Psalm 3:1-8 RSV

Psalm 3:1-8 O LORD, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me;

many are saying of me, there is no help for him in God. Selah

But thou, O LORD, art a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.

I cry aloud to the LORD, and he answers me from his holy hill. Selah

I lie down and asleep; I wake again, for the LORD sustains me.

I am not afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me round about.

Arise, O LORD! Deliver me, O my God! For thou dost smite all my enemies on the cheek, thou dost break the teeth of the wicked.

Deliverance belongs to the LORD; thy blessing be upon thy people! Selah

2 Samuel 15:1-18 After this Ab'sa-lom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

And Ab'sa-lom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate; and when any man had a suit to come before king for judgment, Absalom would call to him, and say, "From what city are you?" And when he said, "Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,"

Ab'sa-lom would say to him, "See, your claims are good and right; but there is no man deputed by the king to hear you."

Ab'sa-lom said moreover, "Oh that I were a judge in the land! Then every man with a suit or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice."

And whenever a man came near to do obeisance to him, he would put out his hand, and take hold of him, and kiss him.

Thus Ab'sa-lom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Ab'sa-lom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

And at the end of four years Ab'sa-lom said to the king, "Pray let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in He'bron.

For your servant vowed a vow while I dwelt at Ge'shur in Ar'am, saying, 'If the LORD will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to the LORD.'"

The king said to him, "Go in peace." So he arose, and went to He'bron.

But Ab'sa-lom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "As soon as your hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, 'Ab'sa-lom is king of He'bron!''

With Ab'sa-lom went two hundred men from Jerusalem who were invited guests, and they went in their simplicity, and knew nothing.

And while Ab'sa-lom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for A-hith'o-phel the Gil'0-nite, David's counselor, from his city Gi'loh, And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Ab'sa-lom kept increasing.

And a messenger came to David, saying, "The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Ab'sa-lom."

Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, "Arise, and let us flee; or else there will be no escape for us from Ab'sa-lom; go in haste, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil on us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword."

And the king's servants said to the king, "Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king decides."

So the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten concubines to keep the house.

And the king went forth, and all the people after him; and they halted at the last house.

And all his servants passed by him; and all the Cher'e'thites, and all the Pel'e-thites, and all the six hundred Git'tites who had followed him from Gath, passed on before the king.

Psalm 5:11-12 But let all who take refuge in thee rejoice, let them ever sing for joy; and do thou defend them. that those who love thy name may exalt in thee.

For thou dost bless the righteous, O LORD; thou dost cover him with favor as with a shield.

Psalm 28:6-9 Blessed be the LORD! for he has heard the voice of my supplication.

The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts; so I am helped, and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.

The LORD is the strength of his people, he is the saving of his anointed.

O save thy people, and bless thy heritage; be thou their shepherd, and carry them for ever.

Psalm 18:1-3 I love thee, O LORD, my strength.

The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliver, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.

Psalm 59:16-17 But I will sing of thy might; I will sing aloud of thy steadfast love in the morning. For thou hast been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.

O my strength, I will sing praises to thee, for thou, O God, art my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love.