Day 59

Psalms 25, 29, 33, 36, 39

Teach Me Your Paths

25  Of David.

1    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    All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,

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    Who is the man who fears the Lord?

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    The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,

and he makes known to them his covenant.

15    My eyes are ever toward the Lord,

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. [1]

Ascribe to the Lord Glory

29 A Psalm of David.

1    Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,

ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

2    Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;

worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.

3    The voice of the Lord is over the waters;

the God of glory thunders,

the Lord, over many waters.

4    The voice of the Lord is powerful;

the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

5    The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;

the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.

6    He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,

and Sirion like a young wild ox.

7    The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.

8    The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;

the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

9    The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth

and strips the forests bare,

and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

10    The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;

the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.

11    May the Lord give strength to his people!

May the Lord bless his people with peace! [2]

The Steadfast Love of the Lord

33 Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous!

Praise befits the upright.

2    Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre;

make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!

3    Sing to him a new song;

play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.

4    For the word of the Lord is upright,

and all his work is done in faithfulness.

5    He loves righteousness and justice;

the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.

6    By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,

and by the breath of his mouth all their host.

7    He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap;

he puts the deeps in storehouses.

8    Let all the earth fear the Lord;

let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!

9    For he spoke, and it came to be;

he commanded, and it stood firm.

10    The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;

he frustrates the plans of the peoples.

11    The counsel of the Lord stands forever,

the plans of his heart to all generations.

12    Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,

the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!

13    The Lord looks down from heaven;

he sees all the children of man;

14    from where he sits enthroned he looks out

on all the inhabitants of the earth,

15    he who fashions the hearts of them all

and observes all their deeds.

16    The king is not saved by his great army;

a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.

17    The war horse is a false hope for salvation,

and by its great might it cannot rescue.

18    Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,

on those who hope in his steadfast love,

19    that he may deliver their soul from death

and keep them alive in famine.

20    Our soul waits for the Lord;

he is our help and our shield.

21    For our heart is glad in him,

because we trust in his holy name.

22    Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,

even as we hope in you. [3]

How Precious Is Your Steadfast Love

36 To the choirmaster. Of David, the servant of the Lord.

1    Transgression speaks to the wicked

deep in his heart;

       there is no fear of God

before his eyes.

2    For he flatters himself in his own eyes

that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.

3    The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit;

he has ceased to act wisely and do good.

4    He plots trouble while on his bed;

he sets himself in a way that is not good;

he does not reject evil.

5    Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,

your faithfulness to the clouds.

6    Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;

your judgments are like the great deep;

man and beast you save, O Lord.

7    How precious is your steadfast love, O God!

The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

8    They feast on the abundance of your house,

and you give them drink from the river of your delights.

9    For with you is the fountain of life;

in your light do we see light.

10    Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you,

and your righteousness to the upright of heart!

11    Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me,

nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.

12    There the evildoers lie fallen;

they are thrust down, unable to rise. [4]

What Is the Measure of My Days?

39 To the choirmaster: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

1    I said, “I will guard my ways,

that I may not sin with my tongue;

       I will guard my mouth with a muzzle,

so long as the wicked are in my presence.”

2    I was mute and silent;

I held my peace to no avail,

       and my distress grew worse.

3        My heart became hot within me.

       As I mused, the fire burned;

then I spoke with my tongue:

4    “O Lord, make me know my end

and what is the measure of my days;

let me know how fleeting I am!

5    Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,

and my lifetime is as nothing before you.

       Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah

6        Surely a man goes about as a shadow!

       Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;

man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!

7    “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?

My hope is in you.

8    Deliver me from all my transgressions.

Do not make me the scorn of the fool!

9    I am mute; I do not open my mouth,

for it is you who have done it.

10    Remove your stroke from me;

I am spent by the hostility of your hand.

11    When you discipline a man

with rebukes for sin,

       you consume like a moth what is dear to him;

surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah

12    “Hear my prayer, O Lord,

and give ear to my cry;

hold not your peace at my tears!

       For I am a sojourner with you,

a guest, like all my fathers.

13    Look away from me, that I may smile again,

before I depart and am no more!” [5]

2 Samuel 8-9

David’s Victories

8 After this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.

2 And he defeated Moab and he measured them with a line, making them lie down on the ground. Two lines he measured to be put to death, and one full line to be spared. And the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute.

3 David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to restore his power at the river Euphrates. 4 And David took from him 1,700 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses but left enough for 100 chariots. 5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians. 6 Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went. 7 And David took the shields of gold that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 And from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took very much bronze.

9 When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer, 10 Toi sent his son Joram to King David, to ask about his health and to bless him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Hadadezer had often been at war with Toi. And Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold, and of bronze. 11 These also King David dedicated to the Lord, together with the silver and gold that he dedicated from all the nations he subdued, 12 from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

13 And David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 14 Then he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.

David’s Officials

15 So David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people. 16 Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder, 17 and Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and Seraiah was secretary, 18 and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and David’s sons were priests.

David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth

9 And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” 3 And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” 4 The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” 5 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. 6 And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” 7 And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” 8 And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”

9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson. 10 And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master’s grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s grandson shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table, like one of the king’s sons. 12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba’s house became Mephibosheth’s servants. 13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king’s table. Now he was lame in both his feet. [6]

1 Chronicles 18

David Defeats His Enemies

18 After this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Gath and its villages out of the hand of the Philistines.

2 And he defeated Moab, and the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute.

3 David also defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah-Hamath, as he went to set up his monument at the river Euphrates. 4 And David took from him 1,000 chariots, 7,000 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but left enough for 100 chariots. 5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians. 6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus, and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went. 7 And David took the shields of gold that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 And from Tibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David took a large amount of bronze. With it Solomon made the bronze sea and the pillars and the vessels of bronze.

9 When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer, king of Zobah, 10 he sent his son Hadoram to King David, to ask about his health and to bless him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him; for Hadadezer had often been at war with Tou. And he sent all sorts of articles of gold, of silver, and of bronze. 11 These also King David dedicated to the Lord, together with the silver and gold that he had carried off from all the nations, from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalek.

12 And Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, killed 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 13 Then he put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.

David’s Administration

14 So David reigned over all Israel, and he administered justice and equity to all his people. 15 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 16 and Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests; and Shavsha was secretary; 17 and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were the chief officials in the service of the king. [7]

Psalm 50, 53

God Himself Is Judge

50 A Psalm of Asaph.

1    The Mighty One, God the Lord,

speaks and summons the earth

from the rising of the sun to its setting.

2    Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,

God shines forth.

3    Our God comes; he does not keep silence;

before him is a devouring fire,

around him a mighty tempest.

4    He calls to the heavens above

and to the earth, that he may judge his people:

5    “Gather to me my faithful ones,

who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”

6    The heavens declare his righteousness,

for God himself is judge! Selah

7    “Hear, O my people, and I will speak;

O Israel, I will testify against you.

I am God, your God.

8    Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you;

your burnt offerings are continually before me.

9    I will not accept a bull from your house

or goats from your folds.

10    For every beast of the forest is mine,

the cattle on a thousand hills.

11    I know all the birds of the hills,

and all that moves in the field is mine.

12    “If I were hungry, I would not tell you,

for the world and its fullness are mine.

13    Do I eat the flesh of bulls

or drink the blood of goats?

14    Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,

and perform your vows to the Most High,

15    and call upon me in the day of trouble;

I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

16    But to the wicked God says:

“What right have you to recite my statutes

or take my covenant on your lips?

17    For you hate discipline,

and you cast my words behind you.

18    If you see a thief, you are pleased with him,

and you keep company with adulterers.

19    “You give your mouth free rein for evil,

and your tongue frames deceit.

20    You sit and speak against your brother;

you slander your own mother’s son.

21    These things you have done, and I have been silent;

you thought that I was one like yourself.

       But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.

22    “Mark this, then, you who forget God,

lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!

23    The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;

to one who orders his way rightly

I will show the salvation of God!” [8]

There Is None Who Does Good

53 To the choirmaster: according to Mahalath. A Maskil of David.

1    The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity;

there is none who does good.

2    God looks down from heaven

on the children of man

       to see if there are any who understand,

who seek after God.

3    They have all fallen away;

together they have become corrupt;

       there is none who does good,

not even one.

4    Have those who work evil no knowledge,

who eat up my people as they eat bread,

and do not call upon God?

5    There they are, in great terror,

where there is no terror!

       For God scatters the bones of him who encamps against you;

you put them to shame, for God has rejected them.

6    Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!

When God restores the fortunes of his people,

let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad. [9]