³³ who through faith conquered kingdoms,^(A) administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,^(B)

Psalm 144

Of David.

⁵ Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother. As they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring toward him. ⁶ The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him^(A) so that he tore the lion apart^(B) with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done.

⁴ By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended^(A) as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings.^(B) And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.^(C)

⁵ By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.”^[a](D) For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. ⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him^(E) must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

⁷ By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen,^(F) in holy fear built an ark^(G) to save his family.^(H) By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.^(I)

⁸ By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance,^(J) obeyed and went,^(K) even though he did not know where he was going.

³⁶ You need to persevere^(A) so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.^(B)

¹² We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate^(A) those who through faith and patience^(B) inherit what has been promised.^(C)

The Certainty of God’s Promise

¹³ When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,^{(D) 14} saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”^{[a](E) 15} And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.^(F)

¹⁶ The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed.^(A) Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,”^[a](B) meaning one person, who is Christ.

²⁰ When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”^(A)

²¹ Daniel answered, “May the king live forever!^{(B) 22} My God sent his angel,^(C) and he shut the mouths of the lions.^(D) They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight.^(E) Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”

²³ The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound^(F) was found on him, because he had trusted^(G) in his God.

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

David Conquers Jerusalem^(E)(F)

⁶ The king and his men marched to Jerusalem^(G) to attack the Jebusites,^(H) who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.” They thought, “David cannot get in here.” ⁷ Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion^(I)—which is the City of David.^(J)

⁸ On that day David had said, “Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft^(K) to reach those ‘lame and blind’^(L) who are David’s enemies.^[a]” That is why they say, “The ‘blind and lame’ will not enter the palace.”

⁹ David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces^[b](M) inward. ¹⁰ And he became more and more powerful,^(N) because the Lord God Almighty^(O) was with him.^(P)

¹¹ Now Hiram^(Q) king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. ¹² Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom^(R) for the sake of his people Israel.

¹³ After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives^(S) in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. ¹⁴ These are the names of the children born to him there:^(T) Shammua, Shobab, Nathan,^(U) Solomon, ¹⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, ¹⁶ Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.

David Defeats the Philistines^(V)

¹⁷ When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.^{(W) 18} Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim;^{(X) 19} so David inquired^(Y) of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”

The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.”

²⁰ So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal Perazim.^{[c](Z) 21} The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.^(AA)

²² Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; ²³ so David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. ²⁴ As soon as you hear the sound^(AB) of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front^(AC) of you to strike the Philistine army.” ²⁵ So David did as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines^(AD) all the way from Gibeon^[d](AE) to Gezer.^(AF)