2022
David and Goliath: Faith over Fear
June 2022

“David and Goliath: Faith over Fear,” Liahona, June 2022.

Come, Follow Me

1 Samuel 17

David and Goliath: Faith over Fear

David and Goliath

Illustrations by Andrew Beck / Marlena Agency

David

  • A teenage shepherd boy

  • Height: The Bible doesn’t specify David’s height or age, but we know that he was in his youth.

  • Weapons: A sling and five smooth stones

Goliath

  • A Philistine warrior

  • Height: Early texts indicate Goliath’s height as being over 6 feet (2 m) to over 9 feet (3 m).

  • Weapons: Spear, armor that weighed 150 pounds (67.5 kg), sword

  • Goliath mocked and challenged the Israelites for 40 days.

Only David, a shepherd boy, had the courage to stand up to fight Goliath. He was told by King Saul not to go but went anyway because he knew God was on his side, and he had faith in Him.

Goliath mocked David and all of Israel for sending a boy to fight. But David’s response showed his faith: “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel” (1 Samuel 17:45).

With a sling and a stone, David brought Goliath down and killed him, causing the Philistines to flee from the Israelites.