Thursday, January 5, 2012 - The Lord's Covenant Promise to David

4:50 a.m. Prayer /Devotion
5:40 a.m. Cardio

May 26 Reading - One Year Bible

2 Samuel 7:1-8:18; John 14:15-31; Psalm 119:33-48; Proverbs 15:33

2 Samuel 7-8:18

New Living Translation (NLT)

2 Samuel 7

The Lord’s Covenant Promise to David

 ¹ When King David was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all the surrounding enemies, ² the king summoned Nathan the prophet. “Look,” David said, “I am living in a beautiful cedar palace,^[a] but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!” ³ Nathan replied to the king, “Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.”
 ⁴ But that same night the Lord said to Nathan,
 ⁵ “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in? ⁶ I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling. ⁷ Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel’s tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, “Why haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar house?”’
 ⁸ “Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel. ⁹ I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth! ¹⁰ And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past, ¹¹ starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies.
   “‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! ¹² For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. ¹³ He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. ¹⁴ I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. ¹⁵ But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. ¹⁶ Your house and your kingdom will continue before me^[b] for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’”
 ¹⁷ So Nathan went back to David and told him everything the Lord had said in this vision.

David’s Prayer of Thanks

 ¹⁸ Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed,   “Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? ¹⁹ And now, Sovereign Lord, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! Do you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign Lord?^[c]
 20 “What more can I say to you? You know what your servant is really like, Sovereign Lord. ²¹ Because of your promise and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known to your servant.
 ²² “How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you! ²³ What other nation on earth is like your people Israel? What other nation, O God, have you redeemed from slavery to be your own people? You made a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt. You performed awesome miracles and drove out the nations and gods that stood in their way.^{[d] 24} You made Israel your very own people forever, and you, O Lord, became their God.
 ²⁵ “And now, O Lord God, I am your servant; do as you have promised concerning me and my family. Confirm it as a promise that will last forever. ²⁶ And may your name be honored forever so that everyone will say, ‘The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is God over Israel!’ And may the house of your servant David continue before you forever.
 ²⁷ “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, God of Israel, I have been bold enough to pray this prayer to you because you have revealed all this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you—a dynasty of kings!’ ²⁸ For you are God, O Sovereign Lord. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant. ²⁹ And now, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you have spoken, and when you grant a blessing to your servant, O Sovereign Lord, it is an eternal blessing!”

2 Samuel 8

David’s Military Victories

 ¹ After this, David defeated and subdued the Philistines by conquering Gath, their largest town.^{[e] 2} David also conquered the land of Moab. He made the people lie down on the ground in a row, and he measured them off in groups with a length of rope. He measured off two groups to be executed for every one group to be spared. The Moabites who were spared became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money. ³ David also destroyed the forces of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when Hadadezer marched out to strengthen his control along the Euphrates River. ⁴ David captured 1,700 charioteers^[f] and 20,000 foot soldiers. He crippled all the chariot horses except enough for 100 chariots.
 ⁵ When Arameans from Damascus arrived to help King Hadadezer, David killed 22,000 of them. ⁶ Then he placed several army garrisons in Damascus, the Aramean capital, and the Arameans became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money. So the Lord made David victorious wherever he went.
 ⁷ David brought the gold shields of Hadadezer’s officers to Jerusalem, ⁸ along with a large amount of bronze from Hadadezer’s towns of Tebah^[g] and Berothai.
 ⁹ When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had destroyed the entire army of Hadadezer, ¹⁰ he sent his son Joram to congratulate King David for his successful campaign. Hadadezer and Toi had been enemies and were often at war. Joram presented David with many gifts of silver, gold, and bronze.
 ¹¹ King David dedicated all these gifts to the Lord, as he did with the silver and gold from the other nations he had defeated—¹² from Edom,^[h] Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek—and from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
 ¹³ So David became very famous. After his return he destroyed 18,000 Edomites^[i] in the Valley of Salt. ¹⁴ He placed army garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. In fact, the Lord made David victorious wherever he went.
 ¹⁵ So David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his people. ¹⁶ Joab son of Zeruiah was commander of the army. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian. ¹⁷ Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were the priests. Seraiah was the court secretary. ¹⁸ Benaiah son of Jehoiada was captain of the king’s bodyguard.^[j] And David’s sons served as priestly leaders.^[k]

Footnotes:

1. 2 Samuel 7:2 Hebrew a house of cedar.
2. 2 Samuel 7:16 As in Greek version and some Hebrew manuscripts; Masoretic Text reads before you.
3. 2 Samuel 7:19 Or This is your instruction for all humanity, O Sovereign Lord.
4. 2 Samuel 7:23 As in Greek version (see also 1 Chr 17:21); Hebrew reads You made a great name for yourself and performed awesome miracles for your land. You did this in the sight of your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt, from nations and their gods.
5. 2 Samuel 8:1 Hebrew by conquering Metheg-ammah, a name that means “the bridle,” possibly referring to the size of the town or the tribute money taken from it. Compare 1 Chr 18:1.
6. 2 Samuel 8:4 Greek version reads 1,000 chariots and 7,000 charioteers; compare 1 Chr 18:4.
7. 2 Samuel 8:8 As in some Greek manuscripts (see also 1 Chr 18:8); Hebrew reads Betah.
8. 2 Samuel 8:12 As in a few Hebrew manuscripts and Greek and Syriac versions (see also 8:14; 1 Chr 18:11); most Hebrew manuscripts read Aram.
9. 2 Samuel 8:13 As in a few Hebrew manuscripts and Greek and Syriac versions (see also 8:14; 1 Chr 18:12); most Hebrew manuscripts read Arameans.
10. 2 Samuel 8:18 Hebrew of the Kerethites and Pelethites.
11. 2 Samuel 8:18 Hebrew David’s sons were priests; compare parallel text at 1 Chr 18:17.

John 14:15-31

New Living Translation (NLT)

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

 ¹⁵ “If you love me, obey^[a] my commandments. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,^[b] who will never leave you. ¹⁷ He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.^{[c] 18} No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. ¹⁹ Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. ²⁰ When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. ²¹ Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.” ²² Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, “Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?”
 ²³ Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. ²⁴ Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. ²⁵ I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. ²⁶ But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
 ²⁷ “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. ²⁸ Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am. ²⁹ I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.
 ³⁰ “I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me, ³¹ but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going.

Footnotes:

1. John 14:15 Other manuscripts read you will obey; still others read you should obey.
2. John 14:16 Or Comforter, or Encourager, or Counselor. Greek reads Paraclete; also in 14:26.
3. John 14:17 Some manuscripts read and is in you.

Psalm 119:33-48

New Living Translation (NLT)

He

 ³³ Teach me your decrees, O Lord;
      I will keep them to the end.
 ³⁴ Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions;
      I will put them into practice with all my heart.
 ³⁵ Make me walk along the path of your commands,
      for that is where my happiness is found.
 ³⁶ Give me an eagerness for your laws
      rather than a love for money!
 ³⁷ Turn my eyes from worthless things,
      and give me life through your word.^[a]
 38 Reassure me of your promise,
      made to those who fear you.
 ³⁹ Help me abandon my shameful ways;
      for your regulations are good.
 ⁴⁰ I long to obey your commandments!
      Renew my life with your goodness.

Waw

 ⁴¹ Lord, give me your unfailing love,
      the salvation that you promised me.
 ⁴² Then I can answer those who taunt me,
      for I trust in your word.
 ⁴³ Do not snatch your word of truth from me,
      for your regulations are my only hope.
 ⁴⁴ I will keep on obeying your instructions
      forever and ever.
 ⁴⁵ I will walk in freedom,
      for I have devoted myself to your commandments.
 ⁴⁶ I will speak to kings about your laws,
      and I will not be ashamed.
 ⁴⁷ How I delight in your commands!
      How I love them!
 ⁴⁸ I honor and love your commands.
      I meditate on your decrees.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 119:37 Some manuscripts read in your ways.

Proverbs 15:33

New Living Translation (NLT)

 ³³ Fear of the Lord teaches wisdom;
      humility precedes honor.