Bible Browser

Psalm 143

1  Hear my prayer, O Lord,
      and in your faithfulness give ear to my supplications; ♦︎
   answer me in your righteousness.
2  Enter not into judgement with your servant, ♦︎
   for in your sight shall no one living be justified.
3  For the enemy has pursued me,
      crushing my life to the ground, ♦︎
   making me sit in darkness like those long dead.
4  My spirit faints within me; ♦︎
   my heart within me is desolate.
5  I remember the time past; I muse upon all your deeds; ♦︎
   I consider the works of your hands.
6  I stretch out my hands to you; ♦︎
   my soul gasps for you like a thirsty land.
7  O Lord, make haste to answer me; my spirit fails me; ♦︎
   hide not your face from me
      lest I be like those who go down to the Pit.
8  Let me hear of your loving-kindness in the morning,
      for in you I put my trust; ♦︎
   show me the way I should walk in,
      for I lift up my soul to you.
9  Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies, ♦︎
   for I flee to you for refuge.
10  Teach me to do what pleases you, for you are my God; ♦︎
   let your kindly spirit lead me on a level path.
11  Revive me, O Lord, for your name’s sake; ♦︎
   for your righteousness’ sake, bring me out of trouble.
12  In your faithfulness, slay my enemies,
      and destroy all the adversaries of my soul, ♦︎
   for truly I am your servant.

David and Mephibosheth Meet

24 Mephibosheth^* grandson of Saul came down to meet the king; he had not taken care of his feet, or trimmed his beard, or washed his clothes, from the day the king left until the day he came back in safety. ²⁵When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, ‘Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?’^{* 26}He answered, ‘My lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said to him, “Saddle a donkey for me,^* so that I may ride on it and go with the king.” For your servant is lame. ²⁷He has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the angel of God; do therefore what seems good to you. ²⁸For all my father’s house were doomed to death before my lord the king; but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right have I, then, to appeal to the king?’ ²⁹The king said to him, ‘Why speak any more of your affairs? I have decided: you and Ziba shall divide the land.’ ³⁰Mephibosheth^* said to the king, ‘Let him take it all, since my lord the king has arrived home safely.’

David’s Kindness to Barzillai

31 Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim; he went on with the king to the Jordan, to escort him over the Jordan. ³²Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. He had provided the king with food while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man. ³³The king said to Barzillai, ‘Come over with me, and I will provide for you in Jerusalem at my side.’ ³⁴But Barzillai said to the king, ‘How many years have I still to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? ³⁵Today I am eighty years old; can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or what he drinks? Can I still listen to the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? ³⁶Your servant will go a little way over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king recompense me with such a reward? ³⁷Please let your servant return, so that I may die in my own town, near the graves of my father and my mother. But here is your servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do for him whatever seems good to you.’ ³⁸The king answered, ‘Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do for him whatever seems good to you; and all that you desire of me I will do for you.’ ³⁹Then all the people crossed over the Jordan, and the king crossed over; the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own home. ⁴⁰The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him; all the people of Judah, and also half the people of Israel, brought the king on his way.

41 Then all the people of Israel came to the king, and said to him, ‘Why have our kindred the people of Judah stolen you away, and brought the king and his household over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?’ ⁴²All the people of Judah answered the people of Israel, ‘Because the king is near of kin to us. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s expense? Or has he given us any gift?’ ⁴³But the people of Israel answered the people of Judah, ‘We have ten shares in the king, and in David also we have more than you. Why then did you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?’ But the words of the people of Judah were fiercer than the words of the people of Israel.

James Killed and Peter Imprisoned

12About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. ²He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword. ³After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was during the festival of Unleavened Bread.) ⁴When he had seized him, he put him in prison and handed him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. ⁵While Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed fervently to God for him.

Peter Delivered from Prison

6 The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. ⁷Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, ‘Get up quickly.’ And the chains fell off his wrists. ⁸The angel said to him, ‘Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.’ He did so. Then he said to him, ‘Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.’ ⁹Peter^* went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening with the angel’s help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. ¹⁰After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the angel left him. ¹¹Then Peter came to himself and said, ‘Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.’

12 As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many had gathered and were praying. ¹³When he knocked at the outer gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. ¹⁴On recognizing Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the gate, she ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gate. ¹⁵They said to her, ‘You are out of your mind!’ But she insisted that it was so. They said, ‘It is his angel.’ ¹⁶Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the gate, they saw him and were amazed. ¹⁷He motioned to them with his hand to be silent, and described for them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he added, ‘Tell this to James and to the believers.’^* Then he left and went to another place.