What does 1 Samuel 17:32 Mean?

Context Summary

David was conducted into Saul's presence-his soul aglow with heroic faith-avowing that he was willing to go alone to fight the Philistine. Saul, however, had no thought of power save that which comes from long practice, 1 Samuel 17:33, or from helmets and coats of mail, 1 Samuel 17:38-39; so he endeavored to dissuade the stripling. It was no small temptation to David to take a lower ground and retreat from his offer. Let us never listen to flesh and blood! They always say to us, after the manner of Peter at Caesarea Philippi, when our Lord spoke of His crucifixion and death, "This shall not be unto thee; spare thyself." See Matthew 16:22.

The point of David's narrative of his encounter with the lion and the bear was entirely lost on Saul. The king regarded these exploits as solely the result of superior agility and sinewy strength. He did not fathom David's meaning when the lad ascribed his success to the direct interposition of Jehovah, 1 Samuel 17:37. Already the underlying note of Psalms 27:1-14 may have been haunting the young psalmist's soul. Saul had no idea that faith opens new sources of power, touches new stops in the great organ, and accomplishes alliance with the Almighty. See Psalms 20:7-8. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1Sa 17

¹  The armies of the Israelites and Philistines being ready to battle
⁴  Goliath challenges a combat
¹²  David, sent by his father to visit his brothers, takes the challenge
²⁸  Eliab chides him
³⁰  He is brought to Saul
³²  shows the reason of his confidence
³⁸  and slays the giant
⁵⁵  Saul takes notice of David