Thy servant kept his father's sheep— The young hero builds his confidence upon four arguments: 1. Upon the courage and success with which he heretofore combated a lion at one time, and a bear at another; enemies full as terrible as Goliath. 2. Upon Goliath's being uncircumcised, an enemy of the people and covenant of God. 3. Upon the full assurance that God will support any one who shall undertake to punish this monster for his insolent treatment of the Israelites as slaves. 4. Upon the experience he had already had of the succour and protection of Providence; an experience which firmly persuades him, that the same God who delivered him from the fury of lions and bears, will not fail to give him victory over Goliath, however formidable and invincible he may appear. One knows not which to admire most in these reflections, and the manner of expressing them; whether the courage of David, or his piety and modesty.
Related Commentaries of 1 Samuel 17:34
1 Samuel 17:34-37
34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lambi out of the flock:
35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.
36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.
37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.