David went out wherever Saul sent him, [and] behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and it was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
During the indefinite time period mentioned here, David conducted military expeditions under Saul's order and proved to be very successful in all of them.  Of course, his popularity was greatly increased.  At the end of this somewhat extensive time, there was a sufficient victory over the Philistines that hostilities, for a time, were abated.  The occasion was celebrated by some kind of a grand parade, which is recorded in the next verses.