Let Us Go to the House of the Lord

A Song of ^(A)Ascents. Of David.

Our Eyes Look to the Lord Our God

A Song of ^(A)Ascents.

David and Bathsheba

11 ^(A)(B)In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged ^(C)Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

² It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on ^(D)the roof of the king's house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. ³ And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this ^(E)Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of ^(F)Uriah the Hittite?” ⁴ So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (^(G)Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. ⁵ And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.”

⁶ So David sent word to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David. ⁷ When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab was doing and how the people were doing and how the war was going. ⁸ Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and ^(H)wash your feet.” And Uriah went out of the king's house, and there followed him a present from the king. ⁹ But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. ¹⁰ When they told David, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?” ¹¹ Uriah said to David, ^(I)“The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths, and my lord Joab and ^(J)the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? As you live, and ^(K)as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.” ¹² Then David said to Uriah, “Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. ¹³ And David invited him, and he ate in his presence and drank, ^(L)so that he made him drunk. And in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with ^(M)the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.

¹⁴ In the morning David ^(N)wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. ¹⁵ In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, ^(O)that he may be struck down, and die.” ¹⁶ And as Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant men. ¹⁷ And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite also died. ¹⁸ Then Joab sent and told David all the news about the fighting. ¹⁹ And he instructed the messenger, “When you have finished telling all the news about the fighting to the king, ²⁰ then, if the king's anger rises, and if he says to you, ‘Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? ^21 (P)Who killed Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’”

²² So the messenger went and came and told David all that Joab had sent him to tell. ²³ The messenger said to David, “The men gained an advantage over us and came out against us in the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate. ²⁴ Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall. Some of the king's servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.” ²⁵ David said to the messenger, “Thus shall you say to Joab, ‘Do not let this matter displease you, for the sword devours now one and now another. Strengthen your attack against the city and overthrow it.’ And encourage him.”

²⁶ When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she lamented over her husband. ²⁷ And when the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and ^(Q)she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.

4 Therefore, my brothers,^[a] whom I love and ^(A)long for, ^(B)my joy and ^(C)crown, ^(D)stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

Exhortation, Encouragement, and Prayer

² I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to ^(E)agree in the Lord. ³ Yes, I ask you also, true companion,^[b] help these women, who have labored^[c] side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, ^(F)whose names are in the book of life.

^4 (G)Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. ⁵ Let your reasonableness^[d] be known to everyone. ^(H)The Lord is at hand; ^6 (I)do not be anxious about anything, ^(J)but in everything by prayer and supplication ^(K)with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And ^(L)the peace of God, ^(M)which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹ What you have learned^[e] and ^(N)received and heard and seen ^(O)in me—practice these things, and ^(P)the God of peace will be with you.

God's Provision

¹⁰ I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length ^(Q)you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. ¹¹ Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be ^(R)content. ¹² I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and ^(S)hunger, abundance and ^(T)need. ¹³ I can do all things ^(U)through him who strengthens me.

¹⁴ Yet it was kind of you ^(V)to share^[f] my trouble. ¹⁵ And you Philippians yourselves know that ^(W)in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, ^(X)no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. ¹⁶ Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. ^17 (Y)Not that I seek the gift, but I seek ^(Z)the fruit that increases to your credit.^{[g] 18} I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, ^(AA)having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, ^(AB)a fragrant offering, ^(AC)a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. ¹⁹ And my God ^(AD)will supply every need of yours ^(AE)according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. ²⁰ To ^(AF)our God and Father be ^(AG)glory forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

²¹ Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. ^(AH)The brothers who are with me greet you. ^22 (AI)All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household.

^23 (AJ)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.