“Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the philistine.” “So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.”
Every worship leader worth their salt looks up to David as the prototypical worship leader. He was a brave warrior, a talented poet, found to be wise and dedicated, and not to mention easy on the eyes 😇 (read 1 Samuel 16:18 if you don't believe me). He sounds like the ideal worship leader any church would love to have on staff. While there are many points of focus for a man like David, I like looking at his early years as it gives me a glimpse into the character and purity of a worshiping warrior. Could there be something for us as worship leaders to lean into concerning the early life of David?
The Worship Leader’s Battle With FEAR
For now, let's talk about David's most infamous battle with Goliath of Gath (1 Samuel 17). If I were to look at the text through a 21st-century lens (sorry for the eisegesis, bible professors), I see this metaphor in David's battle with Goliath - The worship leader’s struggle with fear. Fear of personal failure, fear of having imposter syndrome, fear of disappointing the worship team .... simply fear. Ask anyone leading teams and congregations into corporate worship, and you'll find an element of fear and insecurity that tends to rise before a church service. When King Saul and the army of Israel heard the goadings of Goliath, they became terrified. This is what the enemy does to the people of God before a great fight.
Some bible scholars believe that the name Goliath evolved from the root word gālâ (גָּלָה), which means to bare in a disgraceful sense, and by implication, to exile the fully uncovered individual. (1) Even more revealing, Goliath is said to originate from the land of gat (גַּת), which is a chief Philistine city translated winepress. The winepress, as you can imagine, is where the treading of one’s feet was pressing out the juice of the grapes. Can you see the imagery here? Fear, presiding from the land of crushing death, has come to mock, uncover, and enslave all who surrender to its power.
But David stood up to fear
If you're still reading this post, chances are you already know how the story ends. David, the tiny town hero and shepherd boy, knocks down the mercenary with only a sling and stone. Before David even goes out to battle, he takes time to focus and gather up five smooth stones from a nearby stream. Numbers in the bible can be significant, as is the case of the number five - Grace. David chose to have a pocket full of grace as his weapon of choice against fear. According to a Rabbinic tradition (2), these five smooth stones called out to David from the brook, saying, "By us, you shall overcome the giant!". I don't put much stock in that tradition, but I do find it interesting that Goliath had four other brothers (3). Maybe the collection of 5 stones was a prophetic way of saying all giants must fall!
5 Smooth Stones for Worship Leaders
Seeing that David took the time to gather ammunition for the battle against fear, maybe we, as worship leaders, should do the same. Below I've written about five smooth stones every worship leader should have in their arsenal against the giant of fear:
SPIRIT-LED Songs - a smooth stone of faith
Every worship leader needs to have Spirit-led songs available for the battle. These can be (but are not limited to) types of songs that are not planned in the worship set but come out as a result of your listening to the Holy Spirit during the battle. They come alive in kairos moments. A pivot in the worship set with this smooth stone can knock down a giant in the room. I have been able to sling this stone many times because I believe having personal moments with the Lord off-stage prepares you for service moments on stage. When fear rears its ugly head, listen to the Holy Spirit in the moment. Is there a new song that is coming forth? Perhaps one that you didn't plan but are familiar with? If so, take courage and sling this stone. And by the way, you can't bring this stone into the fight if you've never practiced this before. The Holy Spirit doesn't bring back to your remembrance that which you haven't taken the time to listen to or work on (John 14:26).
Testimony - a smooth stone of remembrance
Having a testimony of God's faithfulness from before can produce confidence in the present. Right before you're in the heat of battle, it's helpful to recollect your 'Ebenezer' moments from before and remember the truth that God alone can uphold you again. The story of Yahweh protecting Israel and Samuel's response by setting up a monument of remembrance reflects this (4). "Testimony," as David A. Bednar reminds us, "is personal knowledge, based upon the witness of the Holy Ghost, that certain facts of eternal significance are true." Truth is found in a testimony. My faith remains steadfast as I recall the countless times God has come through for me. I can confront Goliath because I've seen the Lord rescue me from the paws of the lion and bear. (5) "I will recount the LORD's faithful acts; I will sing the LORD's praises, because of all the LORD did for us, for God's great favor toward the house of Israel..." Isaiah 63:7-19
Calling - a smooth stone of confidence
Fear killers must remember that they were first called into battle by the Lord, not by the opportunity present. David didn't just react to the threats of Goliath alone. No, he was first called by God and confirmed in that calling by the anointing of the prophet Samuel (6). Those that understand their calling in the Lord don't allow the enemy to keep them paralyzed in fear. This stone is a weapon we can wield to remind the enemy that we didn't call ourselves to this fight, but the Lord did. In the New Testament, Paul encouraged Timothy to stir up the gift of God (keep ablaze) that is in him, for God had not given him a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind (7). Do you see the Trinity found in Paul's answer against the spirit of fear? Our confidence over fear comes from a Heavenly, benevolent Father [Love], who provides us the ability to put on the mind of Christ [Sound Mind] through the strength of the Holy Spirit [Power].
Discernment - a smooth stone of clarity
Being able to distinguish between a good idea and a God idea is crucial. Sometimes battle plans change when you're in the midst of war, so having the clarity to hear from the Holy Spirit is vital. I remember playing keys at a worship event where a prominent worship leader led the service into a beautiful, spontaneous Kairos moment. We sang songs we didn't plan on singing before but found our way to them thanks to this worshipper’s sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. After the event, I asked about how he knew to go 'off script,’ and he mentioned to me, and I'm paraphrasing, that ‘sometimes these songs sing loudly right in front of my face during the moment.’ The ability to have discernment on the spot and the courage to move forward in faith is a crucial stone that fights against the spirit of fear.
Skill - a smooth stone of competency
Eugene Peterson writes, "A professional...is someone who is committed to standards of integrity and performance that cannot be altered to suit people's tastes or what they are willing to pay for." (8). The word 'professional' is not bad for those involved in music ministry. Skill helps us to do reflexively in a moment what would take months, if not years, to perfect. When I was a child, I had this image of David releasing the stone from his sling. Suddenly, an angel was guiding it by the hand (much like the scene in Disney's Angels in the Outfield where the pitcher throws a fastball, but after its release, the ball is slowly directed right into the strike zone by an angel for the batter to hit.). I've since grown to read the Bible and recognize that it wasn't divine intervention that led the stone to Goliath's head; it was skill. Competency means we've worked hard to be trusted in the battle. It only took one stone to knock down Goliath because David had much practice with the lion and the bear.
Final Thoughts
To end this post, I have a two-fold encouragement for all worship leaders reading:
Before you go to the platform and do Holy work on Sunday, take the time to gather at the brook. Learn to listen, recalibrate, and remind yourself of how God has been faithful to you. Practice singing Spirit songs to the Lord, being confident in your calling, and skillfully putting in some work to your musicianship before Sunday. Gather up the stones of Grace you know you'll need when you’re performing priestly duties on the platform.
Sling away in Jesus’ name!
(1) https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h1540/kjv/wlc/0-1/
(2) https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/guzik_david/study-guide/1-samuel/1-samuel-17.cfm?a=253001
(3) 2 Samuel 21:22
(6) 1 Samuel 16:1-13
(7) 2 Timothy 1:6-7
(8) Peterson, Eugene H. Working the Angles: The Shape of Pastoral Integrity. Pg. 4,5. For more information on the Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination, visit https://petersoncenter.org