61 Now David again e gathered all the chosen men of Israel , thirty thousand . 2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him to Baale-judah , to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the Name , the very name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned above the cherubim . 3 They placed the ark of God on a new cart that they might bring it from the house of Abinadab which was on the hill ; and Uzzah and Ahio , the sons of Abinadab , were leading the new cart . 4 So they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab , which was on the hill ; and Ahio was walking ahead of the ark . 5 Meanwhile, David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord with all kinds of instruments made of fir wood , and with lyres , harps , tambourines , castanets and cymbals .
6 But when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon , Uzzah reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen nearly upset it. 7 And the anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah , and God struck him down there for his irreverence ; and he died there by the ark of God . 8 David became angry because e of the Lord'S outburst e against Uzzah , and that place is called Perez-uzzah to this day . 9 So David was afraid of the Lord that day ; and he said , "How can the ark of the Lord come to me?" 10 And David was unwilling e to move the ark of the Lord into the city of David with him; but David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite . 11 Thus the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months , and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household .
12 Now it was told King David , saying , "The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God ." David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness . 13 And so it was, that when the bearers of the ark of the Lord had gone six paces , he sacrificed an ox and a fatling . 14 And David was dancing before the Lord with all his might , and David was wearing a linen ephod . 15 So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouting and the sound of the trumpet . 16 Then it happened as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David that 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 So they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent which David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord . 18 When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offering , he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts . 19 Further, he distributed to all the people , to all the multitude of Israel , both to men and women , a cake of bread and one of dates and one of raisins to each one . Then all the people departed each to his house .
20 But when David returned to bless his household , Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said , "How the king of Israel distinguished himself today ! He uncovered himself today in the eyes of his servants' maids as one of the foolish ones shamelessly uncovers himself!" 21 So David said to Michal , " It was before the Lord , who chose me above your father and above all his house , to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord , over Israel ; therefore I will celebrate before the Lord . 22 "I will be more lightly esteemed than this and will be humble in my own eyes , but with the maids of whom you have spoken , with them I will be distinguished ." 23 Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death .
71 Now it came about when the king lived in his house , and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies , 2 that the king said to Nathan the prophet , "See now , I dwell in a house of cedar , but the ark of God dwells within tent curtains ." 3 Nathan said to the king , " Go , do all that is in your mind , for the Lord is with you."
4 But in the same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan , saying , 5 "Go and say to My servant David , 'Thus says the Lord , " Are you the one who should build Me a house to dwell in? 6 "For I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt , even to this day ; but I have been moving about in a tent , even in a tabernacle . 7 " Wherever e I have gone with all the sons of Israel , did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel , which I commanded to shepherd My people Israel , saying , 'Why have you not built Me a house of cedar ?' "' 8 "Now therefore, thus you shall say to My servant David , 'Thus says the Lord of hosts , " I took you from the pasture , from following the sheep , to be ruler over My people Israel . 9 " I have been with you wherever e you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name , like the names of the great men who are on the earth . 10 "I will also appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them, that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again , nor will the wicked e afflict them any more as formerly , 11 even from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel ; and I will give you rest from all your enemies . The Lord also declares to you that the Lord will make a house for you. 12 " When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers , I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom . 13 " He shall build a house for My name , and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever e . 14 " I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity , I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men , 15 but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul , whom I removed from before you. 16 " Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever e ; your throne shall be established forever e .""' 17 In accordance with all these words and all this vision , so Nathan spoke to David .
18 Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord , and he said , " Who am I, O Lord GOD , and what is my house , that You have brought me this far ? 19 "And yet this was insignificant in Your eyes , O Lord GOD , for You have spoken also of the house of Your servant concerning the distant future . And this is the custom of man , O Lord GOD . 20 "Again what more can David say to You? For You know Your servant , O Lord GOD ! 21 " For the sake of Your word , and according to Your own heart , You have done all this greatness to let Your servant know . 22 "For this reason e You are great , O Lord GOD ; for there is none like You, and there is no God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears . 23 "And what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel , whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people and to make a name for Himself, and to do a great thing for You and awesome things for Your land , before e Your people whom You have redeemed for Yourself from Egypt , from nations and their gods ? 24 "For You have established for Yourself Your people Israel as Your own people forever e , and You, O Lord , have become their God . 25 "Now therefore, O Lord God , the word that You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house , confirm it forever e , and do as You have spoken , 26 that Your name may be magnified forever e , by saying , 'The Lord of hosts is God over Israel '; and may the house of Your servant David be established before You. 27 "For You, O Lord of hosts , the God of Israel , have made a revelation e to Your servant , saying , ' I will build you a house '; therefore e Your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to You. 28 "Now , O Lord GOD , You are God , and Your words are truth , and You have promised this good thing to Your servant . 29 "Now therefore, may it please You to bless the house of Your servant , that it may continue forever before You. For You, O Lord GOD , have spoken ; and with Your blessing may the house of Your servant be blessed forever ."
81 Now after this it came about that David defeated the Philistines and subdued them; and David took control of the chief city from the hand of the Philistines . 2 He defeated Moab , and measured them with the line , making them lie down on the ground ; and he measured two lines to put to death and one full line to keep alive . And the Moabites became servants to David , bringing tribute . 3 Then David defeated Hadadezer , the son of Rehob king of Zobah , as he went to restore his rule at the River . 4 David captured from him 1,700 e e horsemen and 20,000 e foot soldiers e ; and David hamstrung the chariot horses , but reserved enough of them for 100 chariots . 5 When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer , king of Zobah , David killed 22,000 e e Arameans . 6 Then David put garrisons among the Arameans of Damascus , and the Arameans became servants to David , bringing tribute . And the Lord helped David wherever e he went . 7 David took the shields of gold which were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem . 8 From Betah and from Berothai , cities of Hadadezer , King David took a very large amount of bronze .
9 Now when Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer , 10 Toi sent Joram his son to King David to greet e him and bless him, because e he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him; for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi . And Joram brought with him articles of silver , of gold and of bronze . 11 King David also dedicated these to the Lord , with the silver and gold that he had dedicated from all the nations which he had subdued : 12 from Aram and Moab and the sons of Ammon and the Philistines and Amalek , and from the spoil of Hadadezer , son of Rehob , king of Zobah . 13 So David made a name for himself when he returned from killing 18,000 e e Arameans in the Valley of Salt . 14 He put garrisons in Edom . In all Edom he put garrisons , and all the Edomites became servants to David . And the Lord helped David wherever e he went .
15 So David reigned over all Israel ; and David administered justice and righteousness for all his people . 16 Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army , and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder . 17 Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests , and Seraiah was secretary . 18 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites ; and David's sons were chief ministers .
151 Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. 2 Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble , saying , "This man receives sinners and eats with them." 3 So He told them this parable , saying , 4 " What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine e in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 "When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders , rejoicing . 6 "And when he comes home , he calls together his friends and his neighbors , saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost !' 7 "I tell you that in the same way , there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine e righteous persons who need no repentance .
8 "Or what woman , if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin , does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 "When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors , saying , 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost !' 10 "In the same way , I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents ."
(Read Luke 15:1-10)
The parable of the lost sheep is very applicable to the great work of man's redemption. The lost sheep represents the sinner as departed from God, and exposed to certain ruin if not brought back to him, yet not desirous to return. Christ is earnest in bringing sinners home. In the parable of the lost piece of silver, that which is lost, is one piece, of small value compared with the rest. Yet the woman seeks diligently till she finds it. This represents the various means and methods God makes use of to bring lost souls home to himself, and the Saviour's joy on their return to him. How careful then should we be that our repentance is unto salvation!
