Psalm 21

New International Version

Psalm 21^[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹The king rejoices in your strength, Lord.^(A)
How great is his joy in the victories you give!^(B)

²You have granted him his heart’s desire^(C)
    and have not withheld the request of his lips.^[b]
³You came to greet him with rich blessings
    and placed a crown of pure gold^(D) on his head.^(E)
⁴He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—
    length of days, for ever and ever.^(F)
⁵Through the victories^(G) you gave, his glory is great;
    you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.^(H)
⁶Surely you have granted him unending blessings
    and made him glad with the joy^(I) of your presence.^(J)
⁷For the king trusts in the Lord;^(K)
    through the unfailing love^(L) of the Most High^(M)
    he will not be shaken.^(N)

⁸Your hand will lay hold^(O) on all your enemies;
    your right hand will seize your foes.
⁹When you appear for battle,
    you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace.
The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
    and his fire will consume them.^(P)
¹⁰You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
    their posterity from mankind.^(Q)
¹¹Though they plot evil^(R) against you
    and devise wicked schemes,^(S) they cannot succeed.
¹²You will make them turn their backs^(T)
    when you aim at them with drawn bow.

¹³Be exalted^(U) in your strength, Lord;^(V)
we will sing and praise your might.

Footnotes

Psalm 21:1 In Hebrew texts 21:1-13 is numbered 21:2-14.
Psalm 21:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

2 Samuel 5:17-25

New International Version

David Defeats the Philistines^(A)

¹⁷When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.^(B) ¹⁸Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim;^(C) ¹⁹so David inquired^(D) of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”

The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.”

²⁰So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal Perazim.^[a]^(E) ²¹The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.^(F)

²²Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; ²³so David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. ²⁴As soon as you hear the sound^(G) of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front^(H) of you to strike the Philistine army.” ²⁵So David did as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines^(I) all the way from Gibeon^[b]^(J) to Gezer.^(K)

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Footnotes

2 Samuel 5:20 Baal Perazim means the lord who breaks out.
2 Samuel 5:25 Septuagint (see also 1 Chron. 14:16); Hebrew Geba

John 7:1-9

New International Version

Jesus Goes to the Festival of Tabernacles

7 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want^[a] to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders^(A) there were looking for a way to kill him.^(B) ²But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles^(C) was near, ³Jesus’ brothers^(D) said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. ⁴No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” ⁵For even his own brothers did not believe in him.^(E)

⁶Therefore Jesus told them, “My time^(F) is not yet here; for you any time will do. ⁷The world cannot hate you, but it hates me^(G) because I testify that its works are evil.^(H) ⁸You go to the festival. I am not^[b] going up to this festival, because my time^(I) has not yet fully come.” ⁹After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee.