Day 78 of 365

¹Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa.

²The Philistines followed hard on Saul and on his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.

³The battle went hard against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers.

⁴Then Saul said to his armor bearer, "Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me!" But his armor bearer would not; for he was terrified. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell on it.

⁵When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword, and died with him.

⁶So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor bearer, and all his men, that same day together.

⁷When the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, and those who were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and lived in them.

⁸It happened on the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.

⁹They cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines all around, to carry the news to the house of their idols, and to the people.

¹⁰They put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan.

¹¹When the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard concerning him that which the Philistines had done to Saul,

¹²all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth Shan; and they came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.

¹³They took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

¹Blessed is the man who doesn't walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers;

²but his delight is in the Lord's Law. On his Law he meditates day and night.

³He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper.

⁴The wicked are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.

⁵Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

⁶For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish.

¹Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing?

²The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his Anointed, saying,

³"Let's break their bonds apart, and cast their cords from us."

⁴He who sits in the heavens will laugh. The Lord will have them in derision.

⁵Then he will speak to them in his anger, and terrify them in his wrath:

⁶"Yet I have set my king on my holy hill of Zion."

⁷I will tell of the decree. The Lord said to me, "You are my son. Today I have become your father.

⁸Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance, the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.

⁹You shall rule them with a rod of iron. You shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel."

¹⁰Now therefore be wise, you kings. Be instructed, you judges of the earth.

¹¹Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

¹²Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath will soon be kindled. Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.

¹Lord, how my adversaries have increased! Many are those who rise up against me.

²Many there are who say of my soul, "There is no help for him in God." Selah.

³But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.

⁴I cry to the Lord with my voice, and he answers me out of his holy hill. Selah.

⁵I laid myself down and slept. I awakened; for the Lord sustains me.

⁶I will not be afraid of tens of thousands of people who have set themselves against me on every side.

⁷Arise, Lord! Save me, my God! For you have struck all of my enemies on the cheek bone. You have broken the teeth of the wicked.

⁸Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing be on your people. Selah.