Lord, remember David and all the times he didn’t do what he wanted.

耶和华啊，求你记念大卫所受的一切苦难！

耶和华啊，求你记念大卫，记念他所受的一切苦难！

耶和华啊，求你记念大卫，记念他所受的一切苦难！

耶和华啊，求你顾念大卫和他所受的一切苦难。

耶和华啊！求你记念大卫，记念他的一切苦难。（本节在《马索拉文本》包括细字标题）

耶和华啊，求你因大卫的缘故，记住他所受的一切苦待！

耶和華啊，求你記念大衛所受的一切苦難！

耶和華啊，求你記念大衛，記念他所受的一切苦難！

耶和華啊，求你記念大衛，記念他所受的一切苦難！

耶和華啊，求你顧念大衛和他所受的一切苦難。

耶和華啊！求你記念大衛，記念他的一切苦難。（本節在《馬索拉文本》包括細字標題）

永恆主啊，懷念着大衛哦！懷念他所受的一切辛苦；

耶和華啊，求你因大衛的緣故，記住他所受的一切苦待！

耶和華歟、大衛之難、尚其記憶兮、

耶和華兮、維彼大闢、屢遭患難、望爾不忘兮、

求主記念大衛所受之一切辛苦、

憶昔大維。勞心焦思。悃悃款款。主其念之。

Lord, remember David and all his self- denial.

Remember, O Lord, in David’s favor, all the hardships he endured,

Lord, remember David and all that he suffered.

LORD, remember David and all the hardships he endured,

Remember, Lord, in David’s behalf, All his affliction;

Lord, remember David And all his afflictions;

Jehovah, remember for David All his affliction;

Lord, remember David and all the hardships he endured,

A Song of degrees. LORD, remember David,[ and] all his afflictions:

O LORD, for David’s sake remember all his strenuous effort,

Yahweh, remember David and all his affliction,

I look up to the mountains. Where does my help come from?

I call out to the Lord when I’m in trouble, and he answers me.

But God showed concern for Noah. He also showed concern for all the wild animals and livestock that were with Noah in the ark. So God sent a wind to sweep over the earth. And the waters began to go down.

Our enemies took us away from Zion. But when the Lord brought us home, it seemed like a dream to us.

Here is what Israel should say.“ My enemies have treated me badly ever since I was a young nation.

I look up and pray to you. Your throne is in heaven.

If the Lord doesn’t build a house, the work of the builders is useless. If the Lord doesn’t watch over a city, it’s useless for those on guard duty to stand watch over it.

Blessed are all those who have respect for the Lord. They live as he wants them to live.

Here is what Israel should say. Suppose the Lord had not been on our side.

Lord, remember your great mercy and love. You have shown them to your people for a long time.Don’t remember the sins I committed when I was young. Don’t remember how often I refused to obey you. Remember me because you love me. Lord, you are good.

Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion. They will always be secure. They will last forever.

Some time later, Absalom got a chariot and horses for himself. He also got 50 men to run in front of him.He would get up early. He would stand by the side of the road that led to the city gate. Sometimes a person would come with a case for the king to decide. Then Absalom would call out to him,“ What town are you from?” He would answer,“ I’m from one of the tribes of Israel.”Absalom would say,“ Look, your claims are based on the law. So you have every right to make them. But the king doesn’t have anyone here who can listen to your case.”Absalom would continue,“ I wish I were appointed judge in the land! Then anyone who has a case or a claim could come to me. I would make sure they are treated fairly.”Sometimes people would approach Absalom and bow down to him. Then he would reach out his hand. He would take hold of them and kiss them.Absalom did that to all the Israelites who came to the king with their cases or claims. That’s why the hearts of the people were turned toward him.After Absalom had lived in Jerusalem for four years, he went and spoke to the king. He said,“ Let me go to Hebron. I want to keep a promise I made to the Lord.When I was living at Geshur in Aram, I made a promise. I said,‘ If the Lord takes me back to Jerusalem, I’ll go to Hebron and worship him there.’ ”The king said to him,“ Go in peace.” So he went to Hebron.Then Absalom sent messengers secretly to all the tribes of Israel. They said,“ Listen for the sound of trumpets. As soon as you hear them, say,‘ Absalom has become king in Hebron.’ ”Absalom had taken 200 men from Jerusalem with him to Hebron. He had invited them to be his guests. They went without having any idea what was going to happen.While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel. Ahithophel was David’s adviser. He came to Absalom from Giloh, his hometown. The number of people who followed Absalom kept growing. So he became more and more able to carry out his plans against David.A messenger came and spoke to David. He told him,“ The hearts of the Israelites are turned toward Absalom.”Then David spoke to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem. He said,“ Come on! We have to leave right away! If we don’t, none of us will escape from Absalom. He’ll move quickly to catch up with us. He’ll destroy us. His men will kill everyone in the city with their swords.”The king’s officials answered him,“ You are our king and master. We’re ready to do anything you want.”The king started out. Everyone in his whole family went with him. But he left ten concubines behind to take care of the palace.So the king and all those with him left. They stopped at the edge of the city.All of David’s officials marched past him. All the Kerethites and Pelethites marched along with them. And all of the 600 men who had come with him from Gath marched in front of him.The king spoke to Ittai. He was from Gath. The king said to him,“ Why do you want to come along with us? Go back. Stay with King Absalom. You are an outsider. You left your own country.You came to join me only a short time ago. So why should I make you wander around with us now? I don’t even know where I’m going. So go on back. Take your people with you. And may the Lord be kind and faithful to you.”

Lord, think about what has happened to us. Look at the shame our enemies have brought on us.

Lord, I cry out to you because I’m suffering so deeply.

I remember how I suffered and wandered. I remember how bitter my life was.

God heard their groans. He remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Lord, my heart isn’t proud. My eyes aren’t proud either. I don’t concern myself with important matters. I don’t concern myself with things that are too wonderful for me.

David finished talking with Saul. After that, Jonathan and David became close friends. Jonathan loved David just as he loved himself.From that time on, Saul kept David with him. He didn’t let him return home to his family.Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him just as he loved himself.Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David. He also gave him his military clothes. He even gave him his sword, his bow and his belt.David did everything Saul sent him to do. He did it so well that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. That pleased Saul’s whole army, including his officers.After David had killed Goliath, the men of Israel returned home. The women came out of all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul. They danced and sang joyful songs. They played harps and tambourines.As they danced, they sang,“ Saul has killed thousands of men. David has killed tens of thousands.”That song made Saul very angry. It really upset him. He said to himself,“ They are saying David has killed tens of thousands of men. But they are saying I’ve killed only thousands. The only thing left for him to get is the kingdom itself.”From that time on, Saul watched David closely.The next day an evil spirit sent by God came powerfully on Saul. Saul began to prophesy in his house. At that same time David began to play the harp, just as he usually did. Saul was holding a spear.He threw it at David. As he did, he said to himself,“ I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David got away from him twice.The Lord had left Saul and was with David. So Saul was afraid of David.He sent David away. He put him in command of 1,000 men. David led the troops in battle.In everything he did, he was very successful. That’s because the Lord was with him.When Saul saw how successful David was, he became afraid of him.But all the troops of Israel and Judah loved David. That’s because he led them in battle.Saul said to David,“ Here is my older daughter Merab. I’ll give her to you to be your wife. Just serve me bravely and fight the Lord’ s battles.” Saul said to himself,“ I won’t have to lift my hand to strike him down. The Philistines will do that!”But David said to Saul,“ Who am I? Is anyone in my whole family that important in Israel? Am I worthy to become the king’s son- in- law?”The time came for Saul to give his daughter Merab to David. Instead, Saul gave her to Adriel from Meholah to be his wife.Saul’s daughter Michal was in love with David. When they told Saul about it, he was pleased.“ I’ll give her to David to be his wife,” Saul said to himself.“ Then maybe she’ll trap him. And maybe the Philistines will strike him down.” So Saul said to David,“ Now you have a second chance to become my son- in- law.”Then Saul gave an order to his attendants. He said,“ Speak to David in private. Tell him,‘ The king likes you. All his attendants love you. So become his son- in- law.’ ”Saul’s attendants spoke those very words to David. But David said,“ Do you think it’s a small thing to become the king’s son- in- law? I’m only a poor man. I’m not very well known.”Saul’s attendants told him what David had said.Saul said,“ Tell David,‘ Here’s the price the king wants for the bride. He wants you to kill 100 Philistines. Then bring back the skins you cut off when you circumcise them. That’s how Saul will get even with his enemies.’ ” Saul hoped that the Philistines would strike David down.Saul’s attendants also told David those things. Then David was pleased to become the king’s son- in- law. So before the wedding day,David and his men went out and killed 200 Philistines. They circumcised the Philistines. Then David brought back all the skins. They counted out the full number and gave them to the king. By doing that, David could become the king’s son- in- law. So Saul gave David his daughter Michal to be his wife.Saul realized that the Lord was with David. He also realized that his daughter Michal loved David.So Saul became even more afraid of him. As long as Saul lived, he remained David’s enemy.The Philistine commanders kept on going out to battle. Every time they did, David had more success against them than the rest of Saul’s officers. So his name became well known.

I was very glad when they said to me,“ Let us go up to the house of the Lord.”