2 Samuel 23:1–7

David’s Last Words

¹These are the last words of David: 

“Here is the declaration by David, son of Jesse— 

the declaration by the man whom God raised up,^a

whom the God of Jacob anointed, 

the singer of Israel’s psalms: 

²“The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me. 

His words were on my tongue. 

³The God of Israel spoke to them. 

The rock of Israel told me, 

‘The one who rules humans with justice rules with the fear of God. 

⁴He is like the morning light as the sun rises, 

like a morning without clouds, 

like the brightness after a rainstorm. 

The rain makes the grass grow from the earth.’ 

⁵“Truly, God considers my house to be that way, 

because he has made a lasting promise^bto me, 

with every detail arranged and assured. 

⸤He promised⸥ everything that helps me, 

everything that pleases me. 

Truly, he makes these things happen. 

⁶“Worthless people are like thorns. 

All of them are thrown away, because they cannot be picked by hand. 

⁷A person who touches them uses iron ⸤tools⸥ 

or the shaft of a spear. 

Fire^cwill burn them up completely wherever they are.”