Buffers and endures; Saul 0£ the anti-theocratic principle." Like Moses, David bore II the reproach of Christ," who was in him and suffered with him (Acts ix. 4; Col. i. 24; Heh. xi. 26, 32-38). 2. H is limited in its power, and is always ulti- mately defeated. "Be not afraid of them that kill the body," &c. (Luke xii. 4). S. God himself is the Refuge of the persecuted, and provides varied, wonderful, and effectual means for their deliverance. "Thou art my refuge" (Ps. cxlii. 5). "Thou hast delivered my soul from death," &c. (Ps. lvi. 13). The operation of Divine providence was displayed in a remarkable manner in the preservation of David throughout the whole course of his persecution by Saul. II. SYMPATHISING WITH TIE MISERY OF THE OPPRESSED. II His brethren and all his father's house," endangered by Saul's jealousy as well as by the Philistine garrison at Bethlehem (2 Sam. xxiii. 131 14), "and every one that was in distress" ( outwardly impoverished and harassed), "and in debt" (to avaricious usurers, and not necessarily through any fault of his own), "and discontented" (inwardly em- bittered and dissatisfied with the existing state of things), owing to bad government. "Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad" (Eccles. vii. 7), and incites and justifies the adoption of a course which, under other circumstances, would be highly culpable. They did not gather to David in vain. 1. Sympathy with suffering is usually felt in an eminent degree by those who have themselves suffered (Heh. ii. 18). 2. It is always shown, when it is genuine, in practical effort for its alleviation (2 Cor. i. 4). ;l, It generally produces in those toward whom it is shown a peculiarly strong and E>nduring attachment. 11 Pain is the deepest thing we have in our nature, and union through pain has always seemed more real and more holy than any other" (A. H. Hallam). "I do not know where a better home could have been provided for David than among those men in distress, in debt, in discontent. I£ it behoved a ruler to know the heart of his subjects, their sorrows, their wrongs, their crimes,-to know them and to sympathise with them,-this was surely as precious a part of his school- ing as the solitude of his boyhood, or as any intercourse he had with men who had never faced the misery of the world, and never had any motive to quarrel with its laws. Through oppression, confusion, lawlessness he was- learning the eternal, essential righteousness of God 11 (Maurice). III. ASSUMING THE LEADERSHIP OF THE FAITHFUL. "He became captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men "-afrerwards six hundred (eh. xxiii. 13); including his nephews, Abishai (eh. XX\'i. 6), Joab, Asahel, and Amasa, Ahimelech the Hittite, the "three mighty men" who "broke through the host of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem" (2 Sam. xxiii. 16), many of those whose names are recorded in the list of David's heroeM (1 Chron. x.i. 10-47), Gadites II whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains," Benj,1mites and men of Judah, under Amasai, on whom "the Spirit came, and he said, Thine are we," &c. ; "for thy God helpeth thee" (1 Chron. xii. 8-18). Some of them possessed, perhaps, little re)igious principle, and were ready for any adventurous enterprise; but most of them were young, free, noble spirits, tesenting the tyranny of Saul, and sympa- thising with all that was best in the nation-" the unconscious materials out of which a new world was to be formed. 11 David's leadership was - 1. Exercised by virtue of his peculiar position, eminent godliness, and s1.trpassing ability. 2. Accepted by them vol?.tntarily, and followed with fidelity n11d enthusiasm. 3. Con- tributed to their discipline, improvement (Ps. xxxiv. 11), and future service against the common enemy, as well as his own moral force and power of organisation and rule. "The effect of such a life on his spiritual nature was to deepen his uncon- ditional dependence on God; by the alternations of heat and cold, fear and hope, danger and safety, to temper his soul and make it flexible, tough, and bright as steel It evolved the qualities of a leader of men, teaching him command and forbearance, promptitude and patience, valour and gentleness. It won for him a name ns a founder of a nation, and it gathered around him a force of men devoted to him hy •m enthusiastic attachment, bred by long years of common dangers and the hearty friendships of many a march by day and nightly encampment round the glimmering ,.-atchfires beneath the lucid stars 11 (Maclo.ren). JV. DEVOTED TO THE SERVICE OF Goo. The effect of persecution on a gooci nrnn t22 THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. [Cl!. XXIJ, 1--:tJ.
is t~ cause him to d!-a"· ni~·h to G~d in-1: Rene~\'C~ co11Jiden~e and hope. 2. Intense desire for the manlfestation qf Ins gwry m " brmgmg the wickedness of the wicked to an end and establishing the just" (Ps. vii. 9). He wishes above all things and stri-es for t~e. setting up of the king-do~ of God upon earth. 3. Earnest prayers and thanksg1vmgs, such as are expressed m the "cave songs" of David. Pa. CXLII., 'A cry of the persecuted to God' (see inscription):- " With my voice to Jehovah do I cry, With my voice to Jehovah do I make supplication. Deliver me from my persecutors, For they are stronger than I." Ps. LVII., 'Trusting in the protection of God' (see inscription):- " Be gracious unto me, 0 God, be gracious unto me For in thee bath my soul found refuge ; ' And in the shadow of thy wings will I find refuge Until the destruction passetl1 by. Be thou exalted above the heavens, 0 God, Thy glory above all the earth." " When_ his companions ll! arms were carousing or asleep, he sat by his lamp in some still retreat, or 'considered the heavens' as they spread above him, or medi- • tated on the law, or engaged in prayer, or held intimate communion with God and .composed and wrote (though he thought not so) what shall sound in the Church and · echo through the world to all time" (Binney).-D.