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23 Now these are the last words of David.

David the son of Jesse says,
    the man who was raised on high says,
    the anointed of the God of Jacob,
    the sweet psalmist of Israel:
“Yahweh’s Spirit spoke by me.
    His word was on my tongue.
The God of Israel said,
    the Rock of Israel spoke to me,
    ‘One who rules over men righteously,
    who rules in the fear of God,
shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun rises,
    a morning without clouds,
    when the tender grass springs out of the earth,
    through clear shining after rain.’
Isn’t my house so with God?
    Yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant,
    ordered in all things, and sure,
    for it is all my salvation and all my desire,
    although he doesn’t make it grow.
But all the ungodly will be as thorns to be thrust away,
    because they can’t be taken with the hand.
The man who touches them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear.
They will be utterly burned with fire in their place.”

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David’s Oracle

23 This was David’s last composition:

The oracle of David, son of Jesse,
    an oracle by the valiant one who was exalted—
anointed by the God of Jacob,
    the contented psalm writer of Israel.

The Spirit of the Lord speaks within[a] me;
    his word is on my tongue!
The God of Israel has spoken;
    the Rock of Israel has talked to me.
“When one is governing men justly,
    he fears God while governing.
He is like dawn’s first[b] light,
    like bright sun blazing on a cloudless morning,
        glistening on grassland that flourishes after a rain shower.

Is not my dynasty[c] like this with God?
    Has he not made an eternal covenant with me,
        preparing every detail of it?
And he has made it secure,
    including my complete[d] salvation, has he not?
He has been of continual [e] help, has he not,
    even with respect to all of my desires?

But ungodly men[f] are like thorns that are discarded
    because they cannot be safely[g] handled.
Whoever handles them
    wears heavy duty clothing,[h]
carries strong tools,[i]
    and burns them to ashes on the spot![j]

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 23:2 Or through
  2. 2 Samuel 23:4 The Heb. lacks first
  3. 2 Samuel 23:5 Lit. house
  4. 2 Samuel 23:5 Lit. including all of my
  5. 2 Samuel 23:5 Lit. He has been all
  6. 2 Samuel 23:6 Lit. But Belial
  7. 2 Samuel 23:6 The Heb. lacks safely
  8. 2 Samuel 23:7 Lit. arms himself with iron
  9. 2 Samuel 23:7 Lit. and a spear shaft
  10. 2 Samuel 23:7 Lit. ashes where they sit