SAMSON PRAYED TO THE SOVEREIGN LORD

Judges 16:18-31 / Keywords 16:28

Then Samson prayed to the LORD, “O Sovereign LORD, remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.”

16:18 When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines, “Come back once more; he has told me everything.” So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands. 19 After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him.[c] And his strength left him.

20 Then she called, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!”

He awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him.

21 Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding grain in the prison. 22 But the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.

The Death of Samson

23 Now the rulers of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate, saying, “Our god has delivered Samson, our enemy, into our hands.”

24 When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying,

“Our god has delivered our enemy

    into our hands,

the one who laid waste our land

    and multiplied our slain.”

25 While they were in high spirits, they shouted, “Bring out Samson to entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison, and he performed for them.

When they stood him among the pillars, 26 Samson said to the servant who held his hand, “Put me where I can feel the pillars that support the temple, so that I may lean against them.” 27 Now the temple was crowded with men and women; all the rulers of the Philistines were there, and on the roof were about three thousand men and women watching Samson perform. 28 Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.” 29 Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, 30 Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.

31 Then his brothers and his father’s whole family went down to get him. They brought him back and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had led[d] Israel twenty years.

Footnotes

c. Judges 16:19 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts and he began to weaken

d. Judges 16:31 Traditionally judged

1. Samson lost his power when he despised his dedication as a Nazarite to God. Delilah shaved off his hair and called the Philistines, who completely subdued him. As the spirit of God left him, he was powerless.

2. Being powerless, Samson had his eyes gauged out, and was put into the enemy’s hands. It must have been a time for him to ponder the privilege and blessing he had received from the Lord. Samson’s hair grew back with time (22), symbolizing the spirit of God returning to him. It was an opportunity for Samson to understand where his power came from.

3. One day, while the Philistines worshiped their idol and got drunk, they wanted to bring Samson out to mock and ridicule him. At this time, Samson prayed to the Lord “to strengthen him once more.” He understood the origin and purpose of his strength. As he prayed to the sovereign Lord, he pushed two pillars supporting the roof. As God listened to his prayer and strengthened him once more, he died there, taking his enemies with him. God has given us strength to glorify his name. Do you live each day in reverence of the truth?

Prayer Father, thank you for calling me with your good purpose. Help me to remember who you are and have direction to live to serve your will each day.

One Word Sovereign Lord strengthens me