The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 326

great purpose of redemption. The fear of Israel he referred to loss of faith in the· people's mis8ion to the world, and in God as the perfecter of tliat mission. Illustra- tions of tlte .•ame course are elsewhere found. True religious enlightenment must express itself in some form. 'fhe holy cannot look on life and be silent. Our Sayiour's words and deeds were largely the expression of the effect of man's con- dition upon his nature. It is especially important to remember this reference to first principles in their application to-1. The sorrows and woes of mankind through sin, We cannot solve the mystery of evil, but can fall back on the primary truth that God is good and wise, and therefore his government in the end will be justified. 2. The premlent ltabits of the world. We must not fail to trace them to radical alienation from God, and apply the only radical cure, renewal of nature by the Spirit of God. 3. The obstacles in the way of Christ's triumph. They ue real as facts, but we must justify our faith in their removal by indicating their essentially transitory character in contrast with the "everlasting strength " of our God. Ill. A RELIGIOUS MAN IN GIVING EFFECT TC\ HIS IMPRESSIONS MAY BE MISREPRE- SENTED. David's pure mind wns charged with vanity and idle curiosity (ver. 28). The accusation was the more painful in coming from a brother. Jealousy creates a jaundiced medium through which the holiest and most beautiful things appear hideous. A greater than David was also reviled, and his most holy and blessed words and deeds associuted with the most wicked of origins (Mark iii. 22; John x. 20). Pliny and Tacitus, judicious men of the world, could not appreciate the <>pmions and motives of the early Christians. Even now strong faith in God, and belief that all obstacles to the progress of Christianity will give way because essen- tially human, is regarded as fanaticism. Even among some professed believers in Christ those are held to be too sanguine who feel sure that the most formidable of modern giants is as nothing before the mighty power which somehow will sweep it away. Be it so; time will show. General lessons :-1. Clearness of vision on religious matters, and indirectly on all, is a result of superior devoutness of spirit. 2. We never need fear being singular when sustained by fl clear conscience and the approval of God. 3. The earnest ~onvictions and simple faith of one man may, in the providence of God, work e. revolution in popular thought. 4. We give value to our religious convictions when they are indicated with candour and are sustained by simplicity and purity of life 5. A love of detraction and petty fault-finding, while it does not really injure the devot.r.d who are its object, debases those who indulge in them. Vers. 31-37.-Reasonable confidence in God. The facts are-1. David's words being reported to Saul, he sends for him. 2. David volunteers to go forth and fight the Philistine. 3. In justification of his confidence, he refers to God's deliverance of him from the lion and bear. 4. Saul bids him go, and desires for him the Lord's presence. It was doubtless a relief to Saul to be informed that at least there was -0ne in Israel who dared to accept the Philistine's challenge. His surprise was equal to his relief, and may have lessened his hope, when he saw the stripling. The quiet confidence of David was natural and reasonable to himself, but evidently required some justification before Saul. The story of the lion and bear was adduced, with beautiful simplicity of spirit, to indicate to Saul that the confidence cherished was amply warranted by past experience. To David's mind the logic was unanswerable. It is by tracing the mental process by which David rested in his firm conviction that we shall see the true g·round of our confidence in God, when called by his providence to enter upon undertakings of a serious nature. I. A PRIMARY TRUTH. The power of God is adequate to any hu_man need. This general truth was the bnsis of David's reasonin·g. It was involved in his very con- ception of Jehovah, and found beautiful utterance in bis language of later years. The power of the Eternal was not a mere philosophic idea requisite to complete the notion of God, but a living energy permeating all things. The ascription of natural changes and events immediately to God (Ps. xviii.) is only the expression of a faith which sees the Divine energy in and through all things. The people at Elah, on see- ing Goliath, thought of his strength. The reverse effect pro, 1 uced in the mind of D1ivid by Goliath's boast was the thought of the eternal power. The influence oJ 828 THI~ FIHST BOOK OF SAMUEL. [cu. x1•11. 20-58.