in His sight is a virtuous heart. He who wishes to be well-pleasing to God must strive to be virtuous.
The pious shepherd-boy. David did not waste his time while he was watching his sheep. He prayed and meditated on the attributes of God, which were revealed to his holy mind in the works of creation; and in the joy of his heart he composed and sang holy psalms and canticles. The stars of heaven, the flowers of the field, the songs of the birds, all raised his heart to God, and so he lived constantly in God’s presence, having God before his eyes and in his heart. By his holy and innocent youth this humble, though highly gifted boy was prepared to be God’s chosen instrument.
The pain of a bad conscience. Woe to the man who forsakes God, and who is too proud to do penance for his sins, and return contritely to God! For such cannot be happy either now or hereafter. We see this in the case of the God-forsaken Saul. Neither his high position nor his riches could make him happy, because he had no peace in his heart. His bad conscience gave him no rest; it drove all cheerfulness from his mind, so that he grew discontented and melancholy. “There is no peace for the wicked” (Is. 48, 22). “Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that worketh evil” (Rom. 2, 9). Man can find true happiness in God alone, i. e. in the love of God and in doing His will.
Application. Do you like thinking about God? Do you pray and work as David did? Do you like to sing sacred canticles? The Psalms which we sing at Vespers were mostly written by David. Assist when you can at Vespers, and sing the Psalms devoutly, as David used to sing them, in honour of God. Never degrade the noble gift of music by singing bad, low songs.
Chapter LI.
DAVID SLAYS GOLIATH.
[1 Kings 17.]
THE Philistines again took the field against the Israelites and posted themselves on one mountain, while the Israelites occupied another. And behold, there was in the camp of the Philistines a giant named Goliath. He was not only taller[1] than any other man, but his strength was in proportion to his size. He had a brazen helmet on his head and was clothed in scaly armour of enormous weight.
- ↑ Taller. He was six cubits and a span, or, in other words, nearly ten feet high.
