The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Chronicles — Section 171

should have borne it in silence rnther than have uttered his wish for water. He should have remembered that the wish of a sovereign would probably be interpreted as a command, or be seized upon as an occasion for distinction or a means of securing a large reward. To such default all men are liable. It requires unceasin(J' prayer and sleepless Yigilance to avoid being surprised and" overtaken in a fault." " II. THE DEVOTED LOYALTY OF HIS FOLLOWERS, (Ver. 18.) Three of his miahty men no sooner heard his utterance of strong desire than they set out to gratify it. Daring the utmost danger, their life in their hand, they "brake throuah the host of the l'hilistin~s, and d_rew water _out_ of the ~veil." David had the rare raiulty of attaching men to himself with enthus1ast1c devotion. He won, not only the fidelity, but the eager and loving devotion of his servants. Surely his "greater Son," the Prince of Pee.ce is far more worthy of the unhesitating, uncalculating devotion of his subjects, Sur;ly they should eagerly watch his eye, should spring to do his bidding, should joyfully run greatest risks and make largest sacrifices to fulfil the good pleasure of his will. III. THE REDEEMING AFTERTHOUGHT. (Vers. 18, l!I.) 1. David disallowed his own selfishness. It is our habit to cover our wrong deeds with plausible pretexts. Our ingenuity is generally equal to the discovery of reasons which will extenuate or justify our errors and our sins. David might have done the same had he been less worthy than he was. But he took the nobler course. He reLuked himself and disallowed his deed. He shrank from the act of profiting by his own inconsiderateness. God forbid ... shall I drink the blood of these r.->en," etc.? Well would it have been for this oppressed world of ours if its kings and rulers had always shrunk thus from" drinking the blood" of the people. 1n itself it is doubtless better not to err than to err and afterwards to withdraw, but it is difficult for us not to be glad that David was guilty of this momen- tary thonghtlessness, inasmnch as it was directly followed by this noble and most honour- able afterthought, that he would not gratify his taste through an act which had imperilled the lives of his followers. It was the readiest and most practical way of rebuking him- self. 2. He rose into the region of self-denial and devotion. He" poured it out to the Lord." He made it quite impossible for him to drink, and, at the same time, he offered an oblation unto the Lord. Seldom does so unpromising a commencement issue in so excellent an ending. Bnt for the profoundly religious character of David, it would not have done so. We learn that: (1) Deep-seated principles of piety and virtue should correct a mistake into which we may be surprised. (2) That self-denial and devotion are truer triumphs than military conquests. We do not think much of Jashobeam's exploit (ver. 11), but we sha.11 never forget this penitential, self-sacrificing deed of David.-C. Vers. 1-3.-The pomue fulfilled. "They anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord by Samuel." David had a great promise given him. It was given him early in his life to inspire the noble purpose, and to make possible the necessary patience. Yon and I have great.promises, given us, not when in sight of the longed-for good, but when it is yet distant and far away. Such promises are our morning stars, as they were David's. Often, however, to David the fulfilment of its promise seemed an impossibility. Often to us the obstacles to the fulfilment of our promises seem many and insuperable. It is worth while to linger and to observe how calmly and straight God's providence marched onward to tho fulfilment of its promise in his case, and to gather thence some deepening of our CO!}fideuce that it will march straight on to the complete fulfilment of every word on which he has caused us to hope. I confine myself to this one point, not dwelling on some important points likewise suggested here. Others may mark this to indicate the fact that ultimately the people are the source of all power in the sta'te; or may single out the word "covenant" here,and dwell on the fact that David is the first example in history of a constitutional monarchy. We look above and beyond these things, to a Divine Giver fulfilling a long-despaired-of promise. That the precedent may have all its weight of consolation for the despairing inheritors of God's promises, let us mark successively-(1) The seeming impossibility of this promise being fulfilled; and (2) its blessed and comp"letefulfilment. I, OBBEBVE THE SEEMING IMPOSSIBILITY OF DAVID'S PROMISE BEING FULFILLED, Not many arguments are usually needed to drive us to despair. Many of us when all is brightest cannot believe the good word s1ioken to us. How much more David might oH, XI. 1-47.] THE FIRST BOOK Olt' THE CHRONICLES. 1G3