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who plan evil things in their minds
    and stir up wars continually.(A)

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They stir up strife; they lurk;
    they watch my steps,
as they hoped to take my life.(A)

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They plot mischief while on their beds;
    they are set on a way that is not good;
    they do not reject evil.(A)

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Social Evils Denounced

Woe to those who devise wickedness
    and evil deeds[a] on their beds!
When the morning dawns, they perform it,
    because it is in their power.(A)
They covet fields and seize them,
    houses and take them away;
they oppress householder and house,
    people and their inheritance.(B)
Therefore thus says the Lord:
Now, I am devising against this family an evil
    from which you cannot remove your necks,
and you shall not walk arrogantly,
    for it will be an evil time.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 2.1 Cn: Heb work evil

They hold fast to their evil purpose;
    they talk of laying snares secretly,
thinking, “Who can see us?[a](A)
    Who can search out our crimes?[b]
We have thought out a cunningly conceived plot.”
    For the human heart and mind are deep.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 64.5 Syr Jerome: Heb them
  2. 64.6 Cn: Heb They search out crimes

11 From you one has gone out
    who plots evil against the Lord,
    one who counsels wickedness.(A)

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For they are kindled[a] like an oven; their heart burns within them;
    all night their anger smolders;
    in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.

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Footnotes

  1. 7.6 Gk Syr: Heb brought near

20 Deceit is in the mind of those who plan evil,
    but those who counsel peace have joy.(A)

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I am for peace,
    but when I speak,
    they are for war.

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How long will you assail a person,
    will you batter your victim, all of you,
    as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence?(A)

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12 Those who seek my life lay their snares;
    those who seek to hurt me speak of ruin
    and meditate on treachery all day long.(A)

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11 If they plan evil against you,
    if they devise mischief, they will not succeed.(A)

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Psalm 2

God’s Promise to His Anointed

Why do the nations conspire
    and the peoples plot in vain?(A)
The kings of the earth set themselves,
    and the rulers take counsel together,
    against the Lord and his anointed, saying,(B)

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David Spares Saul’s Life a Second Time

26 Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “David is in hiding on the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite Jeshimon.”[a](A) So Saul rose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, with three thousand chosen men of Israel, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.(B) Saul encamped on the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite Jeshimon,[b] beside the road. But David remained in the wilderness. When he learned that Saul had come after him into the wilderness, David sent out spies and learned that Saul had indeed arrived. Then David set out and came to the place where Saul had encamped, and David saw the place where Saul lay, with Abner son of Ner, the commander of his army. Saul was lying within the encampment, while the army was encamped around him.(C)

Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, “Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?” Abishai said, “I will go down with you.”(D) So David and Abishai went to the army by night; there Saul lay sleeping within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the army lay around him. Abishai said to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand today; now, therefore, let me pin him to the ground with one stroke of the spear; I will not strike him twice.” But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can raise his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?”(E) 10 David said, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will strike him down, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish.(F) 11 The Lord forbid that I should raise my hand against the Lord’s anointed, but now take the spear that is at his head and the water jar, and let us go.”(G) 12 So David took the spear that was at Saul’s head and the water jar, and they went away. No one saw it or knew it, nor did anyone awake, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them.(H)

13 Then David went over to the other side and stood on top of a hill far away, with a great distance between them. 14 David called to the army and to Abner son of Ner, saying, “Abner! Will you not answer?” Then Abner replied, “Who are you who calls to the king?” 15 David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy your lord the king. 16 This thing that you have done is not good. As the Lord lives, you deserve to die because you have not kept watch over your lord, the Lord’s anointed. See now, where is the king’s spear or the water jar that was at his head?”

17 Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.”(I) 18 And he added, “Why does my lord pursue his servant? For what have I done? What guilt is on my hands?(J) 19 Now, therefore, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is the Lord who has stirred you up against me, may he accept an offering, but if it is mortals, may they be cursed before the Lord, for they have driven me out today from my share in the heritage of the Lord, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’(K) 20 Now therefore, do not let my blood fall to the ground away from the presence of the Lord, for the king of Israel has come out to seek a single flea, like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.”(L)

21 Then Saul said, “I have done wrong; come back, my son David, for I will never harm you again, because my life was precious in your sight today; I have been a fool and have made a great mistake.”(M) 22 David replied, “Here is the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and get it.(N) 23 The Lord rewards everyone for his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the Lord gave you into my hand today, but I would not raise my hand against the Lord’s anointed. 24 As your life was precious today in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the Lord, and may he rescue me from all tribulation.”(O) 25 Then Saul said to David, “Blessed be you, my son David! You will do many things and will succeed in them.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.

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Footnotes

  1. 26.1 Or opposite the wasteland
  2. 26.3 Or opposite the wasteland

11 See, my father, see the corner of your cloak in my hand, for by the fact that I cut off the corner of your cloak and did not kill you, you may know for certain that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you are hunting me to take my life.(A) 12 May the Lord judge between me and you! May the Lord avenge me on you, but my hand shall not be against you.(B)

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19 Then some Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “David is hiding among us in the strongholds of Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of Jeshimon.(A) 20 Now, O king, whenever you wish to come down, do so, and our part will be to surrender him into the king’s hand.”(B) 21 Saul said, “May you be blessed by the Lord for showing me compassion!(C) 22 Go and make sure once more; find out exactly where he is and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is very cunning. 23 Look around and learn all the hiding places where he lurks and come back to me with sure information. Then I will go with you, and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.” 24 So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul.

David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon.(D)

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