1 Samuel 17:39, commentary and pictures

David came to Israel's camp with the Philistines on his father's errand, learned of Goliath's defiance, and was moved to defend God's honor and save Israel. He girded on Saul's armor and sword and tried to go in them, but found he had not proved or tested them and had not become accustomed to them, so he put them off because he could not fight effectively in them. Having laid them aside, he met Goliath with the familiar staff and sling and stones he knew how to use, not from fear but from courage and faith that God Himself would give the victory. The verse teaches that God's servants are not to trust in human equipment, prepared arguments, or their own strength, but to humbly rely on God and to take every piece of their armor from Him. Each is therefore to work in the armor God has provided for him with his own God-given ability and individuality, rather than copying another's manner and methods or putting on Saul's armor of wrath, contention, and harsh speech, which must be laid aside for the robe of Christ's righteousness and a meek, humble, tender spirit.

David Tries Saul's Armor

The verse belongs to Israel's battle with the Philistines, when David came to the camp on his father's errand and learned that Goliath was defying Israel. He was moved to defend the honor of God and His people, and he had been directed by an angel to save Israel.

David girded Saul's armor and sword upon himself and assayed to go, but found he had not proved or tested them. He had not become accustomed to them, and he recognized the armor as unproved by him and wisely refused to rely on it. He therefore took them off because he could not fight effectively in them.

Having put off the unfamiliar armor, he chose to meet Goliath with the familiar tools he knew how to use. Those were his staff and his sling with stones, the simple weapons with which he was familiar and with which he slew the Philistine who defied Israel.

His refusal was not fear or retreat but courage and faith in God. His confidence was in God's deliverance rather than in superior equipment or skill. That victory over the Philistine champion showed his courage and faith, and years later he remembered the champion he had defeated when he took refuge among Israel's enemies.

Trusting God, Not Man

David had proved God and trusted in Him through the victories already granted him, and for that reason he would not lean upon Saul's armor when he went out to meet the giant. He had not tested that armor nor become accustomed to it, so he wisely laid it aside rather than enter the fight in unproved equipment. To have worn it might have given the appearance that the armor itself supplied his strength and deserved the credit for a victory that belonged to God alone.

The refusal teaches that God's servants are not to put their trust in impressive human equipment, in prepared arguments, in skill in debate, or in their own strength. They are to discern when an approach or equipment is unproved and refuse to rely upon it, and this discernment belongs especially to ministers when they are required to defend the truth. Then, instead of self-confidence, they are humbly to rely on God to give strength and to give truth the victory.

Those called and prepared for the battle cannot fight in borrowed armor, for it is too large for them. They must obtain every piece of God's prepared armor from heaven's armory. God does call His workers to put on armor, but not Saul's armor; they are to put on the whole armor of God. That means understanding God's plan for the work in every stage of the upward march, knowing for themselves the reasons of the faith and making them a personal experience, and gaining their teaching through their work by eating the divine Word until it circulates through mind and heart and soul. People cannot be reached through self, but only through Christ and through the Spirit of God, and being thus armed enables workers to go forth with hearts full of Christlike tenderness and compassion and love.

Each in Own God-Given Armor

David could not fight effectively in Saul's armor because he had not tested it or grown familiar with it, so he took it off and took up the sling and stone he knew, and with them slew the Philistine who defied Israel. His success with what suited him shows that God's servants have different individual qualities and assigned parts, so different workers may need to serve in different ways, and no one should belittle God's work in another because that person differs from himself. No one should assume another person's methods or equipment will suit himself.

When God gives men and women a work to do, they are to be left free to work in accordance with the capabilities God has given them, for they cannot put on any other one's armor. Ministers are therefore to develop and use their own God-given abilities and do their own work, rather than copy another person's manner, methods, or prepared sermons, become that person's shadow, or consent to wear another man's armor. Workers cannot all labor in the same armor, so no worker is to be required to carry forward the work exactly after another man's plans, ideas, and order. To believe one's own ideas and ways are the only right way is wrong, and it shortens life because a man lifts all the burdens himself instead of letting others work in their own armor.

Each person is to work in the armor God has provided for him with his own God-given ability and individuality, not sinking his individuality in that of another nor being fashioned after man's pattern but after the Lord's ideal under the molding of the Holy Spirit. Fellow workers are to be allowed to grow in their own religious experience without being demerited and belittled for not bearing another's likeness. God's worker is not to work in any other man's armor but in the simplicity of truth to magnify the truth, and the Lord will be with him. He is to act as the Lord's free child chosen to show forth His praise, majesty, and glory, declaring the straight truth of the living Word in the congregation in all confidence without intimidation, reflecting light to others and bringing up those who need uplifting in the love, courage, and freedom of Jesus Christ.

In meeting opposition, especially in council meetings where hearts are stirred ready for battle, Saul's armor must not be worn. Saul's armor there means war garments of wrath and contention, severe words and harsh manner of speech, vehemence, and bringing charges against brethren, and it must be laid aside and put off to meet opposition clad only in the robe of Christ's righteousness. None of God's servants are to put on Saul's armor, which is a contentious spirit, a spirit of wrath and battle, a war garment, a strong spirit that is not meek and contrite, and seeking to dictate and to dictate to others. Instead they must have a contrite and humble spirit subdued by the Spirit of God, let the heart break in tenderness before God, become tender before God as a little child, put on the robe of Christ's righteousness, speak not one word that is not subdued by the Spirit of God, and prepare the way of the Lord and remove stumbling blocks.

Each person has individual responsibility to act in his own capacity according to the ability God has given him and to work in the armor God has provided for him. No man is to work out another man's salvation, become a transcript of another man's mind, voice another's sentiments, or have his mind fashioned and shaped after another's mind. No worker is to refuse to impart instruction unless he first learns the mind of some minister or trusted man, for that is leaning on man and making flesh his arm. Every intelligent human being is to turn his mind toward God, lean on God, breathe out his soul to God, look to God for himself, trade with conscientious fidelity on his own talents, have an individual experience with rejoicing in himself and not in another, and grow up under God's supervision to his own individual measure, since in the spiritual as in the natural all growth depends on the Lord, and seeking to pattern after any man's character will make an utter failure.