Then David came to Saul, bringing with him a present for the king from Jesse.  When Saul saw him, he loved him, as did everybody who saw the young David.  And David played on the harp, and sang before Saul.  And David’s music cheered Saul’s heart, and drove away his sad feelings.

Saul liked David so well that he made him his armorbearer; and David carried the shield and spear, and sword for Saul, when the king was before his army.  But Saul did not know that David had been anointed by Samuel.

After a time, Saul seemed well; and David returned to Bethlehem and was once more among his sheep in the field.  Perhaps it was at this time that David sang his shepherd song, or it may have been long afterward, when David looked back in thought to those days when he was leading his sheep.  This is the song, which you have heard often: 

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;
He leadeth me beside the still waters,
He restoreth my soul;
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil; for thou art with me;
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. 
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;
Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: 
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

THE STORY OF THE FIGHT WITH THE GIANT

All through the reign of Saul, there was constant war with the Philistines, who lived upon the lowlands west of Israel.  At one time, when David was still with his sheep, a few years after he had been anointed by Samuel, the camps of the Philistines and the Israelites were set against each other on opposite sides of the valley of Elah.  In the army of Israel were the three oldest brothers of David.

Every day a giant came out of the camp of the Philistines, and dared some one to come from the Israelites’ camp and fight with him.  The giant’s name was Goliath.  He was nine feet high; and he wore armor from head to foot, and carried a spear twice as long and as heavy as any other man could hold; and his shield bearer walked before him.  He came every day and called out across the little valley: 

“I am a Philistine, and you are servants of Saul.  Now choose one of your men, and let him come out and fight with me.  If I kill him; then you shall submit to us; and if he kills me, then we will give up to you.  Come, now, send out your man!”

But no man in the army, not even King Saul, dared to go out and fight with the giant.  Forty days the camps stood against each other, and the Philistine giant continued his call.

One day, old Jesse, the father of David, sent David from Bethlehem to visit his three brothers in the army.  David came, and spoke to his brothers; and while he was talking with them, Goliath the giant came out as before in front of the camp calling for some one to fight with him.