was killed by his enemies less than two years later (see False Prophecies of Joseph Smith for the details). I consider this to be a false prophecy.

One Mormon response to this false prophecy is to claim that it was speaking of spiritual triumph rather than physical deliverance.

The problem with this is that it is simply not what the text says. In Doctrine and Covenants 127:1, Smith is speaking about his earthly pursuers, and indeed he leaves town for a while to protect himself. It is in this context that Smith then claims, "to this day has the God of my fathers delivered me out of them all, and will deliver me from henceforth." Smith is clearly making a prophecy of earthly delieverance, which he did not receive.

The true God doesn't lie, and true prophets don't give false prophecies. Why did Smith's prophecy not come true?