Psalm 64[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint;(A)
    protect my life from the threat of the enemy.(B)

Hide me from the conspiracy(C) of the wicked,(D)
    from the plots of evildoers.
They sharpen their tongues like swords(E)
    and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.(F)
They shoot from ambush at the innocent;(G)
    they shoot suddenly, without fear.(H)

They encourage each other in evil plans,
    they talk about hiding their snares;(I)
    they say, “Who will see it[b]?”(J)
They plot injustice and say,
    “We have devised a perfect plan!”
    Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.

But God will shoot them with his arrows;
    they will suddenly be struck down.
He will turn their own tongues against them(K)
    and bring them to ruin;
    all who see them will shake their heads(L) in scorn.(M)
All people will fear;(N)
    they will proclaim the works of God
    and ponder what he has done.(O)

10 The righteous will rejoice in the Lord(P)
    and take refuge in him;(Q)
    all the upright in heart will glory in him!(R)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 64:1 In Hebrew texts 64:1-10 is numbered 64:2-11.
  2. Psalm 64:5 Or us

18 Pride(A) goes before destruction,
    a haughty spirit(B) before a fall.(C)

19 Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed
    than to share plunder with the proud.

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19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself;(A) he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son(B) and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these,(C) so that you will be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life,(D) even so the Son gives life(E) to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son,(F) 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.(G)

24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me(H) has eternal life(I) and will not be judged(J) but has crossed over from death to life.(K) 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come(L) when the dead will hear(M) the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life(N) in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge(O) because he is the Son of Man.

28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming(P) when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.(Q) 30 By myself I can do nothing;(R) I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just,(S) for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.(T)

Testimonies About Jesus

31 “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true.(U) 32 There is another who testifies in my favor,(V) and I know that his testimony about me is true.

33 “You have sent to John and he has testified(W) to the truth. 34 Not that I accept human testimony;(X) but I mention it that you may be saved.(Y) 35 John was a lamp that burned and gave light,(Z) and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.

36 “I have testimony weightier than that of John.(AA) For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing(AB)—testify that the Father has sent me.(AC) 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me.(AD) You have never heard his voice nor seen his form,(AE) 38 nor does his word dwell in you,(AF) for you do not believe(AG) the one he sent.(AH) 39 You study[a] the Scriptures(AI) diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life.(AJ) These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,(AK) 40 yet you refuse to come to me(AL) to have life.

41 “I do not accept glory from human beings,(AM) 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God[b]?(AN)

45 “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses,(AO) on whom your hopes are set.(AP) 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.(AQ) 47 But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”(AR)

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Footnotes

  1. John 5:39 Or 39 Study
  2. John 5:44 Some early manuscripts the Only One

God’s Promise to David(A)

After the king was settled in his palace(B) and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies(C) around him,(D) he said to Nathan(E) the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house(F) of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”(G)

Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind,(H) go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”

But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:

“Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you(I) the one to build me a house to dwell in?(J) I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day.(K) I have been moving from place to place with a tent(L) as my dwelling.(M) Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites,(N) did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd(O) my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house(P) of cedar?(Q)”’

“Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock,(R) and appointed you ruler(S) over my people Israel.(T) I have been with you wherever you have gone,(U) and I have cut off all your enemies from before you.(V) Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth.(W) 10 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant(X) them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed.(Y) Wicked(Z) people will not oppress them anymore,(AA) as they did at the beginning 11 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders[a](AB) over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.(AC)

“‘The Lord declares(AD) to you that the Lord himself will establish(AE) a house(AF) for you: 12 When your days are over and you rest(AG) with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood,(AH) and I will establish his kingdom.(AI) 13 He is the one who will build a house(AJ) for my Name,(AK) and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.(AL) 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son.(AM) When he does wrong, I will punish him(AN) with a rod(AO) wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 15 But my love will never be taken away from him,(AP) as I took it away from Saul,(AQ) whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me[b]; your throne(AR) will be established(AS) forever.(AT)’”

17 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

David’s Prayer(AU)

18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:

“Who am I,(AV) Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 19 And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree,(AW) Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human![c]

20 “What more can David say(AX) to you? For you know(AY) your servant,(AZ) Sovereign Lord. 21 For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.

22 “How great(BA) you are,(BB) Sovereign Lord! There is no one like(BC) you, and there is no God(BD) but you, as we have heard with our own ears.(BE) 23 And who is like your people Israel(BF)—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name(BG) for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders(BH) by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed(BI) from Egypt?[d] 24 You have established your people Israel as your very own(BJ) forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.(BK)

25 “And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise(BL) you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, 26 so that your name(BM) will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will be established(BN) in your sight.

27 Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ So your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. 28 Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy,(BO) and you have promised these good things to your servant. 29 Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing(BP) the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”

David’s Victories(BQ)

In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines(BR) and subdued(BS) them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines.

David also defeated the Moabites.(BT) He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.(BU)

Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer(BV) son of Rehob, king of Zobah,(BW) when he went to restore his monument at[e] the Euphrates(BX) River. David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers[f] and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung(BY) all but a hundred of the chariot horses.

When the Arameans of Damascus(BZ) came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them. He put garrisons(CA) in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject(CB) to him and brought tribute. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.(CC)

David took the gold shields(CD) that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. From Tebah[g] and Berothai,(CE) towns that belonged to Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.

When Tou[h] king of Hamath(CF) heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer,(CG) 10 he sent his son Joram[i] to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold and of bronze.

11 King David dedicated(CH) these articles to the Lord, as he had done with the silver and gold from all the nations he had subdued: 12 Edom[j](CI) and Moab,(CJ) the Ammonites(CK) and the Philistines,(CL) and Amalek.(CM) He also dedicated the plunder taken from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

13 And David became famous(CN) after he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites[k] in the Valley of Salt.(CO)

14 He put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites(CP) became subject to David.(CQ) The Lord gave David victory(CR) wherever he went.(CS)

David’s Officials(CT)

15 David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right(CU) for all his people. 16 Joab(CV) son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat(CW) son of Ahilud was recorder;(CX) 17 Zadok(CY) son of Ahitub and Ahimelek son of Abiathar(CZ) were priests; Seraiah was secretary;(DA) 18 Benaiah(DB) son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites(DC) and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.[l]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 7:11 Traditionally judges
  2. 2 Samuel 7:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts you
  3. 2 Samuel 7:19 Or for the human race
  4. 2 Samuel 7:23 See Septuagint and 1 Chron. 17:21; Hebrew wonders for your land and before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt, from the nations and their gods.
  5. 2 Samuel 8:3 Or his control along
  6. 2 Samuel 8:4 Septuagint (see also Dead Sea Scrolls and 1 Chron. 18:4); Masoretic Text captured seventeen hundred of his charioteers
  7. 2 Samuel 8:8 See some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 18:8); Hebrew Betah.
  8. 2 Samuel 8:9 Hebrew Toi, a variant of Tou; also in verse 10
  9. 2 Samuel 8:10 A variant of Hadoram
  10. 2 Samuel 8:12 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 18:11); most Hebrew manuscripts Aram
  11. 2 Samuel 8:13 A few Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 18:12); most Hebrew manuscripts Aram (that is, Arameans)
  12. 2 Samuel 8:18 Or were chief officials (see Septuagint and Targum; see also 1 Chron. 18:17)

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