Study Desk

Now behold, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar came up until all the people had finished crossing over from the city.

And the king said to Zadok, "Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the LORD, then He will bring me back and show me both it and His habitation.

So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and remained there.

It happened as David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, that behold, Hushai the Archite met him with his coat torn, and dust on his head.

Now the advice of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was taken as though one inquired of the word of God; so was all the advice of Ahithophel regarded by both David and Absalom.

Then Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, "All is well." And he prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground. And he said, "Blessed is the LORD your God, who has turned over the men who raised their hands against my lord the king."

"And say to Amasa, 'Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do so to me, and more so, if you will not be commander of the army for me continually, in place of Joab.'"

"Furthermore, he has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is like the angel of God, therefore do what is good in your sight.

Then they buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the grave of his father Kish; so they did everything that the king commanded, and after that God responded to prayer for the land.

My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; My savior, You save me from violence.

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

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

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

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

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

"God is my strong fortress; And He sets the blameless on His way.

"The LORD lives, and blessed be my Rock; And exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation,

The God who executes vengeance for me, And brings down peoples under me,

Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse declares, The man who was raised on high, The anointed of the God of Jacob And the sweet psalmist of Israel, declares,

"The God of Israel said it; The Rock of Israel spoke to me: 'He who rules over mankind righteously, Who rules in the fear of God,