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It is noteworthy that the character of David, as given in this verse, is from the mouth of a servant; from a human standpoint, it was simply the reputation he had among those about him.

1. First of all, he was "cunning in playing." David all this time had no idea, of course, of how by this very skill, and by the means of his enemy Saul, the road to the throne was to be opened to him. It is often when a young fellow really hands himself over to God, body, soul, and spirit to be used by Him, that he sees how even in his unconverted days God had His plan of preparation in the thing that he did. He sees this by the light God has now abed on his life's track — a light that will never fade. Now, is there not many a young fellow who is not cultivating even his own natural abilities, who is not developing what is already in him? And the Gospel quite encourages this cultivation: it does not say to us, "Be so heavenly-minded that you can't touch a flute."

2. David was fond of music, with all the soothing and refining influences it brings — he loved it — but at the same time he was "a mighty valiant man." And it is worth while noticing how the two things are put side by side. I like the combination. We are apt to think that those who bare a turn for music, and develop it, are soft men, mere carpet knights, fit only for drawing rooms and small concerts, without grip and sinew and muscle. Such, at all events, was not, the ease with David, and God knew it when He chose him. God is always looking out for capable men, so keep yourself up to the mark — develop all that is in you. David was a brave spirit, too — "a man of war." he had the grand and wonderful combination of the suaviter with the fortiter. How many of us have this? There are some of you, I grant, who have quite enough of the flint about you, and whom I shouldn't care to thwart or cross, but what about the soft side of your nature? Others, again, are all soft, and haven't a bit of the flint at all, though it will have to come in and on you before you'll make much progress, either as regards this world or the next. David was brave, outspoken, and manly. He was "prudent in matters." This point will come home to many of you if the foregoing haven't. Perhaps you have no taste for music, and you haven't had a chance to cultivate or display your bravery like him. But here is prudence — this is a thing you find you need right in your everyday life. It seems to be just the next thing to the Grace of God. David had it, and by it he reined in his burning and ardent convictions, which would otherwise, perhaps, have borne him to destruction When we sit down to a game of chess or draughts we need, in order to win the game, not so much great dashes, but simply prudence and watchfulness. A hush falls on yourself and your partner, and the excitement is just enough to call forth all your powers, but if you mean to do well it will not go the length of making you nervous or fumbling, or cause that dimness in hand and eye which ends in a blunder. So it is in life: we ought to be keenly alive to what is going on around us, and of our position in the midst. I fear that oft-times from our young men trying to be too supernatural, they fall beneath the level of average commonsense, which they would have avoided had they but exercised a little prudence.

4. David was also "a comely person." Some of you may not be so, and are not to blame for your physique, for you had not the making of yourselves, but don't you think you might be a little better than you are? We ought to train and develop our bodies. I never did so much tossing the caber, or putting the stone, or used the dumbbells to such an extent as after I was converted. I felt then that I had a body that wanted looking after. David was a fine, strapping, stalwart fellow, "ruddy and good to look to," and we also ought to be as comely as God intended we should be.

5. Now we come to the point; not as in the case of Naaman — "he was a leper" — but "the Lord was with him." Can we meet David here? Have we got the supernatural as well as the natural? We have the same chance here at all events, as he had, if in all the other respects he stands alone. He accepted the Lord when He came to him on Samuel's feet, and without Him he would have been a mere skilful player and valiant man, that was all. But the Grace within could not be hid. It would not, and permeated far and wide. It was the common report that he was a good and religious fellow For, remember again, that this is the estimate of him by one of those among whom he was. God grant that we too may so live that the world may say of us, "There is something good about that man."

(John McNeill.)

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KJV: And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.

WEB: Saul said to his servants, "Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me."