Psalm 18:1-6

New International Version

Psalm 18^[a]^(A)

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:

¹I love you, Lord, my strength.^(B)

²The Lord is my rock,^(C) my fortress^(D) and my deliverer;^(E)
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,^(F)
my shield^[b]^(G) and the horn^[c] of my salvation,^(H) my stronghold.

³I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,^(I)
    and I have been saved from my enemies.^(J)
⁴The cords of death^(K) entangled me;
    the torrents^(L) of destruction overwhelmed me.
⁵The cords of the grave coiled around me;
    the snares of death^(M) confronted me.

⁶In my distress^(N) I called to the Lord;^(O)
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;^(P)
my cry came^(Q) before him, into his ears.

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Footnotes

Psalm 18:1 In Hebrew texts 18:1-50 is numbered 18:2-51.
Psalm 18:2 Or sovereign
Psalm 18:2 Horn here symbolizes strength.

Psalm 18:43-50

New International Version

⁴³You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
    you have made me the head of nations.^(A)
People I did not know^(B) now serve me,
⁴⁴    foreigners^(C) cower before me;
    as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
⁴⁵They all lose heart;^(D)
    they come trembling^(E) from their strongholds.^(F)

⁴⁶The Lord lives!^(G) Praise be to my Rock!^(H)
    Exalted be God^(I) my Savior!^(J)
⁴⁷He is the God who avenges^(K) me,
    who subdues nations^(L) under me,
⁴⁸    who saves^(M) me from my enemies.^(N)
You exalted me above my foes;
    from a violent man^(O) you rescued me.
⁴⁹Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;^(P)
    I will sing^(Q) the praises of your name.^(R)

⁵⁰He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing love to his anointed,^(S)
to David^(T) and to his descendants forever.^(U)

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1 Samuel 23:14-18

New International Version

¹⁴David stayed in the wilderness^(A) strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph.^(B) Day after day Saul searched^(C) for him, but God did not^(D) give David into his hands.

¹⁵While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that^[a] Saul had come out to take his life.^(E) ¹⁶And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength^(F) in God. ¹⁷“Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king^(G) over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” ¹⁸The two of them made a covenant^(H) before the Lord. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.

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Footnotes

1 Samuel 23:15 Or he was afraid because

2 Corinthians 8:16-24

New International Version

Titus Sent to Receive the Collection

¹⁶Thanks be to God,^(A) who put into the heart^(B) of Titus^(C) the same concern I have for you. ¹⁷For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative.^(D) ¹⁸And we are sending along with him the brother^(E) who is praised by all the churches^(F) for his service to the gospel.^(G) ¹⁹What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us^(H) as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help.^(I) ²⁰We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. ²¹For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.^(J)

²²In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. ²³As for Titus,^(K) he is my partner^(L) and co-worker^(M) among you; as for our brothers,^(N) they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. ²⁴Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you,^(O) so that the churches can see it.