Matthew Henry Commentary 1 Samuel 25:32-39

"And David said to Abigail, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, who sent thee this day to meet me: and blessed be thy discretion, and blessed be thou, that hast kept me this day from bloodguiltiness, and from avenging myself with mine own hand. For in very deed, as Jehovah, the God of Israel, liveth, who hath withholden me from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light so much as one man-child. So David received of her hand that which she had brought him: and he said unto her, Go up in peace to thy house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person. And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal`s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light. And it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, that his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. And it came to pass about ten days after, that Jehovah smote Nabal, so that he died. And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be Jehovah, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept back his servant from evil: and the evil-doing of Nabal hath Jehovah returned upon his own head. And David sent and spake concerning Abigail, to take her to him to wife." — 1 Samuel 25:32-39 (ASV)

David gives God thanks for sending him this welcome check from a sinful course. When anyone meets us with counsel, direction, comfort, caution, or timely reproof, we must recognize God as sending them. We ought to be very thankful for those blessed providences which are the means of preventing us from sinning. Most people think it is enough if they take reproof patiently; but few will take it thankfully, praise those who give it, and accept it as a kindness.

The nearer we are to committing sin, the greater is the mercy of a timely restraint. Sinners are often most secure when most in danger. He was very drunk—a sign that he was Nabal, a fool, who could not use abundance without abusing it, and who could not be pleasant with his friends without making a beast of himself. There is no surer sign that a man has little wisdom, nor a surer way to destroy what little he has, than drinking to excess.

Next morning, how he was changed! His heart, merry with wine overnight, was next morning heavy as a stone; so deceitful are carnal pleasures, so soon passes the laughter of the fool; the end of that mirth is heaviness. Drunkards are sad when they reflect upon their own folly. About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal, and he died.

David blessed God that he had been kept from killing Nabal. Worldly sorrow, mortified pride, and a frightened conscience sometimes end the joys of the sensualist, and separate the covetous man from his wealth; but, whatever the weapon, the Lord strikes men with death when He pleases.