Study Desk

They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father; and they did all that the king commanded. After that, God was moved by prayer for the land.

"For the waves of death encompassed me; The torrents of destruction overwhelmed and terrified me.

"In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried out to my God, And from His temple [in the heavens] He heard my voice; My cry for help came into His ears.

"He rescued me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.

"For I have kept the ways of the LORD, And have not acted wickedly against my God.

"For all His judgments (legal decisions) were before me, And from His statutes I did not turn aside.

"For You, O LORD, are my lamp; The LORD illumines and dispels my darkness.

"For by You I can run upon a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall.

"As for God, His way is blameless and perfect; The word of the LORD is tested. He is a shield to all those who take refuge and trust in Him.

"For who is God, besides the LORD? And who is a rock, besides our God?

"He trains my hands for war, So that my arms can bend (pull back) a bow of bronze.

"For You have surrounded me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who stood against me.

"They looked, but there was no savior for them— Even to the LORD [they looked], but He did not answer them.

"It is God who executes vengeance for me, And brings down [and disciplines] the peoples under me,

"For this I will give thanks and praise You, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing praises to Your name.

"Truly is not my house so [blessed] with God? For He has made an everlasting covenant with me, Ordered in all things, and secured. For will He not cause to grow and prosper All my salvation and my every wish? Will He not make it grow and prosper?

Next to him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the son of Ahohi. He was one of the three mighty men with David when they taunted and defied the Philistines assembled there for battle, and the men of Israel had gone.

But David's heart (conscience) troubled him after he had counted the people. David said to the LORD, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O LORD, please take away the sin of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly."

"Go and say to David, 'Thus says the LORD, "I am giving you three choices; select one of them for yourself, and I will do it to you."'"

Then David said to Gad, "I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for His mercies are great, but do not let me fall into the hands of man."