David’s coronation over all Israel and his capture of Jerusalem - 2 Samuel 5 is the chapter where a shepherd-king unites twelve tribes, takes a Jebusite fortress as his new capital, and defeats the Philistines twice by enquiring of God before each battle.
Full sung version coming soon.
Lyrics
All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and spoke Saying, Behold, we are your bone and your flesh In times past when Saul was king over us It was you who led Israel out and in
The LORD said to you, You will be shepherd of my people Israel And you will be prince over Israel So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron And King David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD
And they anointed David king over Israel David was thirty years old when he began to reign And he reigned forty years In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months
And in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah David lived in the stronghold and called it David’s city David built around from Millo and inward And David became greater and greater
For the LORD, the God of Armies, was with him And the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel And all the Philistines came up to seek David But David heard about it and went down to the stronghold
The Philistines had come and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim And David enquired of the LORD, Shall I go up against the Philistines Will you deliver them into my hand
The LORD said to David, Go up, for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into your hand And David came to Baal Perazim And David struck them there And he said, The LORD has broken my enemies before me like the breach of waters
Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim The Philistines came up yet again and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim And David enquired of the LORD
And he said, You shall not go up Circle around behind them and attack them in front of the mulberry trees When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees Then stir yourself up, for then the LORD has gone out before you
To strike the army of the Philistines David did so as the LORD commanded him And struck the Philistines all the way from Geba to Gezer
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2 Samuel 5 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