Psalm 130

A song of ascents.

Absalom’s Conspiracy

15 In the course of time,^(A) Absalom provided himself with a chariot^(B) and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him. ² He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate.^(C) Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, “What town are you from?” He would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” ³ Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.”^{(D) 4} And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land!^(E) Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.”

⁵ Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. ⁶ Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts^(F) of the people of Israel.

⁷ At the end of four^[a] years, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the Lord. ⁸ While your servant was living at Geshur^(G) in Aram, I made this vow:^(H) ‘If the Lord takes me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron.^[b]’”

⁹ The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he went to Hebron.

¹⁰ Then Absalom sent secret messengers throughout the tribes of Israel to say, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets,^(I) then say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron.’” ¹¹ Two hundred men from Jerusalem had accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and went quite innocently, knowing nothing about the matter. ¹² While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he also sent for Ahithophel^(J) the Gilonite, David’s counselor,^(K) to come from Giloh,^(L) his hometown. And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept on increasing.^(M)

David Flees

¹³ A messenger came and told David, “The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom.”

Ask, Seek, Knock^(A)

⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you;^(B) seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds;^(C) and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

⁹ “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts^(D) to those who ask him!