PROMISE-Ps. cxxv. 1, 2; Isa. lv. 3. They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, So the Lord is round about his people from henceforth, even for ever. Incline your ear, and come unto me :-hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you,even the sure mercies of David. Concerning the Counsel of Ahithophel. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.Rom. viii. 28. 2 SAM. XV. 31. One told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, PRAYER. LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. ANSWER-Chap. xvii. 14. And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel: for the Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom. PROMISE-Ps. xxxiii. 10, 11. The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: He maketh the devices of the people of none effect. standeth for ever,-the The counsel of the Lord thoughts of his heart to all generations. After Numbering the People. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.-1 John i. 9. 1 CHRON. xxi. 8. David said unto God, PRAYER-v. 8, 17. HAVE sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned, and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? Let thine hand, I pray thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued. ANSWER-2 SAM. xxiv. 25. So the Lord was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel. PROMISE-Hos. vi. 1. Come, and let us return unto the Lord: For he hath torn,--and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. E At the Willing Offerings for the Building of the Temple. God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all-sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.—2 Cor. ix. 8, 11. 1 CHRON. xxix. 9. The people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord and David the king also rejoiced with great joy. Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation and David said, : : PRAYER-v. 10. LESSED be thou, Lord God of Israel : our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding. O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own. I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee. O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee: and give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision. ANSWER-v. 20, 22, 25. And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the Lord your God. And all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the Lord. . . . And did eat and drink before the Lord on that day with great gladness and they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him unto the Lord to be the chief governor. ... And the Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been. on any king before him in Israel. : PROMISE-Ps. cx. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, morning : Thou hast the dew of thy youth. THE AFFLICTED. Pouring out his Complaint before the Lord. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.—Luke vi. 21. Ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice; and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.—John xvi. 20. Ps. cii. A Prayer of the Afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord. HEAREA [EAR my prayer, O Lord,—and let my cry come unto thee. Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; Incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily. v.3. For my days are consumed like smoke,—and my bones are burned as an hearth. My heart is smitten and withered like grass;—so that I forget to eat my bread. By reason of the voice of my groaning-my bones cleave to my skin. I am like a pelican of the wilderness :-I am like an owl of the desert. I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the housetop. Mine enemies reproach me all the day; And they that are mad against me are sworn against me. |