and 16,000 people.p>

<p class="bodytext">So Joab visited<n id="1" /> the king at his home. He said, &#8220;Today you have embarrassed all your servants who have saved your life this day, as well as the lives of your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your concubines.

<p class="poetry">I<n id="1" /> have refused<n id="2" /> to touch such things;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">they are like loathsome food to me.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">so that I<n id="1" /> would prefer<n id="2" /> strangling,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">and<n id="4" /> death<n id="5" /> more<n id="6" /> than life.<n id="7" />p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;How long will you torment me<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and crush<n id="2" /> me with your words?<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">so that his life loathes food,p> <p class="poetry">and his soul rejects appetizing fare.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">He<n id="1" /> draws near to the place of corruption,p> <p class="poetry">and his life to the messengers of death.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">They die<n id="1" /> in their youth,p> <p class="poetry">and their life ends among the male cultic prostitutes.<n id="2" />p>

<t /><p class="psasuper">By David.p> <p class="poetry">O <sc>Lordsc>, I come before you in prayer.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">They experience his favor;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">their descendants<n id="2" /> inherit the land.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">by saving their lives from death<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and sustaining them during times of famine.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">We<n id="1" /> wait for the <sc>Lordsc>;p> <p class="poetry">he is our deliverer<n id="2" /> and shield.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Then I will rejoice in the <sc>Lordsc>p> <p class="poetry">and be happy because of his deliverance.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">They repay me evil for the good I have done;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I am overwhelmed with sorrow.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">(the ransom price for a human life<n id="1" /> is too high,p> <p class="poetry">and people go to their final destiny),<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">They willfully challenged God<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">by asking for food to satisfy their appetite.p>

<p class="poetry">When worries threaten to overwhelm me,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">your soothing touch makes me happy.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">The shackles hurt his feet;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">his neck was placed in an iron collar,<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">giving him authority to imprison his officials<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and to teach his advisers.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">He granted their request,p> <p class="poetry">then struck them with a disease.<n id="1" />p>