Psalm 59

New International Version

Psalm 59^[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.^[b] When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house^(A) in order to kill him.

¹Deliver me from my enemies, O God;^(B)
be my fortress against those who are attacking me.^(C)
²Deliver me from evildoers^(D)
and save me from those who are after my blood.^(E)

³See how they lie in wait for me!
    Fierce men conspire^(F) against me
    for no offense or sin of mine, Lord.
⁴I have done no wrong,^(G) yet they are ready to attack me.^(H)
    Arise to help me; look on my plight!^(I)
⁵You, Lord God Almighty,
    you who are the God of Israel,^(J)
rouse yourself^(K) to punish all the nations;^(L)
    show no mercy to wicked traitors.^[c]^(M)

⁶They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,^(N)
    and prowl about the city.
⁷See what they spew from their mouths^(O)—
    the words from their lips are sharp as swords,^(P)
    and they think, “Who can hear us?”^(Q)
⁸But you laugh at them, Lord;^(R)
    you scoff at all those nations.^(S)

⁹You are my strength,^(T) I watch for you;
you, God, are my fortress,^(U)
¹⁰ my God on whom I can rely.

God will go before me
    and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
¹¹But do not kill them, Lord our shield,^[d]^(V)
    or my people will forget.^(W)
In your might uproot them
    and bring them down.^(X)
¹²For the sins of their mouths,^(Y)
    for the words of their lips,^(Z)
    let them be caught in their pride.^(AA)
For the curses and lies they utter,
¹³    consume them in your wrath,
    consume them till they are no more.^(AB)
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
    that God rules over Jacob.^(AC)

¹⁴They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,
    and prowl about the city.
¹⁵They wander about for food^(AD)
    and howl if not satisfied.
¹⁶But I will sing^(AE) of your strength,^(AF)
    in the morning^(AG) I will sing of your love;^(AH)
for you are my fortress,^(AI)
    my refuge in times of trouble.^(AJ)

¹⁷You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
you, God, are my fortress,
my God on whom I can rely.^(AK)

Footnotes

Psalm 59:1 In Hebrew texts 59:1-17 is numbered 59:2-18.
Psalm 59:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 59:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 13.
Psalm 59:11 Or sovereign

2 Kings 9:1-13

New International Version

Jehu Anointed King of Israel

9 The prophet Elisha summoned a man from the company^(A) of the prophets and said to him, “Tuck your cloak into your belt,^(B) take this flask of olive oil^(C) with you and go to Ramoth Gilead.^(D) ²When you get there, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go to him, get him away from his companions and take him into an inner room. ³Then take the flask and pour the oil^(E) on his head and declare, ‘This is what the Lord says: I anoint you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and run; don’t delay!”

⁴So the young prophet went to Ramoth Gilead. ⁵When he arrived, he found the army officers sitting together. “I have a message for you, commander,” he said.

“For which of us?” asked Jehu.

“For you, commander,” he replied.

⁶Jehu got up and went into the house. Then the prophet poured the oil^(F) on Jehu’s head and declared, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anoint you king over the Lord’s people Israel. ⁷You are to destroy the house of Ahab your master, and I will avenge^(G) the blood of my servants^(H) the prophets and the blood of all the Lord’s servants shed by Jezebel.^(I) ⁸The whole house^(J) of Ahab will perish. I will cut off from Ahab every last male^(K) in Israel—slave or free.^[a] ⁹I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam^(L) son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha^(M) son of Ahijah. ¹⁰As for Jezebel, dogs^(N) will devour her on the plot of ground at Jezreel, and no one will bury her.’” Then he opened the door and ran.

¹¹When Jehu went out to his fellow officers, one of them asked him, “Is everything all right? Why did this maniac^(O) come to you?”

“You know the man and the sort of things he says,” Jehu replied.

¹²“That’s not true!” they said. “Tell us.”

Jehu said, “Here is what he told me: ‘This is what the Lord says: I anoint you king over Israel.’”

¹³They quickly took their cloaks and spread^(P) them under him on the bare steps. Then they blew the trumpet^(Q) and shouted, “Jehu is king!”

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Footnotes

2 Kings 9:8 Or Israel—every ruler or leader

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

New International Version

Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom

¹⁸For the message of the cross is foolishness^(A) to those who are perishing,^(B) but to us who are being saved^(C) it is the power of God.^(D) ¹⁹For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”^[a]^(E)

²⁰Where is the wise person?^(F) Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age?^(G) Has not God made foolish^(H) the wisdom of the world? ²¹For since in the wisdom of God the world^(I) through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save^(J) those who believe.^(K) ²²Jews demand signs^(L) and Greeks look for wisdom, ²³but we preach Christ crucified:^(M) a stumbling block^(N) to Jews and foolishness^(O) to Gentiles, ²⁴but to those whom God has called,^(P) both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God^(Q) and the wisdom of God.^(R) ²⁵For the foolishness^(S) of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness^(T) of God is stronger than human strength.

²⁶Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called.^(U) Not many of you were wise^(V) by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷But God chose^(W) the foolish^(X) things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not^(Y)—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹so that no one may boast before him.^(Z) ³⁰It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus,^(AA) who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness,^(AB) holiness^(AC) and redemption.^(AD) ³¹Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”^[b]^(AE)