Psalm 29
English Standard Version
Ascribe to the Lord Glory
A Psalm of David.
29 Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,[a]
(A)ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord in (B)the splendor of holiness.[b]
3 The voice of the Lord is over (C)the waters;
the God of glory (D)thunders,
the Lord, over many waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is (E)powerful;
the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks (F)the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon to (G)skip like a calf,
and (H)Sirion like a young (I)wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
the Lord shakes the wilderness of (J)Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord makes (K)the deer give birth[c]
and strips the forests bare,
and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
10 The Lord sits enthroned over (L)the flood;
the Lord sits enthroned (M)as king forever.
11 May the Lord give (N)strength to his people!
May the Lord bless[d] his people with (O)peace!
Footnotes
- Psalm 29:1 Hebrew sons of God, or sons of might
- Psalm 29:2 Or in holy attire
- Psalm 29:9 Revocalization yields makes the oaks to shake
- Psalm 29:11 Or The Lord will give… The Lord will bless
Psalm 33
English Standard Version
The Steadfast Love of the Lord
33 (A)Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous!
(B)Praise befits the upright.
2 Give thanks to the Lord with the (C)lyre;
make melody to him with (D)the harp of (E)ten strings!
3 Sing to him (F)a new song;
play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
4 For the word of the Lord is upright,
and all his work is done in (G)faithfulness.
5 He (H)loves righteousness and justice;
(I)the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.
6 By (J)the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
and by (K)the breath of his mouth all (L)their host.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea as (M)a heap;
he (N)puts the deeps in storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the Lord;
let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!
9 For (O)he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.
10 The Lord (P)brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
11 (Q)The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
the plans of his heart to all generations.
12 (R)Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people whom he has (S)chosen as his heritage!
13 The Lord (T)looks down from heaven;
he sees all the children of man;
14 from (U)where he sits enthroned he (V)looks out
on all the inhabitants of the earth,
15 he who fashions the hearts of them all
and observes all their deeds.
16 (W)The king is not saved by his great army;
a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
17 (X)The war horse is a false hope for salvation,
and by its great might it cannot rescue.
Psalm 36
English Standard Version
How Precious Is Your Steadfast Love
To the choirmaster. Of David, the (A)servant of the Lord.
36 Transgression speaks to the wicked
deep in his heart;[a]
(B)there is no fear of God
before his eyes.
2 (C)For he flatters himself in his own eyes
that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
3 The words of his mouth are (D)trouble and deceit;
(E)he has ceased to act wisely and do good.
4 He (F)plots (G)trouble while on his bed;
he sets himself in (H)a way that is not good;
(I)he does not reject evil.
5 Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
6 (J)Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
(K)your judgments are like the great deep;
man and beast you (L)save, O Lord.
7 (M)How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge (N)in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on (O)the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from (P)the river of (Q)your delights.
9 For with you is (R)the fountain of life;
(S)in your light do we see light.
10 Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who (T)know you,
and your righteousness to (U)the upright of heart!
11 Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me,
nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12 There (V)the evildoers lie fallen;
they are thrust down, (W)unable to rise.
Footnotes
- Psalm 36:1 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Syriac, Jerome (compare Septuagint); most Hebrew manuscripts in my heart
Psalm 39
English Standard Version
What Is the Measure of My Days?
To the choirmaster: to (A)Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
39 I said, “I will (B)guard my ways,
that I (C)may not sin with my tongue;
I will (D)guard my mouth with a muzzle,
so long as the wicked are in my presence.”
2 I was (E)mute and silent;
I held my peace to no avail,
and my distress grew worse.
3 My (F)heart became hot within me.
As I mused, the fire burned;
then I spoke with my tongue:
4 “O Lord, (G)make me know my end
and what is the measure of my days;
let me know how fleeting I am!
5 Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,
and (H)my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely (I)all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah
6 Surely a man (J)goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nothing[a] they are in turmoil;
man (K)heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!
7 “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?
(L)My hope is in you.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions.
(M)Do not make me the scorn of the fool!
9 (N)I am mute; I do not open my mouth,
(O)for it is you who have done it.
10 (P)Remove your stroke from me;
I am spent by the hostility of your hand.
11 When you discipline a man
with (Q)rebukes for sin,
you (R)consume like a (S)moth what is dear to him;
(T)surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah
12 (U)“Hear my prayer, O Lord,
and give ear to my cry;
hold not your peace at my tears!
For I am (V)a sojourner with you,
(W)a guest, like all my fathers.
13 (X)Look away from me, that I may smile again,
(Y)before I depart and (Z)am no more!”
Footnotes
- Psalm 39:6 Hebrew Surely as a breath
2 Samuel 8-9
English Standard Version
David's Victories
8 (A)After this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and David took (B)Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.
2 (C)And he defeated Moab and he measured them with a line, making them lie down on the ground. Two lines he measured to be put to death, and one full line to be spared. And the Moabites (D)became servants to David and (E)brought tribute.
3 David also defeated (F)Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of (G)Zobah, as he went to restore his power at the river Euphrates. 4 (H)And David took from him 1,700 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David (I)hamstrung all the chariot horses but left enough for 100 chariots. 5 (J)And when the (K)Syrians of Damascus came to help (L)Hadadezer king of (M)Zobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians. 6 Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Syrians (N)became servants to David and brought tribute. (O)And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went. 7 And David took (P)the shields of gold that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 And from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took very much bronze.
9 When Toi king of (Q)Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer, 10 Toi sent his son Joram to King David, to ask about his health and to bless him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Hadadezer had often been at war with Toi. And Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold, and of bronze. 11 (R)These also King David dedicated to the Lord, together with the silver and gold that he dedicated from all the nations he subdued, 12 from Edom, (S)Moab, (T)the Ammonites, (U)the Philistines, (V)Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of (W)Zobah.
13 And David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down 18,000 Edomites in (X)the Valley of Salt. 14 Then he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, (Y)and all the Edomites became David's servants. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.
David's Officials
15 So David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people. 16 (Z)Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and (AA)Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder, 17 and (AB)Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and (AC)Seraiah was secretary, 18 and (AD)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over[a] the (AE)Cherethites and the Pelethites, and David's sons were priests.
David's Kindness to Mephibosheth
9 And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may (AF)show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” 2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was (AG)Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” 3 And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show (AH)the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of (AI)Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” 4 The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of (AJ)Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” 5 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. 6 And (AK)Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” 7 And David said to him, “Do not fear, (AL)for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and (AM)you shall eat at my table always.” 8 And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for (AN)a dead dog such as I?”
9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson. 10 And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master's grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's grandson (AO)shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had (AP)fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth (AQ)ate at David's[b] table, like one of the king's sons. 12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, (AR)whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba's house became Mephibosheth's servants. 13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for (AS)he ate always at the king's table. Now (AT)he was lame in both his feet.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 8:18 Compare 20:23, 1 Chronicles 18:17, Syriac, Targum, Vulgate; Hebrew lacks was over
- 2 Samuel 9:11 Septuagint; Hebrew my
1 Chronicles 18
English Standard Version
David Defeats His Enemies
18 (A)After this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Gath and its villages out of the hand of the Philistines.
2 And he defeated Moab, and the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute.
3 David also defeated (B)Hadadezer king of (C)Zobah-Hamath, as he went to set up his monument[a] at the river Euphrates. 4 And David took from him 1,000 chariots, (D)7,000 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but left enough for 100 chariots. 5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king (E)of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians. 6 Then David put garrisons[b] in Syria of Damascus, and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. And the Lord gave victory to David[c] wherever he went. 7 And David took the shields of gold that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 And from (F)Tibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David took a large amount of bronze. (G)With it Solomon made the bronze sea and the pillars and the vessels of bronze.
9 When (H)Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer, king (I)of Zobah, 10 he sent his son (J)Hadoram to King David, to ask about his health and to bless him because he had fought against (K)Hadadezer and defeated him; for (L)Hadadezer had often been at war with Tou. And he sent all sorts of articles of gold, of silver, and of bronze. 11 These also King David dedicated to the Lord, together with the silver and gold that he had carried off from all the nations, from (M)Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalek.
12 And (N)Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, killed 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 13 Then he put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became David's servants. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.
David's Administration
14 So David reigned over all Israel, and he administered justice and equity to all his people. 15 And (O)Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 16 (P)and Zadok the son of Ahitub and (Q)Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests; and (R)Shavsha was secretary; 17 and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were the (S)chief officials in the service of the king.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 18:3 Hebrew hand
- 1 Chronicles 18:6 Septuagint, Vulgate, 2 Samuel 8:6 (compare Syriac); Hebrew lacks garrisons
- 1 Chronicles 18:6 Hebrew the Lord saved David; also verse 13
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
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