men might escape, by cutting their way through the besieging force; and David and his band were the men to attempt and, if possible, succeed in such an enterprise. But this could not possibly be done so as to offer protection to the women and children: as these could not be abandoned, the attempt was impossible; while the resources of Saul were such, that he could continually increase his forces, and thus cut off every hope of escape from the besieged.

In these circumstances, what could be more natural than for David, who had been the subject of such numerous deliverances, to cry to God in the terms of the opening paragraph? Having so strongly expressed his danger and his importunate prayers, he checks himself by a remembrance of Divine holiness, and encourages his faith by a recollection of the wonderful interpositions of God on behalf of the Hebrew fathers; but then, shrinking from a comparison of himself with them, he exclaims, "I am a worm, and no man." David then, in a succession of striking imagery, exhibits the power, reproach, mockery, and threats to which he was exposed. "Bulls of Bashan," "fierce dogs," are mentioned, to describe the power and malice of Saul and his men; reproach and mockery: "they shoot out the lip, they shake the head," they revile his trust in God; they threatened his life, and probably spoke of dividing or casting lots for the spoil.

We cannot speak positively as to this; but from the elevated positions which he and his men occupied, it seems highly probable that the powers, reproaches, and threats of Saul's army, and of the malicious Ziphites, were seen and heard by David, and made the basis of his earnest appeal to God. Yet having reviewed all these, and poured out his prayer to the Most High, light dawns on his mind, he recovers his confidence,

DELIVERED BY A PHILISTINE INVASION.

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and, offering praise and thanksgiving to God, calls on all to unite with him in this holy exercise.

This confidence was justified. When every other refuge failed, and Saul seemed sure of his victim, a messenger hastily arrives at his camp, with the intelligence that the Philistines had again invaded the country. Saul was therefore compelled to call off his troops, and march them to repel this new aggression, so that David and all his company were once more free; he accordingly availed himself of the opportunity, and removed to the wilderness of Engedi near the Dead Sea.

The Philistine invasion does not appear to have been serious, for we soon find Saul again in active pursuit of David. At this time, David and his people were concealed in one of the large caverns which abound in this locality, while the soldiers of Saul were spread abroad over the neighbouring rocks, when the king entered the cave for the purpose of obtaining temporary rest during the heat of the day. As he stood in the full light of the entrance, he was distinctly seen, while David and his men in the inner recesses of the cavern were shrouded in darkness. On seeing the king enter, David seems to have thought that his refuge was discovered, and that his case was hopeless in this emergency, with his usual piety, he sought help by earnest prayer to God.

But he had scarcely time to pray before he found that Saul was unconscious of the presence of any one, and sunk in repose. The attendants, anxious that this opportunity might not be lost, urged David to destroy his persecutor, and thus to terminate at once his danger, and their wanderings; but David sternly refused, saying, "The Lord forbid that I should do

• I 3

this thing unto my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch forth my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord." But, quietly approaching the place where Saul lay, he cut off the skirt of the king's robe, and retired. Shortly after Saul awoke and left the cave; David, unperceived, followed him, until they became separated from each other by some considerable space, when David cried after the king, and, having obtained his attention, bowed reverentially to him, and asked why he believed those who told him that David sought his injury; adding, that he was with him in the cave, and might have killed him, and was urged to do so, but he refused to lift his hand against the Lord's anointed. He then lifted up the skirt of Saul's robe as a confirmation of the truth of his statement, and as a demonstrative proof that he had been fully in his power. He closed his address by an earnest appeal to God to judge between them. The king was deeply affected at these words, and wept: he then confessed that David was more righteous than he; for, said he, “thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil." And what is more strange, the king added, "I know well that thou shalt assuredly be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand: swear now therefore unto me by the Lord, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house." So David sware unto Saul, and the king went home. But, as if to show David's estimate of Saul's sincerity, it is significantly added, “But David and his men gat them up into the hold." (1 Sam. xxiv. 9-22.)

David celebrated his deliverance in his usual manner.

HIS SONG OF PRAISE ON THE OCCASION.

PSALM LVII.

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"Be merciful unto me, O God! be merciful unto me:

Yea, in the shadow of Thy wings will I make my

refuge,

Until these calamities be overpast.

I will cry unto God most high;

Unto God that performeth all things for me.

He shall send from heaven, and save me

From the reproach of him that would swallow me up. God shall send forth His mercy and His truth.

My soul is among lions;

And I lie even among them that are set on fire,

Even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and

arrows,

And their tongue a sharp sword.

Be thou exalted, O God! above the heavens ;

Let Thy glory be above all the earth.

They have prepared a net for my steps;

My soul is bowed down :

They have digged a pit before me,

Into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves.
My heart is fixed, O God! my heart is fixed:

I will sing and give praise.

Awake up, my glory! awake, psaltery and harp!
I myself will awake early.

I will praise Thee, O Lord! among the people,

I will sing unto Thee among the nations.

For Thy mercy is great unto the heavens,

And Thy truth unto the clouds.

Be Thou exalted, O God! above the heavens :
Let Thy glory be above all the earth."

The fifty-eighth Psalm may be read as a continuation

of this, written for the same purpose and about the same time. Just at this juncture, the prophet Samuel died. Although from his great age, and the appointment of a king over Israel, he had almost wholly retired from active public duty, yet his death was a most noteworthy event. He was the grand link which united the days of the kingdom with the time of the judges. He was the greatest witness for the reality and integrity of the theocracy that had appeared since the death of Joshua.

David, with his band, continued roaming over the wilderness between Engedi and Maon on the eastern slopes of the southern hill country of Judah. It is worthy of remark that neither the dangers to which he was exposed, nor the anxieties and toils he had to endure, prevented him from forming matrimonial connexions. His first wife was Ahinoam of Jezreel. When, or under what circumstances, this marriage took place, is not known: but his second marriage is connected with an interesting incident, which casts considerable light on the conduct and the manner of life of David and his troop at this time.

There resided in Maon a descendant of Caleb, a wealthy man who had great possessions and very large flocks at Carmel.* The servants of this person, whose name was Nabal, were, at the time referred to, engaged in shearing his sheep. Sheep-shearing was regarded among the Hebrews as a season of festivity and joy, when the wealthy were accustomed to make presents to their neighbours and friends. Acting on this custom, David sent ten of his young men to Nabal, reminding him that, while he was with his

* This Carmel was not the mount celebrated as the scene of Elijah's sacrifice, but a district in the south of Judah about three hours' ride from Hebron.-ROBINSON'S " Biblical Researches," ii., 466.