Psalm 54[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil[b] of David. When the Ziphites(A) had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”

Save me(B), O God, by your name;(C)
    vindicate me by your might.(D)
Hear my prayer, O God;(E)
    listen to the words of my mouth.

Arrogant foes are attacking me;(F)
    ruthless people(G) are trying to kill me(H)
    people without regard for God.[c](I)

Surely God is my help;(J)
    the Lord is the one who sustains me.(K)

Let evil recoil(L) on those who slander me;
    in your faithfulness(M) destroy them.

I will sacrifice a freewill offering(N) to you;
    I will praise(O) your name, Lord, for it is good.(P)
You have delivered me(Q) from all my troubles,
    and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.(R)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 54:1 In Hebrew texts 54:1-7 is numbered 54:3-9.
  2. Psalm 54:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 54:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

41 Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they were finishing their feast. On hearing the sound of the trumpet, Joab asked, “What’s the meaning of all the noise in the city?”(A)

42 Even as he was speaking, Jonathan(B) son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in. A worthy man like you must be bringing good news.”(C)

43 “Not at all!” Jonathan answered. “Our lord King David has made Solomon king. 44 The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites and the Pelethites, and they have put him on the king’s mule, 45 and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon. From there they have gone up cheering, and the city resounds(D) with it. That’s the noise you hear. 46 Moreover, Solomon has taken his seat(E) on the royal throne. 47 Also, the royal officials have come to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make Solomon’s name more famous than yours and his throne greater(F) than yours!’ And the king bowed in worship on his bed 48 and said, ‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has allowed my eyes to see a successor(G) on my throne today.’”

49 At this, all Adonijah’s guests rose in alarm and dispersed. 50 But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, went and took hold of the horns(H) of the altar. 51 Then Solomon was told, “Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon and is clinging to the horns of the altar. He says, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’”

52 Solomon replied, “If he shows himself to be worthy, not a hair(I) of his head will fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, he will die.” 53 Then King Solomon sent men, and they brought him down from the altar. And Adonijah came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon said, “Go to your home.”

David’s Charge to Solomon(J)

When the time drew near for David to die,(K) he gave a charge to Solomon his son.

“I am about to go the way of all the earth,”(L) he said. “So be strong,(M) act like a man, and observe(N) what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper(O) in all you do and wherever you go and that the Lord may keep his promise(P) to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully(Q) before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’

“Now you yourself know what Joab(R) son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner(S) son of Ner and Amasa(T) son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet. Deal with him according to your wisdom,(U) but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.

“But show kindness(V) to the sons of Barzillai(W) of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table.(X) They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.

“And remember, you have with you Shimei(Y) son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim.(Z) When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore(AA) to him by the Lord: ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’ But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom;(AB) you will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood.”

10 Then David rested with his ancestors and was buried(AC) in the City of David.(AD) 11 He had reigned(AE) forty years over Israel—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. 12 So Solomon sat on the throne(AF) of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.(AG)

24 At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind,(A) Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning(B) is driving you insane.”

25 “I am not insane, most excellent(C) Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. 26 The king is familiar with these things,(D) and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”

28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”(E)

29 Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”(F)

30 The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice(G) and those sitting with them. 31 After they left the room, they began saying to one another, “This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment.”(H)

32 Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free(I) if he had not appealed to Caesar.”(J)

Paul Sails for Rome

27 When it was decided that we(K) would sail for Italy,(L) Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment.(M) We boarded a ship from Adramyttium about to sail for ports along the coast of the province of Asia,(N) and we put out to sea. Aristarchus,(O) a Macedonian(P) from Thessalonica,(Q) was with us.

The next day we landed at Sidon;(R) and Julius, in kindness to Paul,(S) allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs.(T) From there we put out to sea again and passed to the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us.(U) When we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia(V) and Pamphylia,(W) we landed at Myra in Lycia. There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship(X) sailing for Italy(Y) and put us on board. We made slow headway for many days and had difficulty arriving off Cnidus. When the wind did not allow us to hold our course,(Z) we sailed to the lee of Crete,(AA) opposite Salmone. We moved along the coast with difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea.

28 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 29 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it[a] is near, right at the door. 30 Truly I tell you, this generation(A) will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.(B) 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.(C)

The Day and Hour Unknown

32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.(D) 33 Be on guard! Be alert[b]!(E) You do not know when that time will come. 34 It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants(F) in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

35 “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”(G)

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 13:29 Or he
  2. Mark 13:33 Some manuscripts alert and pray

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