שמואל א, פרק י״ז, פסוק ט״ו

For forty days, the Israelite army stood completely paralyzed by fear as they faced the Philistine. The terror was so deep that even mighty heroes like Abner refused to step onto the battlefield. The enemy was covered in armor that left only a single, narrow vulnerable spot between his eyes, and any attempt to aim for that tiny mark would result in a quick death if missed [אלשיך].

While the nation's greatest warriors were frozen in dread, David maintained a quiet routine. He did not reside permanently in the royal palace [מצודת דוד]. Instead, he constantly traveled back and forth between two entirely different worlds. On one hand, he worked as a young servant who played music for King Saul. On the other hand, he regularly returned home to Bethlehem to continue shepherding his father's flock [רש״י, ביאור שטיינזלץ].