1 Samuel 17:37-49: David's Faith and Victory
David's Confidence in God (37-40)
37 Then Saul gave David his own armor, but David was not used to wearing such heavy armor, so he took it off. 38 He took his stick in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the stream, and put them in his shepherd's bag; his sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine.
In this passage, we see David's confidence in God, despite the fact that he was facing a giant warrior. He refused to wear Saul's armor, not because he was afraid, but because he knew that his strength came from God, not from human armor.
The Giant's Taunts and David's Response (41-44)
41 The Philistine, with his shield bearer, advanced toward David. 42 The Philistine looked David up and down, and with contempt, said, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?"
David's response was not one of fear or intimidation. Instead, he replied:
45 "You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a shield, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied."
David's faith in God gave him the confidence to face the giant, despite the Philistine's taunts and threats.
The Victory of Faith (46-49)
46 "This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines today to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel."
47 "All this assembly will know that the Lord does not deliver by sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands."
48 Then David ran toward the Philistine, and when [the Philistine] looked up and saw David, he disdained him. 49 So the Philistine came toward David, and David put his hand into his bag and took out a stone, and slung it, and hit the Philistine in the forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.
David's faith in God gave him the victory, not his own strength or human armor. He knew that the battle belonged to the Lord, and that He would deliver the Philistine into his hands. And so, with faith and trust in God, David defeated the giant, and the Philistines fled in fear.
