David The Shepherd, Part 2 (1950)

[Music] you'll remember that David Jesse's youngest son was watching over his father's sheep when he was called called home to meet Samuel the prophet there Samuel blessed him and told him that God had chosen him to be Israel's Future King let's listen again to our friend the artist who's telling the story of David as David watched over his flocks he often pondered over this thrilling visit you see the country already had a king a man whom everyone admired a great Soldier whose name was sa how could it possibly come about that he a Shepherd boy could take his place what Adventures must he live through before this seemingly impossible honor came his way time went by David was nearly a man now strong and brave gentle and true one day he returned home to find that a messenger had arrived from King Saul himself the king is ill the man told him it is an illness that makes him sad and unhappy nothing will cheer him but the sound of music Travelers have told him that your son is very gifted with his harp and that he has sung to them new and interesting songs the king begs you to let him return with me to the palace and help to make him well again this was another surprise for David he loved his open air life but he was very excited at the thought of playing before saw his father gave orders that an ass should be loaded with bread and wine for the king and so David set out on his great adventure when David first came before Saul the king seemed scarcely to notice him David felt sorry for this silent unhappy man left alone with him David sat down and taking his harp played a soft Melody which he had often sung to himself on the hillsides near his home as he played the king gradually lost his Gloom he listened to the songs about God which were really David's own thoughts and praise put into words and King Saul was comforted he took a liking to this clever young Shepherd and David stayed on at the palace until the King was quite well again then once more he took his leave and returned to his home and to his sheep sometimes Travelers crossing the hills would stop and talk to him and it was from them that David learned that the King was going to war against the Philistines the Philistines were very strong and Fierce and Saul soldiers had difficulty in keeping them from robbing and killing the people of Israel David was particularly interested because his three eldest brothers were soldiers in the king's Army and when David next came home his father too was anxious to know whether his sons were all right Jesse told him to take some presents to his brothers and their officer and find out how they were the Philistines were encamped on one side of the valley and saw faced them on the other David found his brothers without much difficulty and was talking to them asking all sorts of questions when there came a great shouting from the enemy camp out in front of the Philistines marched a great giant of a man he was 9t tall clad in shining armor and he waved a huge spear with a roaring voice he shouted who dares to fight with me if any Israelite can kill me then all the Philistines will surrender and become Servants of the people of Israel David looked round thrilled and excited to see who would answer but instead of answering the giant he saw his brothers and other Israelites turn away terrified David felt ashamed for his people how dare he insult God's people he asked how dare he if no one else will fight him then I will the soldiers thought he was boasting and his eldest brother told him rudely to get off home and look after his sheep but some of the men who heard him ran to tell Saul Saul sent for David and David said let no man's heart fail him because of this giant I will go and fight with him but said Saul Thou Art but a youth and he man of war then David thought about the power of God and he felt sure that he would help him he told Saul about his struggle with the lion and said the Lord who delivered me out of the Paw of the lion will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine then the king saw that David was determined so he said go and the Lord be with thee Saul wanted David to put on his armor for protection but when David tried it he found it much too heavy so he decided to wear simply his Shepherd's tunic he refused also to use the king's sword instead he took his Shepherd's sling and chose five small stones from a brook nearby this must be the best throw I have ever made he thought now when the giant whose name was Goliath saw David he laughed aloud but David shouted thou comest to me with a sword and a spear but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts then as Goliath stood forward to fight the loud groan went up from the whole Camp David put one of his stones into his sling took careful aim and flung it towards the giant with all his might the aim was good the stone struck the Giant's head and he fell to the ground when the rest of the Philistine Army saw their great Giant defeated they turned and fled of course King Saul sent for David to ask him all about the fight hadn't he watched it yes I expect he had but he wanted to thank him and to congratulate him on his tremendous courage with them was a young man named Jonathan he was Saul's son and was just about the same age as David he listened eagerly to all that David had to say then David and Jonathan looked at each other suddenly Jonathan felt sure that David was the best and truest and nicest man he had ever met and David felt just the same about Jonathan the two young men went off together they promised each other that they would always be true and Faithful Friends all their lives David was only a simple shepherd with no fine clothes or money and Jonathan was the King's son possessing all sorts of things but they each shared what they had Jonathan shared his clothes and his sword and his bows and arrows and David shared his harp with Jonathan and told him about God's love and care and power and taught him some of the songs he had made they saw a great deal of each other because after the battle with the giant David stayed at the king's Palace Saul made him leader of his armies and he married one of the young princesses the war with the Philistines broke out again and there were many more battles and always David LED s's men to Victory very soon the people of Israel looked upon David as a Great Hero and would cheer him loudly as he rode through the streets indeed they admired David more than they admired Saul this made the king angry then instead of asking God to help him cast out these angry feelings from his heart Saul let them grow one day day when David was playing to him a dreadful thought came into his mind beside him stood a javelin without warning he clutched the weapon and H it at the young man something made David look up he moved swiftly only just escaping with his life even after this David did not allow himself to feel hatred towards the king the Bible says that David went on and behaved himself very wisely towards Saul