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.The feet of certain animals are specially designed and adaptedto tricky and treacherous ground.A threefold line of thought is suggested bythe figure of this verse.First, God fits the believer for the position whichHe has appointed him to occupy, no matter how honorable and hazardous.Second,God furnishes him with alacrity and agility when the King’s business requirethhaste, for speed as well as sureness of foot characterizes the hind.Third, Godprotects and secures him in the most dangerous places: "He will keep the feetof His saints" (1 Sam.2:9)."He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms"(v.35).Whatever skill he possessed in the use of weapons, David, gratefullyascribed it unto divine instruction.The general principle here is of wideapplication: the artisan, the musician, the housewife, should thankfullyacknowledge that it is God who has imparted dexterity to his or her fingers.Inits higher significance this verse has reference to divine wisdom beingimparted to the Christian warrior in the use of the armor which grace hasprovided for him.As it is in the natural, so it is in the spiritual: weapons,whether the offensive or defensive ones, are of little avail to us till we knowhow to employ them to advantage."Take unto you the whole armour of God, thatye may be able to withstand in the evil day" (Eph.6:13) not only meansappropriate to yourself the panoply which God furnished, but also look to Himfor guidance and help in the use of the same.The second half of our verseseems to indicate that David, like Samson, was at times endued with more thanordinary strength."Thou hast also given me the shield of Thy salvation" (v.36).Here we findDavid looking higher than the material and temporal blessings which God had sofreely granted him, to those special favors reserved for His own elect.Thereare common gifts of Providence bestowed upon the wicked and the righteousalike, but there are riches of grace communicated only to the high favorites ofheaven, that infinitely surpass the former.What are bodily deliverances worthif the soul be left to perish! What does protection from human foes amount to,if the devil be permitted to bring about our eternal destruction! David was notonly granted the former, but the latter also.Here is a plain hint that weshould seek after the higher meaning throughout this song and interpretspiritually.Let it be noted that this is not the only place in it where God’s"salvation" is referred to: see verses 47, 51."And Thy gentleness hath made me great" (v.36).The Hebrew word which is hererendered "gentleness," is one or considerable latitude and has been variouslytranslated.The Septuagint has "Thy discipline," or Fatherly chastening;another gives "Thy goodness," referring to the benevolence of God’s actions;still another, and more literally, "Thy condescension." They all amount to muchthe same thing.This acknowledgment of David’s is blessed: so far was he fromcomplaining at the divine providences and charging God with having dealt withhim harshly, he extols God’s perfections for the pains that bad been taken withhim.David owns that God had acted toward him like a tender parent, temperingthe rod with infinite patience; he affirmed that God had graciously sanctifiedhis afflictions to him.Though he had been raised from the sheepcote to thethrone and had become great in prosperity and power, a successful conqueror andruler, he fails not to give God all the glory for it
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