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As "David smote the Philistines and subdued them," so we, engaged in a holy warfare, must live to smite and to subdue the enemies of God. Our Christian life cannot be fully represented under any one image, but if it can be said to be one thing more than another, it is a long spiritual campaign. We ask what are -

I. THE ENEMIES WHOM WE HAVE TO SLAY. These are not visible Philistines, Moabites, Syrians, such as presented themselves against David, sword in hand. The adversaries of our souls and of God are:

1. Invisible spiritual forces (Ephesians 6:12).

2. Evil things embodied in the outer world. In

(1) ungodly men, who deliberately tempt us to depart from rectitude; and

(2) unfaithful Christian men, whose tone or type of character is lower than our own, and who, unwittingly to themselves and imperceptibly to us, draw us down towards their own spiritual level;

(3) unchristian institutions.

3. Evil forces within our own soul. A man's worst foes are those of the household of his own heart - his own tendencies to pride, to self-will, to indulgence, to worldliness.

II. THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE. David's weapons on his fields of battle were sword and shield, spear and bow, war-chariots and horses. "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty... to the pulling down of strongholds" (2 Corinthians 10:4). They are:

1. The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

2. The force of Christian sympathy and zeal.

3. The co-operation of single-minded, earnest men.

III. OUR HOPE OF SUCCESS. David looked to

(1) his own generalship;

(2) the support of his "mighty men;"

(3) the valour and discipline of his troops; but especially and mainly to

(4) the presence and power of the living god.

We look to

(1) the perfect fitness of the truth we preach for the hearts and wants of men;

(2) the presence and power of the Almighty Spirit of our God. He it is who "causeth us to triumph."

IV. THE SPOILS OF VICTORY. These in David's wars were towns (ver. 1), subjects (vers. 2, 6), gifts (vers. 2, 6), chariots and horses (ver. 4), gold and brass (vers. 7, 8), political alliance (vers. 9, 10). Other spoils than these are the reward of victory in the Christian strife. They are:

1. Regenerated human souls. "He that converteth a sinner," etc. (James 5:20). "What is our crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye," etc.? (1 Corinthians 2:19). Those whom we have been the means of enlightening and redeeming are the spoils we "bring home," the crown we wear.

2. Faculties and forces restored to their rightful use. David took "very much brass wherewith Solomon made the brazen sea," etc. (ver. 8), for the house of the Lord (ver. 11; 2 Chronicles 4:12, 15, 16). Thus were the possessions of the enemy made to contribute to the service of Jehovah. It is the truest of all triumphs when we succeed in so changing the spirit of men that the time, the thought, the money, the energy which they had given to the service of sin they now devote to the cause of Christ and to the well-being of the world. - C.

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KJV: Now after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them, and took Gath and her towns out of the hand of the Philistines.

WEB: After this it happened, that David struck the Philistines, and subdued them, and took Gath and its towns out of the hand of the Philistines.