This is the story of a boy named David.  David was a shepherd and tended his sheep in the fields outside Bethlehem. 

David would lead the sheep out to the fields in the morning and the sheep would graze in the fields all day.  Most of the time there wasn’t much for David to do, so he would bring his harp with him.

David was a fine musician.  He would play the harp and sing songs, while he watched the sheep.  He wrote songs of praise and thanks to God.  He knew that God was with him and would always protect him.

One day, David’s father, Jesse, came out to the fields.  He told David to take some food to his three older brothers, who were soldiers in King Saul’s army.  David gathered the sheep together and followed his father back to Bethlehem.

Meanwhile, King Saul and his army were in the valley where they had set-up camp.  On the next hill was the Philistine army.  In the Philistine army was a giant soldier named Goliath.  Every morning and every evening, Goliath would come out and challenge King Saul and the Israelite soldiers.

“Send someone to fight me”, he would yell.  “If I am beaten, we will be your slaves, but if I win, you will all be our slaves.” King Saul and the soldiers would just shake with fright.

“If your God is so great, why won’t you any of you come out to fight me?” Goliath would shout.

Just as Goliath was leaving, David arrived with the food for his brothers.  He heard what Goliath had said about God.  “Why won’t any of you fight him?” he asked the soldiers.  “You know that God would be with you and protect you.”

But none of the soldiers would volunteer to fight Goliath, so David went to King Saul.   “I will fight Goliath,” he told the king.  King Saul laughed.   “How can you fight him?  You’re just a boy.”  But David insisted.  “God has protected me from lions and bears as I watched my sheep.  God will be with me.”

So, Saul agreed to let David fight Goliath, but he thought David should wear armor.  Saul didn’t really believe that God would protect David.  He brought his own armor to David and helped David put them on.

(Wait for armor and helmet to be put on.)

David felt clumsy wearing the armor.  He tried walking , but he could barely move.  “How can I fight like this,” he thought, so he took off the armor.

(Wait for armor and helmet to be taken off.)

David picked up some smooth stones from the river and put one in his sling, then he went out to face Goliath.

Goliath came out and saw David.  He laughed.  “Who is this boy?” he yelled.  “Is this the strongest soldier your God could find?”

David answered him, “You come with armor and a spear, but I come with the Lord God Almighty.” 

“We will see how strong your God is,” said Goliath.

David quickly took his sling and threw a stone at Goliath.   The stone flew from the sling and hit Goliath in the head.  Goliath tumbled to the ground.

King Saul and the other soldiers were amazed, but David wasn’t.   He had always had faith that God would stay with him.