My Refuge and My Fortress
1 He who dwells in the zshelter of the Most High
will abide in the ashadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say1 to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his pinions,
and bunder his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a cshield and buckler.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only look with your eyes
and dsee the recompense of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the Lord eyour dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refuge2—
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.
11 For fhe will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
12 gOn their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will htread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he iknows my name.
15 jWhen he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be kwith him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and lshow him my salvation.”
Ahab’s Wars with Syria
1 jBen-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army together. kThirty-two kings were with him, and horses and chariots. And he went up and closed in on Samaria and fought against it.
Ahab Defeats Ben-hadad
13 And behold, a prophet came near to Ahab king of Israel and said, “Thus says the Lord, Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will give it into your hand this day, and you shall mknow that I am the Lord.”
21 And the king of Israel went out and struck the horses and chariots, and struck the Syrians with a great blow.
22 Then the prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, “Come, strengthen yourself, and consider well what you have to do, for in the nspring the king of Syria will come up against you.”
23 And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills, and so they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. 24 And do this: remove the kings, each from his post, and put commanders in their places, 25 and muster an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot. Then we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.” And he listened to their voice and did so.
Ahab Defeats Ben-hadad Again
26 In the spring, Ben-hadad mustered the Syrians and went up to oAphek to fight against Israel. 27 And the people of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and went against them. The people of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Syrians filled the country. 28 And a pman of God came near and said to the king of Israel, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The Lord is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’” 29 And they encamped opposite one another seven days. Then on the seventh day the battle was joined. And the people of Israel struck down of the Syrians 100,000 foot soldiers in one day. 30 And the rest fled into the city of Aphek, and the wall fell upon 27,000 men who were left.
Ben-hadad also fled and entered an qinner chamber in the city. 31 And his servants said to him, “Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Let us put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads and go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will spare your life.” 32 So they tied sackcloth around their waists and put ropes on their heads and went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please, let me live.’” And he said, “Does he still live? He is my brother.” 33 Now the men were watching for a sign, and they quickly took it up from him and said, “Yes, your brother Ben-hadad.” Then he said, “Go and bring him.” Then Ben-hadad came out to him, and he caused him to come up into the chariot. 34 And Ben-hadad said to him, “The cities that my father took from your father I will restore, and you may establish bazaars for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” And Ahab said, “I will let you go on these terms.” So he made a covenant with him and let him go.
A Prophet Condemns Ben-hadad’s Release
35 And a certain man of the rsons of the prophets said to his fellow at the command of the Lord, “Strike me, please.” But the man refused to strike him. 36 Then he said to him, “Because you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord, behold, as soon as you have gone from me, a lion shall strike you down.” sAnd as soon as he had departed from him, a lion met him and struck him down. 37 Then he found another man and said, “Strike me, please.” And the man struck him—struck him and wounded him. 38 So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes. 39 And as the king passed, he cried to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle, and behold, a soldier turned and brought a man to me and said, ‘Guard this man; if by any means he is missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent1 of silver.’ 40 And as your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” The king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it.” 41 Then he hurried to take the bandage away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. 42 And he said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction,2 therefore your life shall be for his life, and your people for his people.’” 43 And the king of Israel went to his house tvexed and sullen and came to Samaria.
7 The end of all things is bat hand; therefore be self-controlled and csober-minded dfor the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, ekeep loving one another earnestly, since love fcovers a multitude of sins. 9 gShow hospitality to one another hwithout grumbling. 10 iAs each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good jstewards of God’s varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. kTo him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Suffering as a Christian
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to ltest you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But mrejoice insofar as you nshare Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are oinsulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the pSpirit of glory1 and of God rests upon you. 15 qBut let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone rsuffers as a sChristian, let him not be tashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment uto begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for vthose who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And
w“If the righteous is scarcely saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”2
19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will xentrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
