Bible Bits and Bytes

In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Gath and its surrounding villages from the control of the Philistines.

David also defeated the Moabites, and they became subject to him and brought tribute.

Moreover, David fought Hadadezer king of Zobah, as far as Hamath, when he went to establish his control along the Euphrates River.  David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses.

When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them.  He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to him and brought tribute. The LORD gave David victory everywhere he went.

David took the gold shields carried by the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.  From Tebah  and Cun, towns that belonged to Hadadezer, David took a great quantity of bronze, which Solomon used to make the bronze Sea, the pillars and various bronze articles.

When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer king of Zobah,  he sent his son Hadoram to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Hadoram brought all kinds of articles of gold and silver and bronze.

King David dedicated these articles to the LORD, as he had done with the silver and gold he had taken from all these nations: Edom and Moab, the Ammonites and the Philistines, and Amalek.

Abishai son of Zeruiah struck down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.  He put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The LORD gave David victory everywhere he went.

My Thoughts:

This chapter begins with a listing of some of David’s military victories - and it seemed that whatever battle he was involved in, he won. And he won because the Lord was with him.

I have always been taught that when the Bible repeats something - it is important and should be especially noted. Here the phrase ‘The Lord gave David victory everywhere he went’  is repeated. Why is this important? I believe because it shows that when David actively sought God’s direction and his  motives were to honor God - God was with him every step of the way. I find it interesting that no matter how many battles there were, David knew why he was winning them - and that reason was God.

I was also struck by the text when it said that Solomon would use the plunder from these battles, all the gold and silver and bronze - to make things for the temple when he built it. So …God can take even things used in violence and turn them to good. That is such an encouragement to me - for when things get  tough in my life, I know that God has a plan - and that plan will turn all the temporary bad into  eternal good - and with Him, I can get through anything!

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“And now, LORD, let the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house be established forever. Do as you promised,  so that it will be established and that your name will be great forever. Then men will say, ‘The LORD Almighty, the God over Israel, is Israel’s God!’ And the house of your servant David will be established before you.

“You, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. So your servant has found courage to pray to you.  O LORD, you are God! You have promised these good things to your servant.  Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, O LORD, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever.”

My Thoughts:

This ending section of David’s prayer is just an explosion of thankfulness! David understands how God has chosen him and his family - he has found favor with God - and he is just filled with joy because of it!

He asks that all that God has told him come true, not so that everyone will look up to David, but so that everyone will know how great God is! He is not only willing, but can’t wait to shout out to all that it is God doing these things! It’s almost if he can’t quite believe that God has chosen him and that all these blessings from God will come to him!

I came away from this reading filled with the same sense of wonder and joy that Jesus Christ chose me to be His! For no one comes to the Father except through Jesus Christ - and it is an almost overwhelming feeling of joy that Jesus wanted me to be in His family enough to seek me out (oh, yeah - He found me, not the other way around), and pursue me til I couldn’t resist any longer. Such an amazing thing!

And now I find myself asking God to have all the things He has planned for me to come true, just so I can tell everyone around me how great HE is, that every single good thing in my life is due to Him!

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Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said:
“Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?  And as if this were not enough in your sight, O God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men, O LORD God.

“What more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant,  O LORD. For the sake of your servant and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made known all these great promises.

“There is no one like you, O LORD, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.  And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth whose God went out to redeem a people for himself, and to make a name for yourself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt?  You made your people Israel your very own forever, and you, O LORD, have become their God.

My Thoughts:

This next section recounts David’s prayer. It just inspires me to read of David’s relationship with God - making me want to have just as close a one!

Love how it starts right out - ‘then King David went in and sat before the Lord’ - this to me speaks of a close relationship - no formal bowing and scraping like we read the Pharisees doing - no - he simply goes in to ‘be with’ the Lord. I strive to do this as I begin each day - to spend some time with the most important One in my life - somehow this sets the tone for the entire day.

I am struck next by David’s humility - he asks God who is he and who is his family that God would honor him so? No question he was honored, but the difference is - David knew where his honor came from - and it wasn’t’ from himself. I know that’s an easy trap to fall into - the ‘look what I have done’ syndrome. David knew that all he was, all he possessed, all his family had become, had happened because God made it so.

Then again - David’s humility and willingness to acknowledge all that God has done - not only for David and his family, but for the entire nation of Israel - that God chose them to be His people - and from that moment on , had His hand on them. They are His people and He is their God. And, by extension I am one of His people too - and He is also my God! Hard to express that feeling of ‘belonging’ to God, and being set apart by Him to do what He has planned for me. I am shamed by every time I fail to seek, fail to ask, fail to attempt to follow what God has set before me - and every day I ask to do His will better. I am the most  human of humans, yet God chose me anyway - what a wonderful fact that is!

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After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a palace of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under a tent.”

Nathan replied to David, “Whatever you have in mind, do it, for God is with you.”

That night the word of God came to Nathan, saying:

“Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the LORD says: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in.  I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt to this day. I have moved from one tent site to another, from one dwelling place to another.  Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their leaders  whom I commanded to shepherd my people, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” ‘

“Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the LORD Almighty says: I took you from the pasture and from following the flock, to be ruler over my people Israel.  I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men of the earth.  And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning  and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies.
” ‘I declare to you that the LORD will build a house for you:  When your days are over and you go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom.  He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever.  I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor.  I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.’ ”

Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

My Thoughts:

Once David is settled in his new home in Jerusalem - it begins to bother him that he is living in luxury, and yet the Ark of the Covenant is in a tent. When he calls on his prophet Nathan, he proposes to him to build a proper house for the Lord.
Nathan tells David to go ahead with his plans, because he knows that the Lord is with David.

But …..that night, the word of the Lord came to Nathan - a word for him to take to David. I sometimes wonder why the Lord didn’t just go straight to David with His wishes - but I think that the Lord established certain people to be in certain roles, and He respected the order He had established.  The fact that He ‘could’ didn’t necessarily mean that He ‘should’ - and that applies so well to my everyday life - there are things I ‘could’ do, but should I? When I look closer - and at my motives, probably not.  God’s word to Nathan for David was that David was not to build a house for God. It was not to be his role to do this. David was God’s warrior, and God was with him in all his endeavors - but this was beyond that scope. So God tells Nathan - in all this time He has dwelt in tents, and will continue to do so - and it will be one of David’s sons who will build the temple of the Lord.

So, I came away with the feeling - stick to what I feel God is telling me to do - follow the path before me, and if a door is shut - see if in another direction there is a window that just opened. If I discover my ‘role’ for God, then the path to follow will become much more clear….so that is where I am looking - what does God want me to be? Or you?

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David left Asaph and his associates before the ark of the covenant of the LORD to minister there regularly, according to each day’s requirements.  He also left Obed-Edom and his sixty-eight associates to minister with them. Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun, and also Hosah, were gatekeepers.

David left Zadok the priest and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of the LORD at the high place in Gibeon  to present burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt offering regularly, morning and evening, in accordance with everything written in the Law of the LORD, which he had given Israel.  With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the LORD, “for his love endures forever.”  Heman and Jeduthun were responsible for the sounding of the trumpets and cymbals and for the playing of the other instruments for sacred song. The sons of Jeduthun were stationed at the gate.

Then all the people left, each for his own home, and David returned home to bless his family.

My Thoughts:

Now that the Ark has been returned and now is in their midst - David establishes the place, and all the people who will stay there and minister and offer sacrifices to the Lord, just as was put down in the scriptures.

I love how they are called in this passage “those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the Lord” - and I thought, is that not what I am? Are not all of us Christians ‘chosen’ and ‘designated by name’ to give thanks to the Lord?

This whole idea of being ‘chosen’ and set apart to fulfill what we are to do for the Lord becomes ever more important the worse things get around us. It is tough to not get ‘caught up’ in the chaos - to remain calm while the world spins out of control, to remember that in all things, God is in control. I want to hold on to that thought, to remember that Jesus chose me - and I need to do whatever it takes to be set apart so that He can use me for the purpose He has planned for me.

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Sing to the LORD, all the earth;
proclaim his salvation day after day.

Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.

For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.

Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and joy in his dwelling place.

Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength,

ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name.
Bring an offering and come before him;
worship the LORD in the splendor of his ^[a] holiness.

Tremble before him, all the earth!
The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!”

Let the sea resound, and all that is in it;
let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!

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

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

Cry out, “Save us, O God our Savior;
gather us and deliver us from the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name,
that we may glory in your praise.”

Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Then all the people said “Amen” and “Praise the LORD.”

My Thoughts:

The rest of David’s psalm is a veritable explosion of joy and praise - and he wants everyone to be in on it!

He wants to ‘sing to the Lord’
and ‘declare His glory’
God is ‘great and most worthy’
and ‘to be feared above all’
‘Splendor and majesty are before Him’
and ‘strength and joy’ in His dwelling

Reading this, I just can’t help but want to join in - to sing along with David, to raise my hands in praise, to express the wonders of God!

Then David tell us how we should come…
‘bring an offering’ and come
‘worship the Lord in His splendor’
‘tremble before Him’

All I have to offer is myself, but that I do - and I will worship Him, and tremble before Him, awed that He cares for me - it is amazing!

Now David really expresses the joy!
‘Let the heavens rejoice’
‘let the earth be glad’
‘let the sea resound’
‘and the fields be jubilant’
‘ the trees of the forest will sing’

What a picture that is! The entire creation of God, giving back praise to the One who created it all!

David brings it to a close with more for us to be…
‘give thanks to the Lord’
‘His love endures forever’
‘cry out “save us!” ‘
‘give thanks to His Holy Name’
‘glory in His praise’

Wow - I don’t think I’ve ever read any prayer that caught me up in it like this one! David was full of praise and joy in and for the Lord, and how it shines through!

And I came away wanting to have my life shine Jesus through everything I say and do! I want each of my days to sing this kind of song back to Him!

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He is the LORD our God;
his judgments are in all the earth.

He remembers  his covenant forever,
the word he commanded, for a thousand generations,

the covenant he made with Abraham,
the oath he swore to Isaac.

He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant:

“To you I will give the land of Canaan
as the portion you will inherit.”

When they were but few in number,
few indeed, and strangers in it,

they  wandered from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another.

He allowed no man to oppress them;
for their sake he rebuked kings:

“Do not touch my anointed ones;
do my prophets no harm.”

My Thoughts:

David continues his song with a history lesson - going back and reminding us all of how God made a covenant - and that no matter how many years pass, or what happens - that covenant will stand.

God remembers, even when Israel was few in number, even when they were in captivity, or beaten down by others - they still are the chosen people, and will ever be so.

I read this, and think - I need to remember that Jesus chose me - for I do believe that no one comes to Christ unless He calls them first. God chooses us, and we respond. God initiates, we reciprocate - and when we do, we secure a lasting treasure and place in heaven - eternal life. I sometimes fall prey to the thought that I am ‘running’ things in my life - a very dangerous thought - for sure the slippery slope to disaster! But to think again, and over again - that I was chosen to belong to God - and that changes my outlook - if I am His, then I am happy to have HIM run things in my life - and my prayer is that I won’t try to grab the reins back!

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That day David first committed to Asaph and his associates this psalm of thanks to the LORD :

Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.

Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.

Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

Look to the LORD and his strength;
seek his face always.

Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,

O descendants of Israel his servant,
O sons of Jacob, his chosen ones.

My Thoughts:

Once the Ark was brought back, the people offered sacrifices, David blessed the people with gifts, and then he composed a ‘psalm of thanks to the Lord’.

I was so struck that his first impulse after bringing the Ark back to where they were was to give thanks! And he gave it in song, since that is what a psalm is. Reading the words - it is such a lesson on how to pray!

The first thing David says is to ‘give thanks’ and to ‘call on His name’ - reminding me that I don’t do this often enough - to do just that - give Him my gratitude.

Then David says to ‘make His name known’ - the joy of what God has done for him and his nation makes him want to tell the whole world about it - reminding me that again I fall short here - who have I told lately what God has done for me? Have I tried to spread the word about His goodness?

And don’t just use words to tell the story - ‘sing to Him’ ‘sing praise’ - there is just something ‘more’ in singing than there is in talking. I think it engages your whole being rather than just your mind and mouth - I can get caught up in a song of praise, and somehow that makes the words mean more.

I love the phrase ‘let the hearts of those who seek Him, rejoice!’ And that is what happens - when I seek God, when I truly am looking for His will in my life - that is how I feel - joy! It’s an incredible feeling to know that God is looking out for me, that he cares enough to have a plan for me - and is just waiting for me to come ask what it is!

‘Look to the Lord and His strength’ - boy, those are words to lean on! There are so many times I am beat down, feeling low, and out of resources - but He is always there - and I just need to ‘seek His face’ - that is such a cool phrase! Seek His face - cause it’s in the face that you see the feelings reflected - the eyes show it and it spills out over the entire face.

David tells us all to remember - God’s wonders - the miracles He has done - but also His judgments. Ah - that’s the part that sticks - for God IS just - and justice may not be a pleasant thing for those who choose not to follow. If I don’t have the whole picture of God, I have nothing at all.

David then reminds those to whom he is speaking - and by extension - to each one of us. We are part of this too! And David’s words speak to me, and for me - and teaches me more of how to speak to and about God in my every day life.

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They brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings  before God.  After David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD.  Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each Israelite man and woman.

He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel:  Asaph was the chief, Zechariah second, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They were to play the lyres and harps, Asaph was to sound the cymbals,  and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.

My Thoughts:

This gives us such a picture of how David and his people regarded God - and I think - do we, as Christians have this same attitude? Or have we changed things to suit our own purposes.

After the Ark of the Covenant is brought home, it is placed in the tent that David had built for it. Although the Ark was not God, it was where they believed that He dwelled. At that time God did not reveal Himself in all things, the way we know Him now - the Holy Spirit had not yet come into the world. So places and things became the things that drew the people to God, much like going to church to praise and thank Him does now - at least that’s how I understand it.

I love how, once offerings had been made to the Lord - David then shared his bounty with all the people - with special gifts of food for each man and woman - a loaf of bread, a cake of dates, and a cake of raisins. I just have the feeling that the bread may have been a staple of the day, but the dates and raisins had to be treats that the majority of the people did not have every day.

David then appointed people to minister before the Lord. They were to do three things - to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the Lord. I would take those same three things and reverse the order - first to praise, then to thank, and finally to petition. What a way to build a relationship! And this was to be done regularly - not just on special occasions - for God was with them every day.

I love too that music was to be a major part of these ministrations - they were to play the lyres and harps, sound the cymbals, and blow the trumpets. That way everyone would know what was going on! I love that!

I came away from this reading thinking about how I minister before the Lord each day - and know that I have far too much petition - and less praise, and much too little thanks. This I need to work on to get in the proper order to deepen my relationship with God, and not just use my time with Him with a wish-list in hand.

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David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers to sing joyful songs, accompanied by musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.

So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; from his brothers, Asaph son of Berekiah; and from their brothers the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah;  and with them their brothers next in rank: Zechariah,  Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel,  the gatekeepers.

The musicians Heman, Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals;  Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were to play the lyres according to alamoth , and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were to play the harps, directing according to sheminith . Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it.

Berekiah and Elkanah were to be doorkeepers for the ark.  Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer the priests were to blow trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-Edom and Jehiah were also to be doorkeepers for the ark.

So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-Edom, with rejoicing.  Because God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD, seven bulls and seven rams were sacrificed.  Now David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and as were the singers, and Kenaniah, who was in charge of the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen ephod.  So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouts, with the sounding of rams’ horns and trumpets, and of cymbals, and the playing of lyres and harps.

As the ark of the covenant of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.

My Thoughts:

The preparations that were made to bring the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem are so detailed here in the rest of this chapter. I could almost see the picture, those chosen to play the cymbals, and lyres, and harps - this was going to be a procession with music! There were also singers - and quite a group, for they had their own leader - ‘because he was skilled at it’ - what a joy and a privilege to be that! There were others with their own duties, the door-keepers for the ark - trumpeters to go out before the Ark to announce that they were coming - can you imagine hearing that in the distance?

What struck me the most was the atmosphere of all this - it was full of joy - a true celebration that they were at last bringing back to their home the one thing that represented the presence of God! Everyone was involved - the elders, the army commanders - and they went to the house of Obed-Edom with rejoicing! All dressed in fine linen - their very best - for this was an occasion for that. I can just ‘see’ this huge procession coming back to Jerusalem, led by David - who was out in front dancing with joy! Wow! What a scene!

And then - the sour note - right at the end - David’s wife - the one who should have been behind his actions and sharing with him in the joy of the occasion - here she was in the window of the house, watching. Not full of joy, not rejoicing over the return of the Ark, not happy in this joyous occasion - no - she was bitter and resentful. The text says it so well: “And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart. The ultimate downer.

Made me think - each day I need to get up and determine that I will be one of those out there dancing and celebrating, not hiding away with my resentment, and despising those who are living with joy!

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