David’s Four Hundred Men(A)

22 David therefore departed from there and (B)escaped (C)to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him.

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David at Adullam and Mizpah

22 David left Gath and escaped to the cave(A) of Adullam.(B) When his brothers and his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there.

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Prayer for Safety from Enemies(A)

To the Chief Musician. Set to [a]“Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David (B)when he fled from Saul into the cave.

57 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!
For my soul trusts in You;
(C)And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge,
(D)Until these calamities have passed by.

I will cry out to God Most High,
To God (E)who performs all things for me.
(F)He shall send from heaven and save me;
He reproaches the one who [b]would swallow me up. Selah
God (G)shall send forth His mercy and His truth.

My soul is among lions;
I lie among the sons of men
Who are set on fire,
(H)Whose teeth are spears and arrows,
And their tongue a sharp sword.
(I)Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.

(J)They have prepared a net for my steps;
My soul is bowed down;
They have dug a pit before me;
Into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. Selah

(K)My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and give praise.
Awake, (L)my glory!
Awake, lute and harp!
I will awaken the dawn.

(M)I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing to You among the [c]nations.
10 (N)For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens,
And Your truth unto the clouds.

11 (O)Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 57:1 Heb. Al Tashcheth
  2. Psalm 57:3 snaps at or hounds me, or crushes me
  3. Psalm 57:9 Gentiles

Psalm 57[a](A)

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[b] When he had fled from Saul into the cave.(B)

Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
    for in you I take refuge.(C)
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings(D)
    until the disaster has passed.(E)

I cry out to God Most High,
    to God, who vindicates me.(F)
He sends from heaven and saves me,(G)
    rebuking those who hotly pursue me—[c](H)
    God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.(I)

I am in the midst of lions;(J)
    I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
    whose tongues are sharp swords.(K)

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
    let your glory be over all the earth.(L)

They spread a net for my feet(M)
    I was bowed down(N) in distress.
They dug a pit(O) in my path—
    but they have fallen into it themselves.(P)

My heart, O God, is steadfast,
    my heart is steadfast;(Q)
    I will sing and make music.
Awake, my soul!
    Awake, harp and lyre!(R)
    I will awaken the dawn.

I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
    I will sing of you among the peoples.
10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
    your faithfulness reaches to the skies.(S)

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;(T)
    let your glory be over all the earth.(U)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 57:1 In Hebrew texts 57:1-11 is numbered 57:2-12.
  2. Psalm 57:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 57:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 6.

A Plea for Relief from Persecutors

A (A)Contemplation[a] of David. A Prayer (B)when he was in the cave.

142 I cry out to the Lord with my voice;
With my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.
I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare before Him my trouble.

When my spirit [b]was (C)overwhelmed within me,
Then You knew my path.
In the way in which I walk
They have secretly (D)set a snare for me.
Look on my right hand and see,
For there is no one who acknowledges me;
Refuge has failed me;
No one cares for my soul.

I cried out to You, O Lord:
I said, “You are my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.
[c]Attend to my cry,
For I am brought very low;
Deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are stronger than I.
Bring my soul out of prison,
That I may (E)praise Your name;
The righteous shall surround me,
For You shall deal bountifully with me.”

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 142:1 Heb. Maschil
  2. Psalm 142:3 Lit. fainted
  3. Psalm 142:6 Give heed

Psalm 142[a]

A maskil[b] of David. When he was in the cave.(A) A prayer.

I cry aloud(B) to the Lord;
    I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.(C)
I pour out before him my complaint;(D)
    before him I tell my trouble.(E)

When my spirit grows faint(F) within me,
    it is you who watch over my way.
In the path where I walk
    people have hidden a snare for me.
Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;
    no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;(G)
    no one cares(H) for my life.

I cry to you, Lord;
    I say, “You are my refuge,(I)
    my portion(J) in the land of the living.”(K)

Listen to my cry,(L)
    for I am in desperate need;(M)
rescue me(N) from those who pursue me,
    for they are too strong(O) for me.
Set me free from my prison,(P)
    that I may praise your name.(Q)
Then the righteous will gather about me
    because of your goodness to me.(R)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 142:1 In Hebrew texts 142:1-7 is numbered 142:2-8.
  2. Psalm 142:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term

15 Now three of the thirty chief men (A)went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines encamped (B)in the Valley of [a]Rephaim.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 11:15 Lit. Giants

15 Three of the thirty chiefs came down to David to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley(A) of Rephaim.

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38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, (A)in dens and caves of the earth.

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38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves(A) and in holes in the ground.

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15 I will yet bring an heir to you, O inhabitant of (A)Mareshah;[a]
The glory of Israel shall come to (B)Adullam.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Micah 1:15 Lit. Inheritance
  2. Micah 1:15 Lit. Refuge

15 I will bring a conqueror against you
    who live in Mareshah.[a](A)
The nobles of Israel
    will flee to Adullam.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Micah 1:15 Mareshah sounds like the Hebrew for conqueror.

The Happiness of Those Who Trust in God

A Psalm of David (A)when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.

34 I will (B)bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

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Psalm 34[a][b]

Of David. When he pretended to be insane(A) before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.

I will extol the Lord at all times;(B)
    his praise will always be on my lips.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 34:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  2. Psalm 34:1 In Hebrew texts 34:1-22 is numbered 34:2-23.

David Flees to Gath

10 Then David arose and fled that day from before Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11 And (A)the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of him to one another in dances, saying:

(B)‘Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands’?”

12 Now David (C)took these words [a]to heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 So (D)he changed his behavior before them, pretended [b]madness in their hands, [c]scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva fall down on his beard. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is insane. Why have you brought him to me? 15 Have I need of madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 21:12 Lit. in his heart
  2. 1 Samuel 21:13 insanity
  3. 1 Samuel 21:13 scribbled

David at Gath

10 That day David fled from Saul and went(A) to Achish king of Gath. 11 But the servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one they sing about in their dances:

“‘Saul has slain his thousands,
    and David his tens of thousands’?”(B)

12 David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath. 13 So he pretended to be insane(C) in their presence; and while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard.

14 Achish said to his servants, “Look at the man! He is insane! Why bring him to me? 15 Am I so short of madmen that you have to bring this fellow here to carry on like this in front of me? Must this man come into my house?”

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For behold, the Lord is coming out of His place;
He will come down
And tread on the high places of the earth.

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Judgment Against Samaria and Jerusalem

Look! The Lord is coming from his dwelling(A) place;
    he comes down(B) and treads on the heights of the earth.(C)

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13 Then (A)three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at (B)the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in (C)the Valley of Rephaim. 14 David was then in (D)the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

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13 During harvest time, three of the thirty chief warriors came down to David at the cave of Adullam,(A) while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.(B) 14 At that time David was in the stronghold,(C) and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.(D)

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35 Jarmuth, (A)Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,

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35 Jarmuth,(A) Adullam,(B) Sokoh,(C) Azekah,(D)

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15 (A)the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;

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15 the king of Libnah(A)one
the king of Adullam(B)one
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