Psalm 18:31–50; 1 Samuel 18:1–16; Acts 3

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Psalm 18:31–50

31  For gwho is God, but the Lord?

And who is ha rock, except our God?

32  the God who iequipped me with strength

and made my way jblameless.

33  He made my feet like the feet of a kdeer

and set me secure on lthe heights.

34  He mtrains my hands for war,

so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35  You have given me the shield of your salvation,

and your right hand nsupported me,

and your ogentleness made me great.

36  You pgave a wide place for my steps under me,

and my feet did not slip.

37  I pursued my enemies and overtook them,

and did not turn back till they were consumed.

38  I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise;

they fell under my feet.

39  For you equipped me with strength for the battle;

you made those who rise against me sink under me.

40  You made my enemies qturn their backs to me,1

and those who hated me I destroyed.

41  rThey cried for help, but there was none to save;

they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.

42  I beat them fine as sdust before the wind;

I cast them out like tthe mire of the streets.

43  You delivered me from ustrife with the people;

you made me vthe head of the nations;

wpeople whom I had not known served me.

44  As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;

xforeigners ycame cringing to me.

45  xForeigners lost heart

and zcame trembling out of their fortresses.

46  The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,

and exalted be the God of my salvation

47  the God who gave me vengeance

and asubdued peoples under me,

48  who rescued me from my enemies;

yes, you bexalted me above those who rose against me;

you delivered me from cthe man of violence.

49  dFor this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations,

and esing to your name.

50  Great fsalvation he brings to his king,

and shows steadfast love to his ganointed,

to hDavid and his offspring forever.


1 Samuel 18:1–16

David and Jonathan’s Friendship

As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan dloved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day eand would not let him return to his father’s house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because dhe loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. And David went out fand was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.

Saul’s Jealousy of David

As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, gthe women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments.1 And the women hsang to one another as they celebrated,

iSaul has struck down his thousands,

and David his ten thousands.

And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but jthe kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day on.

10 The next day ka harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and lhe raved within his house while David was mplaying the lyre, as he did day by day. nSaul had his spear in his hand. 11 And Saul ohurled the spear, for he thought, I will pin David to the wall. But David evaded him twice.

12 pSaul was afraid of David because qthe Lord was with him rbut had departed from Saul. 13 So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. sAnd he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David thad success in all his undertakings, qfor the Lord was with him. 15 And when Saul saw that the had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. 16 uBut all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.


Acts 3

The Lame Beggar Healed

Now Peter and John were ogoing up to the temple at pthe hour of prayer, qthe ninth hour.1 And a man rlame from birth was being carried, swhom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate tto ask alms of those entering the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, Look at us. And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, uI have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. vIn the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk! And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And wleaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And xall the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Peter Speaks in Solomon’s Portico

11 yWhile he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in zthe portico called Solomon’s. 12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? 13 aThe God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, bthe God of our fathers, cglorified his servant2 Jesus, whom dyou delivered over and edenied in the presence of Pilate, fwhen he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied gthe Holy and hRighteous One, and iasked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed jthe Author of life, kwhom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And lhis nameby mfaith in his namehas made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is nthrough Jesus3 has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.

17 And now, brothers, I know that oyou acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God pforetold qby the mouth of all the prophets, that rhis Christ would ssuffer, he thus fulfilled. 19 tRepent therefore, and uturn back, that vyour sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ wappointed for you, Jesus, 21 xwhom heaven must receive until the time for yrestoring all the things about which zGod spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. 22 Moses said, The Lord God will raise up for you aa prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen bto him in whatever he tells you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet cshall be destroyed from the people. 24 And dall the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. 25 eYou are the sons of the prophets and of fthe covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, gAnd in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 26 hGod, ihaving raised up his servant, sent him to you first, jto bless you kby turning every one of you from your wickedness.