The Tupelo journal., 1903-08-14
a SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lessor in the international Series
for August 10, 1O03-SauI
Tries to XIII David.
THE LESSON TEXT.

6. And 1t came to pass as they came, when
was returned from the slaughter Of
the Philistine, hat the women came out
of all the cities of Israel, singing and dane
ing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with
JOY, and with Instruments of music.
q. And the women answered one another
as they played. and said, IA hath slain
his thousands, and David his ten thou
sands.
3. And Saul vas very wroth. and the
saying d~ispieased him, and he said, They
nave ascribed unto David ten thousands,
and to me they have ascribed but thou
sands;; and what can he have more but
the kingdom?
8. And Saul eyed David from that day
and forward.
10. And it anne to pass on the morrow,
mat the evil spirit from God came upon
Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of
the house; and David played with his
as at other times; and there was a
javelin in Saul's hand.
IL. And Saul cast the j~avelin; for he said,
l will smite David ever to the wall with it.
And David avoided out of his presence
twice.
II. And Saul was afraid Of David, because
the LORD was with him, and was departed
from Saul.
IL. Therefore Saul removed him from
MIN, and made him his captain over a
thousand; and he went out and came in
before the people.
II. And David behaved himself wisely
In all his ways; and the Lord was with him.
Is. Wherefore when Saul saw that he
behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid
of him..
l6. But all Israel and Judah loved David,
because he went out and came in before
them.
GOLDEN TExT.-God In our refuge
and strength, n very present help in
trOubIe.-Ps. 4G.1.
OUTLINE OF SCRIPTURE SECTION.
David introduced to SAUL Sam, 7:55-5S.
Jonathan's love for David. ....1 Sam, 1S:1-4.
Davlds popularity ...........1 Sam. 1851.
sauis JeaIousy................1 Sam, lS:S-1l.
oauIs SAM, lS:12-16.
SauIs Sam, N:1I-30.
TIMEO-Probably about 1862 B. c.
PLACE.-Gibeah, where Saul had his
royal residence. about four miles north of
Jerusalem.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
Two different accounts are given
of the introduction of David to King
Saul, which are somewhat confusing.
After his amounting by Samuel, David
was summoned to court to charm
away 1.-The evil spirit that troubled
Saul" by means of his talent with the
harp. But the narrative studied last
Sunday introduces David as a stran-
ger to the king. Of course David's
visits at court may have been few,
and SauIs failure to recognize him
at Socoh may have beer due to his
older and altered appearance, or to
the fact that Saul had seen him only
during his fits of madness. David's
appointment as armor-bearer, men
toned in 1921, was doubtless SUISSE
quent to his victory over Goliath.
The slayer of Goliath had been
promised the hand of the kings
daughter. But he won instead the
hearts of the kings son and all the
people. The adulation heaped upon
him by countless admirers and the
honors bestowed by the king were a
severer test of his sturdy character
than was the conflict with Goliath.
But David was unspoiled by success.
Behaved himself wisely" This is
emphasized three times in the narra-
tive. when David returned" Not
from killing Goliath, but some time
later. This celebration was later in
the same war with the Philistines,
which had continued. The immoder-
ate f1attery of the women was the
beginning of David's trouble. "Woe
unto you, when all men shall speak
well of YOU" His excess of popular
ity proved his %undoing. He would
have been far better off without it,
for it aroused the kings jealousy.
"And Saul eyed David from that
day" Anger, jealousy and suspicion
ranked in the kings heart because
of the praises of the popular hero.
Heretofore David had been but a
shepherd youth in Saul's eyes. Now
he views him as a rival. He remem-
bers, with a guilty uneasiness, the
keen words of Samuel warning him
that Jehovah would trend the king
dom from him and give it to a neigh
Dor who was better than he" The
very thought brings on his old-time
madness, and when David, as before,
tries to comfort and calm him with
his music, the jealous king in a burst
of passion hurls his j%avelin at him.
David twice escapes.
Saul was suYerstitious (see ESD,
and because David so readily escaped
his javelin, he believed him to bear
"a charmed life" Therefore he be-
gins to fear him. He feels con-
strained, however, to assign him to
duty as IN officer in the army, be-
cause of his popularity.
When fear is added to jealous sus-
picion, treachery soon follows. Fear
ing to oppose David publicly, Saul
secretly plots to cause his death. His
hope that he may die in battle is not
realized, so he urges him to special
deeds of boldness in order to win in
marriage the kings daughter, Michal.
The plot is a mean one, but David
passes the ordeal unscathed and
wins the prize, becoming the kings
son-in-law. Constantly bafled in his
jealous plans, Saul nurses his wrath
and bides his time.
Rams Horn Blasts.
A hard head may go with a tender
heart.
Overcome evil with good rather
than be overcome with evil.
Solitude is as necessary to the soul
as companionship is to the character.
The best place to criticise your
neighbor is in front of your own
mirror.
The only way some people expect
peace is by making their own opin-
ions prevail.