1 Samuel 17:37

37 And David said, ¹"The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, ²and the LORD be with you!"

1 Samuel 17:37 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 17:37

And David said moreover
For the further confirmation of it, and as more strongly expressing his faith of it; not as owing to any natural strength or skill of his, but to the power of God, of whose assistance he made no question:

the Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the
paw of the bear;
for to him he ascribes his deliverance from those savage creatures, and his victory over them, and on him he relied for help and salvation in the present case:

he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine;
David did not go forth in his own name and strength, but in the name and strength of the Lord of hosts:

and Saul;
seeing him so positive, and fully assured of victory:

said unto David, go, and the Lord be with thee;
to help and assist him, to deliver him out of the hand of the Philistine, and give him victory over him; the Targum is,

``the Word of the Lord be for thy help.''

1 Samuel 17:37 In-Context

35 I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him.

36 Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God."

37 And David said, "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you!"

38 Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail,

39 and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them." So David put them off.

Cross References

• 1. [2 Timothy 4:17]
• 2. [1 Samuel 20:13; 1 Chronicles 22:11, 16]