161 They brought the Chest of God and placed it right in the center of the tent that David had pitched for it; then they worshiped by presenting burnt offerings and peace offerings to God. 2 When David had completed the offerings of worship, he blessed the people in the name of God. 3 Then he passed around to every one there, men and women alike, a loaf of bread, a slice of barbecue, and a raisin cake. 4 Then David assigned some of the Levites to the Chest of God to lead worship - to intercede, give thanks, and praise the God of Israel. 5 Asaph was in charge; under him were Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, who played the musical instruments. Asaph was on percussion. 6 The priests Benaiah and Jahaziel blew the trumpets before the Chest of the Covenant of God at set times through the day.
7 That was the day that David inaugurated regular worship of praise to God, led by Asaph and his company. 8 Thank God! Call out his Name! Tell the whole world who he is and what he's done! 9 Sing to him! Play songs for him! Broadcast all his wonders! 10 Revel in his holy Name, God-seekers, be jubilant! 11 Study God and his strength, seek his presence day and night; 12 Remember all the wonders he performed, the miracles and judgments that came out of his mouth. 13 Seed of Israel his servant! Children of Jacob, his first choice! 14 He is God, our God; wherever you go you come on his judgments and decisions. 15 He keeps his commitments across thousands of generations, the covenant he commanded, 16 The same one he made with Abraham, the very one he swore to Isaac; 17 He posted it in big block letters to Jacob, this eternal covenant with Israel: 18 "I give you the land of Canaan, this is your inheritance; 19 Even though you're not much to look at, a few straggling strangers." 20 They wandered from country to country, camped out in one kingdom after another; 21 But he didn't let anyone push them around, he stood up for them against bully-kings: 22 "Don't you dare touch my anointed ones, don't lay a hand on my prophets." 23 Sing to God, everyone and everything! Get out his salvation news every day! 24 Publish his glory among the godless nations, his wonders to all races and religions. 25 And why? Because God is great - well worth praising! No god or goddess comes close in honor. 26 All the popular gods are stuff and nonsense, but God made the cosmos! 27 Splendor and majesty flow out of him, strength and joy fill his place. 28 Shout Bravo! to God, families of the peoples, in awe of the Glory, in awe of the Strength: Bravo! 29 Shout Bravo! to his famous Name, lift high an offering and enter his presence! Stand resplendent in his robes of holiness! 30 God is serious business, take him seriously; he's put the earth in place and it's not moving. 31 So let heaven rejoice, let earth be jubilant, and pass the word among the nations, "God reigns!" 32 Let Ocean, all teeming with life, bellow, let Field and all its creatures shake the rafters; 33 Then the trees in the forest will add their applause to all who are pleased and present before God - he's on his way to set things right! 34 Give thanks to God - he is good and his love never quits. 35 Say, "Save us, Savior God, round us up and get us out of these godless places, So we can give thanks to your holy Name, and bask in your life of praise." 36 Blessed be God, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Then everybody said, "Yes! Amen!" and "Praise God!"
37 David left Asaph and his coworkers with the Chest of the Covenant of God and in charge of the work of worship; they were responsible for the needs of worship around the clock. 38 He also assigned Obed-Edom and his sixty-eight relatives to help them. Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun and Hosah were in charge of the security guards. 39 The priest Zadok and his family of priests were assigned to the Tent of God at the sacred mound at Gibeon 40 to make sure that the services of morning and evening worship were conducted daily, complete with Whole-Burnt-Offerings offered on the Altar of Burnt Offering, as ordered in the Law of God, which was the norm for Israel. 41 With them were Heman, Jeduthun, and others specifically named, with the job description: "Give thanks to God, for his love never quits!" 42 Heman and Jeduthun were also well equipped with trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments for accompanying sacred songs. The sons of Jeduthun formed the security guard. 43 Arrangements completed, the people all left for home. And David went home to bless his family.
171 After the king had made himself at home, he said to Nathan the prophet, "Look at this: Here I am comfortable in a luxurious palace of cedar and the Chest of the Covenant of God sits under a tent." 2 Nathan told David, "Whatever is on your heart, go and do it; God is with you." 3 But that night, the word of God came to Nathan, saying, 4 "Go and tell my servant David, This is God's word on the matter: You will not build me a 'house' to live in. 5 Why, I haven't lived in a 'house' from the time I brought up the children of Israel from Egypt till now; I've gone from one tent and makeshift shelter to another. 6 In all my travels with all Israel, did I ever say to any of the leaders I commanded to shepherd Israel, 'Why haven't you built me a house of cedar?' 7 "So here is what you are to tell my servant David: The God-of-the-Angel-Armies has this word for you: I took you from the pasture, tagging after sheep, and made you prince over my people Israel. 8 I was with you everywhere you went and mowed your enemies down before you; and now I'm about to make you famous, ranked with the great names on earth. 9 I'm going to set aside a place for my people Israel and plant them there so they'll have their own home and not be knocked around anymore; nor will evil nations afflict them as they always have, 10 even during the days I set judges over my people Israel. And finally, I'm going to conquer all your enemies. 11 When your life is complete and you're buried with your ancestors, then I'll raise up your child to succeed you, a child from your own body, and I'll firmly establish his rule. 12 He will build a house to honor me, and I will guarantee his kingdom's rule forever. 13 I'll be a father to him, and he'll be a son to me. I will never remove my gracious love from him as I did from the one who preceded you. 14 I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will always be there, rock solid." 15 Nathan gave David a complete and accurate report of everything he heard and saw in the vision.
16 King David went in, took his place before God, and prayed: 17 But that's nothing compared to what's coming, for you've also spoken of my family far into the future, given me a glimpse into tomorrow and looked on me, Master God, as a Somebody. 18 What's left for David to say to this - to your honoring your servant, even though you know me, just as I am? 19 O God, out of the goodness of your heart, you've taken your servant to do this great thing and put your great work on display. 20 There's none like you, God, no God but you, nothing to compare with what we've heard with our own ears. 21 And who is like your people, like Israel, a nation unique on earth, whom God set out to redeem as his own people (and became most famous for it), performing great and fearsome acts, throwing out nations and their gods left and right as you saved your people from Egypt? 22 You established for yourself a people - your very own Israel! - your people forever. And you, God, became their God. 23 So now, great God, this word that you have spoken to me and my family, guarantee it forever! Do exactly what you've promised! 24 Then your reputation will be confirmed and flourish always as people exclaim, "The God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God over Israel, is Israel's God!" And the house of your servant David will remain rock solid under your watchful presence. 25 You, my God, have told me plainly, "I will build you a house." That's how I was able to find the courage to pray this prayer to you. 26 God, being the God you are, you have spoken all these wonderful words to me. 27 As if that weren't enough, you've blessed my family so that it will continue in your presence always. Because you have blessed it, God, it's really blessed - blessed for good!
181 In the days that followed, David struck hard at the Philistines, bringing them to their knees, captured Gath, and took control of the surrounding countryside. 2 He also fought and defeated Moab. The Moabites came under David's rule and paid regular tribute. 3 On his way to restore his sovereignty at the Euphrates River, David defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah (over toward Hamath). 4 David captured a thousand chariots, 7,000 cavalry, and 20,000 infantry from him. He hamstrung all the chariot horses, but saved back a hundred. 5 When the Arameans from Damascus came to the aid of Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed 22,000 of them. 6 David set up a puppet government in Aram-Damascus. The Arameans became subjects of David and were forced to bring tribute. God gave victory to David wherever he marched. 7 David plundered the gold shields that belonged to the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 He also looted Tebah and Cun, cities of Hadadezer, of a huge quantity of bronze that Solomon later used to make the Great Bronze Sea, the Pillars, and bronze equipment in The Temple.
9 Tou king of Hamath heard that David had struck down the entire army of Hadadezer king of Zobah. 10 He sent his son Hadoram to King David to greet and congratulate him for fighting and defeating Hadadezer. Tou and Hadadezer were old enemies. Hadoram brought David various things made of silver, gold, and bronze. 11 King David consecrated these things along with the silver and gold that he had plundered from other nations: Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalek. 12 Abishai son of Zeruiah fought and defeated the Edomites in the Valley of Salt - 18,000 of them. 13 He set up a puppet government in Edom and the Edomites became subjects under David. God gave David victory wherever he marched.
14 Thus David ruled over all of Israel. He ruled well, fair and evenhanded in all his duties and relationships. 15 Joab son of Zeruiah was head of the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was in charge of public records; 16 Zadok son of Ahitub and Abimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Shavsha was secretary; 17 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the special forces, the Kerethites and Pelethites; And David's sons held high positions, close to the king.
28 That provoked Jesus, who was teaching in the Temple, to cry out, "Yes, you think you know me and where I'm from, but that's not where I'm from. I didn't set myself up in business. My true origin is in the One who sent me, and you don't know him at all. 29 I come from him - that's how I know him. He sent me here." 30 They were looking for a way to arrest him, but not a hand was laid on him because it wasn't yet God's time. 31 Many from the crowd committed themselves in faith to him, saying, "Will the Messiah, when he comes, provide better or more convincing evidence than this?"
32 The Pharisees, alarmed at this seditious undertow going through the crowd, teamed up with the high priests and sent their police to arrest him. 33 Jesus rebuffed them: "I am with you only a short time. Then I go on to the One who sent me. 34 You will look for me, but you won't find me. Where I am, you can't come." 35 The Jews put their heads together. "Where do you think he is going that we won't be able to find him? Do you think he is about to travel to the Greek world to teach the Jews? 36 What is he talking about, anyway: 'You will look for me, but you won't find me,' and 'Where I am, you can't come'?"
37 On the final and climactic day of the Feast, Jesus took his stand. He cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says." 39 (He said this in regard to the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were about to receive. The Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet been glorified.)
40 Those in the crowd who heard these words were saying, "This has to be the Prophet." 41 Others said, "He is the Messiah!" But others were saying, "The Messiah doesn't come from Galilee, does he? 42 Don't the Scriptures tell us that the Messiah comes from David's line and from Bethlehem, David's village?" 43 So there was a split in the crowd over him. 44 Some went so far as wanting to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him.
45 That's when the Temple police reported back to the high priests and Pharisees, who demanded, "Why didn't you bring him with you?" 46 The police answered, "Have you heard the way he talks? We've never heard anyone speak like this man." 47 The Pharisees said, "Are you carried away like the rest of the rabble? 48 You don't see any of the leaders believing in him, do you? Or any from the Pharisees? 49 It's only this crowd, ignorant of God's Law, that is taken in by him - and damned." 50 Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus earlier and was both a ruler and a Pharisee, spoke up. 51 "Does our Law decide about a man's guilt without first listening to him and finding out what he is doing?" 52 But they cut him off. "Are you also campaigning for the Galilean?
53 Examine the evidence. See if any prophet ever comes from Galilee." Then they all went home.
(Read John 7:25-30)
Christ proclaimed aloud, that they were in error in their thoughts about his origin. He was sent of God, who showed himself true to his promises. This declaration, that they knew not God, with his claim to peculiar knowledge, provoked the hearers; and they sought to take him, but God can tie men's hands, though he does not turn their hearts.
(Read John 7:31-36)
The discourses of Jesus convinced many that he was the Messiah; but they had not courage to own it. It is comfort to those who are in the world, but not of it, and therefore are hated by it and weary of it, that they shall not be in it always, that they shall not be in it long. Our days being evil, it is well they are few. The days of life and of grace do not last long; and sinners, when in misery, will be glad of the help they now despise. Men dispute about such sayings, but the event will explain them.
(Read John 7:37-39)
On the last day of the feast of tabernacles, the Jews drew water and poured it out before the Lord. It is supposed that Christ alluded to this. If any man desires to be truly and for ever happy, let him apply to Christ, and be ruled by him. This thirst means strong desires after spiritual blessings, which nothing else can satisfy; so the sanctifying and comforting influences of the Holy Spirit, were intended by the waters which Jesus called on them to come to Him and drink. The comfort flows plentifully and constantly as a river; strong as a stream to bear down the opposition of doubts and fears. There is a fulness in Christ, of grace for grace. The Spirit dwelling and working in believers, is as a fountain of living, running water, out of which plentiful streams flow, cooling and cleansing as water. The miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit we do not expect, but for his more common and more valuable influences we may apply. These streams have flowed from our glorified Redeemer, down to this age, and to the remote corners of the earth. May we be anxious to make them known to others.
(Read John 7:40-53)
The malice of Christ's enemies is always against reason, and sometimes the staying of it cannot be accounted for. Never any man spake with that wisdom, and power, and grace, that convincing clearness, and that sweetness, wherewith Christ spake. Alas, that many, who are for a time restrained, and who speak highly of the word of Jesus, speedily lose their convictions, and go on in their sins! People are foolishly swayed by outward motives in matters of eternal moment, are willing even to be damned for fashion's sake. As the wisdom of God often chooses things which men despise, so the folly of men commonly despises those whom God has chosen. The Lord brings forward his weak and timid disciples, and sometimes uses them to defeat the designs of his enemies.
