We have to see total victory on the inside before we see it on the outside.

Andrew’s Live Bible Study Notes – 6/27/17
1 Samuel 17:26‐51


 1 Samuel 17:26 – And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the
man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel?
 for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:26
David was different than all the rest of the Israelites. He heard the same words but he wasn’t afraid of
Goliath. He wanted to know what would be given him if he killed the giant. Giants are opportunities.
The bigger they are, the harder they fall, and the greater the victory. We never would have heard of
David if he had killed a dwarf.
In David’s statement lies one of the great keys to why he reacted differently than all the rest of the
Israelites. He called Goliath an “uncircumcised Philistine.” This revealed that David evaluated Goliath’s abilities not according to his size, but according to his covenant, or lack thereof, with God. David and the Israelites were the ones whom God had given promises of victory over their enemies. Goliath had no covenant with God. He was defenseless.
Likewise we have to evaluate every circumstance or difficulty we face in the light of God’s covenant
with us. If we have a promise of victory from God, then no person, situation, or devil is too big to
overcome.

 1 Samuel 17:27 – And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the
man that killeth him.

 1 Samuel 17:28 – And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger
was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither?
 and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:28
Eliab cited the wickedness of David’s heart, but the Scriptures call David a man after God’s own heart.
Eliab spoke from jealousy, not truth. David had been anointed king in the presence of his brethren (1
Sam. 16:10‐13). That means Eliab had been there and was, no doubt, jealous that God had passed over him and chosen David.
Many times, the worst criticism comes from our own family members. They still see us as their little
brothers and don’t see us as anointed kings. It was to David’s credit that he didn’t let the criticism of
Eliab deter him from God’s task.
Eliab accused David of irresponsibility because he left their father’s sheep in the wilderness
unprotected. But this was at the command of their father (1 Sam. 17:17‐18). Either David or Jesse had made other arrangements for their protection. This was a completely unfounded criticism.
If Eliab had really hated David, all he had to do was tell Saul that Samuel had anointed David to be king.
That would have put David in danger. He didn’t do that. He was jealous, but didn’t necessarily hate
David. 1 Samuel 22:1 says all David’s brethren came and joined him in the cave Adullam. That would imply Eliab was there too.

 1 Samuel 17:29 – And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:29
David refused to get up in the grandstands and argue with the spectators. He kept on track. Those who argue with their critics may win the argument, but they will always lose the race. He knew Eliab’s accusations were groundless, and he didn’t waste any time trying to justify himself.

 Samuel 17:30 – And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the
people answered him again after the former manner.

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:30
David kept speaking forth his faith concerning the problem. If he would have diverted to self‐defense
with his brother, then his words about Goliath wouldn’t have come before the king and he wouldn’t
have slain Goliath.

 1 Samuel 17:31 – And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before
Saul: and he sent for him.

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:31
This verse mentions that David’s words were heard and brought before Saul after he had rejected
Eliab’s criticism and kept speaking his faith. It’s possible that the first time he challenged Goliath, those words would not have come before Saul. If David had gotten off track and started trying to justify himself with Eliab, then his words might not have gotten to Saul and he wouldn’t have slain Goliath. It’s important to keep to our vision and not let the critics sidetrack us.

 1 Samuel 17:32 – And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:32
By this statement David put his finger on the root of the Israelites’ problem. Their hearts had been
affected. It’s not what our eyes or ears tell us. It’s what is in our hearts that matters. If their hearts had
been strong, then they would have been strong just like David was. This was a failure at the heart level that caused the Israelites to run in fear.

 1 Samuel 17:33 – And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with
him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:33
Saul judged by outward appearance. He didn’t recognize that David was anointed by God. Those who
criticize us don’t know what God has done in our lives. They are only judging by the physical things
they see. However, it’s who we are inside that truly makes the difference.
David had already overcome his brother’s criticism. Here, the king was criticizing him, and he later had to deal with Goliath’s criticism. David was opposed on every front, but his heart was strong. God was the only one for him. That’s really all that matters. It’s not what others say about us, but what we say about ourselves, that determines our actions.

 1 Samuel 17:34 – And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock.

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:34
How was David able to stand against all the negative things said about him? He cited the times he had killed the lion and the bear defending his father’s sheep. In other words, this wasn’t his first time to trust the Lord. He had proven God faithful on the back side of the desert, when no one was watching.
Many people fail to do the great exploits because they are waiting on the grandstands to be full before
they deem it worth sticking their necks out and risking anything. But if we aren’t faithful in the small
things that happen every day, when the stakes aren’t high and no one is watching, we won’t have faith
for the big things when everyone notices.
Confidence like David exhibited doesn’t come instantly. It has to be developed over time and through
experience. Failure to trust God and prove Him in the small things will guarantee that we will never be able to trust Him in the big things.

 1 Samuel 17:35 – And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:35
David wasn’t just thrust into this fight. The lion and bear took a lamb, but they would have retreated to eat their prey. David had to go out against these animals. He had to assume an aggressive, not
defensive, position. We can’t just passively wait on our battles to corner us. We have to have clear
direction from the Lord and aggressively fight anything that would challenge those directions.

 1 Samuel 17:36 – Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:36
Notice the specific attention David gave to Goliath being an “uncircumcised” Philistine. This was a
reference to Goliath not having a covenant relationship with God (see my note at 1 Sam. 17:26). David was a covenant man. His faith was based on God’s covenants, not his physical abilities. In our battles,
we need to assess the situation not based on physical things but on the spiritual promises God has
given us.
When approaching our giants, or problems, this way, it really doesn’t matter their size. The enemy will be overcome through God’s ability, and God’s ability is greater than any problem we can ever
encounter. Therefore, the bigger the problems, the better. We would never have heard of David if he
had killed a midget.

 1 Samuel 17:37 – David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:37
It’s amazing that Saul accepted David’s reasoning. There was no tangible proof that David could beat
Goliath. All David’s reasoning was faith based, and Saul was not exactly in faith at this time. It’s
possible that this quickened Saul’s memory of times when he had operated in faith. He may have
recognized faith when he saw it even though he wasn’t walking in it at this time.

 1 Samuel 17:38 – And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:38
This is just like the devil. He tries to talk us out of believing God but if we persist, then he will try to
offer us an alternate plan to accomplish the same goal that relies on the flesh instead of God. It’s like
playing tug‐o‐war. The opposing team tries to put you into the mud. But if they see they are going to
lose, then they let go of the rope in hopes you fall flat on your can. We have to be prepared for that
ploy, or we can wind up on our backsides.

 1 Samuel 17:39 – And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not
proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:39
This is amazing! Saul wanted to give David his armor. Why?
It wasn’t doing Saul any good. He wasn’t going out to fight Goliath. David’s strength wasn’t armor; it was faith in God. Therefore, David wisely refused Saul’s armor. It’s amazing that people will try to dissuade us from believing God. They will tell us all the reasons things are impossible. Then when they see we will not change our minds, they want to offer us all their suggestions on how to get it done. All their wisdom wasn’t doing them any good; why should we take their ideas upon us if they weren’t helped by them?

 1 Samuel 17:40 – And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:40
David stuck with what had worked for him in the past. He hadn’t ever used a sword and armor, but he
had used his staff and sling. We need to stick with what has worked for us in the past. Galatians 3:3
asks, “Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” Still, after David became king and even after he knocked Goliath down, he did use a sword.
There isn’t any reason given as to why David chose five stones. Goliath did have four brothers
(2 Sam.21:16‐20). It’s possible that David was prepared to defeat not only Goliath but also his whole family, if need be. It’s also possible that David was preparing to fight Goliath as long as it took to win. It’s too simplistic to think that if God is on our side, everything just works the first time. There are times we have to persevere.

 1 Samuel 17:41 – And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the
shield went before him.

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:41
Goliath not only had the advantage of size, but he also had someone bearing his shield for him. That
left both his hands free to fight.

 1 Samuel 17:42 – And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:42
Goliath thought they sent an inexperienced youth out to fight with him. He didn’t know they sent an
anointed king. Goliath made the critical mistake of judging on outward appearances (1 Sam. 16:7). This mistake cost him his life.

 1 Samuel 17:43 – And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:43
This is in reference to the staff in David’s hand (1 Sam. 17:40). Goliath was insulted that a shepherd
came with a staff instead of a soldier with a sword.

 1 Samuel 17:44 – And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:44
David stood against his family’s criticism and the king’s criticism, and here, the enemy was criticizing him. It was probably hardest to overcome his older brother’s criticism. It gets easier after you’ve overcome the criticism that is first and closest to you.

 1 Samuel 17:45 – Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:45
Goliath’s weapons were only carnal. David was using spiritual weapons of faith, which were far
superior. It’s the same with us. The spiritual weapons God has given us are far superior to any weapon Satan can use against us (Is. 54:17).
 But we have to believe that and appropriate what God has given us by faith.

 1 Samuel 17:46 – This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:46
David hadn’t conquered Goliath yet in the natural, but he had in the spiritual. He had seen himself
cutting Goliath’s head off and routing the Philistines. This had to be something he had seen in the
spirit, because David didn’t have a sword. If you can’t see it on the inside, you won’t see it on the
outside.
Notice that David didn’t only see Goliath defeated; he also prophesied the defeat of all the Philistines.
Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” David had a God‐inspired vision that kept him from perishing in this fight.

 1 Samuel 17:47 – And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:47
In the previous verse, David mentioned that all the world would know of God’s saving power. Here he mentions that everyone assembled there would know it was God that wrought this deliverance. This makes it very clear that this wasn’t just David’s personal fight. He knew he was a leader, and he saw the bigger picture. This was personal, but it was much bigger than personal. This is an essential
characteristic of a godly leader. True leaders will see their actions’ impact on the masses.

 1 Samuel 17:48 – And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet
David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:48
David ran toward Goliath. David wasn’t afraid, because he was believing God.
Those who try to bring out all the fears and insecurities that David must have felt as he approached
Goliath have never killed a giant. The truth is that in the midst of a battle like this, you don’t think
negatively. If you do, you get killed (James 1:7‐8). However, David had already set his heart on the
Lord, and at this time, he was “in the zone.” We can’t wait until our crises to prepare our hearts. We
have to do this in advance.

 1 Samuel 17:49 – And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote
the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the
earth.

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:49
It’s possible that David was excellent with a sling. It’s also possible that it wasn’t his skill with a sling
that felled Goliath. He could have just been marginal, and God took his effort and added His
supernatural power to it. Goliath was wearing a helmet. Most helmets had protection between the
eyes. So even if David’s stone hit Goliath between the eyes, why didn’t his helmet protect him?
It is possible that this stone had supernatural power behind it.
When we do what we can do, then God does what only He can do. The Lord doesn’t do everything for us. He works through us. We often have to take a step of faith and do what is within our power to get into His power.

 1 Samuel 17:50 – So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the
Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:50
Some people teach that all our problems are actually from God to test us and/or improve us.
David’s conflict with Goliath turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to him. It catapulted him to the forefront of Israel’s attention and was an indispensable step to David becoming king, but it only happened that way because David fought Goliath with everything within him.

If David had had the passive attitude promoted by the extreme “sovereignty” teachers, he would have
never gotten into the battle or would have been killed. It was only because David resisted Goliath that
this worked to his good. If he had gone out and submitted to Goliath the way people submit to their
problems because they believe they are sent by God, David would have been killed.

David didn’t use the conventional weapon of his day. Likewise, we need to be open to the Lord doing
things through unconventional ways in our battles.

 1 Samuel 17:51 – Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.

* Living Commentary Note on 1 Samuel 17:51
From where the Philistine army was, they couldn’t be sure if Goliath was dead or just down. He could
have tripped, or possibly he could get back up and fight some more. But when David cut off Goliath’s
head and held it up, there could be no doubt that David had won. This verse makes it clear that the
Philistines didn’t flee until they saw Goliath’s head had been severed. We often just fight our enemies
until they are down but not out. We need to totally vanquish our enemies, not just chase them over
the hill or out of sight to come and fight another day.

According to what David said in 1 Samuel 17:46, taking Goliath’s sword and cutting off Goliath’s head wasn’t an afterthought. David said this was exactly what he was going to do. He had seen it on the inside already.

We have to see total victory on the inside before we see it on the outside.

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