EARLY YEARS OF DAVID
28: 6. The Psalms. One hundred and fifty inspired hymns of praise, joy, thanksgiving, and repentance, composed chiefly by David. Humanly speaking, they form the most exquisite lyric poetry extant, and in their strong, majestic beauty are most suitable to the Divine Offices of the Church.
29: 3. Balaam. An Oriental prophet of Mesopotamia, 1500 B.C. Sent for by the Moabite king to curse the Israelites.
29: 11. (a) Judah. (b) Shiloh. (a) The fourth son of Jacob and Leah. (b) The Messias.
30: 14. Anointing of David. To signify that the kingship, like the priesthood, is a sacred office, all power coming from God.
31: 6. Sacred songs. The inspired music of David was the means of restoring grace to the troubled spirit of Saul. Browning's Saul paints strikingly the character of the shepherd boy and of the distracted old king.
32: 1. Goliath of Gath. A type of the giant, Sin; also of Lucifer, overcome by the meek Christ, who is prefigured by David.
34: 6. The Apostle. St. Paul, who recounts to the Hebrews his sufferings for Christ.
36: 5. Joseph. Son of Jacob; governor of Egypt under Pharaoh.
36: 16. From Moses. A fine distinction between the theocratic and the royal government of Israel.
38: 24. The king's son-in-law. Saul in envy married his daughter Michol to David "that she might prove a stumbling-block to him."
39: 4. David and Joseph. Note the consistent and forcible parallel.
43 and 44: The patriarchs. This passage illustrates the exquisite choice of words, the perfect finish of sentence, and the wonderful beauty of thought characteristic of Newman.