Chronological
David’s Song of Deliverance(A)
22 David sang this song to Yahweh when Yahweh rescued him from all his enemies, especially from Saul. 2 He said,
Yahweh is my rock and my Metsuda and my Savior,
3 my Elohim, my rock in whom I take refuge, my Magen,
the strength of my salvation, my stronghold,
my refuge, and my Savior who saved me from violence.
4 Yahweh should be praised.
I called on him, and I was saved from my enemies.
5 The waves of death had surrounded me.
The torrents of destruction had overwhelmed me.
6 The ropes of the grave had surrounded me.
The clutches of death had confronted me.
7 I called on Yahweh in my distress.
I called to my Elohim for help.
He heard my voice from his temple,
and my cry for help reached his ears.
8 Then the earth shook and quaked.
Even the foundations of the heavens trembled.
They shook violently because he was angry.
9 Smoke went up from his nostrils,
and a raging fire came out of his mouth.
Glowing coals flared up from it.
10 He spread apart the heavens
and came down with a dark cloud under his feet.
11 He rode on one of the angels[a] as he flew,
and he soared on the wings of the wind.
12 He surrounded himself with darkness.
He made the dark rain clouds his covering.
13 Out of the brightness in front of him, he made lightning.
14 Yahweh thundered from heaven.
The Elyon made his voice heard.
15 He shot arrows and scattered them.
He flashed streaks of lightning and threw them into confusion.
16 Then the ocean floor could be seen.
The foundations of the earth were laid bare
at Yahweh’s stern warning,
at the blast of the breath from his nostrils.
17 He reached down from high above and took hold of me.
He pulled me out of the raging water.
18 He rescued me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me,
because they were too strong for me.
19 On the day when I faced disaster, they confronted me,
but Yahweh became my defense.
20 He brought me out to a wide-open place.
He rescued me because he was pleased with me.
21 Yahweh rewarded me
because of my righteousness,
because my hands are clean.
He paid me back
22 because I have kept the ways of Yahweh
and I have not wickedly turned away from my Elohim,
23 because all his judgments are in front of me
and I have not turned away from his laws.
24 I was innocent as far as he was concerned.
I have kept myself from guilt.
25 Yahweh paid me back
because of my righteousness,
because he can see that I am clean.
26 In dealing with faithful people you are faithful,
with innocent warriors you are innocent,
27 with pure people you are pure.
In dealing with devious people you are clever.
28 You save humble people,
but your eyes bring down arrogant people.
29 O Yahweh, you are my lamp.
Yahweh turns my darkness into light.
30 With you I can attack a line of soldiers.
With my Elohim I can break through barricades.
31 Elohim’s way is perfect!
The promise of Yahweh has proven to be true.
He is a Magen to all those who take refuge in him.
32 Who is Elohim but Yahweh?
Who is a rock other than our Elohim?
33 El arms me with strength.[b]
His perfect way sets me free.
34 He makes my feet like those of a deer
and gives me sure footing on high places.
35 He trains my hands for battle
so that my arms can bend an archer’s bow of bronze.
36 You have given me the shield of your salvation.
Your help makes me great.
37 You make a wide path for me to walk on
so that my feet do not slip.
38 I chased my enemies and destroyed them.
I did not return until I had ended their lives.
39 I ended their lives by shattering them.
They were unable to get up.
They fell under my feet.
40 You armed me with strength for battle.
You made my opponents bow at my feet.
41 You made my enemies turn their backs to me,
and I destroyed those who hated me.
42 They looked, but there was no one to save them.
They looked to Yahweh, but he did not answer them.
43 I beat them into a powder as fine as the dust on the ground.
I crushed them and stomped on them like the dirt on the streets.
44 You rescued me from my conflicts with my people.
You kept me as the leader of nations.
A people I did not know will serve me.
45 Foreigners will cringe in front of me.
As soon as they hear of me, they will obey me.
46 Foreigners will lose heart,
although they are armed[c] in their fortifications.
47 Yahweh lives!
Thanks be to my rock!
May Elohim, the rock of my salvation, be glorified.
48 El gives me vengeance!
He brings people under my authority.
49 He frees me from my enemies.
You lift me up above my opponents.
You rescue me from violent people.
50 That is why I will give thanks to you, O Yahweh, among the nations
and make music to praise your name.
51 He gives great victories to his king.
He shows mercy to his anointed,
to David, and to his descendant[d] forever.
David’s Last Words
23 These are the last words of David:
“Here is the declaration by David, son of Jesse—
the declaration by the man whom El raised up,[e]
whom the Elohim of Jacob anointed,
the singer of Israel’s psalms:
2 “The Ruach Yahweh spoke through me.
His words were on my tongue.
3 The Elohim of Israel spoke to them.
The rock of Israel told me,
‘The one who rules humans with justice rules with the fear of Elohim.
4 He is like the morning light as the sun rises,
like a morning without clouds,
like the brightness after a rainstorm.
The rain makes the grass grow from the earth.’
5 “Truly, El considers my house to be that way,
because he has made a lasting promise[f] to me,
with every detail arranged and assured.
He promised everything that helps me,
everything that pleases me.
Truly, he makes these things happen.
6 “Worthless people are like thorns.
All of them are thrown away, because they cannot be picked by hand.
7 A person who touches them uses iron tools
or the shaft of a spear.
Fire[g] will burn them up completely wherever they are.”
David’s Three Fighting Men(B)
8 These are the names of David’s fighting men: Josheb Basshebeth from Tahkemon’s family was leader of the three. He used a spear[h] to kill 800 men on one occasion.
9 Next in rank to him was Eleazar, another one of the three fighting men. He was the son of Dodo and grandson of Aho. Eleazar was with David at Pas Dammim[i] when the Philistines gathered there for battle. When the soldiers from Israel retreated, 10 he attacked and killed Philistines until his hand got tired and stuck to his sword. So Yahweh won an impressive victory that day. The army returned to Eleazar, but they only returned to strip the dead.
11 Next in rank to him was Shammah, the son of Agee from Harar. The Philistines had gathered at Lehi, where there was a field of ripe lentils. When the troops fled from the Philistines, 12 he stood in the middle of the field and defended it by killing Philistines. So Yahweh won an impressive victory.
13 At harvest time three of the thirty leading men came to David at the cave of Adullam when a troop from the Philistine army was camping in the valley of Rephaim. 14 While David was in the fortified camp, Philistine troops were at Bethlehem. 15 When David became thirsty, he said, “I wish I could have a drink of water from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem.” 16 So the three fighting men burst into the Philistine camp and drew water from the well. They brought it to David, but he refused to drink it. He poured it out as an offering to Yahweh and said, 17 “It’s unthinkable that I would do this, Yahweh. This is the blood of men who risked their lives!” So he refused to drink it.
These are the things which the three fighting men did.
David’s Thirty Fighting Men(C)
18 Joab’s brother Abishai, Zeruiah’s son, was the leader of the thirty. He used his spear to kill 300 men. He was as famous as the three 19 and was honored more than they were. So he became their captain, but he didn’t become a member of the three.
20 Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was from Kabzeel and was a brave man who did many things. He killed two distinguished soldiers from Moab. He also went into a pit and killed a lion on the day it snowed. 21 And he killed a handsome Egyptian. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand. Benaiah went to him with a club, grabbed the spear from him, and killed him with it. 22 These are the things that Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, did. He was as famous as the three fighting men. 23 He was honored more than the thirty, but he was not a member of the three. David put him in charge of his bodyguards.
24 One of the thirty was Joab’s brother Asahel. The thirty leading men were
Elhanan (son of Dodo) from Bethlehem,
25 Shammah from Harod,
Elika from Harod,
26 Helez the Paltite,
Ira (son of Ikkesh) from Tekoa,
27 Abiezer from Anathoth,
Mebunnai (son of Hushai),
28 Zalmon (descendant of Ahohi),
Maharai from Netophah,
29 Heleb (son of Baanah) from Netophah,
Ittai (son of Ribai) from Gibeah in Benjamin,
30 Benaiah from Pirathon,
Hiddai from the Gaash ravines,
31 Abi Albon from Beth Arabah,
Azmaveth from Bahurim,
32 Elihba from Shaalbon,
Bene Jashen,
33 Jonathan (son of Shammah the Hararite),
Ahiam (son of Sharar the Hararite),
34 Eliphelet (son of Ahasbai and grandson of a man from Maacah),
Eliam (son of Ahithophel) from Gilo,
35 Hezrai from Carmel,
Paarai from Arabah,
36 Igal (son of Nathan) from Zobah,
Bani from the tribe of Gad,
37 Zelek from Ammon,
Naharai from Beeroth, armorbearer for Zeruiah’s son Joab,
38 Ira (descendant of Ithra),
Gareb (descendant of Ithra),
39 Uriah the Hittite—
37 in all.
Psalm 57
For the choir director; al tashcheth;[a] a miktam by David when he fled from Saul into the cave.
1 Have pity on me, O Elohim. Have pity on me,
because my soul takes refuge in you.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until destructive storms pass by.
2 I call to Elohim Elyon,
to El who does everything for me.
3 He sends his help from heaven and saves me.
He disgraces the one who is harassing me. Selah
Elohim sends his mercy and his truth!
4 My soul is surrounded by lions.
I must lie down with man-eating lions.
Their teeth are spears and arrows.
Their tongues are sharp swords.
5 May you be honored above the heavens, O Elohim.
Let your glory extend over the whole earth.
6 My enemies spread out a net to catch me.
(My soul is bowed down.)[b]
They dug a pit to trap me,
but then they fell into it. Selah
7 My heart is confident, O Elohim.
My heart is confident.
I want to sing and make music.[c]
8 Wake up, my soul![d]
Wake up, harp and lyre!
I want to wake up at dawn.
9 I want to give thanks to you among the people, O Adonay.
I want to make music to praise you among the nations
10 because your mercy is as high as the heavens.
Your truth reaches the skies.
11 May you be honored above the heavens, O Elohim.
Let your glory extend over the whole earth.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.