1 Samuel 27–29; Psalm 57; Psalm 31

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1 Samuel 27–29

David Flees to the Philistines

Then David said in his heart, Now I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand. So David arose and went over, he and uthe six hundred men who were with him, vto Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, and David with whis two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal’s widow. And when it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, he no longer sought him.

Then David said to Achish, If xI have found favor in your eyes, let a place be given me in one of the country towns, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you? So that day Achish gave him yZiklag. Therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. zAnd the number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.

Now David aand his men went up and made raids against bthe Geshurites, cthe Girzites, and dthe Amalekites, for these were the inhabitants of the land from of old, eas far as Shur, to the land of Egypt. And David would strike the land and would leave neither man nor woman alive, but would take away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels, and the garments, and come back to Achish. 10 When Achish asked, Where have you fmade a raid today? David would say, Against the Negeb of Judah, or, Against the Negeb of gthe Jerahmeelites, or, Against the Negeb of hthe Kenites. 11 And David would leave neither man nor woman alive to bring news to Gath, thinking, lest they should tell about us and say, So David has done. Such was his custom all the while he lived in the country of the Philistines. 12 And Achish trusted David, thinking, He has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel; therefore he shall always be my servant.

Saul and the Medium of En-dor

In those days ithe Philistines gathered their forces for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, Understand that you and your men are to go out with me in the army. David said to Achish, Very well, you shall know what your servant can do. And Achish said to David, Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.

Now jSamuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him kin Ramah, his own city. And Saul had put lthe mediums and the necromancers out of the land. The Philistines assembled and came and encamped mat Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped nat Gilboa. When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. And when Saul inquired of the Lord, othe Lord did not answer him, either pby dreams, or qby Urim, or by prophets. Then Saul said to his servants, rSeek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a medium at sEn-dor.

So Saul tdisguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, uDivine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you. The woman said to him, Surely you know what Saul has done, lhow he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death? 10 But Saul swore to her by the Lord, vAs the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing. 11 Then the woman said, Whom shall I bring up for you? He said, Bring up Samuel for me. 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, Why have you deceived me? You are Saul. 13 The king said to her, Do not be afraid. What do you see? And the woman said to Saul, I see a god coming up out of the earth. 14 He said to her, What is his appearance? And she said, An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped win a robe. And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage.

15 Then Samuel said to Saul, Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up? Saul answered, I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and xGod has turned away from me and yanswers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do. 16 And Samuel said, Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy? 17 The Lord has done to you as he spoke by me, for zthe Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. 18 aBecause you did not obey the voice of the Lord and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. 19 Moreover, the Lord will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you band your sons shall be with me. The Lord will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.

20 Then Saul fell at once full length on the ground, filled with fear because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night. 21 And the woman came to Saul, and when she saw that he was terrified, she said to him, Behold, your servant has obeyed you. cI have taken my life in my hand and have listened to what you have said to me. 22 Now therefore, you also obey your servant. Let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way. 23 He refused and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, urged him, and he listened to their words. So he arose from the earth and sat on the bed. 24 Now the woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly killed it, and she took flour and kneaded it and baked unleavened bread of it, 25 and she put it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night.

The Philistines Reject David

dNow the Philistines had gathered all their forces at eAphek. And the Israelites were encamped by fthe spring that is in gJezreel. As hthe lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on in the rear iwith Achish, the commanders of the Philistines said, What are these Hebrews doing here? And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, Is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me jnow for days and years, and since he deserted to me kI have found no fault in him to this day. But hthe commanders of the Philistines were angry with him. And the commanders of the Philistines said to him, Send the man back, that he may return lto the place to which you have assigned him. He shall not go down with us to battle, mlest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of the men here? Is not this David, of whom they sing to one another in dances,

nSaul has struck down his thousands,

and David his ten thousands?

Then Achish called David and said to him, oAs the Lord lives, you have been honest, and to me it seems right that pyou should march out and in with me in the campaign. For I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords do not approve of you. So go back now; and go peaceably, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines. And David said to Achish, But what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I entered your service until now, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king? And Achish answered David and said, I know that you are as blameless in my sight qas an angel of God. Nevertheless, rthe commanders of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle. 10 Now then rise early in the morning swith the servants of your lord who came with you, and start early in the morning, and depart as soon as you have light. 11 So David set out with his men early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went up to tJezreel.


Psalm 57

Let Your Glory Be over All the Earth

To the choirmaster: according to iDo Not Destroy. A jMiktam1 of David, when he fled from Saul, in kthe cave.

lBe merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,

for in you my soul mtakes refuge;

in nthe shadow of your wings I will take refuge,

otill the storms of destruction pass by.

I cry out to God Most High,

to God who pfulfills his purpose for me.

qHe will send from heaven and save me;

he will put to shame rhim who tramples on me. Selah

sGod will send out this steadfast love and his faithfulness!

My soul is in the midst of ulions;

I lie down amid fiery beasts

the children of man, whose vteeth are spears and arrows,

whose wtongues are sharp swords.

xBe exalted, O God, above the heavens!

Let your glory be over all the earth!

They set ya net for my steps;

my soul was zbowed down.

They adug a pit in my way,

but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah

bMy heart is csteadfast, O God,

my heart is steadfast!

I will sing and make melody!

dAwake, emy glory!2

Awake, fO harp and lyre!

I will awake the dawn!

I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;

I will sing praises to you among the nations.

10  For your gsteadfast love is great to the heavens,

your faithfulness to the clouds.

11  xBe exalted, O God, above the heavens!

Let your glory be over all the earth!


Psalm 31

Into Your Hand I Commit My Spirit

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

oIn you, O Lord, do I ptake refuge;

qlet me never be put to shame;

in your rrighteousness deliver me!

Incline your ear to me;

rescue me speedily!

Be sa rock of trefuge for me,

a strong fortress to save me!

For you are my rock and my fortress;

and for your uname’s sake you lead me and guide me;

you vtake me out of wthe net they have hidden for me,

for you are my xrefuge.

yInto your hand I commit my spirit;

you have redeemed me, O Lord, zfaithful God.

I ahate1 those who pay bregard to worthless cidols,

but I trust in the Lord.

I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love,

because you have seen my affliction;

you have dknown the distress of my soul,

and you have not edelivered me into the hand of the enemy;

you have set my feet in fa broad place.

Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am gin distress;

hmy eye is wasted from grief;

my soul and my body also.

10  For my life is spent with sorrow,

and my years with sighing;

my strength fails because of my iniquity,

and imy bones waste away.

11  Because of all my adversaries I have become ja reproach,

especially to my kneighbors,

and an object of dread to my acquaintances;

those who see me in the street lflee from me.

12  I have been mforgotten like one who is dead;

I have become like na broken vessel.

13  For I ohear the whispering of many

terror on every side!

pas they scheme together against me,

as they plot to take my life.

14  But I qtrust in you, O Lord;

I say, You are my God.

15  My rtimes are in your hand;

srescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!

16  tMake your face shine on your servant;

save me in your steadfast love!

17  O Lord, ulet me not be put to shame,

for I call upon you;

let the wicked be put to shame;

let them go vsilently to Sheol.

18  Let the lying lips be mute,

which wspeak xinsolently against the righteous

in pride and contempt.

19  Oh, how abundant is your goodness,

which you have stored up for those who fear you

and worked for those who take refuge in you,

yin the sight of the children of mankind!

20  In zthe cover of your presence you hide them

from the plots of men;

you astore them in your shelter

from the strife of tongues.

21  Blessed be the Lord,

for he has wondrously bshown his steadfast love to me

when I was in ca besieged city.

22  I had said in my dalarm,2

I am ecut off from fyour sight.

But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy

when I cried to you for help.

23  Love the Lord, all you his gsaints!

The Lord preserves the faithful

but abundantly hrepays the one who acts in pride.

24  iBe strong, and let your heart take courage,

all you who wait for the Lord!