The Power of God

As David steps out from the Israelite ranks, Goliath likewise stands forth from the Philistine lines. We can only speculate that he is initially thrilled to see Israel at last putting forth a champion after 40 days. But as he draws nearer to David with his shieldbearer, as he gets a better look at his opponent, Goliath is filled with disdain. He is expecting to be opposed by a mighty Israelite warrior, one of Israel’s best, but instead he sees before him a youth, seemingly unarmed except for a shepherd’s staff. In his initial surprise, he makes what almost might be a mocking joke, asking whether David intends to spank him with his stick, as he might discipline a dog. But then his mockery turns to anger as he concludes that the Israelites have shown him disrespect by sending him an unworthy opponent. And so he curses David by the gods of Philistia and threatens to give his flesh to the birds and beasts. Like everyone else in this story (except David), Goliath looks on the externals, both his own and David’s, and so he rushes to meet David with inappropriate pride and confidence.

But David responds with words of glowing faith. Goliath, he says, comes with massive weapons of war, but he comes “in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel.” David is saying that while Goliath has a certain power, he has a much greater power behind him. And by that power, David now says, God will give him victory over Goliath, a victory resulting in Goliath’s death and beheading, and the destruction of the Philistine army. Goliath has defied God, and now God is going to vindicate His great name and show everyone present, Israelites and Philistines alike, that the battle is His, that it is He who determines outcomes, and no man can hinder His purposes.

With their challenges spoken, Goliath and David close with each other to do battle. But it never happens, for David slings a stone as he runs, felling the giant. He then cuts off Goliath’s head with his own sword. But make no mistake—it is not so much the skill and strength of David that win the victory, but the power of God that works through him. “Not so much David’s art as God’s providence directed the stone, and brought it with such force that it sunk into his head,” Matthew Henry writes. God brought Goliath down.