Psalms of David · David's wars

Psalms 13–17 WEB

^13:1How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? ²How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart every day? How long shall my enemy triumph over me? ³Behold, and answer me, LORD, my God. Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death; ⁴lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him;” lest my adversaries rejoice when I fall. ⁵But I trust in your loving kindness. My heart rejoices in your salvation. ⁶I will sing to the LORD, because he has been good to me.

^14:1The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt. They have done abominable deeds. There is no one who does good. ²The LORD looked down from heaven on the children of men, to see if there were any who understood, who sought after God. ³They have all gone aside. They have together become corrupt. There is no one who does good, no, not one. ⁴Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and don’t call on the LORD? ⁵There they were in great fear, for God is in the generation of the righteous. ⁶You frustrate the plan of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge. ⁷Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

^15:1LORD, who shall dwell in your sanctuary? Who shall live on your holy hill? ²He who walks blamelessly and does what is right, and speaks truth in his heart; ³he who doesn’t slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his friend, nor casts slurs against his fellow man; ⁴in whose eyes a vile man is despised, but who honors those who fear the LORD; he who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and doesn’t change; ⁵he who doesn’t lend out his money for usury, nor take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be shaken.

^16:1Preserve me, God, for I take refuge in you. ²My soul, you have said to the LORD, “You are my Lord. Apart from you I have no good thing.” ³As for the saints who are on the earth, they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight. ⁴Their sorrows shall be multiplied who give gifts to another god. Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, nor take their names on my lips. ⁵The LORD assigned my portion and my cup. You made my lot secure. ⁶The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. Yes, I have a good inheritance. ⁷I will bless the LORD, who has given me counsel. Yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons. ⁸I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. ⁹Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices. My body shall also dwell in safety. ¹⁰For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption. ¹¹You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more.

^17:1Hear, LORD, my righteous plea. Give ear to my prayer that doesn’t go out of deceitful lips. ²Let my sentence come out of your presence. Let your eyes look on equity. ³You have proved my heart. You have visited me in the night. You have tried me, and found nothing. I have resolved that my mouth shall not disobey. ⁴As for the deeds of men, by the word of your lips, I have kept myself from the ways of the violent. ⁵My steps have held fast to your paths. My feet have not slipped. ⁶I have called on you, for you will answer me, God. Turn your ear to me. Hear my speech. ⁷Show your marvelous loving kindness, you who save those who take refuge by your right hand from their enemies. ⁸Keep me as the apple of your eye. Hide me under the shadow of your wings, ⁹from the wicked who oppress me, my deadly enemies, who surround me. ¹⁰They close up their callous hearts. With their mouth they speak proudly. ¹¹They have now surrounded us in our steps. They set their eyes to cast us down to the earth. ¹²He is like a lion that is greedy of his prey, as it were a young lion lurking in secret places. ¹³Arise, LORD, confront him. Cast him down. Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword, ¹⁴from men by your hand, LORD, from men of the world, whose portion is in this life. You fill the belly of your cherished ones. Your sons have plenty, and they store up wealth for their children. ¹⁵As for me, I shall see your face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with seeing your form.

Psalms 19–21 WEB

^19:1The heavens declare the glory of God. The expanse shows his handiwork. ²Day after day they pour out speech, and night after night they display knowledge. ³There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. ⁴Their voice has gone out through all the earth, their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, ⁵which is as a bridegroom coming out of his room, like a strong man rejoicing to run his course. ⁶His going out is from the end of the heavens, his circuit to its ends. There is nothing hidden from its heat. ⁷The LORD’s law is perfect, restoring the soul. The LORD’s covenant is sure, making wise the simple. ⁸The LORD’s precepts are right, rejoicing the heart. The LORD’s commandment is pure, enlightening the eyes. ⁹The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever. The LORD’s ordinances are true, and righteous altogether. ¹⁰They are more to be desired than gold, yes, than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the extract of the honeycomb. ¹¹Moreover your servant is warned by them. In keeping them there is great reward. ¹²Who can discern his errors? Forgive me from hidden errors. ¹³Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then I will be upright. I will be blameless and innocent of great transgression. ¹⁴Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, LORD, my rock, and my redeemer.

^20:1May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble. May the name of the God of Jacob set you up on high, ²send you help from the sanctuary, grant you support from Zion, ³remember all your offerings, and accept your burned sacrifice. Selah. ⁴May he grant you your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your counsel. ⁵We will triumph in your salvation. In the name of our God, we will set up our banners. May the LORD grant all your requests. ⁶Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed. He will answer him from his holy heaven, with the saving strength of his right hand. ⁷Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. ⁸They are bowed down and fallen, but we rise up, and stand upright. ⁹Save, LORD! Let the King answer us when we call!

^21:1The king rejoices in your strength, LORD! How greatly he rejoices in your salvation! ²You have given him his heart’s desire, and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah. ³For you meet him with the blessings of goodness. You set a crown of fine gold on his head. ⁴He asked life of you and you gave it to him, even length of days forever and ever. ⁵His glory is great in your salvation. You lay honor and majesty on him. ⁶For you make him most blessed forever. You make him glad with joy in your presence. ⁷For the king trusts in the LORD. Through the loving kindness of the Most High, he shall not be moved. ⁸Your hand will find out all of your enemies. Your right hand will find out those who hate you. ⁹You will make them as a fiery furnace in the time of your anger. The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath. The fire shall devour them. ¹⁰You will destroy their descendants from the earth, their posterity from among the children of men. ¹¹For they intended evil against you. They plotted evil against you which cannot succeed. ¹²For you will make them turn their back, when you aim drawn bows at their face. ¹³Be exalted, LORD, in your strength, so we will sing and praise your power.

2 Samuel 8 WEB

¹After this, David struck the Philistines and subdued them; and David took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines. ²He defeated Moab, and measured them with the line, making them to lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death, and one full line to keep alive. The Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute. ³David also struck Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his dominion at the River. ⁴David took from him one thousand seven hundred horsemen and twenty thousand footmen. David hamstrung the chariot horses, but reserved enough of them for one hundred chariots. ⁵When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck twenty two thousand men of the Syrians. ⁶Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute. The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went. ⁷David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸From Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze. ⁹When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had struck all the army of Hadadezer, ¹⁰then Toi sent Joram his son to King David to greet him and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and struck him; for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. Joram brought with him vessels of silver, vessels of gold, and vessels of bronze. ¹¹King David also dedicated these to the LORD, with the silver and gold that he dedicated of all the nations which he subdued— ¹²of Syria, of Moab, of the children of Ammon, of the Philistines, of Amalek, and of the plunder of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah. ¹³David earned a reputation when he returned from striking down eighteen thousand men of the Syrians in the Valley of Salt. ¹⁴He put garrisons in Edom. Throughout all Edom, he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to David. The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went. ¹⁵David reigned over all Israel; and David executed justice and righteousness for all his people. ¹⁶Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder, ¹⁷Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, Seraiah was scribe, ¹⁸Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief ministers.