The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 227

Israel (81! the Philistines and othel'8 had previously done), aeeiAted by the Syrians, "for re~·'.' "The fil'llt recorded example of mercenary warfare" (Kitto). 'l'hey "succeeded in girdling the whole eastern frontier with steel." 'l'hey were idolaters, fought ngainst Jehovah, sought to exterminate hie people, and would have been satisfied with nothing 11hort of.their e~tire eubjngation. Never had their peril been more imminent, It was 11uch u III desonbed by the psalmist- •• Whv do the nations rage, And the people imagine ave.in thing? Kings of the earth set themselves up, And rulers take counsel together Age.inst Jehovah, and age.inst his anointed: Let us burst their bonds asunder, And cast away their cords from us I" (Pa. ii. 1-S.) II. ON .Tt18TIFIABLE GROUNDS. For: 1. The difena of person and property, and the preeerve.tion of the worship of Jehovah (eh. x. 12). The right of self-defence is a law of nature, extending to the relations of states and kingdoms, as well as of individu.als. Without its exercise the destruction of Israel by their fierce and powerful enemies could have been averted only by a continuous miracle. 2. The punishment of e'llil- doei'S, and the execution of a Divine judgment upon the heathen and their gods. Of this David deemed himself an appointed agent, fulfilling a Divine commission, like that given to Saul concerning Amalek, and the command under which Joshua acted in the conquest of the land. 3. The attainment of tM destination of the chosen people to rule over the nations according to former promises and predictions. " The chief aim Clf the writer is to show the growth of God's kingdom" (see the martial Psalms, ix., x., xviii., XL, xxi., xliv., lx., lxviii., ex.). Ps. ix.,' The righteous Judge of the heathen'- " I will praise thee, 0 J ehove.h, with my whole bee.rt: I will recount all thy wonderful works. Arise, 0 Jehovah. let not mortal man be defiant; Let the heathen be judged in thy sight. Pnt them in fes.r, 0 Jehovah; Let the heathen know that they are but mortal meu I" (Ps. ix. 1, 19, 20,) m Ix A DEVOUT SPIRIT. Faith in the immediate presence of God, reverence for his right.eous laws, dependence upon his mighty arm, zeal for his universal honour; prayer- fuln-, confidence, thankfulneBS. "The whole nation was at once a nation of soldiers and a nation of priests. They were the soldiers of God, pledged to n. crusade-a holy war; plt,dged to the extermination of all idolatry and all wickedness wherever existing" (Perowne, in Ps. CL). Ps. xx., 'Going forth to battle'- .. Jehovah answer thee in the day of distress : The Name of the God of Jacob set thee up on high. We will shout for joy because of thy se.lve.tion, And in the Ne.me of our God will we raise onr bannel'8. 0 Jehovah, save the king I May he hear us in the day we call." (Ps. xx. 1, 5, 9.) In a reverse, such as may have taken place just before the overthrow of the Edomites, they turned t.o God in supplication, and girded themselves afresh for the conflict. Ps. lx., 'Confidence in disaster'-" the most martial of all the Psalms "-partially repeated in P11. cvili. 7-14. ., 0 God, thou hut cast 118 off', thou hast broken 118: Thou hast been angry, restore 118 age.in. Thou hast given to them that fear thee a banner, That they may mnater (around it) from before the bow. Who will conduct me into the fortified cit, 1 Who will bring me into Edom? Through God shall we do valiantly : And he will tread down onr adversaries." (Pa. Ix. 1, 4, 9, 12.) Ott. VIlJ, 1-18,] THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 233