In this conquest David “gave to men” rather than “received”--gave even to his stubborn enemies (witness his subsequent transaction with Araunah the Jebusite for the site of the temple); for that which he took from them served to build amongst them God’s habitation: “that,” as the Psalmist sings, “the Lord God might dwell with them.” St Paul’s adaptation of the verse is both bold and true. If he departs from the letter, he unfolds the spirit of the prophetic words. That David’s _giving_ signified a higher _receiving_, Jewish interpreters themselves seem to have felt, for this paraphrase was current also amongst them. The author of this Hebrew song has in no way exaggerated the importance of David’s victory. The summits of the elect nation’s history shine with a supernatural and prophetic light. The spirit of the Christ in the unknown singer “testified beforehand of the glory that should follow” His warfare and sufferings. From this victorious height, so hardly won, the Psalmist’s verse flashes the light of promise across the space of a thousand years; and St. Paul has caught the light, and sends it on to us shining with a new and more spiritual brightness. David’s “going up on high” was, to the apostle’s mind, a picture of the ascent of Christ, his Son and Lord. David rose from deep humiliation to a high dominion; his exaltation brought blessing and enrichment to his people; and the spoil that he won with it went to build God’s house amongst rebellious men. All this was true in parable of the dispensation of grace to mankind through Jesus Christ; and His ascension disclosed the deeper import of the words of the ancient Scripture. “Wherefore God saith” (and St Paul takes the liberty of putting in his own words _what_ He saith)--“wherefore He saith: He ascended on high; He led captivity captive; He gave gifts to men.” * * * * * The three short clauses of the citation supply, in effect, a threefold measure of the gifts of Christ to His Church. They are gifts _of the ascended Saviour_. They are gifts bestowed _from the fruit of His victory_. And they are gifts _to men_. Measure them, first, by the height to which He has risen--from what a depth! Measure them, again, by the spoils He has already won. Measure them, once more, by the wants of mankind, by the need He has undertaken to supply.--As He is, so He gives; as He has, so He gives; as He has given, so He will give till we are filled unto all the fulness of God. I. Think first, then, of Him. Think of what, and _where_ He is! Consider “what is the height” of His exaltation; and then say, if you can, “what is the breadth” of His munificence.