Is There Not a Cause?

“And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?” I Samuel 17:29

David’s words here have always been inspirational to me. I see them as a rallying cry. When I read them, I feel that he is referring to the great cause of their nation, their freedom, their safety, their honor, their families, and their God. However, it is interesting to note that the Hebrew word for “cause” here is dâbâr, and it literally means a “word.” There are many meanings and shades of meaning for this word, including: cause, commandment, communication, decree, judgment, and message. Some scholars feel that David was merely defending his own right to speak his mind, as in, “Can’t I even speak a word?” But in context, David had just been asking the men about the commandment from King Saul that spelled out exactly what rewards would be given to the man who killed Goliath. Could it be that David was referring to the “word” of the king? If so, his words take on an even more piercing quality. “Don’t we have a commandment from the king to get this done?” In a deeper spiritual sense, he could have been referring to God’s Word and His reputation as well.

As Christians, we certainly have a cause (a dâbâr, a word, a decree, or a command) from our Heavenly Father. He has given us our marching orders and, like David, we need to let His Word stir us to action and carry us to victory. David believed that God would honor His Word. Do we have that same faith?