Psalm 59

New International Version

Psalm 59^[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.^[b] When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house^(A) in order to kill him.

¹Deliver me from my enemies, O God;^(B)
be my fortress against those who are attacking me.^(C)
²Deliver me from evildoers^(D)
and save me from those who are after my blood.^(E)

³See how they lie in wait for me!
    Fierce men conspire^(F) against me
    for no offense or sin of mine, Lord.
⁴I have done no wrong,^(G) yet they are ready to attack me.^(H)
    Arise to help me; look on my plight!^(I)
⁵You, Lord God Almighty,
    you who are the God of Israel,^(J)
rouse yourself^(K) to punish all the nations;^(L)
    show no mercy to wicked traitors.^[c]^(M)

⁶They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,^(N)
    and prowl about the city.
⁷See what they spew from their mouths^(O)—
    the words from their lips are sharp as swords,^(P)
    and they think, “Who can hear us?”^(Q)
⁸But you laugh at them, Lord;^(R)
    you scoff at all those nations.^(S)

⁹You are my strength,^(T) I watch for you;
you, God, are my fortress,^(U)
¹⁰ my God on whom I can rely.

God will go before me
    and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
¹¹But do not kill them, Lord our shield,^[d]^(V)
    or my people will forget.^(W)
In your might uproot them
    and bring them down.^(X)
¹²For the sins of their mouths,^(Y)
    for the words of their lips,^(Z)
    let them be caught in their pride.^(AA)
For the curses and lies they utter,
¹³    consume them in your wrath,
    consume them till they are no more.^(AB)
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
    that God rules over Jacob.^(AC)

¹⁴They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,
    and prowl about the city.
¹⁵They wander about for food^(AD)
    and howl if not satisfied.
¹⁶But I will sing^(AE) of your strength,^(AF)
    in the morning^(AG) I will sing of your love;^(AH)
for you are my fortress,^(AI)
    my refuge in times of trouble.^(AJ)

¹⁷You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
you, God, are my fortress,
my God on whom I can rely.^(AK)

Footnotes

Psalm 59:1 In Hebrew texts 59:1-17 is numbered 59:2-18.
Psalm 59:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 59:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 13.
Psalm 59:11 Or sovereign

2 Kings 9:14-26

New International Version

Jehu Kills Joram and Ahaziah^(A)

¹⁴So Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram. (Now Joram and all Israel had been defending Ramoth Gilead^(B) against Hazael king of Aram, ¹⁵but King Joram^[a] had returned to Jezreel to recover^(C) from the wounds the Arameans had inflicted on him in the battle with Hazael king of Aram.) Jehu said, “If you desire to make me king, don’t let anyone slip out of the city to go and tell the news in Jezreel.” ¹⁶Then he got into his chariot and rode to Jezreel, because Joram was resting there and Ahaziah^(D) king of Judah had gone down to see him.

¹⁷When the lookout^(E) standing on the tower in Jezreel saw Jehu’s troops approaching, he called out, “I see some troops coming.”

“Get a horseman,” Joram ordered. “Send him to meet them and ask, ‘Do you come in peace?^(F)’”

¹⁸The horseman rode off to meet Jehu and said, “This is what the king says: ‘Do you come in peace?’”

“What do you have to do with peace?” Jehu replied. “Fall in behind me.”

The lookout reported, “The messenger has reached them, but he isn’t coming back.”

¹⁹So the king sent out a second horseman. When he came to them he said, “This is what the king says: ‘Do you come in peace?’”

Jehu replied, “What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me.”

²⁰The lookout reported, “He has reached them, but he isn’t coming back either. The driving is like^(G) that of Jehu son of Nimshi—he drives like a maniac.”

²¹“Hitch up my chariot,” Joram ordered. And when it was hitched up, Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah rode out, each in his own chariot, to meet Jehu. They met him at the plot of ground that had belonged to Naboth^(H) the Jezreelite. ²²When Joram saw Jehu he asked, “Have you come in peace, Jehu?”

“How can there be peace,” Jehu replied, “as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel^(I) abound?”

²³Joram turned about and fled, calling out to Ahaziah, “Treachery,^(J) Ahaziah!”

²⁴Then Jehu drew his bow^(K) and shot Joram between the shoulders. The arrow pierced his heart and he slumped down in his chariot. ²⁵Jehu said to Bidkar, his chariot officer, “Pick him up and throw him on the field that belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite. Remember how you and I were riding together in chariots behind Ahab his father when the Lord spoke this prophecy^(L) against him: ²⁶‘Yesterday I saw the blood of Naboth^(M) and the blood of his sons, declares the Lord, and I will surely make you pay for it on this plot of ground, declares the Lord.’^[b] Now then, pick him up and throw him on that plot, in accordance with the word of the Lord.”^(N)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

2 Kings 9:15 Hebrew Jehoram, a variant of Joram; also in verses 17 and 21-24
2 Kings 9:26 See 1 Kings 21:19.

Ephesians 2:11-22

New International Version

Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ

¹¹Therefore, remember that formerly^(A) you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)^(B)— ¹²remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners^(C) to the covenants of the promise,^(D) without hope^(E) and without God in the world. ¹³But now in Christ Jesus you who once^(F) were far away have been brought near^(G) by the blood of Christ.^(H)

¹⁴For he himself is our peace,^(I) who has made the two groups one^(J) and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, ¹⁵by setting aside in his flesh^(K) the law with its commands and regulations.^(L) His purpose was to create in himself one^(M) new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross,^(N) by which he put to death their hostility. ¹⁷He came and preached peace^(O) to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.^(P) ¹⁸For through him we both have access^(Q) to the Father^(R) by one Spirit.^(S)

¹⁹Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers,^(T) but fellow citizens^(U) with God’s people and also members of his household,^(V) ²⁰built^(W) on the foundation^(X) of the apostles and prophets,^(Y) with Christ Jesus himself^(Z) as the chief cornerstone.^(AA) ²¹In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple^(AB) in the Lord. ²²And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.^(AC)