Jonathan and David seal an unbreakable covenant of loyal love in the shadow of Saul’s murderous rage. Chapter 20 of First Samuel is the pivot of David’s flight from court - a precisely constructed scene of coded arrow signals, a crown prince’s self-emptying loyalty, and two friends weeping together in a field before pa
Full sung version coming soon.
Lyrics
David fled from Naioth in Ramah And came and said to Jonathan, What have I done What is my iniquity, what is my sin before your father That he seeks my life
He said to him, Far from it, you will not die Behold, my father does nothing either great or small But that he discloses it to me Why would my father hide this thing from me
David swore moreover and said, Your father knows well That I have found favour in your eyes And he says, Don’t let Jonathan know this But truly as the LORD lives, there is but a step between me and death
Then Jonathan said to David, Whatever your soul desires I will even do it for you David said to Jonathan, Behold, tomorrow is the new moon And I should not fail to dine with the king
But let me go that I may hide myself in the field to the third day If your father misses me at all, then say David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem For it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family
If he says, It is well, your servant shall have peace But if he is angry, then know that evil is determined by him Therefore deal kindly with your servant For you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you
Jonathan said to David, Come, let’s go out into the field They both went out into the field Jonathan said to David, By the LORD, the God of Israel When I have sounded out my father about this time tomorrow
If there is good towards David, won’t I then send to you And disclose it to you The LORD do so to Jonathan and more also Should it please my father to do you evil
If I don’t disclose it to you and send you away That you may go in peace, may the LORD be with you As he has been with my father You shall not only show me the loving kindness of the LORD
While I still live that I not die But you shall also not cut off your kindness from my house forever Jonathan made a covenant with David’s house The LORD will require it at the hand of David’s enemies
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1 Samuel 20 sung by Psalm Selah. The whole Bible, one chapter at a time.
Published 2026-05-22 · Last updated 2026-06-06
Written by Reid Wender, Editorial Director at Psalmody Press