³³ who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, ^(A)stopped the mouths of lions,

A Song to the Lord Who Preserves and Prospers His People

A Psalm of David.

⁵ So Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother, and came to the vineyards of Timnah.

Now to his surprise, a young lion came roaring against him. ⁶ And ^(A)the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.

Faith at the Dawn of History^(A)

⁴ By faith ^(B)Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still ^(C)speaks.

⁵ By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, ^(D)“and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. ⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

⁷ By faith ^(E)Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, ^(F)prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of ^(G)the righteousness which is according to faith.

Faithful Abraham^(H)

⁸ By faith ^(I)Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

^36 (A)For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, ^(B)you may receive the promise:

¹² that you do not become ^[a]sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience ^(A)inherit the promises.

God’s Infallible Purpose in Christ

¹³ For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, ^(B)He swore by Himself, ¹⁴ saying, ^(C)“Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” ¹⁵ And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the ^(D)promise.

¹⁶ Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of ^(A)one, ^(B)“And to your Seed,” who is ^(C)Christ.

²⁰ And when he came to the den, he cried out with a ^[a]lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, ^(A)has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”

²¹ Then Daniel said to the king, ^(B)“O king, live forever! ^22 (C)My God sent His angel and ^(D)shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.”

²³ Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, ^(E)because he believed in his God.

⁴ David was ^(A)thirty years old when he began to reign, and ^(B)he reigned forty years. ⁵ In Hebron he reigned over Judah ^(C)seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

The Conquest of Jerusalem^(D)

^6 (E)And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against ^(F)the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, “You shall not come in here; but the blind and the lame will repel you,” thinking, “David cannot come in here.” ⁷ Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion ^(G)(that is, the City of David).

⁸ Now David said on that day, “Whoever climbs up by way of the water shaft and defeats the Jebusites (the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul), ^(H)he shall be chief and captain.” Therefore they say, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.”

⁹ Then David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it ^(I)the City of David. And David built all around from ^[a]the Millo and inward. ¹⁰ So David went on and became great, and ^(J)the Lord God of hosts was with ^(K)him.

¹¹ Then ^(L)Hiram ^(M)king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters and masons. And they built David a house. ¹² So David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that He had ^(N)exalted His kingdom ^(O)for the sake of His people Israel.

¹³ And ^(P)David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron. Also more sons and daughters were born to David. ¹⁴ Now ^(Q)these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: ^[b]Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, ^(R)Solomon, ¹⁵ Ibhar, ^[c]Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, ¹⁶ Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

The Philistines Defeated^(S)

^17 (T)Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it ^(U)and went down to the stronghold. ¹⁸ The Philistines also went and deployed themselves in ^(V)the Valley of Rephaim. ¹⁹ So David ^(W)inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?”

And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand.”

²⁰ So David went to ^(X)Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there; and he said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water.” Therefore he called the name of that place ^[d]Baal Perazim. ²¹ And they left their ^[e]images there, and David and his men ^(Y)carried them away.

^22 (Z)Then the Philistines went up once again and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. ²³ Therefore ^(AA)David inquired of the Lord, and He said, “You shall not go up; circle around behind them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. ²⁴ And it shall be, when you ^(AB)hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then ^(AC)the Lord will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” ²⁵ And David did so, as the Lord commanded him; and he drove back the Philistines from ^(AD)Geba^[f] as far as ^(AE)Gezer.