₂The Spirit of the LORD speaks through me;

his message is on my lips.

₃The God of Israel has spoken;

the protector of Israel said to me:

“The king who rules with justice,

who rules in obedience to God,

₄is like the sun shining on a cloudless dawn,

the sun that makes the grass sparkle after rain.”

₅And that is how God will bless my descendants,

because he has made an eternal covenant with me,

an agreement that will not be broken,

a promise that will not be changed.

That is all I desire;

that will be my victory,

and God will surely bring it about.

₆But godless people are like thorns that are thrown away;

no one can touch them with bare hands.

₇You must use an iron tool or a spear;

they will be burnt completely.

₁LORD, do not forget David

and all the hardships he endured.

₂Remember, LORD, what he promised,

the vow he made to you, the Mighty God of Jacob:

₃“I will not go home or go to bed;

₄I will not rest or sleep,

₅until I provide a place for the LORD,

a home for the Mighty God of Jacob.”

₆In Bethlehem we heard about the Covenant Box,

and we found it in the fields of Jearim.

₇We said, “Let us go to the LORD's house;

let us worship before his throne.”

₈Come to the Temple, LORD, with the Covenant Box,

the symbol of your power,

and stay here for ever.

₉May your priests do always what is right;

may your people shout for joy!

₁₀You made a promise to your servant David;

do not reject your chosen king, LORD.

₁₁You made a solemn promise to David —

a promise you will not take back:

“I will make one of your sons king,

and he will rule after you.

₁₂If your sons are true to my covenant

and to the commands I give them,

their sons, also, will succeed you for all time as kings.”

₁₃The LORD has chosen Zion;

he wants to make it his home:

₁₄“This is where I will live for ever;

this is where I want to rule.

₁₅I will richly provide Zion with all she needs;

I will satisfy her poor with food.

₁₆I will bless her priests in all they do,

and her people will sing and shout for joy.

₁₇Here I will make one of David's descendants a great king;

here I will preserve the rule of my chosen king.

₁₈I will cover his enemies with shame,

but his kingdom will prosper and flourish.”