The overcoming of Goliath by David will ever be an inspiring example of an abounding trust in God put into action, with its great and lasting reward. The account, as related in I Samuel, depicts the armies of Israel set in defense against the aggressive Philistines. David had been tending the sheep while three of his brothers were in the army. Leaving the flock with a keeper, David went to the camp with food for the men, at the behest of Jesse, his father. Then he heard the Philistine leader challenge the Israelites, who with Saul, their king, trembled before the verbal onslaught. While asking questions of the men, David was rebuked by his eldest brother for his temerity. Replying, David said: "What have I now done? Is there not a cause?" Indeed, it was a matter of great importance. It had its inception in the great fundamental cause, the purpose of Truth to express Truth.
David had been instructed in the Scriptures and must have meditated much upon the living God while alone with his father's flock. So imbued was he with trust in the divine power that he was able to defend the sheep from the marauding attacks of a lion and a bear, which he slew. Seeing the situation with respect to the attempts of the heathen horde to destroy Israel, in a similar light, he offered to go against the Philistine. The contrast in point of size and military prowess between Goliath and David was obvious to Saul. But the youth protested, with sublime faith, that whatever opposed God could not stand before His almightiness. His evident earnestness and confidence in the power of God so impressed the king that he consented. He would have had the youth wear his armor and sword, but David refused, explaining that he had not proved them. Choosing the means he had already tested and found effective, he went forward, and taking a stone from his bag, slung it, striking the Philistine in his forehead, so that he fell to the earth. Thus was proved through trust in Truth the powerlessness. of evil, even its utter emptiness.
It were well to ponder prayerfully the lessons which this beautiful story affords, since the present world conflict presents the tyrannical claims of evil against the human right to freedom. It is apparent that David's victory rested on his trust in the presence and power of God.
