Olney Hymns (1840)/Book 1/Hymn 28

28.
Saul's Armour.—1 Sam. xvii, 38–40.

1 When first my soul enlisted
My Saviour's foes to fight,
Mistaken friends insisted
I was not arm'd aright:
So Saul advised David
He certainly would fail,
Nor could his life be saved
Without a coat of mail.

2 But David, though he yielded
To put the armour on,
Soon found he could not wield it,
And ventured forth with none.
With only sling and pebble
He fought the fight of faith:
The weapons seem'd but feeble,
Yet proved Goliath's death.

3 Had I by him been guided,
And quickly thrown away
The armour men provided,
I might have gain'd the day:
But arm'd as they advised me,
My expectations fail'd;
My enemy surprised me,
And had almost prevail'd.

4 Furnish'd with books and notions,
And arguments and pride,
I practised all my motions,
And Satan's power defied:
But soon perceived with trouble
That these would do no good;
Iron to him is stubble,
And brass like rotton wood.

5 I triumph'd at a distance,
While he was out of sight;
But faint was my resistance
When forced to join in fight:
He broke my sword in shivers,
And pierced my boasted shield;
Laugh'd at my vain endeavours,
And drove me from the field.

6. Satan will not be braved
By such a worm as I;
Then let me learn with David
To trust in the Most High,—
To plead the name of Jesus,
And use the sling of prayer:
Thus arm'd, when Satan sees us
He'll tremble and despair.