For the music director, a psalm of David. O God whom I praise, do not ignore me!

Indeed, the leaders sit there on thrones and make legal decisions, on the thrones of the house of David.

A song of ascents. O Lord, for David’s sake remember all his strenuous effort,

For the sake of David, your servant, do not reject your chosen king!

There I will make David strong; I have determined that my chosen king’s dynasty will continue.

By David. I will give you thanks with all my heart; before the heavenly assembly I will sing praises to you.

David strapped on his sword over his fighting attire and tried to walk around, but he was not used to them. David said to Saul, “I can’t walk in these things, for I’m not used to them.” So David removed them.

Saul went on one side of the mountain, while David and his men went on the other side of the mountain. David was hurrying to get away from Saul, but Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men so they could capture them.

Then David instructed his men, “Each of you strap on your sword!” So each one strapped on his sword, and David also strapped on his sword. About four hundred men followed David up, while two hundred stayed behind with the equipment.

Saul replied to David, “May you be rewarded, my son David! You will without question be successful!” So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

When the Philistines heard that David had been designated king over Israel, they all went up to search for David. When David heard about it, he went down to the fortress.

David was told, “The Lord has blessed the family of Obed-Edom and everything he owns because of the ark of God.” So David went and joyfully brought the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David.

David said, “I will express my loyalty to Hanun son of Nahash just as his father was loyal to me.” So David sent his servants with a message expressing sympathy over his father’s death. When David’s servants entered the land of the Ammonites,

When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king of all Israel, all the Philistines marched up to confront him. When David heard about it, he marched out against them.

David said, “I will express my loyalty to Hanun son of Nahash, for his father was loyal to me.” So David sent messengers to express his sympathy over his father’s death. When David’s servants entered Ammonite territory to visit Hanun and express the king’s sympathy,

David came to Saul and stood before him. Saul liked him a great deal, and he became his armor bearer.

David was going back and forth from Saul in order to care for his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.

When David’s words were overheard and reported to Saul, he called for him.

The Philistine kept coming closer to David, with his shield bearer walking in front of him.

David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, and he put Goliath’s weapons in his tent.