1 CHRONICLES 19
1 Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the children of
Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead.
2 And David said, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash,
because his father shewed kindness to me. And David sent messengers
to comfort him concerning his father. So the servants of David came
into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him.
3 But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that
David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? are
not his servants come unto thee for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy
out the land?
4 Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved them, and cut off their
garments in the midst hard by their buttocks, and sent them away.
5 Then there went certain, and told David how the men were served.
And he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly ashamed.
And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown,
and then return.
6 And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves
odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand
talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia,
and out of Syria-maachah, and out of Zobah.
7 So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king
of Maachah and his people; who came and pitched before Medeba.
And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities,
and came to battle.
8 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab,
and all the host of the mighty men.
9 And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array before
the gate of the city: and the kings that were come were by themselves
in the field.
10 Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind,
he chose out of all the choice of Israel, and put them in array against
the Syrians.
11 And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of Abishai
his brother, and they set themselves in array against the children of Ammon.
12 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me:
but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee.
13 Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people,
and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good
in his sight.
14 So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians
unto the battle; and they fled before him.
15 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled,
they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city.
Then Joab came to Jerusalem.
16 And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel,
they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the river:
and Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.
17 And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, and passed over Jordan,
and came upon them, and set the battle in array against them. So when David
had put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him.
18 But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians
seven thousand men which fought in chariots, and forty thousand footmen,
and killed Shophach the captain of the host.
19 And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse
before Israel, they made peace with David, and became his servants:
neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more.
PSALMS 20
For the Music Director. A Psalm of David.
1 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble;
may the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
2 (Ps 63:1; 84:2) may He send you help from the sanctuary,
and strengthen you from Zion;
3 (Ps 79:10; 80:5) may He remember all your offerings,
and accept your burnt offering. Selah
4 (Isa 30:29; Ps 62:8) May He grant you according to your own heart,
and fulfill all your counsel.
5 (Ps 42:11; 43:5)We will rejoice in your salvation,
and in the name of our God we will set up our banners;
may the Lord fulfill all your petitions.
6 (2Sa 17:22; Dt 3:8-9) Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed;
He will answer him from His holy heaven
with the saving strength of His right hand.
7 (Ps 88:7; Jnh 2:3) Some trust in chariots, and some in horses,
but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
8 (Job 35:100; Ps 63:6) They are brought down and fallen,
but we arise and stand upright.
9(Ps 38:6; 18:2)Save, Lord!
May the King answer us when we call.
Psalm 20
[1] The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob
defend thee;
[2] Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion;
[3] Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.
[4] Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.
[5] We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set
up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.
[6] Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his
holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.
[7] Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the
name of the LORD our God.
[8] They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.
[9] Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call.
2) Our Daily Bread for 9 May 2026 titled
/devotionals/devotional-category/putting-on-gods-armor">
Putting On God's Armor by Mike Wittmer
2 Samuel 11:1-5
1 (1Ch 20:1; 1Ki 20:22; 20:26) In the spring of the year, the time
when the kings go out to battle, David sent out Joab and his officers,
all of Israel with him. They brought to ruin the Ammonites
and besieged Rabbah, but David remained in Jerusalem.
2 (Dt 22:8; Mt 5:28) One evening when David arose from his bed
and was walking on the roof of the king's house, from the roof
he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful.
3 (2Sa 23:39; 1Ch 3:5) So, David sent someone to inquire about the woman.
And it was asked, "Is this not Bathsheba the daughter of Eliam,
the wife of Uriah the Hittite?"
4 (Lev 18:19; Jas 1:14-15) So David sent messengers, and took her;
and she came to him, and he lay with her. When she had purified
herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house.
5 (Dt 22:22) The woman conceived. So she sent a message
and reported to David, "I am pregnant."
stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,
[1] And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings
go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all
Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But
David tarried still at Jerusalem.
[2] And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his
bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw
a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.
[3] And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this
Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
[4] And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and
he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned
unto her house.
[5] And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with
child.
Nafi and Kamran joined a military coup. They fought for years and, when their
side won, were given desk jobs in the capital. It's not going well. There's
little to do, so they go online. Nafi says that many of his comrades,
"including me, are addicted to the internet, especially Twitter." Kamran adds,
"The real test and challenge was not during the [war]. Rather, it's now. At
that time, it was simple, but now things are much more complicated." Citing
the various temptations he found on the Web, he added, "Many . . . have
fallen into these seemingly sweet, but actually bitter traps."
Kamran's right that we're most vulnerable to let down our guard when we're
at ease, just as he was after a war. In Scripture, we find a similar caution
in the story of David's adultery with Bathsheba. It all began when he sent
others off to war but remained behind in the capital. Like an undisciplined
man scrolling the internet, David "got up from his bed and walked around on
the roof of the palace" (2 Samuel 11:2). He put himself in harm's way. And
when "he saw a woman bathing," he didn't turn away (vv. 2-3).
We avoid the postwar letdown by remembering we're still at war.
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but . . . against
the spiritual forces of evil." So, as He helps us, we "put on the full
armour of God" and prepare to "stand [our] ground" (Ephesians 6:12-13).
Reflect & Pray
What is your present battle? How can you win? (See Ephesians 6:10-20.)
The Battle Against Evil
10 (Eph 1:19; 1Co 16:13) Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord
and in the power of His might.
11 (Eph 6:13; Ro 13:12; Eph 4:14) Put on the whole armour of God that
you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
12 (Eph 1:3; 1:2) 1For our fight is not against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers
of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual forces of evil
in the heavenly places.
13 (Eph 5:16) Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be
able to resist in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 (Isa 11:5; 59:17) Stand therefore, having your waist girded with truth,
having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 (Isa 52:7; Ro 10:15) having your feet fitted with the readiness
of the gospel of peace, 16and above all, taking the shield of faith,
with which you will be able to extinguish all the fiery arrows
of the evil one.
17 (Heb 4:12; Isa 49:2; 59:17) Take the helmet of salvation
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 (Col 4:2; 1Ti 2:1; Eph 1:16) Pray in the Spirit always with all kinds
of prayer and supplication. To that end be alert with all perseverance
and supplication for all the saints.
19 (1Th 5:25; Ac 4:29) Pray for me, that the power to speak may be given
to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery
of the gospel,
20 (2Co 5:20; Ac 28:20) for which I am an ambassador in chains,
that I may speak boldly as I ought to speak.
[10] Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his
might.
[11] Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against
the wiles of the devil.
[12] For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against
spiritual wickedness in high places.
[13] Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
[14] Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on
the breastplate of righteousness;
[15] And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
[16] Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to
quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
[17] And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is
the word of God:
[18] Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and
watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
[19] And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my
mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
[20] For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly,
as I ought to speak.
Dear Jesus, I fight today in Your power and by Your Spirit.
Winning takes strategy.
href="https://www.odbm.org/en/discovery-series/know-the-enemy/introduction">
Learn how to battle the ultimate Enemy of all believers.