It's also worth mentioning that SQL can be evaluated in a code block - as well as a bunch of other languages, but SQL would be pertinent for this example:

  #+name: my-query
  #+header: :engine mssql
  #+header: :dbhost DBServer
  #+header: :Trusted_Connection True
  #+header: :database DBName
  #+begin_src sql
  select top 3 id, name, description
  from dbo.Foo
  #+end_src

  #+RESULTS: my-query
  | id | name       | description |
  |----+------------+-------------|
  |  1 | Name one   | abc         |
  |  2 | Name two   | xyz         |
  |  3 | Name three | 123         |

My example uses MS Sql Server, but of course emacs supports a lot more databases.