Psa 11:2 For, behold, the wicked bend the bow, They make ready their arrow upon the string To shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.

Psa 11:3 If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?"

Psa 11:4 The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord's throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.

Psa 11:5 The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked, And the one who loves violence His soul hates.

Psa 11:6 Upon the wicked He will rain snares; Fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup.

Psa 11:7 For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; The upright will behold His face.

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1Sa 18:1 Now it came about when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself.

1Sa 18:2 Saul took him that day and did not let him return to his father's house.

1Sa 18:3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.

1Sa 18:4 Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, including his sword and his bow and his belt.

1Sa 18:5 So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and prospered; and Saul set him over the men of war. And it was pleasing in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul's servants.

1Sa 18:6 It happened as they were coming, when David returned from killing the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy and with musical instruments.

1Sa 18:7 The women sang as they played, and said, "Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands."

1Sa 18:8 Then Saul became very angry, for this saying displeased him; and he said, "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?"

1Sa 18:9 Saul looked at David with suspicion from that day on.

1Sa 18:10 Now it came about on the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house, while David was playing the harp with his hand, as usual; and a spear was in Saul's hand.

1Sa 18:11 Saul hurled the spear for he thought, "I will pin David to the wall." But David escaped from his presence twice.

1Sa 18:12 Now Saul was afraid of David, for the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.

1Sa 18:13 Therefore Saul removed him from his presence and appointed him as his commander of a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.

1Sa 18:14 David was prospering in all his ways for the Lord was with him.

1Sa 18:15 When Saul saw that he was prospering greatly, he dreaded him.

1Sa 18:16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, and he went out and came in before them.

1Sa 18:17 Then Saul said to David, "Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife, only be a valiant man for me and fight the Lord's battles." For Saul thought, "My hand shall not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him."

1Sa 18:18 But David said to Saul, "Who am I, and what is my life or my father's family in Israel, that I should be the king's son-in-law?"

1Sa 18:19 So it came about at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.

1Sa 18:20 Now Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David. When they told Saul, the thing was agreeable to him.

1Sa 18:21 Saul thought, "I will give her to him that she may become a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." Therefore Saul said to David, "For a second time you may be my son-in-law today."

1Sa 18:22 Then Saul commanded his servants, "Speak to David secretly, saying, 'Behold, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you; now therefore, become the king's son-in-law.'"

1Sa 18:23 So Saul's servants spoke these words to David. But David said, "Is it trivial in your sight to become the king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?"

1Sa 18:24 The servants of Saul reported to him according to these words which David spoke.

1Sa 18:25 Saul then said, "Thus you shall say to David, 'The king does not desire any dowry except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take vengeance on the king's enemies.'" Now Saul planned to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

1Sa 18:26 When his servants told David these words, it pleased David to become the king's son-in-law. Before the days had expired

1Sa 18:27 David rose up and went, he and his men, and struck down two hundred men among the Philistines. Then David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might become the king's son-in-law. So Saul gave him Michal his daughter for a wife.

1Sa 18:28 When Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him,

1Sa 18:29 then Saul was even more afraid of David. Thus Saul was David's enemy continually.

1Sa 18:30 Then the commanders of the Philistines went out to battle, and it happened as often as they went out, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul. So his name was highly esteemed.

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1Sa 19:1 Now Saul told Jonathan his son and all his servants to put David to death. But Jonathan, Saul's son, greatly delighted in David.

1Sa 19:2 So Jonathan told David saying, "Saul my father is seeking to put you to death. Now therefore, please be on guard in the morning, and stay in a secret place and hide yourself.

1Sa 19:3 I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak with my father about you; if I find out anything, then I will tell you."

1Sa 19:4 Then Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, "Do not let the king sin against his servant David, since he has not sinned against you, and since his deeds have been very beneficial to you.

1Sa 19:5 For he took his life in his hand and struck the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great deliverance for all Israel; you saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by putting David to death without a cause?"

1Sa 19:6 Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan, and Saul vowed, "As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death."

1Sa 19:7 Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these words. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as formerly.

1Sa 19:8 When there was war again, David went out and fought with the Philistines and defeated them with great slaughter, so that they fled before him.

1Sa 19:9 Now there was an evil spirit from the Lord on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, and David was playing the harp with his hand.

1Sa 19:10 Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, so that he stuck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.

1Sa 19:11 Then Saul sent messengers to David's house to watch him, in order to put him to death in the morning. But Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, "If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be put to death."

1Sa 19:12 So Michal let David down through a window, and he went out and fled and escaped.

1Sa 19:13 Michal took the household idol and laid it on the bed, and put a quilt of goats' hair at its head, and covered it with clothes.

1Sa 19:14 When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, "He is sick."

1Sa 19:15 Then Saul sent messengers to see David, saying, "Bring him up to me on his bed, that I may put him to death."

1Sa 19:16 When the messengers entered, behold, the household idol was on the bed with the quilt of goats' hair at its head.

1Sa 19:17 So Saul said to Michal, "Why have you deceived me like this and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?" And Michal said to Saul, "He said to me, 'Let me go! Why should I put you to death?'"

1Sa 19:18 Now David fled and escaped and came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth.

1Sa 19:19 It was told Saul, saying, "Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah."

1Sa 19:20 Then Saul sent messengers to take David, but when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing and presiding over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul; and they also prophesied.

1Sa 19:21 When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. So Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied.

1Sa 19:22 Then he himself went to Ramah and came as far as the large well that is in Secu; and he asked and said, "Where are Samuel and David?" And someone said, "Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah."

1Sa 19:23 He proceeded there to Naioth in Ramah; and the Spirit of God came upon him also, so that he went along prophesying continually until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

1Sa 19:24 He also stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"

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1Sa 20:1 Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said to Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my iniquity? And what is my sin before your father, that he is seeking my life?"

1Sa 20:2 He said to him, "Far from it, you shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me. So why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!"

1Sa 20:3 Yet David vowed again, saying, "Your father knows well that I have found favor in your sight, and he has said, 'Do not let Jonathan know this, or he will be grieved.' But truly as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is hardly a step between me and death."

1Sa 20:4 Then Jonathan said to David, "Whatever you say, I will do for you."

1Sa 20:5 So David said to Jonathan, "Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I ought to sit down to eat with the king. But let me go, that I may hide myself in the field until the third evening.

1Sa 20:6 If your father misses me at all, then say, 'David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem his city, because it is the yearly sacrifice there for the whole family.'

1Sa 20:7 If he says, 'It is good,' your servant will be safe; but if he is very angry, know that he has decided on evil.

1Sa 20:8 Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. But if there is iniquity in me, put me to death yourself; for why then should you bring me to your father?"

1Sa 20:9 Jonathan said, "Far be it from you! For if I should indeed learn that evil has been decided by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you about it?"

1Sa 20:10 Then David said to Jonathan, "Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?"

1Sa 20:11 Jonathan said to David, "Come, and let us go out into the field." So both of them went out to the field.

1Sa 20:12 Then Jonathan said to David, "The Lord, the God of Israel, be witness! When I have sounded out my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good feeling toward David, shall I not then send to you and make it known to you?

1Sa 20:13 If it please my father to do you harm, may the Lord do so to Jonathan and more also, if I do not make it known to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And may the Lord be with you as He has been with my father.

1Sa 20:14 If I am still alive, will you not show me the lovingkindness of the Lord, that I may not die?

1Sa 20:15 You shall not cut off your lovingkindness from my house forever, not even when the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth."

1Sa 20:16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, "May the Lord require it at the hands of David's enemies."

1Sa 20:17 Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because he loved him as he loved his own life.

1Sa 20:18 Then Jonathan said to him, "Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed because your seat will be empty.

1Sa 20:19 When you have stayed for three days, you shall go down quickly and come to the place where you hid yourself on that eventful day, and you shall remain by the stone Ezel.

1Sa 20:20 I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target.

1Sa 20:21 And behold, I will send the lad, saying, 'Go, find the arrows.' If I specifically say to the lad, 'Behold, the arrows are on this side of you, get them,' then come; for there is safety for you and no harm, as the Lord lives.

1Sa 20:22 But if I say to the youth, 'Behold, the arrows are beyond you,' go, for the Lord has sent you away.

1Sa 20:23 As for the agreement of which you and I have spoken, behold, the Lord is between you and me forever."

1Sa 20:24 So David hid in the field; and when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food.

1Sa 20:25 The king sat on his seat as usual, the seat by the wall; then Jonathan rose up and Abner sat down by Saul's side, but David's place was empty.

1Sa 20:26 Nevertheless Saul did not speak anything that day, for he thought, "It is an accident, he is not clean, surely he is not clean."

1Sa 20:27 It came about the next day, the second day of the new moon, that David's place was empty; so Saul said to Jonathan his son, "Why has the son of Jesse not come to the meal, either yesterday or today?"

1Sa 20:28 Jonathan then answered Saul, "David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem,

1Sa 20:29 for he said, 'Please let me go, since our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to attend. And now, if I have found favor in your sight, please let me get away that I may see my brothers.' For this reason he has not come to the king's table."

1Sa 20:30 Then Saul's anger burned against Jonathan and he said to him, "You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you are choosing the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother's nakedness?

1Sa 20:31 For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Therefore now, send and bring him to me, for he must surely die."

1Sa 20:32 But Jonathan answered Saul his father and said to him, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?"

1Sa 20:33 Then Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him down; so Jonathan knew that his father had decided to put David to death.

1Sa 20:34 Then Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did not eat food on the second day of the new moon, for he was grieved over David because his father had dishonored him.

1Sa 20:35 Now it came about in the morning that Jonathan went out into the field for the appointment with David, and a little lad was with him.

1Sa 20:36 He said to his lad, "Run, find now the arrows which I am about to shoot." As the lad was running, he shot an arrow past him.

1Sa 20:37 When the lad reached the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the lad and said, "Is not the arrow beyond you?"

1Sa 20:38 And Jonathan called after the lad, "Hurry, be quick, do not stay!" And Jonathan's lad picked up the arrow and came to his master.

1Sa 20:39 But the lad was not aware of anything; only Jonathan and David knew about the matter.

1Sa 20:40 Then Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad and said to him, "Go, bring them to the city."

1Sa 20:41 When the lad was gone, David rose from the south side and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed three times. And they kissed each other and wept together, but David wept the more.

1Sa 20:42 Jonathan said to David, "Go in safety, inasmuch as we have sworn to each other in the name of the Lord, saying, 'The Lord will be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants forever.'" Then he rose and departed, while Jonathan went into the city.

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Psa 59:1 Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; Set me securely on high away from those who rise up against me.

Psa 59:2 Deliver me from those who do iniquity And save me from men of bloodshed.

Psa 59:3 For behold, they have set an ambush for my life; Fierce men launch an attack against me, Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord,

Psa 59:4 For no guilt of mine, they run and set themselves against me. Arouse Yourself to help me, and see!

Psa 59:5 You, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, Awake to punish all the nations; Do not be gracious to any who are treacherous in iniquity. Selah.

Psa 59:6 They return at evening, they howl like a dog, And go around the city.

Psa 59:7 Behold, they belch forth with their mouth; Swords are in their lips, For, they say, "Who hears?"

Psa 59:8 But You, O Lord, laugh at them; You scoff at all the nations.

Psa 59:9 Because of his strength I will watch for You, For God is my stronghold.

Psa 59:10 My God in His lovingkindness will meet me; God will let me look triumphantly upon my foes.

Psa 59:11 Do not slay them, or my people will forget; Scatter them by Your power, and bring them down, O Lord, our shield.

Psa 59:12 On account of the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips, Let them even be caught in their pride, And on account of curses and lies which they utter.

Psa 59:13 Destroy them in wrath, destroy them that they may be no more; That men may know that God rules in Jacob To the ends of the earth. Selah.

Psa 59:14 They return at evening, they howl like a dog, And go around the city.

Psa 59:15 They wander about for food And growl if they are not satisfied.

Psa 59:16 But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength; Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning, For You have been my stronghold And a refuge in the day of my distress.

Psa 59:17 O my strength, I will sing praises to You; For God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness.