Day 205 of 365

¹David made him houses in the city of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent.

²Then David said, "No one ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites. For the Lord has chosen them to carry the ark of God, and to minister to him forever."

³David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the Lord to its place, which he had prepared for it.

⁴David gathered together the sons of Aaron, and the Levites:

⁵of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, and his brothers one hundred twenty;

⁶of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, and his brothers two hundred twenty;

⁷of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, and his brothers one hundred thirty;

⁸of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, and his brothers two hundred;

⁹of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, and his brothers eighty;

¹⁰of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, and his brothers one hundred twelve.

¹¹David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab,

¹²and said to them, "You are the heads of the fathers' households of the Levites. Sanctify yourselves, both you and your brothers, that you may bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it.

¹³For because you did not carry it at first, the Lord our God made an outbreak against us, because we did not seek him according to the ordinance."

¹⁴So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel.

¹⁵The children of the Levites bore the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the Lord.

¹⁶David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brothers the singers, with instruments of music, stringed instruments and harps and cymbals, sounding aloud and lifting up the voice with joy.

¹⁷So 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;

¹⁸and with them their brothers of the second degree, Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the doorkeepers.

¹⁹So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were given cymbals of brass to sound aloud;

²⁰and Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with stringed instruments set to Alamoth;

²¹and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps tuned to the eight-stringed lyre, to lead.

²²Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was over the song: he instructed about the song, because he was skillful.

²³Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark.

²⁴Shebaniah, and Joshaphat, and Nethanel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, blew the trumpets before the ark of God: and Obed-Edom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark.

²⁵So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of Obed-Edom with joy.

²⁶It happened, when God helped the Levites who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.

²⁷David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites who bore the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: and David had on him an ephod of linen.

²⁸Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, sounding aloud with stringed instruments and harps.

²⁹It happened, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David dancing and playing; and she despised him in her heart.

¹They brought in the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.

²When David had made an end of offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord.

³He dealt to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.

⁴He appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, and to celebrate and to thank and praise the Lord, the God of Israel:

⁵Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with stringed instruments and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud;

⁶and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually, before the ark of the covenant of God.

⁷Then on that day David first ordained to give thanks to the Lord, by the hand of Asaph and his brothers.

⁸Oh give thanks to the Lord. Call on his name. Make his doings known among the peoples.

⁹Sing to him. Sing praises to him. Tell of all his marvelous works.

¹⁰Glory in his holy name. Let the heart of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

¹¹Seek the Lord and his strength. Seek his face forever more.

¹²Remember his marvelous works that he has done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,

¹³you seed of Israel his servant, you children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

¹⁴He is the Lord our God. His judgments are in all the earth.

¹⁵Remember his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations,

¹⁶the covenant which he made with Abraham, his oath to Isaac.

¹⁷He confirmed the same to Jacob for a statute, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant,

¹⁸saying, "I will give you the land of Canaan, The lot of your inheritance,"

¹⁹when you were but a few men in number, yes, very few, and foreigners were in it.

²⁰They went about from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people.

²¹He allowed no man to do them wrong. Yes, he reproved kings for their sakes,

²²"Do not touch my anointed ones! Do my prophets no harm!"

²³Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Display his salvation from day to day.

²⁴Declare his glory among the nations, and his marvelous works among all the peoples.

²⁵For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised. He also is to be feared above all gods.

²⁶For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.

²⁷Honor and majesty are before him. Strength and gladness are in his place.

²⁸Ascribe to the Lord, you relatives of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!

²⁹Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name. Bring an offering, and come before him. Worship the Lord in holy array.

³⁰Tremble before him, all the earth. The world also is established that it can't be moved.

³¹Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice! Let them say among the nations, "The Lord reigns!"

³²Let the sea roar, and its fullness! Let the field exult, and all that is therein!

³³Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.

³⁴Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

³⁵Say, "Save us, God of our salvation! Gather us together and deliver us from the nations, to give thanks to your holy name, to triumph in your praise."

³⁶Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting. All the people said, "Amen," and praised the Lord.

³⁷So he left there, before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, Asaph and his brothers, to minister before the ark continually, as every day's work required;

³⁸and Obed-Edom with their brothers, sixty-eight; Obed-Edom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be doorkeepers;

³⁹and Zadok the priest, and his brothers the priests, before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon,

⁴⁰to offer burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering continually morning and evening, even according to all that is written in the law of the Lord, which he commanded to Israel;

⁴¹and with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest who were chosen, who were mentioned by name, to give thanks to the Lord, because his loving kindness endures forever;

⁴²and with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should sound aloud, and with instruments for the songs of God; and the sons of Jeduthun to be at the gate.

⁴³All the people departed every man to his house: and David returned to bless his house.

¹It happened, when David lived in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, "Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under curtains."

²Nathan said to David, "Do all that is in your heart; for God is with you."

³It happened the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,

⁴"Go and tell David my servant, 'Thus says the Lord, "You shall not build me a house to dwell in;

⁵for I have not lived in a house since the day that I brought up Israel, to this day, but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tent to another.

⁶In all places in which I have walked with all Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people, saying, 'Why have you not built me a house of cedar?'"'

⁷"Now therefore, you shall tell my servant David, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, "I took you from the sheep pen, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel.

⁸I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make you a name, like the name of the great ones who are in the earth.

⁹I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the first,

¹⁰and from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel; and I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover I tell you that the Lord will build you a house.

¹¹It shall happen, when your days are fulfilled that you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up your seed after you, who shall be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom.

¹²He shall build me a house, and I will establish his throne forever.

¹³I will be his father, and he shall be my son. I will not take my loving kindness away from him, as I took it from him that was before you;

¹⁴but I will settle him in my house and in my kingdom forever. His throne shall be established forever."'"

¹⁵According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

¹⁶Then David the king went in, and sat before the Lord; and he said, "Who am I, Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?

¹⁷This was a small thing in your eyes, God; but you have spoken of your servant's house for a great while to come, and have respected me according to the estate of a man of high degree, Lord God.

¹⁸What can David say yet more to you concerning the honor which is done to your servant? For you know your servant.

¹⁹Lord, for your servant's sake, and according to your own heart, you have worked all this greatness, to make known all these great things.

²⁰Lord, there is none like you, neither is there any God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

²¹What one nation in the earth is like your people Israel, whom God went to redeem to himself for a people, to make you a name by great and awesome things, in driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeem out of Egypt?

²²For your people Israel you made your own people forever; and you, Lord, became their God.

²³Now, Lord, let the word that you have spoken concerning your servant, and concerning his house, be established forever, and do as you have spoken.

²⁴Let your name be established and magnified forever, saying, 'The Lord of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel. The house of David your servant is established before you.'

²⁵For you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build him a house. Therefore your servant has found courage to pray before you.

²⁶Now, Lord, you are God, and have promised this good thing to your servant.

²⁷Now it has pleased you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you; for you, Lord, have blessed, and it is blessed forever."

¹Listen to my prayer, God. Do not hide yourself from my supplication.

²Attend to me, and answer me. I am restless in my complaint, and moan,

³Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked. For they bring suffering on me. In anger they hold a grudge against me.

⁴My heart is severely pained within me. The terrors of death have fallen on me.

⁵Fearfulness and trembling have come on me. Horror has overwhelmed me.

⁶I said, "Oh that I had wings like a dove! Then I would fly away, and be at rest.

⁷Behold, then I would wander far off. I would lodge in the wilderness." Selah.

⁸"I would hurry to a shelter from the stormy wind and storm."

⁹Confuse them, Lord, and confound their language, for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

¹⁰Day and night they prowl around on its walls. Malice and abuse are also within her.

¹¹Destructive forces are within her. Threats and lies do not depart from her streets.

¹²For it was not an enemy who insulted me, then I could have endured it. Neither was it he who hated me who raised himself up against me, then I would have hid myself from him.

¹³But it was you, a man like me, my companion, and my familiar friend.

¹⁴We took sweet fellowship together. We walked in God's house with company.

¹⁵Let death come suddenly on them. Let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them.

¹⁶As for me, I will call on God. The Lord will save me.

¹⁷Evening, morning, and at noon, I will cry out in distress. He will hear my voice.

¹⁸He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, although there are many who oppose me.

¹⁹God, who is enthroned forever, will hear, and answer them. Selah. They never change, who do not fear God.

²⁰He raises his hands against his friends. He has violated his covenant.

²¹His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was war. His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.

²²Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you. He will never allow the righteous to be moved.

²³But you, God, will bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days, but I will trust in you.

¹Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in his lips and is a fool.

²It isn't good to have zeal without knowledge; nor being hasty with one's feet and missing the way.

³The foolishness of man subverts his way; his heart rages against the Lord.

⁴Wealth adds many friends, but the poor is separated from his friend.

⁵A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who pours out lies shall not go free.

⁶Many will entreat the favor of a ruler, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.

⁷All the relatives of the poor shun him: how much more do his friends avoid him! He pursues them with pleas, but they are gone.

⁸He who gets wisdom loves his own soul. He who keeps understanding shall find good.

⁹A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who utters lies shall perish.

¹⁰Delicate living is not appropriate for a fool, much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

¹¹The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger. It is his glory to overlook an offense.

¹²The king's wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

¹³A foolish son is the calamity of his father. A wife's quarrels are a continual dripping.

¹⁴House and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

¹⁵Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep. The idle soul shall suffer hunger.

¹⁶He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, but he who is contemptuous in his ways shall die.

¹⁷He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord; he will reward him.

¹⁸Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death.

¹⁹A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty, for if you rescue him, you must do it again.

²⁰Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter end.

²¹There are many plans in a man's heart, but the Lord's counsel will prevail.

²²That which makes a man to be desired is his kindness. A poor man is better than a liar.

²³The fear of the Lord leads to life, then contentment; he rests and will not be touched by trouble.

²⁴The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

²⁵Flog a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke one who has understanding, and he will gain knowledge.

²⁶He who robs his father and drives away his mother, is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.

²⁷If you stop listening to instruction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge.

²⁸A corrupt witness mocks justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down iniquity.

²⁹Penalties are prepared for scoffers, and beatings for the backs of fools.