RADICAL COMMITMENT: Day 258

Today’s Reading: Psalm 89, 96, 100-101, 107

·         I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord

·         Worship in the splendor of His holiness

·         His steadfast love endures forever

·         I will walk with integrity

·         Let the redeemed of the Lord say so

PSALM 89

I Will Sing of the Steadfast Love of the Lord

89  I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever;
    with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
² For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever;
    in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”
³ You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
    I have sworn to David my servant:
⁴ ‘I will establish your offspring forever,
    and build your throne for all generations.’” Selah

⁵ Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,
    your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!
⁶ For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
     Who among the heavenly beings^[b] is like the Lord,
⁷ a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,
    and awesome above all who are around him?
⁸ O Lord God of hosts,
     who is mighty as you are, O Lord,
    with your faithfulness all around you?
⁹ You rule the raging of the sea;
    when its waves rise, you still them.
¹⁰ You crushed Rahab like a carcass;
    you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
¹¹  The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours;
     the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.
¹²  The north and the south, you have created them;
     Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name.
¹³ You have a mighty arm;
    strong is your hand, high your right hand.
¹⁴  Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
     steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
¹⁵ Blessed are the people who know the festal shout,
    who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face,
¹⁶ who exult in your name all the day
    and in your righteousness are exalted.
¹⁷ For you are the glory of their strength;
    by your favor our horn is exalted.
¹⁸ For our shield belongs to the Lord,
    our king to the Holy One of Israel.

¹⁹  Of old you spoke in a vision to your godly one,^[c] and said:
    “I have granted help to one who is mighty;
    I have exalted one chosen from the people.
²⁰  I have found David, my servant;
    with my holy oil I have anointed him,
²¹ so that my hand shall be established with him;
    my arm also shall strengthen him.
²² The enemy shall not outwit him;
     the wicked shall not humble him.
²³ I will crush his foes before him
    and strike down those who hate him.
²⁴ My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him,
    and in my name shall his horn be exalted.
²⁵ I will set his hand on the sea
    and his right hand on the rivers.
²⁶ He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father,
    my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’
²⁷ And I will make him the firstborn,
     the highest of the kings of the earth.
²⁸ My steadfast love I will keep for him forever,
    and my covenant will stand firm^[d] for him.
²⁹ I will establish his offspring forever
    and his throne as the days of the heavens.
³⁰  If his children forsake my law
    and do not walk according to my rules,^[e]
31 if they violate my statutes
    and do not keep my commandments,
³² then I will punish their transgression with the rod
    and their iniquity with stripes,
³³ but I will not remove from him my steadfast love
    or be false to my faithfulness.
³⁴ I will not violate my covenant
    or alter the word that went forth from my lips.
³⁵ Once for all I have sworn by my holiness;
    I will not lie to David.
³⁶ His offspring shall endure forever,
     his throne as long as the sun before me.
³⁷ Like the moon it shall be established forever,
     a faithful witness in the skies.” Selah

³⁸ But now you have cast off and rejected;
    you are full of wrath against your anointed.
³⁹ You have renounced the covenant with your servant;
    you have defiled his crown in the dust.
⁴⁰ You have breached all his walls;
    you have laid his strongholds in ruins.
⁴¹  All who pass by plunder him;
    he has become the scorn of his neighbors.
⁴² You have exalted the right hand of his foes;
    you have made all his enemies rejoice.
⁴³ You have also turned back the edge of his sword,
    and you have not made him stand in battle.
⁴⁴ You have made his splendor to cease
    and cast his throne to the ground.
⁴⁵ You have cut short the days of his youth;
    you have covered him with shame. Selah

⁴⁶  How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?
    How long will your wrath burn like fire?
⁴⁷  Remember how short my time is!
    For what vanity you have created all the children of man!
⁴⁸  What man can live and never see death?
    Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah

⁴⁹ Lord, where is your steadfast love of old,
    which by your faithfulness you swore to David?
⁵⁰  Remember, O Lord, how your servants are mocked,
    and how I bear in my heart the insults^[f] of all the many nations,
⁵¹ with which your enemies mock, O Lord,
    with which they mock the footsteps of your anointed.

⁵²  Blessed be the Lord forever!
Amen and Amen.

PSALM 96

Worship in the Splendor of Holiness

96  Oh sing to the Lord a new song;
    sing to the Lord, all the earth!
^{2 Lord, bless his name;}Sing to the
     tell of his salvation from day to day.
³ Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvelous works among all the peoples!
^{4 Lord, and greatly to be praised;}For great is the
    he is to be feared above all gods.
⁵ For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens.
⁶ Splendor and majesty are before him;
     strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

⁷ Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
     ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!
^{8 Lord the glory due his name;}Ascribe to the
    bring an offering, and come into his courts!
^{9 Lord in the splendor of holiness;[a]}Worship the
     tremble before him, all the earth!

¹⁰ Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!
    Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;
    he will judge the peoples with equity.”

¹¹ Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
    let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
¹²     let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
¹³     before the Lord, for he comes,
    for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
    and the peoples in his faithfulness.

PSALM 100-101

His Steadfast Love Endures Forever

100  Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
²      Serve the Lord with gladness!
     Come into his presence with singing!

³ Know that the Lord, he is God!
    It is he who made us, and we are his;^[a]
    we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

⁴  Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
    and his courts with praise!
    Give thanks to him; bless his name!

⁵  For the Lord is good;
    his steadfast love endures forever,
    and his faithfulness to all generations.

I Will Walk with Integrity

101 I will sing of steadfast love and justice;
    to you, O Lord, I will make music.
² I will ponder the way that is blameless.
    Oh when will you come to me?
I will walk with integrity of heart
    within my house;
³ I will not set before my eyes
    anything that is worthless.
I hate the work of those who fall away;
    it shall not cling to me.
⁴  A perverse heart shall be far from me;
    I will know nothing of evil.

⁵ Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly
    I will destroy.
Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart
    I will not endure.

⁶ I will look with favor on the faithful in the land,
    that they may dwell with me;
he who walks in the way that is blameless
    shall minister to me.

⁷ No one who practices deceit
    shall dwell in my house;
no one who utters lies
    shall continue before my eyes.

⁸  Morning by morning I will destroy
    all the wicked in the land,
cutting off all the evildoers
    from the city of the Lord.

PSALM 107

Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say So

107  Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
    for his steadfast love endures forever!
^{2 Lord say so,}Let the redeemed of the
    whom he has redeemed from trouble^[a]
3 and gathered in from the lands,
    from the east and from the west,
    from the north and from the south.

⁴ Some wandered in desert wastes,
    finding no way to a city to dwell in;
⁵ hungry and thirsty,
    their soul fainted within them.
^{6 Lord in their trouble,}Then they cried to the
    and he delivered them from their distress.
⁷ He led them by a straight way
    till they reached a city to dwell in.
^{8 Lord for his steadfast love,} Let them thank the
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
⁹ For he satisfies the longing soul,
     and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

¹⁰  Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    prisoners in affliction and in irons,
¹¹ for they had rebelled against the words of God,
    and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
¹² So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor;
    they fell down, with none to help.
^{13 Lord in their trouble,} Then they cried to the
    and he delivered them from their distress.
¹⁴ He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
    and burst their bonds apart.
^{15 Lord for his steadfast love,} Let them thank the
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
¹⁶ For he shatters the doors of bronze
    and cuts in two the bars of iron.

¹⁷ Some were fools through their sinful ways,
    and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;
¹⁸  they loathed any kind of food,
    and they drew near to the gates of death.
^{19 Lord in their trouble,} Then they cried to the
    and he delivered them from their distress.
²⁰ He sent out his word and healed them,
    and delivered them from their destruction.
^{21 Lord for his steadfast love,} Let them thank the
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
²² And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
    and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!

²³ Some went down to the sea in ships,
    doing business on the great waters;
^24 Lord,they saw the deeds of the
    his wondrous works in the deep.
²⁵ For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,
    which lifted up the waves of the sea.
²⁶ They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;
    their courage melted away in their evil plight;
²⁷ they reeled and staggered like drunken men
    and were at their wits' end.^{[b]
28 Lord in their trouble,} Then they cried to the
    and he delivered them from their distress.
²⁹ He made the storm be still,
    and the waves of the sea were hushed.
³⁰ Then they were glad that the waters^[c] were quiet,
    and he brought them to their desired haven.
^{31 Lord for his steadfast love,} Let them thank the
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
³² Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,
    and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

³³ He turns rivers into a desert,
    springs of water into thirsty ground,
³⁴  a fruitful land into a salty waste,
    because of the evil of its inhabitants.
³⁵ He turns a desert into pools of water,
     a parched land into springs of water.
³⁶ And there he lets the hungry dwell,
    and they establish a city to live in;
³⁷ they sow fields and plant vineyards
    and get a fruitful yield.
³⁸  By his blessing they multiply greatly,
    and he does not let their livestock diminish.

³⁹ When they are diminished and brought low
    through oppression, evil, and sorrow,
⁴⁰  he pours contempt on princes
    and makes them wander in trackless wastes;
⁴¹ but he raises up the needy out of affliction
    and makes their families like flocks.
⁴²  The upright see it and are glad,
    and all wickedness shuts its mouth.

⁴³  Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;
    let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

Where have you seen God’s grace in your life today?

RADICAL COMMITMENT: Day 259

...an extra reminder today:

PSALM 51

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of Your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against You, and You alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in Your sight. You will be proved right in what You say, and Your judgment against me is just. For I was born a sinner – yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there. Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; You have broken me – now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from Your presence, and don’t take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your ways to rebels, and they will return to You. Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.

Today’s Reading: Psalms 15, 23-25, 47

·         Who shall dwell on your holy hill?

·         The Lord is my shepherd

·         The King of glory

·         Teach me your paths

·         God is King over all the earth

PSALM 15:

Who Shall Dwell on Your Holy Hill?

15 O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?
    Who shall dwell on your holy hill?

² He who walks blamelessly and does what is right
    and speaks truth in his heart;
³ who does not slander with his tongue
    and does no evil to his neighbor,
    nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
⁴  in whose eyes a vile person is despised,
    but who honors those who fear the Lord;
who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
⁵ who does not put out his money at interest
    and does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved.

PSALM 23-25:

The Lord Is My Shepherd

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
²     He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.^[a]
3     He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness^[b]
    for his name's sake.

⁴ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,^[c]
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely^[d] goodness and mercy^[e] shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell^[f] in the house of the Lord
     forever.^[g]

The King of Glory

24  The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof,^[h]
    the world and those who dwell therein,
² for he has founded it upon the seas
    and established it upon the rivers.

³  Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
    And who shall stand in his holy place?
⁴  He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
    who does not lift up his soul to what is false
    and does not swear deceitfully.
^5 LordHe will receive blessing from the
    and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
⁶ Such is the generation of those who seek him,
    who seek the face of the God of Jacob.^[i] Selah

⁷  Lift up your heads, O gates!
    And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
⁸ Who is this King of glory?
    The Lord, strong and mighty,
    the Lord, mighty in battle!
⁹ Lift up your heads, O gates!
    And lift them up, O ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
¹⁰ Who is this King of glory?
     The Lord of hosts,
    he is the King of glory! Selah

Teach Me Your Paths

25 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
² O my God, in you I trust;
     let me not be put to shame;
     let not my enemies exult over me.
³ Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;
    they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

⁴  Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
    teach me your paths.
⁵ Lead me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are the God of my salvation;
    for you I wait all the day long.

⁶ Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,
     for they have been from of old.
⁷ Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
    according to your steadfast love remember me,
    for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

⁸  Good and upright is the Lord;
    therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
⁹ He leads the humble in what is right,
    and teaches the humble his way.
^{10 Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,}All the paths of the
    for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

¹¹ For your name's sake, O Lord,
    pardon my guilt, for it is great.
^12 Lord?Who is the man who fears the
    Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
¹³ His soul shall abide in well-being,
    and his offspring shall inherit the land.
^{14 Lord is for those who fear him,} The friendship^[k] of the
    and he makes known to them his covenant.
^15 Lord,My eyes are ever toward the
    for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

¹⁶  Turn to me and be gracious to me,
    for I am lonely and afflicted.
¹⁷ The troubles of my heart are enlarged;
    bring me out of my distresses.
¹⁸  Consider my affliction and my trouble,
    and forgive all my sins.

¹⁹ Consider how many are my foes,
    and with what violent hatred they hate me.
²⁰ Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me!
     Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
²¹ May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
    for I wait for you.

²²  Redeem Israel, O God,
    out of all his troubles.

PSALM 47:

God Is King over All the Earth

47  Clap your hands, all peoples!
     Shout to God with loud songs of joy!
^{2 Lord, the Most High, is to be feared,}For the
     a great king over all the earth.
³ He subdued peoples under us,
    and nations under our feet.
⁴ He chose our heritage for us,
     the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah

⁵ God has gone up with a shout,
    the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
⁶ Sing praises to God, sing praises!
    Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
⁷ For God is the King of all the earth;
    sing praises with a psalm!^[a]

⁸ God reigns over the nations;
    God sits on his holy throne.
⁹  The princes of the peoples gather
    as the people of the God of Abraham.
For the shields of the earth belong to God;
    he is highly exalted!

Where have you seen God’s grace in your life today?

RADICAL COMMITMENT: Day 260

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 5:11-6:23; 1 Chronicles 13-16

2 Samuel 5:11-6:23

¹¹  And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also carpenters and masons who built David a house. ^{12 Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.}And David knew that the
¹³ And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David. ¹⁴  And these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, ¹⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, ¹⁶ Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

David Defeats the Philistines

¹⁷ When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. ¹⁸ Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. ^{19 Lord, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.”}And David inquired of the ^{20 Lord has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood.” Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim.[a]}And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “The ²¹ And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.
²² And the Philistines came up yet again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. ^{23 Lord, he said, “You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees.} And when David inquired of the ^{24 Lord has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.”}And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, for then the ^{25 Lord commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba to Gezer.}And David did as the

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

6  David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. ^{2 Lord of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim.}And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the ³ And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio,^[b] the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart,^{[c] 4} with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark.

Uzzah and the Ark

⁵ And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, with songs^[d] and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. ⁶ And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. ^{7 Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God.}And the anger of the ^{8 Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah[e] to this day.}And David was angry because the ^{9 Lord that day, and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?”}And David was afraid of the ^{10 Lord into the city of David. But David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.}So David was not willing to take the ark of the ^{11 Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.}And the ark of the
¹² And it was told King David, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing. ^{13 Lord had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal.}And when those who bore the ark of the ^{14 Lord with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod.}And David danced before the ^{15 Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn.}So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the

David and Michal

¹⁶ As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart. ^{17 Lord and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.}And they brought in the ark of the ^{18 Lord of hosts}And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the ¹⁹ and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a portion of meat,^[f] and a cake of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed, each to his house.
²⁰ And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants' female servants, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” ^{21 Lord, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince[g] over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will celebrate before the Lord.}And David said to Michal, “It was before the ²² I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your^[h] eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.” ²³ And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

1 Chronicles 13-16

The Ark Brought from Kiriath-Jearim

13 David consulted with the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, with every leader. ^{2 Lord our God, let us send abroad to our brothers who remain in all the lands of Israel, as well as to the priests and Levites in the cities that have pasturelands, that they may be gathered to us.}And David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and from the ³ Then let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it^[a] in the days of Saul.” ⁴ All the assembly agreed to do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

Uzzah and the Ark

⁵  So David assembled all Israel from the Nile^[b] of Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. ^{6 Lord who sits enthroned above the cherubim.} And David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim that belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the ⁷ And they carried the ark of God on a new cart, from the house of Abinadab, and Uzzah and Ahio^[c] were driving the cart. ⁸ And David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, with song and lyres and harps and tambourines and cymbals and trumpets.
⁹ And when they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah put out his hand to take hold of the ark, for the oxen stumbled. ^{10 Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark, and he died there before God.}And the anger of the ^{11 Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzza[d] to this day.}And David was angry because the ¹² And David was afraid of God that day, and he said, “How can I bring the ark of God home to me?” ¹³ So David did not take the ark home into the city of David, but took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. ^{14 Lord blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that he had.}And the ark of God remained with the household of Obed-edom in his house three months. And the

David's Wives and Children

14  And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also masons and carpenters to build a house for him. ^{2 Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel.}And David knew that the

³ And David took more wives in Jerusalem, and David fathered more sons and daughters. ⁴  These are the names of the children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, ⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, ⁶ Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, ⁷ Elishama, Beeliada and Eliphelet.

Philistines Defeated

⁸ When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went out against them. ⁹ Now the Philistines had come and made a raid in the Valley of Rephaim. ^{10 Lord said to him, “Go up, and I will give them into your hand.”}And David inquired of God, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the ¹¹ And he went up to Baal-perazim, and David struck them down there. And David said, “God has broken through^[e] my enemies by my hand, like a bursting flood.” Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim. ¹² And they left their gods there, and David gave command, and they were burned.
¹³ And the Philistines yet again made a raid in the valley. ¹⁴ And when David again inquired of God, God said to him, “You shall not go up after them; go around and come against them opposite the balsam trees. ¹⁵ And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” ¹⁶ And David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army from Gibeon to Gezer. ^{17 Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations.}And the fame of David went out into all lands, and the

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

15 David^[f] built houses for himself in the city of David. And he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. ^{2 Lord had chosen them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister to him forever.}Then David said that no one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, for the ^{3 Lord to its place, which he had prepared for it.} And David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the ⁴ And David gathered together the sons of Aaron and the Levites: ⁵ of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, with 120 of his brothers; ⁶ of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, with 220 of his brothers; ⁷ of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, with 130 of his brothers; ⁸ of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, with 200 of his brothers; ⁹ of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, with 80 of his brothers; ¹⁰ of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, with 112 of his brothers. ¹¹ Then David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab, ^{12 Lord, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it.}and said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites. Consecrate yourselves, you and your brothers, so that you may bring up the ark of the ^{13 Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not seek him according to the rule.”} Because you did not carry it the first time, the ^{14 Lord, the God of Israel.}So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the ^15 Lord.And the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the

¹⁶ David also commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers as the singers who should play loudly on musical instruments, on harps and lyres and cymbals, to raise sounds of joy. ¹⁷ So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari, their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; ¹⁸ and with them their brothers of the second order, Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel. ¹⁹ The singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were to sound bronze cymbals; ²⁰ Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play harps according to Alamoth; ²¹ but Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead with lyres according to the Sheminith. ²² Chenaniah, leader of the Levites in music, should direct the music, for he understood it. ²³ Berechiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers for the ark. ²⁴ Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, should blow the trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah were to be gatekeepers for the ark.
²⁵  So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-edom with rejoicing. ^{26 Lord, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.}And because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the ²⁷ David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as also were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and the singers and Chenaniah the leader of the music of the singers. And David wore a linen ephod. ^{28 Lord with shouting, to the sound of the horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and made loud music on harps and lyres.}So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the
²⁹ And as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David dancing and celebrating, and she despised him in her heart.

The Ark Placed in a Tent

16 And they brought in the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. ^2 LordAnd when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the ³ and distributed to all Israel, both men and women, to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat,^[g] and a cake of raisins.

⁴ Then he appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel. ⁵  Asaph was the chief, and second to him were Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, who were to play harps and lyres; Asaph was to sound the cymbals, ⁶ and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God. ^{7 Lord by Asaph and his brothers.}Then on that day David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the

David's Song of Thanks

⁸  Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;
     make known his deeds among the peoples!
⁹ Sing to him, sing praises to him;
    tell of all his wondrous works!
¹⁰ Glory in his holy name;
    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
^{11 Lord and his strength;} Seek the
    seek his presence continually!
¹²  Remember the wondrous works that he has done,
     his miracles and the judgments he uttered,
¹³ O offspring of Israel his servant,
    children of Jacob, his chosen ones!

¹⁴ He is the Lord our God;
     his judgments are in all the earth.
¹⁵ Remember his covenant forever,
    the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
¹⁶ the covenant that he made with Abraham,
    his sworn promise to Isaac,
¹⁷ which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,
    to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
¹⁸ saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan,
    as your portion for an inheritance.”

¹⁹ When you were few in number,
    of little account, and sojourners in it,
²⁰ wandering from nation to nation,
    from one kingdom to another people,
²¹ he allowed no one to oppress them;
    he rebuked kings on their account,
²² saying, “Touch not my anointed ones,
    do my prophets no harm!”

²³  Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
    Tell of his salvation from day to day.
²⁴ Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvelous works among all the peoples!
^{25 Lord, and greatly to be praised,}For great is the
    and he is to be feared above all gods.
²⁶ For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
     but the Lord made the heavens.
²⁷ Splendor and majesty are before him;
    strength and joy are in his place.

²⁸ Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
     ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!
^{29 Lord the glory due his name;}Ascribe to the
    bring an offering and come before him!
Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;^[h]
30     tremble before him, all the earth;
    yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.
³¹  Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice,
    and let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!”
³²  Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
    let the field exult, and everything in it!
³³ Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy
    before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.
^{34 Lord, for he is good;}Oh give thanks to the
    for his steadfast love endures forever!

³⁵  Say also:

“Save us, O God of our salvation,
    and gather and deliver us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
    and glory in your praise.
^{36 Lord, the God of Israel,} Blessed be the
    from everlasting to everlasting!”

Then all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord.

Worship Before the Ark

³⁷ So David left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister regularly before the ark as each day required, ³⁸ and also Obed-edom and his^[i] sixty-eight brothers, while Obed-edom, the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah were to be gatekeepers. ^{39 Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon}And he left Zadok the priest and his brothers the priests before the tabernacle of the ^{40 Lord on the altar of burnt offering regularly morning and evening, to do all that is written in the Law of the Lord that he commanded Israel.}to offer burnt offerings to the ^{41 Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever.}With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and expressly named to give thanks to the ⁴² Heman and Jeduthun had trumpets and cymbals for the music and instruments for sacred song. The sons of Jeduthun were appointed to the gate.
⁴³  Then all the people departed each to his house, and David went home to bless his household.

Where have you seen God’s grace in your life today?