1 Samuel 16:1-7

New International Version

Samuel Anoints David

16 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn^(A) for Saul, since I have rejected^(B) him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil^(C) and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse^(D) of Bethlehem. I have chosen^(E) one of his sons to be king.”

²But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”

The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ ³Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show^(F) you what to do. You are to anoint^(G) for me the one I indicate.”

⁴Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem,^(H) the elders of the town trembled^(I) when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?^(J)”

⁵Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate^(K) yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

⁶When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab^(L) and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”

⁷But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance,^(M) but the Lord looks at the heart.”^(N)

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Psalm 139

New International Version

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

¹You have searched me,^(A) Lord,
    and you know^(B) me.
²You know when I sit and when I rise;^(C)
    you perceive my thoughts^(D) from afar.
³You discern my going out^(E) and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.^(F)
⁴Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.^(G)
⁵You hem me in^(H) behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,^(I)
    too lofty^(J) for me to attain.

⁷Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee^(K) from your presence?
⁸If I go up to the heavens,^(L) you are there;
    if I make my bed^(M) in the depths, you are there.
⁹If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰even there your hand will guide me,^(N)
    your right hand^(O) will hold me fast.
¹¹If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
¹²even the darkness will not be dark^(P) to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

¹³For you created my inmost being;^(Q)
    you knit me together^(R) in my mother’s womb.^(S)
¹⁴I praise you^(T) because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,^(U)
    I know that full well.
¹⁵My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made^(V) in the secret place,
    when I was woven together^(W) in the depths of the earth.^(X)
¹⁶Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained^(Y) for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
¹⁷How precious to me are your thoughts,^[a]^(Z) God!^(AA)
    How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸Were I to count them,^(AB)
    they would outnumber the grains of sand^(AC)—
    when I awake,^(AD) I am still with you.

¹⁹If only you, God, would slay the wicked!^(AE)
    Away from me,^(AF) you who are bloodthirsty!^(AG)
²⁰They speak of you with evil intent;
    your adversaries^(AH) misuse your name.^(AI)
²¹Do I not hate those^(AJ) who hate you, Lord,
    and abhor^(AK) those who are in rebellion against you?
²²I have nothing but hatred for them;
    I count them my enemies.^(AL)
²³Search me,^(AM) God, and know my heart;^(AN)
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴See if there is any offensive way^(AO) in me,
    and lead me^(AP) in the way everlasting.