. The training of the Chosen people. which he couldassert his authority over a band of rough and desper-ate men (1 Sam. 22: 1, 2). He could soothe the dis-turbed mind of the king by his music (1 Sam. 16: 23),and at the same time win the highest praise for hisvalor (1 Sam. 18: 7). He could be hated by the fa-ther and yet retain the devoted love of the pure andchivalrous son. He could be ambitious, and at thesame time absolutely loyal to the king. The picturethe narrative summons before us is that of a marvel-ously strong and flexible nature. David has the pe- Chapter 21. Saul and David 75 culia
. The training of the Chosen people. which he couldassert his authority over a band of rough and desper-ate men (1 Sam. 22: 1, 2). He could soothe the dis-turbed mind of the king by his music (1 Sam. 16: 23),and at the same time win the highest praise for hisvalor (1 Sam. 18: 7). He could be hated by the fa-ther and yet retain the devoted love of the pure andchivalrous son. He could be ambitious, and at thesame time absolutely loyal to the king. The picturethe narrative summons before us is that of a marvel-ously strong and flexible nature. David has the pe- Chapter 21. Saul and David 75 culiar note of greatness that he can always act withhis whole nature under the dominance of the specificquality which the occasion requires. He can throw hiswhole force and weight in a certain direction, andyet always be himself. And, even thus early in his career, there is an ele-vation and nobility of mood about him that are unmis-takable. His magnanimity, when he had the king com-pletely in his power, made a deep impression even upon. From a Wilderness of David hid from Saul. the troubled and clouded mind of Saul (1 Sam. 26:21.). His treatment of the men of Jabesh-gilead wasan instance of extraordinarily fine feeling (2 Sam. 2:5, 7). His lament for Saul and Jonathan rises farabove the atmosphere of suspicion and intrigue andhate, into the clear air of noble and sympathetic ap-preciation ; while the elegy for Jonathan discloses anature which is susceptible of the warmest personal at-tachment. There are great qualities in any man. David was oneof those rare spirits equal to any emergency of hu-man life. Whatever the crisis you might be certainthat he would acquit himself strongly and nobly. Butthe one quality that binds all these traits into unityand efficiency is the subtle but powerful uplift of hissoul toward God. We feel it so as we read between thelines of the narrative; we become most keenly aware y6 Old Testament History of it when we interpret the
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