Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/266

 The  Philistines,  seeing  that  their  champion  was  dead,  were seized with  fear  and  fled. But the  Israelites,  following  after,  slew a great number  of  them,  and  took  possession  of  their  camp.

Pride. Goliath was  arrogant  and  trusted  in  his  own  strength  and mighty weapons. He boasted,  sought  the  single  combat  for  his  own glory and  scorned  the  people  of  God. This pride  was  the  cause  of his  fall. “Pride comes  before  a fall”,  and  “humiliation  followeth  the proud, and  glory  shall  uphold  the  humble  of  spirit”  (Prov.  29,  23).

Humility and  confidence  in  God.  David  was  humble. It was  no thought  of  renown  which  impelled  him  to  fight  the  giant,  but  only  zeal for God’s  glory  and  the  good  of  his  people. He trusted  in  God’s  help and not  in  his  own  powers  or  skill,  and  went  forth  to  the  unequal combat, full  of  the  confidence  that  God  would  overthrow  the  Philistine by his  means,  and  would  thus  manifest  His  power  to  the  heathen. “The Lord  who  delivered  me  out  of  the  paw  of  the  lion  and  out  of the  paw  of  the  bear,  He  will  deliver  me  out  of  the  hand  of  this Philistine” (1  Kings  17,  37). God rewarded  the  humility  and  confidence of His  servant  by  giving  him  a splendid  victory  over  the  terrible  giant. God wished,  by  this  victory  of  David,  to  draw  the  eyes  of  the  Israelites to his  virtues,  and  to  awaken  in. them a feeling  of  gratitude  towards  him who was  to  be  their  future  king.

Do you  boast? Are you  proud  of  your  fine figure, of  your  strength,  or  of  your  understanding,  memory  &amp;c. ? Make a resolution  to  subdue  promptly  all  such  thoughts  of  self-complacency.

You, too,  have  a Goliath  to  overcome,  namely  your  besetting sin. Ask yourself  which  is  your  besetting  sin,  whether  anger, envy, pride,  sloth  &amp;c. Against this  sin  you  must  fight,  not  once, but  every  day  of  your  life,  if  you  hope  to  overcome  it. Your weapons must  be  prayer  and  watchfulness. Pray for  the  virtue opposed to  your  besetting  sin,  and  take  care  to  subdue  its movements when  it  first  appears.

HEN David  returned  from  the  slaying  of  the  Philistine, Saul called  for  him  and  asked:  “Young  man,  of  what family art  thou?”  Then  David  related  all  about  his  family  and about himself. Now Jonathan,  the  eldest  son  of  Saul,  was  standing