HIS EARLY PIETY. Judea, and committed extensive ravages. 23 On one occasion a lion came and took a lamb from the flock of Jesse, while it was under the care of David. With undaunted courage he assailed the invader, delivered the lamb; and, when the wild beast turned on him, he smote and slew it. At another time, a bear committed a similar aggression with the same result; the lamb was saved, and the wild beast destroyed. But while ready to display heroic courage in defence of his charge, as occasion required, other and more congenial pursuits appear to have absorbed most of his mind and attention. Piety, poetry, and music were cultivated by him to an extent which gave a character to his early manhood, and more or less affected his whole future life. His sincere and fervent piety is undoubted. If it were necessary, proofs of this might be collected from his recorded words and actions; but this is not required. Evidence of the most conclusive character has set this question at rest. No higher testimony to the purity and pious character of a young man can be given, than is afforded by the Lord Himself. The prophet Samuel, when the sons of Jesse had passed before him, that he might select from them a king to reign over Israel, by Divine direction, bore express witness to the piety of the young shepherd. Fascinated with the noble and lofty bearing of the eldest son, he said to himself, "Surely the Lord's anointed is before Him. But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." (1 Sam. xvi. 6, 7.) It was the state of David's heart which commended him to the Divine acceptance. His humble pious walk, his earnest devotion to the : Divine will, thus Divinely recognised and approved, were long preserved in the traditions of his people, and are thus recorded by the son of Sirach: "In all his ways he praised the Holy One Most High with words of glory; with his whole heart he sang songs, and loved Him that made him." (Ecclus. xlvii. 8.) David's poetic powers and sanctified spirit have placed him at the head of all the writers of sacred song in the whole world. We shall have to speak more fully on this subject in the course of our work; and therefore, only observe here, that so fully was his soul imbued with poetic genius, and so ardently did his heart confide in God, and hold communion with Him, that even in his youth he poured forth some of the most sweet and refreshing of his Divine hymns. Although high authorities are divided in opinion on the subject, we have no doubt that the twenty-third is one of the first Psalms written by David, and that it was composed while he kept his father's sheep near Bethlehem. Let us realize, if we can, the young shepherd casting his eyes over his fleecy charge; observing the efficient means employed for their sustenance and safety, then raising his heart in devout reverence to God, recognising the more abundant protection and provision with which he had been favoured; and, under the influence of the grateful love thus inspired, pouring out his heart's emotions to heaven in the following language: "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures : He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. HIS MUSICAL ACQUIREMENTS. 25 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." (Psalm xxiii.) Of David's musical studies or acquirements in his youth, we have no information; we can only infer his early devotion to this elegant and elevating art, from the eminence to which he afterward attained. The rural scenery, peaceful retirement, and agreeable leisure of pastoral life, have in every country prompted the cultivation of sweet musical strains. With a mind so rich in genius, so full of lofty aspirations as that of David, these influences would have overwhelming force; and there can be little doubt but that, while watching over his father's sheep on the hills of Bethlehem, he poured forth his songs of praise to God, accompanied by the most harmonious sounds which youthful genius and enthusiasm could elicit from his rudely-formed harp. It is well observed by an able writer on the history of music, when speaking of that of the Hebrews, that "if the excellence of the music was conformable to the sublimity of the poetry which it accompanied, there would be no injustice in supposing it to be unspeakably superior to that of every other people." "'* We see no reason *THE REV. HENRY LISTON. D to doubt this assumption; and if it is just, then, as David must be regarded as the father of Hebrew poetry, in its highest devotional and lyric character, he will evidently be allowed to have taken the lead in the adaptation of Hebrew music to the worship of God. And as in every respect "the boy is the father of the man," so it is not unreasonable to regard him also as the father of the devotional music of his country. Was it the cultivation of those sublime arts of sacred song and sacred music, by a deeply pious and devoted mind, which in a great degree alienated him from his family, and made him a stranger to his household? We can well conceive the power of such influences on a mind so susceptible of lofty emotions, and so fully imbued with hallowed feeling, as was that of David. His brethren appear, from the little we hear of them, to have been "men of the world," with whom the pious youth, who was just developing into the “man after God's own heart" would have little sympathy, and the less pleasure in their fellowship, he being so greatly their junior. Who knows but that the lines. of Montgomery apply to the son of Jesse with far greater force than they do to the antediluvian Tubal ? "The prince of song (in youth unknown) There is scarcely a page of history more remarkable, or invested with more romantic interest, than that * "World before the Flood." SAMUEL ANOINTS DAVID. 27 which first presents David to our notice. Samuel, the recognised prophet of God to His people, who had been their judge and ruler for many years, but who at the earnest request of the people, and by the command of the Lord, had some time before anointed Saul king over Israel, was now commanded to go to the house of Jesse of Bethlehem, and to anoint one of his sons to be king instead of Saul, whom the Lord had rejected from reigning over Israel. Samuel, alarmed at this command, said, "How can I go? if Saul hear of it, he will kill me." The prophet was directed to obviate this difficulty, by taking a heifer with him for sacrifice, to call Jesse and his sons with him to participate in the solemn rite, and then to act as he was Divinely directed. The prophet obeyed the direction; but his approach aroused the inhabitants of the quiet little city; so that the elders went forth to meet Samuel, and saluted him with the inquiry, "Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord." (1 Sam. xvi. 4, 5.) He then requested them to sanctify themselves, and come to the sacrifice. "And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice." It is difficult to understand the precise sense of the narrative from this point. It goes on to describe the presentation of the sons of Jesse to the prophet in succession, beginning at the eldest; but it cannot be conceived that this took place publicly, as might be supposed from a cursory reading of the account. For if Samuel were terrified lest Saul should hear of this action and kill him, he would be certain to avoid giving any publicity to this anointing, at least beyond the family of Jesse. That this was the case appears from an expression afterward used. (Verse 13.) In this family circle the venerable seer had the sons |