The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 524

IV. Tm: VISIBLE MEANS OF SAFETY USED BT RELIGIOUS MEN ARE AN mDEX OF A?I' INVISIBLl!I RESOURCE. h is just here that we get at the heart of David's meaning. A epecta.tor, obeerving how he set his skill age.inst that of Saul, how he baffled the cruel persecutor by fee.ta of de.ring among the caves and clefts of the rock, might conclude that euccese was decided by e. mere balance of ingenuity and agility-the rock, the cave, were his defence. But no; be used these visible tbin:i;e, but all the time bis soul was resting in the protection of God. There was a double exercise of energy-that which expressed itself in agility of movement among the mountain fastnesses, and that which expressed itself in calm trust in the ea.re of God. God was his Rock, bis Shield, his Fortress. Ae Elijah saw cha.riots of fire where others saw nothing but vacant air, so he saw the Eternal :Rock, and in him made his refuge. The same double exercise of energy was at work in his strenuous efforts to maintain his piety. It was not prayer, use of the Divine Law, and watchfulness that he trusted in, but the ever-present and faithful God. Herein is the characteristic of a truly godly man. An inner spiritual activity accompanies all the external forms. His soul goes out after the living God. He finds safety in the invisible Rock of Ages. God in Christ is his actual Hiding-place. V. THE BEST TffiNGS IN NATURE ABE BUT SYMBOLS AND SHADOWS OF EXCELLENCE '.lN Goo. The rock and the high tower were the very best things nature afforded to David in his dreadful season of trial. Those wilds then answered indeed a noble pur- pose. But David saw in their protecting powers only a shadow of the real protecting power of which he was in need. All the saving virtues of the mountain fastnesses were to him the index of the boundless resources that lie in God. He is the Rock. Throughout Scripture there seems to be an effort to set forth, if possible, the reality and vastness and sufficiency of the treasures which are in God for us. Thus Christ is represented as being the chief and best of a.11 things in nature-among stars, the Bright and Morning Star; among fruit-bearing trees, the luxurious Vine; of members of the body, the Head. Nature can only indicate what wealth of resources we have in him. His riches are unsearchable (Eph. iii. 8). VI, A REVIEW OF PAST SIGNAL DELIVERANCES ENCOURAGES CONFIDENCE IN RESPECT TO THE FUTURE. Reviewing the wonderful deliverances wrought for him, David says, "In him will I trust;" "I shall be saved from mine enemies." The conflict of life was not over. New dangers will a.rise, and other enemies will fill the ranks of the fallen. But experience of God's merciful help keeps the spirit calm, and every triumph in the past by his favour is a guarantee that he will be a very present Help in every time of need. How could David doubt the goodness and power of God after so rich an experience of his aid ? If for no other reason than the confidence it inspires, an occa- sional {deliberate review of what great things God hM done for us is very desirable. Doubt and fear spring from too much attention to ounelves. Security lies in the covenant of God, and not in our own powers, and a remembrance of actual help received is a reading a.fresh of the many Di vine ratifications of the covenant. The din and hurry of daily life are adverse to reflective habits. It is well to make positive efforts at certain stages of life to resist the hindrances to reflection, and allow to pass before the mind the varied instances in which God has rescued us from impending ruin, both temporal and spiritual. VII. A RATIONAL BASIS FOR PRAISE IS LAID IN A CONSIDERATION OF Goo's GREAT DELIVERANCES. It is not without solid reason! that David says, "I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be pra.ised.n There are manifold reasons why praise should be rendered to God, but here the basis in view is that found by a consideration of the various acts of mercy he has shown. David's deliverance from Saul, from the treachery of Doeg and Ahithophel, from the sorrows and shame of the banishment from throne and city, and from the more fearful woes of backsliding, were indeed events never to be forgotten. '!'hey meant to him life, joy, honour, instead of death and disgrace. All that is valuable in life, in distinction, in personal holiness, and victory over spiritual evil, appealed to his generous nature to acknowledge in thankful form the great things which God had done. It is the wont of some ngnostic writers to represent the require- ment of praise to God as essentially immoral-as a low representation of God M selfishly egotistic. It might be enough to say that agnostics have no right to speak of essential morality, since on their principles there can be no such thing. But ape.rt from that, it overlooks the real teaching of Scripture and the natural action of human 638 THE SECOND DOOK OF SAMUEL. [cu, xxn. 1--IH,