Study Desk

"You, Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, have shown things to me. You said, ‘I will make your family great.' That is why I, your servant, decided to pray this prayer to you.

Lord God , you are God, and I can trust what you say. And you said that these good things would happen to me, your servant.

Now, please, bless my family. Let them stand before you and serve you forever. Lord God , you yourself said these things. You yourself blessed my family with a blessing that will continue forever."

Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. The Lord will do what he decides is right."

Then Nathan said to David, "You are that rich man! This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says: ‘I chose you to be the king of Israel. I saved you from Saul.

David prayed to God for the baby. David refused to eat or drink. He went into his house and stayed there and lay on the ground all night.

The woman said, "Please, use the name of the Lord your God and swear that you will stop these people. They want to punish my son for murdering his brother. Swear that you will not let them destroy my son." David said, "As the Lord lives, no one will hurt your son. Not even one hair from your son's head will fall to the ground."

Then the woman said, "Why have you planned these things against the people of God? When you say these things, you show you are guilty because you have not brought back the son who you forced to leave home.

We will all die some day. We will be like water that is spilled on the ground. No one can gather this water back from the ground. You know God forgives people. God made plans for people who are forced to run away for safety—God does not force them to run away from him!

The king will listen to me and save me from the man who wants to kill me and my son. That man just wants to keep us from getting what God gave us.'

I know that the words of my lord the king will give me rest, because you are like an angel from God. You know what is good and what is bad. And the Lord your God is with you."

When David got to the top of the mountain, he bowed down to worship God. Then David noticed Hushai the Arkite. Hushai's coat was torn, and there was dust on his head.

So in those days Ahithophel's advice was very important. Both David and Absalom accepted his advice as though it were the word of God.

Ahimaaz called to the king, "All is well!" Ahimaaz bowed with his face to the ground in front of the king and said, "Praise the Lord your God! The Lord has defeated the men who were against you, my lord and king."

But my servant tricked me and said bad things about me. My lord and king, you are like an angel from God. Do whatever you think is right.

They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the area of Benjamin, in one of the tunnels in the grave of Saul's father Kish, as the king commanded. After that God again listened to the prayers of the people in that land.

He is my God, the Rock I run to for protection. He is my shield; by his power I am saved. He is my hiding place, my place of safety, high in the hills. He is my savior, the one who rescues me from the cruel enemy.

In my trouble I called to the Lord . Yes, I cried out to my God for help. There in his temple he heard my voice. He heard my cry for help.

The Lord thundered from the sky. God Most High let his voice be heard.

The Lord did this because I have obeyed him. I have not turned against my God.