(47) For the battle is the Lord's . . .--Although we possess no special ode or psalm composed by David on the occasion of this mortal combat, in which, owing to his sure trust in Jehovah, he won his never-to-be-forgotten victory, yet in many of the compositions attributed to him in the Psalter we find memories of this, his first great triumph. So in Psalm 44:6-8 we read--

"I will not trust in my bow,

Neither shall my sword save me.

In God we boast all the day long,

And praise thy Name for ever."

And in Psalm 33:16-20,

"There is no king saved by the multitude of an host,

A mighty man is not delivered by much strength."

* * * * *

"Our soul waiteth for the Lord,

He is our help and our shield."

17:40-47 The security and presumption of fools destroy them. Nothing can excel the humility, faith, and piety which appear in David's words. He expressed his assured expectation of success; he gloried in his mean appearance and arms, that the victory might be ascribed to the Lord alone.And all this assembly shall know,.... The congregation of Israel, and church of the living God, great part of which were now gathered together, and were spectators of this wonderful event:

that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear; that is, by outward means and instruments, by arms and armed men; he does not save by them only, or by them always; he can save as well without them as with them:

for the battle is the Lord's; it is under his direction; the issue and event of it depend on his will, and are owing to him; or, as the Targum,"from the Lord is the victory of wars,''it is he that gives it to whom he pleases:

and he will give you into our hands; not only this Philistine into the hands of David, but the army of them into the hands of the Israelites; David knew, and was assured of this by the Lord, and it was on this he relied, and was what animated him to engage with this champion in the manner he did.