(6) And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp. (7) And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore. (8) Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. (9) Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.
The view here given of the enemies of God, may serve to teach us how exceedingly, even in carnal minds, the awful dread of danger is incorporated in their very nature. Reader! be assured of this one thing, ungodly men feel conviction at times of their being wrong, and are compelled to give their evidence of it, though they are not brought over to the interests of God and of Christ. Sweet thought of encouragement to the believer, in the midst of all the prosperity of sinners. See Asaph's conclusion on this point. Psalms 73:1-20.