Meditate

7. Samuel Subdues Philistines

¹And the people of Kiriath-jearim came and took up the ark of the Lord, and brought it to the house of Abinadab on the hill. They consecrated his son, Eleazar, to have charge of the ark of the Lord.

² From the day that the ark was lodged at Kiriath-jearim, a long time passed, some twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.

Samuel as Judge

³ Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Astartes from among you. Direct your heart to the Lord, and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”⁴So Israel put away the Baals and the Astartes, and they served the Lord only.

⁵ Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.”⁶So they gathered at Mizpah, and drew water and poured it out before the Lord. They fasted that day, and said, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah.

⁷ When the Philistines heard that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the people of Israel heard of it they were afraid of the Philistines.⁸The people of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, and pray that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”⁹So Samuel took a sucking lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord; Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him.¹⁰As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel; but the Lord thundered with a mighty voice that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion; and they were routed before Israel.¹¹And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and struck them down as far as beyond Beth-car.

¹² Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Jeshanah, and named it Ebenezer; for he said, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”¹³So the Philistines were subdued and did not again enter the territory of Israel; the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.¹⁴The towns that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. There was peace also between Israel and the Amorites.

¹⁵ Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.¹⁶He went on a circuit year by year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all these places.¹⁷Then he would come back to Ramah, for his home was there; he administered justice there to Israel, and built there an altar to the Lord.

4. Unity in the Body of Christ

Unity in the Body of Christ

 4

I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called,²with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,³making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.⁴There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling,⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism,⁶one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

71. Psalm 71

Psalm 71

Prayer for Lifelong Protection and Help

1

In you, O Lord, I take refuge;

let me never be put to shame.

2

In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;

incline your ear to me and save me.

3

Be to me a rock of refuge,

a strong fortress, to save me,

for you are my rock and my fortress.

4

Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,

from the grasp of the unjust and cruel.

5

For you, O Lord, are my hope,

my trust, O Lord, from my youth.

6

Upon you I have leaned from my birth;

it was you who took me from my mother’s womb.

My praise is continually of you.

7

I have been like a portent to many,

but you are my strong refuge.

8

My mouth is filled with your praise,

and with your glory all day long.

9

Do not cast me off in the time of old age;

do not forsake me when my strength is spent.

10

For my enemies speak concerning me,

and those who watch for my life consult together.

11

They say, “Pursue and seize that person

whom God has forsaken,

for there is no one to deliver.”

12

O God, do not be far from me;

O my God, make haste to help me!

13

Let my accusers be put to shame and consumed;

let those who seek to hurt me

be covered with scorn and disgrace.

14

But I will hope continually,

and will praise you yet more and more.

15

My mouth will tell of your righteous acts,

of your deeds of salvation all day long,

though their number is past my knowledge.

16

I will come praising the mighty deeds of the Lord God,

I will praise your righteousness, yours alone.

17

O God, from my youth you have taught me,

and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.

18

So even to old age and gray hairs,

O God, do not forsake me,

until I proclaim your might

to all the generations to come.

Your power¹⁹and your righteousness, O God,

reach the high heavens.

You who have done great things,

O God, who is like you?

20

You who have made me see many troubles and calamities

will revive me again;

from the depths of the earth

you will bring me up again.

21

You will increase my honor,

and comfort me once again.

22

I will also praise you with the harp

for your faithfulness, O my God;

I will sing praises to you with the lyre,

O Holy One of Israel.

23

My lips will shout for joy

when I sing praises to you;

my soul also, which you have rescued.

24

All day long my tongue will talk of your righteous help,

for those who tried to do me harm

have been put to shame, and disgraced.