Psalm 25 & 29

Psalm 25

1In you, Lord my God,

I put my trust.

2I trust in you;

do not let me be put to shame,

nor let my enemies triumph over me.

3No one who hopes in you

will ever be put to shame,

but shame will come on those

who are treacherous without cause.

4Show me your ways, Lord,

teach me your paths.

5Guide me in your truth and teach me,

for you are God my Savior,

and my hope is in you all day long.

6Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,

for they are from of old.

7Do not remember the sins of my youth

and my rebellious ways;

according to your love remember me,

for you, Lord, are good.

8Good and upright is the Lord;

therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.

9He guides the humble in what is right

and teaches them his way.

10All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful

toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.

11For the sake of your name, Lord,

forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

12Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?

He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.

13They will spend their days in prosperity,

and their descendants will inherit the land.

14The Lord confides in those who fear him;

he makes his covenant known to them.

15My eyes are ever on the Lord,

for only he will release my feet from the snare.

16Turn to me and be gracious to me,

for I am lonely and afflicted.

17Relieve the troubles of my heart

and free me from my anguish.

18Look on my affliction and my distress

and take away all my sins.

19See how numerous are my enemies

and how fiercely they hate me!

20Guard my life and rescue me;

do not let me be put to shame,

for I take refuge in you.

21May integrity and uprightness protect me,

because my hope, Lord, is in you.

22Deliver Israel, O God,

from all their troubles!

Psalm 29

1Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings,

ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

2Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;

worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

3The voice of the Lord is over the waters;

the God of glory thunders,

the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.

4The voice of the Lord is powerful;

the voice of the Lord is majestic.

5The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;

the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

6He makes Lebanon leap like a calf,

Sirion like a young wild ox.

7The voice of the Lord strikes

with flashes of lightning.

8The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;

the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.

9The voice of the Lord twists the oaks

and strips the forests bare.

And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

10The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;

the Lord is enthroned as King forever.

11The Lord gives strength to his people;

the Lord blesses his people with peace.

1 Chronicles 17

God’s Promise to David

1After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.”

2Nathan replied to David, “Whatever you have in mind, do it, for God is with you.”

3But that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying:

4“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. 5I 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. 6Wherever 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?” ’

7“Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the LordAlmighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 8I 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 on earth. 9And 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 10and 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: 11When your days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 13I 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. 14I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.’ ”

15Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

David’s Prayer

16Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:

“Who am I, LordGod, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 17And as if this were not enough in your sight, my God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You, LordGod, have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men.

18“What more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant, 19Lord. For the sake of your servant and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made known all these great promises.

20“There is no one like you, Lord, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. 21And 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? 22You made your people Israel your very own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.

23“And now, Lord, let the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house be established forever. Do as you promised, 24so that it will be established and that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The LordAlmighty, the God over Israel, is Israel’s God!’ And the house of your servant David will be established before you.

25“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. 26You, Lord, are God! You have promised these good things to your servant. 27Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Lord, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever.”

2 Samuel 7

God’s Promise to David

1After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”

3Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”

4But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:

5“Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? 6I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. 7Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” ’

8“Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the LordAlmighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 9I 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 great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. 10And 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 11and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.

“ ‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: 12When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 13He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 15But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’ ”

17Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

David’s Prayer

18Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:

“Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 19And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human!

20“What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Sovereign Lord. 21For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.

22“How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. 23And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt?24You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.

25“And now, LordGod, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, 26so that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The LordAlmighty is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will be established in your sight.

27“LordAlmighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ So your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. 28Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant. 29Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”

Psalm 132

A song of ascents.

1 Lord, remember David

and all his self-denial.

2He swore an oath to the Lord,

he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:

3“I will not enter my house

or go to my bed,

4I will allow no sleep to my eyes

or slumber to my eyelids,

5till I find a place for the Lord,

a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

6We heard it in Ephrathah,

we came upon it in the fields of Jaar:

7“Let us go to his dwelling place,

let us worship at his footstool, saying,

8‘Arise, Lord, and come to your resting place,

you and the ark of your might.

9May your priests be clothed with your righteousness;

may your faithful people sing for joy.’ ”

10For the sake of your servant David,

do not reject your anointed one.

11The Lord swore an oath to David,

a sure oath he will not revoke:

“One of your own descendants

I will place on your throne.

12If your sons keep my covenant

and the statutes I teach them,

then their sons will sit

on your throne for ever and ever.”

13For the Lord has chosen Zion,

he has desired it for his dwelling, saying,

14“This is my resting place for ever and ever;

here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it.

15I will bless her with abundant provisions;

her poor I will satisfy with food.

16I will clothe her priests with salvation,

and her faithful people will ever sing for joy.

17“Here I will make a horn grow for David

and set up a lamp for my anointed one.

18I will clothe his enemies with shame,

but his head will be adorned with a radiant crown.”

Psalm 105

1Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;

make known among the nations what he has done.

2Sing to him, sing praise to him;

tell of all his wonderful acts.

3Glory in his holy name;

let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

4Look to the Lord and his strength;

seek his face always.

5Remember the wonders he has done,

his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,

6you his servants, the descendants of Abraham,

his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.

7He is the Lord our God;

his judgments are in all the earth.

8He remembers his covenant forever,

the promise he made, for a thousand generations,

9the covenant he made with Abraham,

the oath he swore to Isaac.

10He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,

to Israel as an everlasting covenant:

11“To you I will give the land of Canaan

as the portion you will inherit.”

12When they were but few in number,

few indeed, and strangers in it,

13they wandered from nation to nation,

from one kingdom to another.

14He allowed no one to oppress them;

for their sake he rebuked kings:

15“Do not touch my anointed ones;

do my prophets no harm.”

16He called down famine on the land

and destroyed all their supplies of food;

17and he sent a man before them—

Joseph, sold as a slave.

18They bruised his feet with shackles,

his neck was put in irons,

19till what he foretold came to pass,

till the word of the Lord proved him true.

20The king sent and released him,

the ruler of peoples set him free.

21He made him master of his household,

ruler over all he possessed,

22to instruct his princes as he pleased

and teach his elders wisdom.

23Then Israel entered Egypt;

Jacob resided as a foreigner in the land of Ham.

24The Lord made his people very fruitful;

he made them too numerous for their foes,

25whose hearts he turned to hate his people,

to conspire against his servants.

26He sent Moses his servant,

and Aaron, whom he had chosen.

27They performed his signs among them,

his wonders in the land of Ham.

28He sent darkness and made the land dark—

for had they not rebelled against his words?

29He turned their waters into blood,

causing their fish to die.

30Their land teemed with frogs,

which went up into the bedrooms of their rulers.

31He spoke, and there came swarms of flies,

and gnats throughout their country.

32He turned their rain into hail,

with lightning throughout their land;

33he struck down their vines and fig trees

and shattered the trees of their country.

34He spoke, and the locusts came,

grasshoppers without number;

35they ate up every green thing in their land,

ate up the produce of their soil.

36Then he struck down all the firstborn in their land,

the first fruits of all their manhood.

37He brought out Israel, laden with silver and gold,

and from among their tribes no one faltered.

38Egypt was glad when they left,

because dread of Israel had fallen on them.

39He spread out a cloud as a covering,

and a fire to give light at night.

40They asked, and he brought them quail;

he fed them well with the bread of heaven.

41He opened the rock, and water gushed out;

it flowed like a river in the desert.

42For he remembered his holy promise

given to his servant Abraham.

43He brought out his people with rejoicing,

his chosen ones with shouts of joy;

44he gave them the lands of the nations,

and they fell heir to what others had toiled for—

45that they might keep his precepts

and observe his laws.

Praise the Lord.

Psalm 100-101

Psalm 100

1Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

2Worship the Lord with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

3Know that the Lord is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

5For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;

his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Psalm 101

1I will sing of your love and justice;

to you, Lord, I will sing praise.

2I will be careful to lead a blameless life—

when will you come to me?

I will conduct the affairs of my house

with a blameless heart.

3I will not look with approval

on anything that is vile.

I hate what faithless people do;

I will have no part in it.

4The perverse of heart shall be far from me;

I will have nothing to do with what is evil.

5Whoever slanders their neighbor in secret,

I will put to silence;

whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart,

I will not tolerate.

6My eyes will be on the faithful in the land,

that they may dwell with me;

the one whose walk is blameless

will minister to me.

7No one who practices deceit

will dwell in my house;

no one who speaks falsely

will stand in my presence.

8Every morning I will put to silence

all the wicked in the land;

I will cut off every evildoer

from the city of the Lord.

Psalm 96

1Sing to the Lord a new song;

sing to the Lord, all the earth.

2Sing to the Lord, praise his name;

proclaim his salvation day after day.

3Declare his glory among the nations,

his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

4For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;

he is to be feared above all gods.

5For all the gods of the nations are idols,

but the Lord made the heavens.

6Splendor and majesty are before him;

strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

7Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations,

ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

8Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;

bring an offering and come into his courts.

9Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness;

tremble before him, all the earth.

10Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”

The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;

he will judge the peoples with equity.

11Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;

let the sea resound, and all that is in it.

12Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;

let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.

13Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes,

he comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world in righteousness

and the peoples in his faithfulness.