David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.

“Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the Lord’s enemies.”

I love you, Lord, my strength.

To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, 26to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.

Lord God my Father,

Protect me from the fearful and disturbed. Give me reward of Peace and confidence. You are my strength and provider, you are faithful at all times and your reward is life to me.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

Since they hid their net for me without cause and without cause dug a pit for me, 8may ruin overtake them by surprise—

Do not be far from me, Lord. 23Awake and rise to my defense!

“The Lord be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant.”

Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.

5Let evil recoil on those who slander me; in your faithfulness destroy them.

But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by God will glory in him, while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

Lord God my Father,

Protect me from the evil that stalks me constantly. Seal my thoughts in your delight and shield me from deceit. Give me your Peace that filters all things and help me build proper boundaries against the darkness around me and within.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed.

Lord God my Father,

Keep my heart close and keep me from acting on a selfish thought, keep my actions close to your desires.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart. 11God is a righteous judge,

I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness;

Teach me your way, Lord; lead me in a straight path

I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

Lord God my Father,

Shape my heart into your design and protect me from my evil desires. Thank you for being my God and the example for me to follow so I may avoid affliction.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” 7With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.

Lord God my Father,

Give me the heart of David so I may know your way and honor you with all my thoughts and actions.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.

“I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” 

“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices

as much as in obeying the Lord?

To obey is better than sacrifice,

People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

Lord God my father,

Keep me from acting on my desire above yours. Allow me to follow you in the struggles and allow you to do the fighting for me. Direct me in the actions you wish me to take.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, 12I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”

 “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.”

Then panic struck the whole army—those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties—and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God.

Lord God my Father,

Keep me from taking on myself, the direction of my life. Help me to submit to your will above my own. Give me faith that trust in your plan and make my understanding, not important. Help me to allow you to lead the battle and use me as your servant.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

“After Jacob entered Egypt, they cried to the Lord for help, and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place.

9“But they forgot the Lord their God; so he sold them into the hand of Sisera, 

But if you do not obey the Lord, and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors.

Lord God my Father,

I need your help to make it through the day on your terms. Quiet my thoughts and make known your desires. Keep me from turning away from you. Make me obedient to you alone and bless my actions for your Glory.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

“Why did the Lord bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.”

 The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

Why do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh did? When Israel’s god dealt harshly with them, did they not send the Israelites out so they could go on their way?

Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord. 3So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only,

He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.

When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders. 2The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. 3But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.

“Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 

But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. 20Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”

Lord God my Father,

Keep my faith in your design and not my questions. Help me to live by your peace, not my desires. I want you to be my only God and trust in your plan. Restore your kingdom in my life, family, church and country. Expose those who do not follow your way and remove them from power. Lead us by your power, alive and all around us. Protect us from becoming like the other nations but stand firm in your power and grace.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”

“After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the Lord, and he will live there always.”

“Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. 27I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 28So now I give him to the Lord.

“My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance.

I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed one always.

Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

Lord God my Father,

Make my cry to you a holy one, show me how to honor you in all moments of the day. Give me a heart that trust you above all things. As you answer my prayers, keep my focus on you with a heart of gratitude. Raise me up as you see fit to do your will. Allow me to know you.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen