AT the time here spoken of, David had been, for nearly forty years, king over “_the Lord’s people_.” The youngest of eight sons of one of the shepherds of Israel, and raised from that lowly station to the throne by the express appointment of Jehovah, it may well excite our surprise to observe his conduct on the occasion to which the text refers. We might have supposed that the incidents of his early life, no less than the experience of his riper years, would have taught him a more simple spirit of faith and trust than that which he now showed. “_A lion and a bear_” came upon him while he was yet a boy, and took a lamb out of his father’s flock which he was keeping; and he was not only delivered from them, but enabled alone and unharmed to slay them. {3} At another time, when the Philistine giant defied the armies of the living God, David went forth of his own accord to meet him. Mindful of the same power which had saved him from “_the lion and the bear_,” he asked no armour for his protection. He sought no weapon for the fight. “_Strong in the Lord_, _and in the power of his might_,” he prevailed, “_with a sling and with a stone_.” {4a} And “_the weak thing_, _and the base thing_, _and the thing that was despised_,” was chosen to confound and to “_bring to nought the thing that was mighty_, _in order that no flesh should glory in the presence of God_.” {4b} Then, again, how often had David been rescued from the personal jealousy of Saul! What signal success had been granted him against the enemies of Israel! And how strikingly had even the rebellion of his own misguided son been overruled to the promotion of his safety and glory!