What made David great?

[i] Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.[/i]

I woke up yesturday with this stirring in me, this thought of God's steadfast love, His lovingkindness. And I thought, isn't this what made David so great?

Wasn't it God's steadfast love that sent Abigail out to meet him with wise counsel, to keep him back from shedding blood and taking vengence by his own hand?

Wasn't it God's steadfast love that kept David back from cursing when he was cursed by Shimei?

And wasn't it God's steadfast love that gave David wisdom, and kept him back from stretching forth his hand against Saul, the Lord's annointed?

Ohh for grace to fill our hearts,

to love, because He first loved us

to trust, becuase He first entrusted Himself to us.

[i] For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God?[/i]

[i]How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.[/i]

[i]O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.[/i]

thy lovingkindness is better than life

Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

How great is our God! David recognized that all he was and all that he had was due to the kindness and gentleness with which God had dealt with him. Perhaps we too can pause to look back on our own histories and see how graciously and mercifully God has dealt with us.

In Christ,

Ron

Very interesting question. It provokes some serious thought. All in all, I believe David deeply loved God because he knew that God deeply loved him first.

BTW have you and yours found a place of fellowship yet? I trust all is well. Let me know when you'll be back in Canton, we'll get together again for fellowship, Lord willing. God Bless, Bro. Daryl~~~~~~Ps50

Brother Dayrl, I'm looking forward to it :-)

LittleGift, welcome to the forums and to SI. Glad to have you with us.

This came up in the random article and I thought I would put it here..

[b]Thy gentleness hath made me great[/b] by C.H. Spurgeon

The words are capable of being translated, "Thy goodness hath made me great." David gratefully ascribed all his greatness not to his own goodness, but the goodness of God. "Thy providence," is another reading; and providence is nothing more than goodness in action. Goodness is the bud of which providence is the flower, or goodness is the seed of which providence is the harvest. Some render it, "Thy help," which is but another word for providence; providence being the firm ally of the saints, aiding them in the service of their Lord. Or again, "Thy humility hath made me great." "Thy condescension" may, perhaps, serve as a comprehensive reading, combining the ideas mentioned, including that of humility. It is God's making Himself little which is the cause of our being made great. We are so little, that if God should manifest His greatness without condescension, we should be trampled under His feet; but God, who must stoop to view the skies, and bow to see what angels do, turns His eye yet lower, and looks to the lowly and contrite, and makes them great. There are yet other readings, as for instance, the Septuagint, which reads, "Thy discipline"--Thy fatherly correction--"hath made me great;" while the Chaldee paraphrase reads, "Thy word hath increased me." Still the idea is the same. David ascribes all his own greatness to the condescending goodness of his Father in heaven. May this sentiment be echoed in our hearts this evening while we cast our crowns at Jesus' feet, and cry, "Thy gentleness hath made me great." How marvellous has been our experience of God's gentleness! How gentle have been His corrections! How gentle His forbearance! How gentle His teachings! How gentle His drawings! Meditate upon this theme, O believer. Let gratitude be awakened; let humility be deepened; let love be quickened ere thou fallest asleep to-night.

[url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/articles/index.php?view=article&aid=5717]C.H. Spurgeon: Thy gentleness hath made me great[/url]