1 Kingdoms 26-28
1 Now the Ziphites came out of the desert country to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Look, David hides from us at the hill Hachilah, opposite Jeshimon.” 2 Then Saul arose and went down to the desert of Ziph with three thousand chosen men of Israel, to seek David in the desert of Ziph. 3 And Saul encamped by the road in the hill Hachilah, opposite Jeshimon. But David stayed in the desert, and he could see that Saul was coming into the desert to pursue him. 4 And David sent out spies and learned Saul came out of Keilah well-armed. 5 So David secretly arose and came to the place where Saul lay. Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army, was there too. Now Saul lay in a covered chariot, and the people encamped round about him. 6 Then David spoke up to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, “Who will go with me to Saul in the camp?” And Abishai said, “I will go with you.”
7 So that night, David and Abishai went in among the troops, and there lay Saul asleep in the covered chariot. His spear was jammed into the ground by his head. And Abner and the troops were sleeping all around him. 8 Then Abishai said to David, “The Lord places your enemy in your hand this very day. Once and for all, let me strike him with the spear that is in the ground. I will not strike him again.” 9 And David said to Abishai, “Do not bring him down, for who can bring his own hand against the anointed of the Lord and go unpunished?” 10 David said, “As the Lord lives, the Lord shall strike him, or his day may come to die, or he may go out to battle and be added to his fathers. 11 The Lord forbid me that I should bring my own hand against the anointed of the Lord. But indeed, take the spear from by his head and the container of water, and let us both go.” 12 So David took the spear by Saul’s head and the container of water, and they went away. No one noticed or knew what happened or even awoke. All were sleeping, because a deep sleep from the Lord fell upon them.
13 Now David went over to the other side and stood on the top of the mountain afar off. There was a great distance between them. 14 And David called out to the people and spoke to Abner, saying, “Do you not answer, Abner?” Then Abner answered and said, “Who is that calling out to me?” 15 So David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? If so, then why do you not guard your lord the king? For one of the people entered your camp to destroy your lord the king. 16 And this thing which you allowed to happen is not good. As the Lord lives, you are sons of death—you guarding the lord your king, the anointed of the Lord. Now look and tell me, where is the king’s spear that was by his head, and the jug of water?”
17 Then Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is that truly your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is your servant, my lord, O King.” 18 And David said, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? How have I sinned? What wrong have you found in me? 19 Now let my lord the king hear his servant’s words: If God incites you against me, let Him accept the scent of your offering. If the sons of men incite you against me, let these men be cursed before the Lord. For today by their saying, ‘Go, serve other gods,’ they show their desire to cast me out in order to prevent me from being established in the inheritance of the Lord. 20 Now do not let my blood fall to the ground before the face of the Lord. For the king of Israel comes here to seek my life, like one who hunts a horned owl in the mountains.”
21 Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David. For I will harm you no more, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Indeed, I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.” 22 And David answered and said, “Behold, the spear of the king. Let one of the servants come over and receive it. 23 And the Lord shall repay each man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, as the Lord delivered you into my hands today, though I did not lift my hand against the Lord’s anointed. 24 Indeed! As your life was exalted this day in my eyes, in this same way let my life be exalted before the Lord, and let Him shelter and deliver me from every tribulation.”
25 Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, my son! You shall do great things and be mighty.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.
David Dwells with the Philistines
1 David spoke in his heart, saying, “Now the day will come when I shall die by the hand of Saul and be added to my fathers. What is best for me is to be in the land of the Philistines where I will be safe, for Saul will stop searching for me at the borders. Then I will be delivered out of his hand.” 2 Then David and the four hundred men with him arose and traveled to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3 And David settled in Gath with Achish, he and his men, each with his family, and David with both wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite woman and Abigail the widow of Nabal, the Carmelite. 4 And it was reported to Saul that David had fled to Gath; so he no longer sought him. 5 Then David said to Achish, “If your servant has now found favor in your eyes, indeed offer to me a place in one of the cities in your country, and I will settle there. Why have your servant settle with you, here in your royal city?” 6 And that day Achish gave Ziklag to David. That is why Ziklag still belongs to the king of Judah to this very day.
7 Now the time David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was four months. 8 And David and his men went up and attacked all the Geshurites and the Amalekites, indeed even against the tribes belonging to this area, and against the inhabited cities of Gelamp Shur, from the fortified cities as far as the land of Egypt. 9 And he struck the land, and neither man nor woman was left alive. He took away the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing, and came back to Achish. 10 Then Achish said to David, “Where did you attack today?” And David said to Achish, “Upon the south of Judah, upon the south of the Jesmega, and on the south of the Kenites.”
11 And David did not leave man or woman alive to bring news to Gath, saying, “Let them not inform on us to those in Gath by saying, ‘Thus David did.’ ” This was David’s behavior as long as he dwelt in the country of the Philistines. 12 So David had the full confidence of Achish, who said, “David is now thoroughly abhorred by his own people for having put Israel to shame; he will be my servant forever.”
1 Now in those days, the Philistines gathered their armies together to battle with Israel. And Achish said to David, “Know for sure, you shall enter into battle with me, you and your men.” 2 And David said to Achish, “Thus you know what your servant will do.” And Achish said to David, “Therefore I will make you one of my chief guardians forever.”
Saul Consults a Medium
3 Now it happened that Samuel had died, and all Israel lamented for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul expelled those with divining spirits and the wizards out of the land. 4 Then the Philistines came together and encamped at Shunem. So Saul collected all the men of Israel together and encamped at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart was near panic. 6 For when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him by dreams, nor by clear signs, nor by the prophets.
7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek for me a woman with a divining spirit; I will go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “In fact, there is a woman who is a medium at Endor.” 8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothing. He then went out, taking two men with him, and by night they came to the woman. And he said to her, “Indeed, by the divining spirit, tell the future to me when you bring up to me whom I tell you.” 9 Then the woman said to him, “Look, you know what Saul did, and how he cut off the diviners and the wizards from the land. Why do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me to be put to death?” 10 And Saul swore to her, saying, “As the Lord lives, no injustice shall come upon you for this action.” 11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.”
12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, “Why did you deceive me? You are Saul!” 13 But the king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What did you see?” And the woman said to him, “I saw gods ascending out of the earth.” 14 So he said to her, “What did you perceive?” And she said, “A man is coming up, standing upright, and he is covered with a mantle.” And Saul discerned it to be Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed down to him.
15 Now Samuel said to Saul, “Why did you trouble me by bringing me up?” And Saul answered, “I am deeply distressed. The Philistines are making war against me, and God has departed from me and does not answer me any more, neither by the hand of prophets nor by dreams. Therefore I summoned you to tell me what I should do.”
16 Then Samuel said, “Why do you ask me, when the Lord has departed from you and is with your enemy? 17 And as the Lord spoke to you by my hand, He has done. For the Lord will rend the kingdom out of your hand and will give it to your neighbor, David. 18 For you did not heed the voice of the Lord nor execute His fierce wrath upon Amalek. This is why the Lord has done this to you today. 19 And the Lord shall deliver Israel, including you, into the hand of the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons with you shall fall. The Lord will deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.”
20 Saul fell prostrate on the ground, for he was very afraid because of Samuel’s words. He was also weak since he had not eaten any food all that day and night. 21 Then the woman came to Saul and saw his weakened condition. So she said to him, “Behold, when your handmaiden heard the sound of your voice, I put my life at risk and I obeyed the words you spoke to me. 22 Now hear the voice of your handmaiden, and let me set a piece of bread before you. Eat and you will have strength when you go on your way.” 23 But he refused to eat. So his servants, together with the woman, urged him, and he heeded their voice. He then arose from the ground and sat on the chariot-bench. 24 Now the woman had a heifer roaming the pasture, and she hastened and killed it. Then she took flour and kneaded it, and from it she baked unleavened bread. 25 And she brought it before Saul and his servants. They ate and departed that night.
Psalm 87
1 An ode of a psalm for the sons of Korah; for the End, for the Mahalath to respond; understanding for Heman the Israelite.
2 O Lord God of my salvation,
I cry day and night before You.
3 Let my prayer come before You;
Incline Your ear to my supplication, O Lord.
4 For my soul is filled with sorrows,
And my soul draws near to Hades;
5 I am counted among those who go down into the pit;
I am like a helpless man, free among the dead,
6 Like slain men thrown down and sleeping in a grave,
Whom You remember no more,
But they are removed from Your hand.
7 They laid me in the lowest pit,
In dark places and in the shadow of death.
8 Your wrath rested upon me,
And You brought all Your billows over me.
(Pause)
9 You removed my acquaintances far from me;
They made me an abomination among themselves;
I was betrayed, and did not go forth.
10 My eyes weakened from poverty;
O Lord, I cry to You the whole day long;
I spread out my hands to You.
11 Will You work wonders for the dead?
Or will physicians raise them up, and acknowledge You?
12 Shall anyone in the grave describe Your mercy
And Your truth in destruction?
13 Shall Your wonders be known in darkness,
And Your righteousness in a forgotten land?
14 But I cry to You, O Lord,
And in the morning my prayer shall come near to You.
15 Why, O Lord, do You reject my soul,
And turn away Your face from me?
16 I am poor and in troubles from my youth;
But having been exalted, I was humbled and brought into despair.
17 Your fierce anger passed over me,
And Your terrors greatly troubled me;
18 They compassed me like water all the day long;
They surrounded me at once.
19 You removed far from me neighbor and friend,
And my acquaintances because of my misery.
Proverbs 18:12–17
12 Before its destruction, the heart of a man exalts itself,
And before its glory, it humbles itself.
13 He who replies to a word before he hears it
Lacks discernment, and this is a reproach to him.
14 A servant with discernment calms the anger of a man,
But who can support a discouraged man?
15 A heart of discernment gains perception,
And the ears of the wise seek understanding.
16 The gift of a man enlarges him
And seats him beside princes.
17 When a prosecutor speaks first, he seems righteous,
But when the defendant examines his case, he is reproved.
Luke 12:1–34
1 In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
2 “For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.
3 “Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.
Jesus Teaches the Fear of God
(Matt. 10:8–31)
4 “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
5 “But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!
6 “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God.
7 “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Confess Christ Before Men
(Matt. 10:32, 33)
8 “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.
9 “But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.
10 “And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.
11 “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say.
12 “For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
The Parable of the Rich Fool
13 Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
14 But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”
15 And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.
17 “And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’
18 “So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.
19 ‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’
20 “But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’
21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
Do Not Worry
(Matt. 6:19–21, 25–34)
22 Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.
23 “Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.
24 “Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?
25 “And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
26 “If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?
27 “Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
28 “If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?
29 “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.
30 “For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.
31 “But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.
32 “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
33 “Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.
34 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.