“Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome man; and Yahweh is with him.” — 1 Samuel 16:18 (World English Bible)
Lauga Aso Sa
Tusi Faitau: 1 Samuelu 16:14–23
Matua: 1 Samuelu 16:18
Autu: Tavita le Fatu Pese Malie
This page preserves the Samoan sermon as the main work and adds an English editorial overview, Scripture references, contextual media, and related O le Upu resources for readers who are more comfortable in English.
English editorial overview
This sermon begins with a memorable comparison: a sermon may not be able to sing, but a song can preach. Both preaching and music carry thought, feeling, and a message to those who hear them. The sermon uses that connection to reflect on the work required to prepare a meaningful message—whether through words, melody, or ministry—and argues that good work ultimately depends on seeking wisdom from God.
The focus then turns to David in 1 Samuel 16. David is introduced not first as a king, but as a shepherd, servant, musician, and young man whose life is marked by trust in God. His faithfulness in caring for his family’s sheep becomes a picture of dependence on the God who also watches over him. The servant who recommends David to Saul describes him as a skillful musician, courageous, discerning in speech, and someone with whom the Lord is present.
The sermon contrasts David with Saul. Saul had been chosen and anointed, but his disobedience and loss of trust in God had brought turmoil. In the biblical scene, Saul’s servants seek someone who can play the lyre, and David’s music brings relief. The sermon treats that moment not simply as musical ability, but as a picture of faithful service: a gift offered through dependence on God becomes a means of comfort and restoration.
From there, the message is applied to Christian ministry. Words, preaching, music, pastoral care, and practical acts of service can all become “songs” that bring peace and hope when they come from a life grounded in God. The sermon calls ministers and their spouses to resist the example of Saul—self-reliance, disobedience, and outward appearance—and instead imitate David’s trust, faithfulness, and willingness to serve.
The sermon originally addressed a gathering of ministers and their spouses in Auckland in 2021. That setting is preserved in the Samoan text below because it is part of the original message. Its broader theme remains relevant: when people are seeking peace, encouragement, or a remedy for spiritual distress, faithful servants should be ready to offer words and works shaped by trust in God.
E Mafai e le Pese ona Lauga
Fai mai upu ua tatou masani ai: e le mafai e le Lauga ona Pese, ae e mafai e le Pese ona Lauga.
Le Lauga ma le Pese o loo taumolimoli mai ai ni lagona, a o ni manatu. Ae o se feau foi mo le au-faalogologo.
Peitai o le Lauga e ta gatasi, e pei o loo talanoa mai. Ae o le Pese, e iai ona fati, e iai ona gauga leo, e iai foi mea e faaaogaina e molimoli mai ai.
Ua outou silafia ma o’u iloa: o le tusiina o se Lauga e le faigofie. E tau saili ni manatu, ae o le fesootaiga o le matua i le autu ma le tusi faitau. Ae o ni upu ma ni faaupuga e faagaoina, e molimoli atu ai le feau.
Ua faapea foi i le tagata tusi Pese. E le gata i upu, ae o se fati e o gatasi ma se feau o loo fia faailoa atu.
O nei tapenaga uma, Lauga pe Pese, a le aunoa ma le Faamoemoe i le Atua, e le maua ni mafaufauga lelei ma ni manatu aua le Feau.
Le manatu malamalama mai le Atua e mafai ai pea ona fatufatu ni Lauga, ae o ni Pese Malie aua le faafofogaaga a tagata, e aoga mo le tino faapea le Agaga.
Tavita le Fatu Pese Malie
Fai mai le Autu: “Tavita le Fatu Pese Malie.” Aisea?
E le tau fesiligia le tulaga va nonofo ai o le Atua ma Lana Auauna ia Tavita.
Tavita le leoleo mamoe, e tausi, fafaga, puipui, ma laveai i ana mamoe. Ae o le auaunaga mo lona aiga o loo ia faia, ma le Faamoemoe i le Atua e fesoasoani mai, faia ma le faamaoni.
Le Faamoemoe lea i le Atua o Tavita, ua ia molimauina e ala i le galuega o le Leoleo Mamoe. Le Atua o loo Leoleoina o ia, e pei ona ia Leoleoina Mamoe o lona aiga.
Tavita ua tasi i le Atua lona Faamoemoe, ma ua ia talitonu ma le mautinoa i le Atua.
Le Atua ua faamanuia ia Tavita, e pei ona faailoa e auauna ia Saulo: le atalii ia Iese, e poto e ta le kitara, ua foai iai le malosi tele, ma le toa, ma le mau upu. E aulelei, o loo mafutaina e le Atua.
Le Agaga o le Atua o loo lotolotoi ma Lana Auauna, foai atu iai le mafaufau lelei, ae o tulaga eseese ua faaupegaina ai e le Atua aua le ola tuputupu a’e.
Le ata manino: o le tagata o loo mafuta i le Alii.
Artwork: Jozef Israëls, 1899, Rijksmuseum / Wikimedia Commons, released under CC0.
Saulo ma le Sailiga o se Vaifofo
Ae talofa i le tupu ia Saulo. Ua sola manatu ma lagona lelei. Ua te’a le Agaga o le Atua ia te ia.
Saulo le auauna faau’u a le Atua, ae ua le usitai, le tausi i poloaiga, leai se Faamoemoe i le Atua o le na faamanuia ma tofia o ia.
Fai mai le tala: te’a ese le Agaga o le Atua, ae tuuina atu iai le agaga leaga e faataafili ia Saulo.
Ua manaomia se vaifofo, fia maua se mapusaga, se to’afilemu.
O le a le tali?
Ta le kitara. Ta ia Tavita. Mapu i Aao o le Atua.
Le feau manino lea o lenei taeao: le eseese o Saulo mai ia Tavita, ae o le ata-faafaatusa lea o le tagata o loo iai le Agaga o le Atua, le tagata e faalagolago, e faamoemoe, e faatuatua i le Atua.
Le tagata o loo iai le Agaga o le Atua, e malie ana fatuga. O se upu po o se pese foi e tuuina atu, e faigofie ona malamalama ma aoga mo le faafofogaaga.
BibleProject — overview of 1 Samuel
Context video: BibleProject’s overview of 1 Samuel, including the contrast between Saul’s failure and David’s rise.
Le Valaauina ma le Auaunaga
Tatou mafutaga e, o le ulua’i mafutaga lea a le Aufaigaluega o lenei Tausaga 2021.
Malo le silasila i le Atua ma Lana Valaauina, mai lena tausaga se ia oo mai i lenei ituaso. Malo le finau.
Matagofie le Feau ma le Faamanatu o lenei taeao mo i tatou uma.
Aisea?
Aua o lo tatou Valaauina lea mai le Atua. O lo tatou Pitolaau lea e patino i le Faifeau ma lana Faletua.
O le a?
O le folafola atu, o le faailoa atu, o le molimau atu. Ma le a? Tuuina atu se vaifofo, auala atu ia i tatou se laveaiina, le to’afilemu ma le Ola, e ala i upu ma a tatou galuega.
E mafai ai ona tatou fatu ni Pese Malie, e faigofie foi i le faafofoga a tagata.
Le Aufaigaluega, e mafai nei mea uma i lo tatou faalagolago, Faamoemoe, faatuatua tasi i le Atua.
Mo lenei Tausaga Fou, aua tatou te pei o Saulo: manatu faaletagata, le usitai, faafoliga, leai se manatu i le Atua ma lona Valaauina.
O le a le iuga? Aveesea e le Atua le Agaga lelei, ae tuuina iai le agaga leaga, faataafili e le tiapolo.
Ae ia tatou tausisi i le Atua.
Aua e pei ona aami atu mo Tavita, e faapena foi ona saili mai mo i tatou.
A manaomia foi se vaifofo, saili mai se ta kitara.
Ia faapea upu a tagata, e pei o upu a le matua:
“Silasila mai ea, ua ou iloa le atalii o Iese le Peteleema, ua poto ia e ta le kitara; o le tagata malosi tele, ma le toa, ma le mau upu, o le tagata aulelei o loo ia te ia foi le Alii.”
Ma ia faapea foi:
“Silasila mai ea, ua matou iloaina Faifeau ma Faletua a le Pulega a Aukilani, ua potopoto i latou e ta le kitara; o tagata malolosi tele, ma le toa, ma le mau upu, o tagata e matua aulelei, o loo ia te i latou foi le Alii.”
Amene.
Scripture connections and editorial notes
- 1 Samuel 16:14–23 is the sermon’s main reading. Verse 18 contains the description of David as a skillful musician, courageous and discerning, with the Lord present with him.
- 1 Samuel 16:13–14 provides the immediate contrast behind the sermon: the Spirit of the Lord comes powerfully upon David, while the narrative then says the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul.
- 1 Samuel 16:23 describes David playing when Saul was troubled, after which Saul was refreshed and found relief.
- David’s identity as a shepherd and his trust in God also resonate strongly with Psalm 23, traditionally associated with David and its image of the Lord as shepherd.
- The reference to the Auckland ministry gathering and “Tausaga 2021” is preserved because it belongs to the sermon’s original historical setting. This article is a later publication of that sermon.
Editorial note
The Samoan sermon text was supplied for publication and remains the main work on this page. O le Upu has made light web-formatting, punctuation, capitalization, and obvious spelling-consistency edits for readability while preserving the sermon’s argument, pastoral voice, and original 2021 setting. The English overview, Scripture cross-references, contextual media, image captions, internal links, and source notes were added editorially by O le Upu.
Sources and further reading
- World English Bible — 1 Samuel 16
- World English Bible — Psalm 23
- BibleProject — overview of 1 Samuel
- Wikimedia Commons — David playing his harp before Saul, public domain
- Rijksmuseum / Wikimedia Commons — Jozef Israëls, David playing the harp, CC0