Saturday
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2 Samuel 22
David’s Song of Praise
1David sang this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. 2He sang:
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
3my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.
He is my refuge, my savior,
the one who saves me from violence.
4I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and he saved me from my enemies.
5“The waves of death overwhelmed me;
floods of destruction swept over me.
6The grave wrapped its ropes around me;
death laid a trap in my path.
7But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
yes, I cried to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
my cry reached his ears.
8“Then the earth quaked and trembled.
The foundations of the heavens shook;
they quaked because of his anger.
9Smoke poured from his nostrils;
fierce flames leaped from his mouth.
Glowing coals blazed forth from him.
10He opened the heavens and came down;
dark storm clouds were beneath his feet.
11Mounted on a mighty angelic being, he flew,
soaring on the wings of the wind.
12He shrouded himself in darkness,
veiling his approach with dense rain clouds.
13A great brightness shone around him,
and burning coals blazed forth.
14The Lord thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
15He shot arrows and scattered his enemies;
his lightning flashed, and they were confused.
16Then at the command of the Lord,
at the blast of his breath,
the bottom of the sea could be seen,
and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.
17“He reached down from heaven and rescued me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
18He rescued me from my powerful enemies,
from those who hated me and were too strong for me.
19They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress,
but the Lord supported me.
20He led me to a place of safety;
he rescued me because he delights in me.
21The Lord rewarded me for doing right;
he restored me because of my innocence.
22For I have kept the ways of the Lord;
I have not turned from my God to follow evil.
23I have followed all his regulations;
I have never abandoned his decrees.
24I am blameless before God;
I have kept myself from sin.
25The Lord rewarded me for doing right.
He has seen my innocence.
26“To the faithful you show yourself faithful;
to those with integrity you show integrity.
27To the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.
28You rescue the humble,
but your eyes watch the proud and humiliate them.
29O Lord, you are my lamp.
The Lord lights up my darkness.
30In your strength I can crush an army;
with my God I can scale any wall.
31“God’s way is perfect.
All the Lord’s promises prove true.
He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.
32For who is God except the Lord?
Who but our God is a solid rock?
33God is my strong fortress,
and he makes my way perfect.
34He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
enabling me to stand on mountain heights.
35He trains my hands for battle;
he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.
36You have given me your shield of victory;
your help has made me great.
37You have made a wide path for my feet
to keep them from slipping.
38“I chased my enemies and destroyed them;
I did not stop until they were conquered.
39I consumed them;
I struck them down so they did not get up;
they fell beneath my feet.
40You have armed me with strength for the battle;
you have subdued my enemies under my feet.
41You placed my foot on their necks.
I have destroyed all who hated me.
42They looked for help, but no one came to their rescue.
They even cried to the Lord, but he refused to answer.
43I ground them as fine as the dust of the earth;
I trampled them in the gutter like dirt.
44“You gave me victory over my accusers.
You preserved me as the ruler over nations;
people I don’t even know now serve me.
45Foreign nations cringe before me;
as soon as they hear of me, they submit.
46They all lose their courage
and come trembling from their strongholds.
47“The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock!
May God, the Rock of my salvation, be exalted!
48He is the God who pays back those who harm me;
he brings down the nations under me
49and delivers me from my enemies.
You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies;
you save me from violent opponents.
50For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations;
I will sing praises to your name.
51You give great victories to your king;
you show unfailing love to your anointed,
to David and all his descendants forever.”
2 Samuel 23
David’s Last Words
1These are the last words of David:
“David, the son of Jesse, speaks—
David, the man who was raised up so high,
David, the man anointed by the God of Jacob,
David, the sweet psalmist of Israel.
2“The Spirit of the Lord speaks through me;
his words are upon my tongue.
3The God of Israel spoke.
The Rock of Israel said to me:
‘The one who rules righteously,
who rules in the fear of God,
4is like the light of morning at sunrise,
like a morning without clouds,
like the gleaming of the sun
on new grass after rain.’
5“Is it not my family God has chosen?
Yes, he has made an everlasting covenant with me.
His agreement is arranged and guaranteed in every detail.
He will ensure my safety and success.
6But the godless are like thorns to be thrown away,
for they tear the hand that touches them.
7One must use iron tools to chop them down;
they will be totally consumed by fire.”
David’s Mightiest Warriors
8These are the names of David’s mightiest warriors. The first was Jashobeam the Hacmonite, who was leader of the Three—the three mightiest warriors among David’s men. He once used his spear to kill 800 enemy warriors in a single battle.
9Next in rank among the Three was Eleazar son of Dodai, a descendant of Ahoah. Once Eleazar and David stood together against the Philistines when the entire Israelite army had fled. 10He killed Philistines until his hand was too tired to lift his sword, and the Lord gave him a great victory that day. The rest of the army did not return until it was time to collect the plunder!
11Next in rank was Shammah son of Agee from Harar. One time the Philistines gathered at Lehi and attacked the Israelites in a field full of lentils. The Israelite army fled, 12but Shammah held his ground in the middle of the field and beat back the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.
13Once during the harvest, when David was at the cave of Adullam, the Philistine army was camped in the valley of Rephaim. The Three (who were among the Thirty—an elite group among David’s fighting men) went down to meet him there. 14David was staying in the stronghold at the time, and a Philistine detachment had occupied the town of Bethlehem.
15David remarked longingly to his men, “Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem.” 16So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as an offering to the Lord. 17“The Lord forbid that I should drink this!” he exclaimed. “This water is as precious as the blood of these men who risked their lives to bring it to me.” So David did not drink it. These are examples of the exploits of the Three.
David’s Thirty Mighty Men
18Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, was the leader of the Thirty. He once used his spear to kill 300 enemy warriors in a single battle. It was by such feats that he became as famous as the Three. 19Abishai was the most famous of the Thirty and was their commander, though he was not one of the Three.
20There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two champions of Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it. 21Once, armed only with a club, he killed an imposing Egyptian warrior who was armed with a spear. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it. 22Deeds like these made Benaiah as famous as the Three mightiest warriors. 23He was more honored than the other members of the Thirty, though he was not one of the Three. And David made him captain of his bodyguard.
24Other members of the Thirty included:
Asahel, Joab’s brother;
Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem;
25Shammah from Harod;
Elika from Harod;
26Helez from Pelon;
Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa;
27Abiezer from Anathoth;
Sibbecai from Hushah;
28Zalmon from Ahoah;
Maharai from Netophah;
29Heled son of Baanah from Netophah;
Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah (in the land of Benjamin);
30Benaiah from Pirathon;
Hurai from Nahale-gaash;
31Abi-albon from Arabah;
Azmaveth from Bahurim;
32Eliahba from Shaalbon;
the sons of Jashen;
Jonathan 33son of Shagee from Harar;
Ahiam son of Sharar from Harar;
34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai from Maacah;
Eliam son of Ahithophel from Giloh;
35Hezro from Carmel;
Paarai from Arba;
36Igal son of Nathan from Zobah;
Bani from Gad;
37Zelek from Ammon;
Naharai from Beeroth, the armor bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah;
38Ira from Jattir;
Gareb from Jattir;
39Uriah the Hittite.
There were thirty-seven in all.
Which Scripture verse stood out to you today?
What observation did you have of that specific verse?
How will you apply that verse to your life?
What’s your prayer for today?
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