Study Desk

The Lord is great and deserves our greatest praise! He is the only God worthy of our worship.

Say to him, "Save us, Lord God! Bring us back from among the nations. Let us celebrate and shout in praise of your holy name.

Lord God of Israel, you deserve to be praised forever and ever." After David finished, the people shouted, "Amen! Praise the Lord !"

David went into the tent he had set up for the sacred chest. He sat there and prayed: Lord God, my family and I don't deserve what you have already done for us,

No other god is like you, Lord —you alone are God. Everything we have heard about you is true.

You have chosen Israel to be your people forever, and you have become their God.

Lord God, please do what you promised me and my descendants.

Then you will be famous forever, and everyone will say, "The Lord All-Powerful rules Israel and is their God." My kingdom will be strong,

because you are my God, and you have promised that my descendants will be kings. That's why I have the courage to pray to you like this, even though I am only your servant.

You are the Lord God, and you have made this good promise to me.

Be brave and fight hard to protect our people and the towns of our Lord God. I pray he will do whatever pleases him."

Later, David himself went to Rabbah, where he took the crown from the statue of their god Milcom. The crown was made of seventy-five pounds of gold, and there was a valuable jewel on it. David put the jewel on his crown, then carried off everything else of value.

David's order to count the people made God angry, and he punished Israel.

Will there be three years when the land won't grow enough food for its people? Or will your enemies constantly defeat you for three months? Or will the Lord send a horrible disease to strike your land for three days? Think about it and decide, because I have to give your answer to God who sent me.

and David prayed, "It's my fault! I sinned by ordering the people to be counted. They have done nothing wrong—they are innocent sheep. Lord God, please punish me and my family. Don't let the disease wipe out your people."

David said, "The temple of the Lord God must be built right here at this threshing place. And the altar for offering sacrifices will also be here."

David sent for his son Solomon and told him to build a temple for the Lord God of Israel.

He said: My son, I wanted to build a temple where the Lord my God would be worshiped.

Solomon, my son, I now pray that the Lord your God will be with you and keep his promise to help you build a temple for him.

David said: The Lord our God has helped me defeat all the people who lived here before us, and he has given you peace from all your enemies. Now this land belongs to the Lord and his people.