1 Samuel 17:45-51

New International Version

⁴⁵David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin,^(A) but I come against you in the name^(B) of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.^(C) ⁴⁶This day the Lord will deliver^(D) you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses^(E) of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world^(F) will know that there is a God in Israel.^(G) ⁴⁷All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword^(H) or spear that the Lord saves;^(I) for the battle^(J) is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

⁴⁸As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. ⁴⁹Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.

⁵⁰So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling^(K) and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.

⁵¹David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the sheath. After he killed him, he cut^(L) off his head with the sword.^(M)

When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran.

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Psalm 9:1-10

New International Version

Psalm 9^[a]^[b]

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Death of the Son.” A psalm of David.

¹I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;^(A)
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.^(B)
²I will be glad and rejoice^(C) in you;
I will sing the praises^(D) of your name,^(E) O Most High.

³My enemies turn back;
    they stumble and perish before you.
⁴For you have upheld my right^(F) and my cause,^(G)
    sitting enthroned^(H) as the righteous judge.^(I)
⁵You have rebuked the nations^(J) and destroyed the wicked;
    you have blotted out their name^(K) for ever and ever.
⁶Endless ruin has overtaken my enemies,
    you have uprooted their cities;^(L)
    even the memory of them^(M) has perished.

⁷The Lord reigns forever;^(N)
    he has established his throne^(O) for judgment.
⁸He rules the world in righteousness^(P)
    and judges the peoples with equity.^(Q)
⁹The Lord is a refuge^(R) for the oppressed,^(S)
    a stronghold in times of trouble.^(T)
¹⁰Those who know your name^(U) trust in you,
    for you, Lord, have never forsaken^(V) those who seek you.^(W)

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Footnotes

Psalm 9:1 Psalms 9 and 10 may originally have been a single acrostic poem in which alternating lines began with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In the Septuagint they constitute one psalm.
Psalm 9:1 In Hebrew texts 9:1-20 is numbered 9:2-21.

Matthew 2:7-11

New International Version

⁷Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. ⁸He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

⁹After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. ¹¹On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.^(A) Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts^(B) of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

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