First Samuel 17 is the David and Goliath chapter - one of the most retold stories in the Bible and the origin of the universal English idiom for underdog victory. A young shepherd from Bethlehem steps onto a battlefield where Israel’s trained soldiers will not go, kills the Philistine champion with a sling and a single
Full sung version coming soon.
Lyrics
Now the Philistines gathered their armies to battle They were gathered at Socoh which belongs to Judah Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together And encamped in the valley of Elah
The Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side And Israel stood on the mountain on the other side There was a valley between them A champion out of the camp of the Philistines named Goliath of Gath
His height was six cubits and a span He had a helmet of bronze on his head He wore a coat of mail weighing five thousand shekels of bronze He had bronze shin armour on his legs
The staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam His spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron His shield bearer went before him He cried to the armies of Israel
Choose a man for yourselves Let him come down to me If he is able to fight with me and kill me Then will we be your servants
But if I prevail against him and kill him Then you will be our servants and serve us I defy the armies of Israel today Give me a man that we may fight together
When Saul and all Israel heard those words They were dismayed and greatly afraid All the men of Israel when they saw the man Fled from him and were terrified
David came to the camp and heard the words of Goliath David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying What shall be done to the man who kills this Philistine Who is this uncircumcised Philistine
That he should defy the armies of the living God David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine The LORD, who delivered me out of the paw of the lion
And out of the paw of the bear Will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine Saul said to David, Go The LORD will be with you
Listen
1 Samuel 17 sung by Psalm Selah. The whole Bible, one chapter at a time.
Published 2026-05-22 · Last updated 2026-06-06
Written by Reid Wender, Editorial Director at Psalmody Press