David Enrolls the Fighting Men

1Again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”

2So the king said to Joab and the army commanderswith him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and enroll the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.”

3But Joab replied to the king, “May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?”

4The king’s word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enroll the fighting men of Israel.

5After crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aroer, south of the town in the gorge, and then went through Gad and on to Jazer. 6They went to Gilead and the region of Tahtim Hodshi, and on to Dan Jaan and around toward Sidon. 7Then they went toward the fortress of Tyre and all the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to Beersheba in the Negev of Judah.

8After they had gone through the entire land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

9Joab reported the number of the fighting men to the king: In Israel there were eight hundred thousand able-bodied men who could handle a sword, and in Judah five hundred thousand.

10David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, Lord, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.”

11Before David got up the next morning, the word of the Lord had come to Gad the prophet, David’s seer: 12“Go and tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’ ”

13So Gad went to David and said to him, “Shall there come on you threeyears of famine in your land? Or three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you? Or three days of plague in your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should answer the one who sent me.”

14David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”

15So the Lord sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died. 16When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the Lord was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

17When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the Lord, “I have sinned; I, the shepherd, have done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Let your hand fall on me and my family.”

David Builds an Altar

18On that day Gad went to David and said to him, “Go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” 19So David went up, as the Lord had commanded through Gad. 20When Araunah looked and saw the king and his officials coming toward him, he went out and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.

21Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?”

“To buy your threshing floor,” David answered, “so I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped.”

22Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take whatever he wishes and offer it up. Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and here are threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. 23Your Majesty, Araunahgives all this to the king.” Araunah also said to him, “May the Lord your God accept you.”

24But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”

So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them. 25David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered his prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.

Psalm 98

1Sing to the Lord a new song,

for he has done marvelous things;

his right hand and his holy arm

have worked salvation for him.

2The Lord has made his salvation known

and revealed his righteousness to the nations.

3He has remembered his love

and his faithfulness to Israel;

all the ends of the earth have seen

the salvation of our God.

4Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,

burst into jubilant song with music;

5make music to the Lord with the harp,

with the harp and the sound of singing,

6with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—

shout for joy before the Lord, the King.

7Let the sea resound, and everything in it,

the world, and all who live in it.

8Let the rivers clap their hands,

let the mountains sing together for joy;

9let them sing before the Lord,

for he comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world in righteousness

and the peoples with equity.

Psalm 99

1The Lord reigns,

let the nations tremble;

he sits enthroned between the cherubim,

let the earth shake.

2Great is the Lord in Zion;

he is exalted over all the nations.

3Let them praise your great and awesome name—

he is holy.

4The King is mighty, he loves justice—

you have established equity;

in Jacob you have done

what is just and right.

5Exalt the Lord our God

and worship at his footstool;

he is holy.

6Moses and Aaron were among his priests,

Samuel was among those who called on his name;

they called on the Lord

and he answered them.

7He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud;

they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them.

8 Lord our God,

you answered them;

you were to Israel a forgiving God,

though you punished their misdeeds.

9Exalt the Lord our God

and worship at his holy mountain,

for the Lord our God is holy.

Psalm 95

1Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;

let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

2Let us come before him with thanksgiving

and extol him with music and song.

3For the Lord is the great God,

the great King above all gods.

4In his hand are the depths of the earth,

and the mountain peaks belong to him.

5The sea is his, for he made it,

and his hands formed the dry land.

6Come, let us bow down in worship,

let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;

7for he is our God

and we are the people of his pasture,

the flock under his care.

Today, if only you would hear his voice,

8“Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah,

as you did that day at Massahin the wilderness,

9where your ancestors tested me;

they tried me, though they had seen what I did.

10For forty years I was angry with that generation;

I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray,

and they have not known my ways.’

11So I declared on oath in my anger,

‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”

Psalm 97

1The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad;

let the distant shores rejoice.

2Clouds and thick darkness surround him;

righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

3Fire goes before him

and consumes his foes on every side.

4His lightning lights up the world;

the earth sees and trembles.

5The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,

before the Lord of all the earth.

6The heavens proclaim his righteousness,

and all peoples see his glory.

7All who worship images are put to shame,

those who boast in idols—

worship him, all you gods!

8Zion hears and rejoices

and the villages of Judah are glad

because of your judgments, Lord.

9For you, Lord, are the Most High over all the earth;

you are exalted far above all gods.

10Let those who love the Lord hate evil,

for he guards the lives of his faithful ones

and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

11Light shineson the righteous

and joy on the upright in heart.

12Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous,

and praise his holy name.

2 Samuel 23

David’s Last Words

1These are the last words of David:

“The inspired utterance of David son of Jesse,

the utterance of the man exalted by the Most High,

the man anointed by the God of Jacob,

the hero of Israel’s songs:

2“The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me;

his word was on my tongue.

3The God of Israel spoke,

the Rock of Israel said to me:

‘When one rules over people in righteousness,

when he rules in the fear of God,

4he is like the light of morning at sunrise

on a cloudless morning,

like the brightness after rain

that brings grass from the earth.’

5“If my house were not right with God,

surely he would not have made with me an everlasting covenant,

arranged and secured in every part;

surely he would not bring to fruition my salvation

and grant me my every desire.

6But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns,

which are not gathered with the hand.

7Whoever touches thorns

uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear;

they are burned up where they lie.”

David’s Mighty Warriors

8These are the names of David’s mighty warriors:

Josheb-Basshebeth,a Tahkemonite,was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killedin one encounter.

9Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammimfor battle. Then the Israelites retreated, 10but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.

11Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. 12But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.

13During harvest time, three of the thirty chief warriors came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 15David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” 16So the three mighty warriors broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the Lord. 17“Far be it from me, Lord, to do this!” he said. “Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?” And David would not drink it.

Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.

18Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three.He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. 19Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.

20Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 21And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 22Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. 23He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

24Among the Thirty were:

Asahel the brother of Joab,

Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,

25Shammah the Harodite,

Elika the Harodite,

26Helez the Paltite,

Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,

27Abiezer from Anathoth,

Sibbekaithe Hushathite,

28Zalmon the Ahohite,

Maharai the Netophathite,

29Heledson of Baanah the Netophathite,

Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,

30Benaiah the Pirathonite,

Hiddaifrom the ravines of Gaash,

31Abi-Albon the Arbathite,

Azmaveth the Barhumite,

32Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

the sons of Jashen,

Jonathan 33son ofShammah the Hararite,

Ahiam son of Shararthe Hararite,

34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maakathite,

Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

35Hezro the Carmelite,

Paarai the Arbite,

36Igal son of Nathan from Zobah,

the son of Hagri,

37Zelek the Ammonite,

Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,

38Ira the Ithrite,

Gareb the Ithrite

39and Uriah the Hittite.

There were thirty-seven in all.

Psalm 57

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.When he had fled from Saul into the cave.

1Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,

for in you I take refuge.

I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings

until the disaster has passed.

2I cry out to God Most High,

to God, who vindicates me.

3He sends from heaven and saves me,

rebuking those who hotly pursue me—

God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.

4I am in the midst of lions;

I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—

men whose teeth are spears and arrows,

whose tongues are sharp swords.

5Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;

let your glory be over all the earth.

6They spread a net for my feet—

I was bowed down in distress.

They dug a pit in my path—

but they have fallen into it themselves.

7My heart, O God, is steadfast,

my heart is steadfast;

I will sing and make music.

8Awake, my soul!

Awake, harp and lyre!

I will awaken the dawn.

9I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;

I will sing of you among the peoples.

10For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

11Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;

let your glory be over all the earth.

David’s Song of Praise

1David sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. 2He said:

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;

3my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,

my shieldand the hornof my salvation.

He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—

from violent people you save me.

4“I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,

and have been saved from my enemies.

5The waves of death swirled about me;

the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

6The cords of the grave coiled around me;

the snares of death confronted me.

7“In my distress I called to the Lord;

I called out to my God.

From his temple he heard my voice;

my cry came to his ears.

8The earth trembled and quaked,

the foundations of the heavensshook;

they trembled because he was angry.

9Smoke rose from his nostrils;

consuming fire came from his mouth,

burning coals blazed out of it.

10He parted the heavens and came down;

dark clouds were under his feet.

11He mounted the cherubim and flew;

he soaredon the wings of the wind.

12He made darkness his canopy around him—

the darkrain clouds of the sky.

13Out of the brightness of his presence

bolts of lightning blazed forth.

14The Lord thundered from heaven;

the voice of the Most High resounded.

15He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy,

with great bolts of lightning he routed them.

16The valleys of the sea were exposed

and the foundations of the earth laid bare

at the rebuke of the Lord,

at the blast of breath from his nostrils.

17“He reached down from on high and took hold of me;

he drew me out of deep waters.

18He rescued me from my powerful enemy,

from my foes, who were too strong for me.

19They confronted me in the day of my disaster,

but the Lord was my support.

20He brought me out into a spacious place;

he rescued me because he delighted in me.

21“The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;

according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.

22For I have kept the ways of the Lord;

I am not guilty of turning from my God.

23All his laws are before me;

I have not turned away from his decrees.

24I have been blameless before him

and have kept myself from sin.

25The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,

according to my cleannessin his sight.

26“To the faithful you show yourself faithful,

to the blameless you show yourself blameless,

27to the pure you show yourself pure,

but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.

28You save the humble,

but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low.

29You, Lord, are my lamp;

the Lord turns my darkness into light.

30With your help I can advance against a troop;

with my God I can scale a wall.

31“As for God, his way is perfect:

The Lord’s word is flawless;

he shields all who take refuge in him.

32For who is God besides the Lord?

And who is the Rock except our God?

33It is God who arms me with strength

and keeps my way secure.

34He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;

he causes me to stand on the heights.

35He trains my hands for battle;

my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

36You make your saving help my shield;

your help has mademe great.

37You provide a broad path for my feet,

so that my ankles do not give way.

38“I pursued my enemies and crushed them;

I did not turn back till they were destroyed.

39I crushed them completely, and they could not rise;

they fell beneath my feet.

40You armed me with strength for battle;

you humbled my adversaries before me.

41You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,

and I destroyed my foes.

42They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—

to the Lord, but he did not answer.

43I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth;

I pounded and trampled them like mud in the streets.

44“You have delivered me from the attacks of the peoples;

you have preserved me as the head of nations.

People I did not know now serve me,

45foreigners cower before me;

as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.

46They all lose heart;

they come tremblingfrom their strongholds.

47“The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock!

Exalted be my God, the Rock, my Savior!

48He is the God who avenges me,

who puts the nations under me,

49who sets me free from my enemies.

You exalted me above my foes;

from a violent man you rescued me.

50Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;

I will sing the praises of your name.

51“He gives his king great victories;

he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,

to David and his descendants forever.”

Psalm 41

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1Blessed are those who have regard for the weak;

the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.

2The Lord protects and preserves them—

they are counted among the blessed in the land—

he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.

3The Lord sustains them on their sickbed

and restores them from their bed of illness.

4I said, “Have mercy on me, Lord;

heal me, for I have sinned against you.”

5My enemies say of me in malice,

“When will he die and his name perish?”

6When one of them comes to see me,

he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander;

then he goes out and spreads it around.

7All my enemies whisper together against me;

they imagine the worst for me, saying,

8“A vile disease has afflicted him;

he will never get up from the place where he lies.”

9Even my close friend,

someone I trusted,

one who shared my bread,

has turnedagainst me.

10But may you have mercy on me, Lord;

raise me up, that I may repay them.

11I know that you are pleased with me,

for my enemy does not triumph over me.

12Because of my integrity you uphold me

and set me in your presence forever.

13Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,

from everlasting to everlasting.

Amen and Amen.

Psalm 42

For the director of music. A maskilof the Sons of Korah.

1As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul pants for you, my God.

2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When can I go and meet with God?

3My tears have been my food

day and night,

while people say to me all day long,

“Where is your God?”

4These things I remember

as I pour out my soul:

how I used to go to the house of God

under the protection of the Mighty One

with shouts of joy and praise

among the festive throng.

5Why, my soul, are you downcast?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God.

6My soul is downcast within me;

therefore I will remember you

from the land of the Jordan,

the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.

7Deep calls to deep

in the roar of your waterfalls;

all your waves and breakers

have swept over me.

8By day the Lord directs his love,

at night his song is with me—

a prayer to the God of my life.

9I say to God my Rock,

“Why have you forgotten me?

Why must I go about mourning,

oppressed by the enemy?”

10My bones suffer mortal agony

as my foes taunt me,

saying to me all day long,

“Where is your God?”

11Why, my soul, are you downcast?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God.

A psalm of David. A petition.

1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger

or discipline me in your wrath.

2Your arrows have pierced me,

and your hand has come down on me.

3Because of your wrath there is no health in my body;

there is no soundness in my bones because of my sin.

4My guilt has overwhelmed me

like a burden too heavy to bear.

5My wounds fester and are loathsome

because of my sinful folly.

6I am bowed down and brought very low;

all day long I go about mourning.

7My back is filled with searing pain;

there is no health in my body.

8I am feeble and utterly crushed;

I groan in anguish of heart.

9All my longings lie open before you, Lord;

my sighing is not hidden from you.

10My heart pounds, my strength fails me;

even the light has gone from my eyes.

11My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds;

my neighbors stay far away.

12Those who want to kill me set their traps,

those who would harm me talk of my ruin;

all day long they scheme and lie.

13I am like the deaf, who cannot hear,

like the mute, who cannot speak;

14I have become like one who does not hear,

whose mouth can offer no reply.

15 Lord, I wait for you;

you will answer, Lord my God.

16For I said, “Do not let them gloat

or exalt themselves over me when my feet slip.”

17For I am about to fall,

and my pain is ever with me.

18I confess my iniquity;

I am troubled by my sin.

19Many have become my enemies without cause;

those who hate me without reason are numerous.

20Those who repay my good with evil

lodge accusations against me,

though I seek only to do what is good.

21 Lord, do not forsake me;

do not be far from me, my God.

22Come quickly to help me,

my Lord and my Savior.