2 Samuel 22; 2 Samuel 23; Psalms 57

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2 Samuel 22

1 David sang this song to the Lord when the Lord saved him from Saul and all his other enemies.

2 He said: "The Lord is my rock, my protection, my Savior.

3 My God is my rock. I can run to him for safety. He is my shield and my saving strength, my defender and my place of safety. The Lord saves me from those who want to harm me.

4 I will call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I will be saved from my enemies.

5 "The waves of death came around me; the deadly rivers overwhelmed me.

6 The ropes of death wrapped around me. The traps of death were before me.

7 In my trouble I called to the Lord; I cried out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my call for help reached his ears.

8 "The earth trembled and shook. The foundations of heaven began to shake. They trembled because the Lord was angry.

9 Smoke came out of his nose, and burning fire came out of his mouth. Burning coals went before him.

10 He tore open the sky and came down with dark clouds under his feet.

11 He rode a creature with wings and flew. He raced on the wings of the wind.

12 He made darkness his shelter, surrounded by fog and clouds.

13 Out of the brightness of his presence came flashes of lightning.

14 The Lord thundered from heaven; the Most High raised his voice.

15 He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies. His bolts of lightning confused them with fear.

16 The Lord spoke strongly. The wind blew from his nose. Then the valleys of the sea appeared, and the foundations of the earth were seen.

17 "The Lord reached down from above and took me; he pulled me from the deep water.

18 He saved me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me, because they were too strong for me.

19 They attacked me at my time of trouble, but the Lord supported me.

20 He took me to a safe place. Because he delights in me, he saved me.

21 "The Lord spared me because I did what was right. Because I have not done evil, he has rewarded me.

22 I have followed the ways of the Lord; I have not done evil by turning from my God.

23 I remember all his laws and have not broken his rules.

24 I am innocent before him; I have kept myself from doing evil.

25 The Lord rewarded me because I did what was right, because I did what the Lord said was right.

26 "Lord, you are loyal to those who are loyal, and you are good to those who are good.

27 You are pure to those who are pure, but you are against those who are evil.

28 You save the humble, but you bring down those who are proud.

29 Lord, you give light to my lamp. The Lord brightens the darkness around me.

30 With your help I can attack an army. With God's help I can jump over a wall.

31 "The ways of God are without fault; the Lord's words are pure. He is a shield to those who trust him.

32 Who is God? Only the Lord. Who is the Rock? Only our God.

33 God is my protection. He makes my way free from fault.

34 He makes me like a deer that does not stumble; he helps me stand on the steep mountains.

35 He trains my hands for battle so my arms can bend a bronze bow.

36 You protect me with your saving shield. You have stooped to make me great.

37 You give me a better way to live, so I live as you want me to.

38 I chased my enemies and destroyed them. I did not quit till they were destroyed.

39 I destroyed and crushed them so they couldn't rise up again. They fell beneath my feet.

40 You gave me strength in battle. You made my enemies bow before me.

41 You made my enemies turn back, and I destroyed those who hated me.

42 They called for help, but no one came to save them. They called to the Lord, but he did not answer them.

43 I beat my enemies into pieces, like dust on the ground. I poured them out and walked on them like mud in the streets.

44 "You saved me when my people attacked me. You kept me as the leader of nations. People I never knew serve me.

45 Foreigners obey me. As soon as they hear me, they obey me.

46 They all become afraid and tremble in their hiding places.

47 "The Lord lives! Praise God, the Rock, who saves me!

48 God gives me victory over my enemies and brings people under my rule.

49 He frees me from my enemies. "You set me over those who hate me. You saved me from cruel men.

50 So I will praise you, Lord, among the nations. I will sing praises to your name.

51 The Lord gives great victories to his king. He is loyal to his appointed king, to David and his descendants forever."

2 Samuel 23

1 These are the last words of David. This is the message of David son of Jesse. The man made great by the Most High God speaks. He is the appointed king of the God of Jacob; he is the sweet singer of Israel:

2 "The Lord's Spirit spoke through me, and his word was on my tongue.

3 The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me: 'Whoever rules fairly over people, who rules with respect for God,

4 is like the morning light at dawn, like a morning without clouds. He is like sunshine after a rain that makes the grass sprout from the ground.

5 "This is how God has cared for my family. God made a lasting agreement with me, right and sure in every way. He will accomplish my salvation and satisfy all my desires.

6 "But all evil people will be thrown away like thorns that cannot be held in a hand.

7 No one can touch them except with a tool of iron or wood. They will be thrown in the fire and burned where they lie."

8 These are the names of David's warriors: Josheb-Basshebeth, the Tahkemonite, was head of the Three. He killed eight hundred men at one time.

9 Next was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. Eleazar was one of the three soldiers who were with David when they challenged the Philistines. The Philistines were gathered for battle, and the Israelites drew back.

10 But Eleazar stayed where he was and fought the Philistines until he was so tired his hand stuck to his sword. The Lord gave a great victory for the Israelites that day. The troops came back after Eleazar had won the battle, but only to take weapons and armor from the enemy.

11 Next there was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines came together to fight in a vegetable field. Israel's troops ran away from the Philistines,

12 but Shammah stood in the middle of the field and fought for it and killed the Philistines. And the Lord gave a great victory.

13 Once, three of the Thirty, David's chief soldiers, came down to him at the cave of Adullam during harvest. The Philistine army had camped in the Valley of Rephaim.

14 At that time David was in the stronghold, and some of the Philistines were in Bethlehem

15 David had a strong desire for some water. He said, "Oh, I wish someone would get me water from the well near the city gate of Bethlehem!"

16 So the three warriors broke through the Philistine army and took water from the well near the city gate of Bethlehem. Then they brought it to David, but he refused to drink it. He poured it out before the Lord,

17 saying, "May the Lord keep me from drinking this water! It would be like drinking the blood of the men who risked their lives!" So David refused to drink it. These were the brave things that the three warriors did.

18 Abishai, brother of Joab son of Zeruiah, was captain of the Three. Abishai fought three hundred soldiers with his spear and killed them. He became as famous as the Three

19 and was more honored than the Three. He became their commander even though he was not one of them

20 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a brave fighter from Kabzeel who did mighty things. He killed two of the best warriors from Moab. He also went down into a pit and killed a lion on a snowy day.

21 Benaiah killed a large Egyptian who had a spear in his hand. Benaiah had a club, but he grabbed the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear

22 These were the things Benaiah son of Jehoiada did. He was as famous as the Three.

23 He received more honor than the Thirty, but he did not become a member of the Three. David made him leader of his bodyguards.

24 The following men were among the Thirty: Asahel brother of Joab; Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem;

25 Shammah the Harodite; Elika the Harodite;

26 Helez the Paltite; Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa;

27 Abiezer the Anathothite; Mebunnai the Hushathite;

28 Zalmon the Ahohite; Maharai the Netophathite;

29 Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite; Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin;

30 Benaiah the Pirathonite; Hiddai from the ravines of Gaash;

31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite; Azmaveth the Barhumite;

32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite; the sons of Jashen; Jonathan

33 son of Shammah the Hararite; Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite;

34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite; Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite;

35 Hezro the Carmelite; Paarai the Arbite;

36 Igal son of Nathan of Zobah; the son of Hagri

37 Zelek the Ammonite; Naharai the Beerothite, who carried the armor of Joab son of Zeruiah;

38 Ira the Ithrite; Gareb the Ithrite

39 and Uriah the Hittite. There were thirty-seven in all.

Psalms 57

1 Be merciful to me, God; be merciful to me because I come to you for protection. Let me hide under the shadow of your wings until the trouble has passed.

2 I cry out to God Most High, to the God who does everything for me.

3 He sends help from heaven and saves me. He punishes those who chase me. Selah God sends me his love and truth.

4 Enemies, like lions, are all around me; I must lie down among them. Their teeth are like spears and arrows, their tongues as sharp as swords.

5 God is supreme over the skies; his majesty covers the earth.

6 They set a trap for me. I am very worried. They dug a pit in my path, but they fell into it themselves. Selah

7 My heart is steady, God; my heart is steady. I will sing and praise you.

8 Wake up, my soul. Wake up, harp and lyre! I will wake up the dawn.

9 Lord, I will praise you among the nations; I will sing songs of praise about you to all the nations.

10 Your great love reaches to the skies, your truth to the clouds.

11 God, you are supreme above the skies. Let your glory be over all the earth.

2 Samuel 22; 2 Samuel 23; Psalms 57

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2 Samuel 22

2 Samuel 23

Psalms 57