David saves a city, gets betrayed by the people he rescued, and nearly surrounded by Saul - until God sends a Philistine raid that pulls the pursuing army away at the last moment.
Full sung version coming soon.
Lyrics
They told David saying, Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah And they are robbing the threshing floors Therefore David enquired of the LORD saying, Shall I go and strike these Philistines
And the LORD said to David, Go and strike the Philistines And save Keilah But David’s men said to him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judah How much more then if we go to Keilah
Then David enquired of the LORD yet again And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah For I will deliver the Philistines into your hand So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines
And took away their cattle and struck them with a great slaughter So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah Now Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah And came down with an ephod in his hand
Saul was told that David had come to Keilah And Saul said, God has delivered him into my hand For he has shut himself in by entering into a city that has gates and bars
And Saul called all the people together to war To go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men David knew that Saul was devising evil against him
And he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring the ephod here David said, O LORD, God of Israel, your servant has surely heard That Saul seeks to come to Keilah to destroy the city for my sake
Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand Will Saul come down as your servant has heard O LORD, God of Israel, I beg you, tell your servant
And the LORD said, He will come down Then David said, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men Into the hand of Saul
And the LORD said, They will deliver you So David and his men arose and departed out of Keilah And they went wherever they could go
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1 Samuel 23 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