David and Death

Open up your copy of God's Word, and we will be in 2 Samuel for the first part of our message today.

! And then we'll be in 1 Chronicles 29 for a lot of it later.

But today we are concluding, bringing to a close, our series on the life of King David.

I pray that God's used it in your life. There's something in the life of David for everybody.

So I hope that God has used it to work greatly in your heart, to strengthen your walk with the Lord.

All the messages are online. Believe it or not, we do have a website.

And you can scroll all the way to the bottom, and you can find all the messages that have been in this series as well as anything else.

But yeah, today we're going to be concluding the life of David.

So, first, just by way of review, if you remember the message from last week,

we looked at how David fell into great, awful, heinous sin with Bathsheba.

And so after this, though, like David's reign is troubled.

It is marked by turmoil within and without for the rest of his days.

And because of that sin.

So look at 2 Samuel chapter 12.

2 Samuel 12 · chapter mention

We're going to kind of see a part of what, how Nathan the prophet responded to David.

So David truly did repent of his sin.

He truly was broken because of what he did.

And unlike Saul, he took complete ownership of it.

But nonetheless, we see that, at least in this life, sin does still have consequences.

So this is what comes out of Nathan's mouth that God speaks to him.

2 Samuel 12.

Let's look at verse 10.

It says,

So really quickly, this is a pronouncement of great discipline against David.

It's scary.

Again, the Lord's discipline is severe.

And if you notice, it's poetic.

It's like what David did.

It's poetic in the sense that later on, he will use the sword of the Ammonites that were used to kill Uriah.

Now he's saying the sword will plague your house.

Like death and destruction and murder will plague your house by the sword.

For breaking God's law and stealing another man's wife in secret, God will remove his hand of protection from David.

And they will sinfully, his wives will go to others.

And it will be done in a very public way.

Like you did this in secret.

But what's going to happen to you will be before all the nation to your shame.

And so, again, just a reminder, we have to get this in our head.

Like, yes, if we are in Christ, we're forgiven.

If we're in Christ, we're redeemed.

And that is secure.

Sin can't be covered up forever.

It always comes to the surface.

And so it came to pass in David's last days.

So, first, we see, and I'm going to give you a quick summary of just David's troubled reign.

Because I don't think we want to end on this note, do we?

We kind of want to wrap up David's life on a better note.

But I'm going to give you a summary of what happened.

Like, just to show you that sin serious.

And even though David was forgiven and that his sin was punished later in Christ,

he still had to deal with severe consequences.

But the first one, right out of the gate, was that child that was conceived by Bathsheba dies.

And later on, in comforting Bathsheba, David eventually, her and Bathsheba have another son,

which would be Solomon, which would become the future heir of the throne.

But then later, David returns to his duties as the king, like he should be doing.

Okay, like, he goes off and he fights against God's enemies.

He defeats several other enemies.

But yet, in a disgusting act, Ammon, his eldest son, rapes his half-sister, Tamar,

who is actually Absalom's sister.

And in turn, in a fit of rage, Absalom murders Ammon,

resulting in David banishing Absalom for three years.

So already, you're seeing the blood feud inside David's house.

So a heinous act was committed.

Absalom responded in revenge and killed the eldest son.

So then next, we see that Absalom, this is him later on,

pleads to be brought back.

Like, bring me back to your house, to his father.

And then, by the intercession of others, he's brought back.

But it's short-lived, and he's soon banished again for two more years.

And consequently, all this stuff fuels ambition and jealousy in Absalom's heart.

And he stages a coup against his father, a real insurrection against his father.

And Absalom begins this four-year plot to overthrow his father.

And it says in the Scripture that he stole the hearts of the people away from David, a lot of them.

So this tears David's heart in two.

He can't believe it's actually happening.

And so what ends up happening eventually is that David has to flee for his life.

Again, he runs from Absalom, his own son.

And he wrote in response to this,

This is all in the context of what we're talking about when he's running from Absalom.

Psalm 3, verses 1 and 2.

Psalms 3:1

In this psalm, he's still trusting in God, even though he's torn.

Psalm 3, verses 1 and 2.

Psalms 3:1

So shamefully, Absalom chooses to lie down with his father's concubines.

And in verse 17 in this chapter, Absalom's generals are encouraging,

Hey, we need to go and pursue your father now.

If we're going to do this thing, it needs to be now.

We can't wait around.

And against their judgment, he doesn't do it.

He stays behind.

He continues to commit sexual immorality.

Which later on, David under Joab, or fluid Joab,

rallies the forces that are still loyal to him.

And they defeat Absalom's army, ending this rebellion.

So then in panic, Absalom runs.

He flees for his life on a mule.

Not the best animal to ride.

Have you ever ridden a mule?

I have.

But kicked by a mule is a real term.

And so his hair, his long hair, which is a symbol of his pride,

is caught in a tree.

And he hangs there helplessly, slowly dying as he's fleeing for his life.

Until later on, Joab comes by.

And even though it was against David's wishes, he finishes the job.

He stabs him through.

So despite his son's own sin against him,

David never stops loving Absalom.

And he mourns greatly over the death of his son.

And it says in chapter 18, verse 33, he cried out,

Oh, my son, Absalom, my son, my son, Absalom.

What I had died instead of you, oh, Absalom, my son, my son.

So you can't imagine a rebellion being staged against you by your own son,

and then seeing him die tragically in the process.

So other tragedies followed David until the end of his day,

including another rebellion and a three-year famine.

And just the consequences of his sin and this life were real.

He had a troubled reign for the rest of his days.

But we see a good ending.

Now I'd like for you to turn to 1 Chronicles 29.

1 Kings kind of presents David's ending in his reign in a stage of weakness.

But the chronicler presents David in his finest hour.

And we're going to go to 1 Chronicles 29, verse 10.

1 Chronicles 29:10

But it is safe to say that these aren't contradictions.

And it's like David did end his reign much weaker than he started his reign.

But the chronicler focuses in on David's kingship

with this ending prayer and praise,

this stirring, moving benediction in which he exalts God

and gives God the praise for his goodness and faithfulness while he's been king.

So in verses 10 through 20,

you see David's great prayer of praise

and these petitions that come out of him.

So the people have just offered a phenomenal offering

to help build the future temple and other things.

And out of an overflow of gratitude,

an atmosphere of just giving and celebration

and praise to God for all the community comes out.

And David comes out and he gives God all the glory for what is happening.

He exalts God.

And he repeatedly declares in this prayer of praise

that God is the only God,

that he is the giver of all good things

and everything comes from God alone.

So look at verse 10.

Let's walk through this together.

Verse 10.

Therefore David blessed the Lord in the presence of the assembly.

And David said,

Blessed are you, our Lord, the God of Israel, our Father,

forever and ever.

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory

and the victory and the majesty.

For all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours.

Yours is the kingdom, O Lord,

and you are exalted as head above all.

Both riches and honor come from you

and you rule over all.

In your hand are power and might.

And in your hand it is to make great

and to give strength to all.

And now we thank you, our God,

and praise your glorious name.

But who am I?

And what is my people

that we should be able thus to offer willingly?

For all things come from you

and your own you have given.

You have we, excuse me,

and of your own have we given you.

It's a tricky phrase.

I'm going to explain.

So first,

we see him giving God just the praise due his name,

acknowledging that the kingdom of Israel

is ultimately not David's.

It's God's kingdom.

It's like the kingdom is yours.

All of it is yours.

God's universal kingdom.

And he humbly recognizes that

the source of wealth

and everything good that they have

comes from him.

It all does.

And so he rightfully acknowledges that.

And then at the end here,

he acknowledges that even the people's own generosity

is a work of grace in the people's hearts.

Their own generosity

to give such a generous amount

is an overflow of God's grace in their lives.

And that's what verse 14 implies.

He's like,

this isn't from me.

It's from you.

And then he confesses that compared to God,

man is nothing.

For he graciously gives strength to all,

he says,

sustaining our very lives.

Remember what Paul quoted to the Athenians,

in him we live and move and have our being.

And in Job,

it's mentioned,

in your hand is the life of every living thing

and the breath of all mankind.

He acknowledges God as the true life giver,

sustaining all.

And so then we go on to verse 15.

And David confesses a few other things before the Lord.

Verse 15,

For we are strangers before you

and sojourners as all our fathers were.

Our days on the earth are like a shadow

and there is no abiding.

Oh Lord our God,

all this abundance that we have provided

for the building,

you a house for your holy name

comes from your hand.

He's acknowledging it again,

a second time.

And is all your own.

I know,

my God,

that you test the heart

and have pleasure and uprightness.

In the uprightness of heart,

I have freely offered all these things.

And now,

I have seen your people

who are present here

offering freely

and joyously

to you.

So despite

the earthly glory

of his own kingdom

and all that he had,

David confesses

that he

and his people

are strangers

and sojourners.

We are not immortal.

We are passing through.

David recognized

that as powerful

and great as he was,

that his life

was only a shadow.

And this gives way

to that great anticipation

of a greater heavenly fulfillment

of David's descendant coming

and fulfilling

the everlasting kingdom.

So all men

and women

depend entirely

on God

for their security

and their well-being.

Even as heirs of heaven,

we are just passing

through this world.

We belong

somewhere else.

And then if you notice,

David stops to reflect on

the reality

that God

doesn't just look

at the outside.

He examines the heart.

He looks at

our hearts,

which can be scary.

And he says

he examines

our heart

for uprightness,

our integrity.

A further indication

that the chronicler

is more focused

on

the inner reality

of our faith

and trust

and love in God

in our giving.

The heart

of the worshiper,

the heart

of the giver

is more significant

than just the amount.

And then lastly,

in verses 18 and 19,

you see David

kind of conclude here.

Verse 18,

O Lord,

the God of Abraham,

Isaac,

and Israel,

our fathers,

keep forever

such purposes

and thoughts

in the hearts

of your people

and direct their hearts

towards you.

Grant to Solomon,

my son,

a whole heart

that he may keep

your commandments,

your testimonies,

and your statutes,

performing all

and that he may build

the palace

for which I have

made provision.

So he concludes

with that.

He concludes

his prayer

by asking God

to keep

all the people

united.

And he's going back.

He's reminding God

of

the faithfulness

that he's shown

to all his fathers,

Abraham,

Isaac,

and Israel

or Jacob.

And he says,

also,

unite my people

with one heart

and one mind.

Let them,

let this,

what started here

today,

let that continue.

Let them not divide.

Keep them as one.

Then he asked

that Solomon,

his son,

who will be

the future heir

very soon,

acts in a whole heart.

See that?

In obedience

to God's commandments.

He acknowledges

Solomon

as the next king

in the following verses.

He goes on

for Solomon

to be anointed.

Solomon had

been anointed

in one sense

during this coup

to kind of

seal the deal,

though that's not

mentioned in Chronicles.

This is a second

ceremony

where the whole nation

rightfully accepts

Solomon as the heir.

And just like

what God

has done for David,

now he's promising

to do it

for Solomon.

And then soon after,

David passes away

and he lays to rest

with his fathers.

So I have three things

for us to look at

today

when we're looking at

just wrapping up

the life of David.

First,

number one,

God's purpose

and work

accomplished

in David.

God's purpose

and work

accomplished

in David.

You can just

write this down

to kind of save time

to kind of save time.

Acts 13,

Acts 13:36

verse 36.

Paul is speaking

to the Jews

at Antioch

and he says,

for David,

after he had served

the purpose

of God

in his own

generation,

fell asleep

and he was laid

with his fathers

and saw corruption.

Alright,

so

this is the summation

of David's life.

He was an extraordinary

man,

but a man

and like us,

fallen,

broken,

and sinful.

So after looking

at David's sins,

after looking at

his failures

and struggles,

does it surprise you

that God's purpose

was not thwarted?

Would you be tempted

to think that

a man that could

commit such

heinous,

grievous sin

could be used

by God

to accomplish

his will and purpose?

This is what

Paul said,

like yeah,

God did accomplish

his purpose.

David served

his purpose

in his generation.

So despite

all those failures,

sins,

and shortcomings,

God in his grace

accomplished his will

and his providential

purposes for the life

of David

of Bethlehem.

Paul said

that it had

been done

all by God's hand.

So under David,

God united

the people of Israel

into one nation.

He expanded

the kingdom.

He defeated

Israel's pagan enemies.

He reestablished

worship.

He brought the ark

of God

to Jerusalem.

He established

David's house

forever.

Remember?

The Davidic covenant

that we looked at

promising that one day

God would raise up

a son from David's line

that would sit

on the throne

for all eternity,

brought to pass

in Jesus Christ,

the son of David,

and the Lord of David.

And then,

after God's purpose

was fulfilled

in David,

around 961

or so B.C.,

he dies

a natural death

around the age

of 70.

He's buried

in Jerusalem.

With all the fighting

and all the bloodshed

that David had

engaged in,

it is amazing

that he died

a ripe old age.

1 Chronicles 29-28

it says,

Then he died

at a good age,

ripe old age,

full of days,

riches,

and honor,

and Solomon,

his son,

reigned

in his place.

1 Kings 2,

1 Kings 2:10

verse 10 says,

David slept

with his fathers

and was buried

in the city of David.

And the time

that David reigned

over Israel

was 40 years.

He reigned

seven years

at Hebron

and 33 years

in Jerusalem.

So Solomon

sat on the throne

of David,

his father,

and the kingdom

was firmly established.

So this idea

of sleeping

with his fathers,

this is a metaphor

for the expectation

of awakening

for something

in the future.

And with his fathers

seems to indicate

the sight of

that he is with them

right now.

Right?

He's gone on

to be with the faithful men

that were before him

joining in that hope.

And in this text

it says his kingdom

was firmly established.

This is important

because if you look

at this chapter,

which we don't have time for,

the term firmly established

is used three times.

At the beginning

of the chapter,

the middle,

and the end.

It's like God

trying to say,

hey,

God has kept His word.

He is recalling

the covenant

that He made,

ensuring that He

will have an everlasting

kingdom and dynasty.

So,

just really quickly,

this is still under

the guise of

God has accomplished

His purpose

and His work.

But the writer of Hebrews

says,

hey,

remember your leaders,

those who spoke

the word of God to you,

consider the outcome

of their way of life

and imitate their faith.

So what are a few things

that we can walk away with

from David's life

before we move on

to the next point?

This is by way of review,

really quickly.

One,

David,

a man after God's own heart.

Samuel told Saul

after he had been rejected,

the Lord has sought out

a man after his own heart.

1 Samuel 13, 14.

And we said that

a man or woman

after God's own heart

at its foundation

means one

whose deepest heart desires,

longings,

are for his God.

shown or revealed

in how one lives.

So this just means

the overall bend,

the overall trajectory

of David's life

was characterized

by going after his God.

And God reminded Samuel,

if you remember,

do not look on

the outward appearance

or on the height

of his stature

because I have rejected him.

For the Lord sees,

not as man sees.

man looks

on the outward appearance,

but the Lord

looks on the heart.

Get that in your head.

The man alone,

what he values,

what culture values,

just doesn't matter

to God.

It doesn't.

God has his own standards,

his own way

of looking at things,

but not by outward appearance,

but by the heart.

And the defining trait

of David's heart

was that it was

after God's heart.

And Paul also said

about David in Acts 13

that God raised up David

to be their king,

of whom he testified

and said,

I have found in David

the son of Jesse,

a man after my own heart.

Here's the other part.

Who will do all my will.

Acts 13, 22.

So one, he was a man

after God's own heart.

Number two,

a man who trusted God

in the midst of it.

Adversity.

A man who trusted God

in the midst of adversity.

David met with many,

many faces of trials

and adversity,

numerous hardships.

When he fled from Saul,

fearing for his life,

he hid in the cave.

And if you look at Psalm 57,

it actually says this.

It's like a record

of memorable thoughts

of David

when he fled from Saul

in the cave.

So as he's fleeing

for his life,

he writes this psalm.

Psalm 57, 1 and 2.

Be merciful to me,

O God.

Be merciful to me.

For in you,

my soul takes refuge.

In the shadow of your wings,

I will take refuge.

Till the storms

of destruction

pass by.

I cry out to God,

most high,

to God,

listen to this part,

who fulfills his purpose

for me.

So this reality

that he knew

what God was going to do,

that God had a purpose,

a plan to make him king,

gave him hope

in the midst of adversity.

Thirdly,

he was a man

who by faith

faced down death.

A man who by faith

faced down death.

David trusted in God

and bravely stepped forward

as their champion

when other men would not,

including Saul,

to face down

the Philistine champion,

Goliath,

the champion of death.

And by his trust in God

and his faith,

he defeated Goliath,

the giant Philistine.

And he gave God

the praise for it.

He actually said to him,

Goliath,

he said,

that God's going to

take you down

so that all the earth

may know

that there is a God

in Israel

and that all this assembly

may know

that the Lord saves

not with the sword

and the spear

for the battle

is the Lord's

and he will give you

into our hand.

And David bravely

defeated him

and he upheld

God's honor.

God upheld his own honor

through David.

Better way to say that.

And then lastly,

he is a man

who fought,

no second,

he was a man

who fought

to expand God's kingdom.

We looked at this

recently,

David expanded

his kingdom

north,

south,

east,

west.

All the major

pagan enemies

were defeated

and God gave him

the victory

and he wrote

songs of victory.

Psalm 108,

13,

with God

we shall do

valiantly.

It is he

who would tread

down our foes.

And so all those

military victories

broadcasted

to all the nations

around them

about God's

covenantal love

for his people.

people.

And if you look

at the maps,

the land

that he conquered

resembles very closely

the land

that was promised

to Abraham.

So he took back

all that coveted land.

God keeping his word

and showing his faithfulness,

that's what he accomplished

through David,

his instrument

to uphold

his covenant.

Then lastly,

as we looked at last week,

a man

who showed

true repentance

before God.

We know the story,

but in the aftermath

of committing

that dark,

heinous sin

against God

by adultery

with Bathsheba,

the murder

of Uriah

and the cover-up

as king,

David did not

shift blame.

He didn't minimize

what he did.

He took full ownership

over his sin

and made no excuses.

He responded

in true repentance

before God.

He really was

shattered.

He said,

I have sinned

against the Lord.

2 Samuel 12, 13

and then later on

as we looked at it,

he wrote Psalm 51,

a psalm of repentance

where he asked God

to have mercy on him

because against you

and you alone

have I sinned against

and done what is evil

in your sight.

So he shows us

what true repentance

looks like.

He doesn't just

want to be spared

the consequences

of his sin.

He wants fellowship

with God.

He wants to be restored

back into right

relationship

with God.

That was the overarching

drive of David's prayer

in Psalm 51.

He wants God's presence

again.

He wants his sin

removed.

And so,

God forgives him.

So,

David held on

to that promise

throughout his life

that God would

accomplish

what he said he would

in his life.

Accomplish the purpose

for his life.

David wrote in Psalm

136,

138,

excuse me,

verses 6 and 8,

that though I walk

in the midst of trouble,

you preserve my life.

You stretch out

your hand

against the wrath

of my enemies

and your right hand

delivers me.

And here it is,

I'm repeating it

again and again.

The Lord will

fulfill

his purpose

for me.

Your steadfast love,

O Lord,

endures forever.

Do not forsake

the work

of your hands.

So he held on

to that reality.

So that's all

point number one

of God's purpose

and work accomplished

in the life of David.

But point two,

quickly,

and then point three,

God's purpose

and work

in our lives.

Okay?

So,

there are many

dark days

for us as well.

We're overwhelmed

by our own sin

and the sin

we see in the world.

Still facing

the devastating

effects of sin

in this present life.

We get discouraged

because we tend

to focus on

how sin

has beaten us

down

rather than

facing the gospel.

Our souls get faint

and weary,

shattered

and broken.

But the good news

for us

is that God

will fulfill

his purpose

in me and you

if we are in Christ

because

he has first

fulfilled

his purpose

in Christ.

God will enable

his saints

to persevere

until the end

and be saved.

Don't forget

Philippians 1.6.

Paul says,

I am sure,

I am confident

of this,

that he who began

a good work

in you

will bring it

to completion

at the day

of Jesus Christ.

So,

we are kept

by God's power

and later on

we are brought

to glory.

So,

it isn't your

greatest desire

to be a man

or woman

after God's

own heart

and to leave

this world

having accomplished

the work

that he ordained

for you to do.

Does it encourage

you and strengthen

your heart

to know

that even though

David,

a man of great

failure and sin,

God still

fulfilled his purpose

in David's life.

Does that encourage

you

that he also

would do to you

if you turn to him

in faith?

And like David,

God is looking

to use

us for

accomplishing things

for his glory

if your heart

would be fully

devoted to him.

And then lastly,

Christ's purpose

and work.

God's purpose

and work

for Christ.

Right?

We have to end

with this.

The son of David,

Jesus Christ,

also fulfilled

God's purpose.

So,

not long

after he

arrived in Jerusalem,

on the last

trip to Jerusalem

before he was

arrested,

his heart

became very heavy

with all the

suffering that lay

ahead.

It's just kind

of hitting him.

He arrives

and it's all

starting to become

real to him.

So,

whenever Jesus

makes the comment,

for this purpose,

I have come,

like you need

to highlight that

and pay attention.

Jesus says

in John 12,

27,

he goes,

now my soul

is troubled

and what shall

I say?

Father,

save me

from this hour,

an hour of trial

and agony.

But for this purpose,

I have come

to this hour.

Father,

glorify your name.

Then a voice

came from heaven,

I have glorified it

and I will glorify it

again.

So,

here,

we see Jesus

becoming troubled

and he's like,

what should I do?

Should I ask the

Father to spare me

for what's ahead?

And then he like,

speaks the truth

to himself

and he goes,

no,

this is why I came.

This is why I came.

Then he asked God

to glorify his name

and God says

he has

and he will.

So,

we can sum it up

right here.

The main purpose

for coming to earth

was to bring honor

and glory

to the Father

by carrying out

the work

of redemption.

His purpose

for coming to earth

was to bring honor

and glory

to his Father

by carrying out

the work

of redemption.

To glorify his Father

by carrying out

the redemptive plan

for sinners

that the Father

had sent him

to do.

This eternal plan

would reverse

the effects

of the fall,

provide a way

for sinners

to be forgiven

and restored

in relationship

to God

and to call together

a redeemed people,

a single redeemed people

to give

to the Son

as his people.

So,

later,

before his arrest

and crucifixion

in the great

high priestly prayer,

John 17,

4,

Jesus prayed this.

He says to the Father,

I glorified you

on the earth

having accomplished

the work

that you gave me

to do.

Can you imagine

leaving this world

and being able

to say that?

I pray

that it's true

for me

and for you

that we can

leave this world

saying with a clear

conscience,

I know it wasn't

perfect and I know

your mercy covers me,

but with your help

I have accomplished

the work that you

gave me to do

and I glorified you

in this life.

So,

the work of

pleasing his Father

consumed Jesus.

He said,

my food is to do

the will of him

that has sent me

and accomplish

his work.

John 4,

34.

Jesus accomplished

this plan

by living out

his entire life

in joyful obedience

to the Father

and not giving in

to sin,

bringing forth

the kingdom

of God.

His life's work

was to honor

his Father

and it all

climaxed at the cross.

in his dying breath

he uttered,

it is finished.

John 19, 30.

So, our salvation

was accomplished

and then sealed

when he rose

from the dead.

So, to see

the significance

of King David,

we must

see him

inside the greater

life

of King Jesus.

The last name,

I was reminded

of this

yesterday

by a brother

who faithfully

taught the word

yesterday.

The last name

of Jesus

that actually

is used

in the entire

scripture

is found

in Revelation

Revelation 22:6

22,

verse 6.

And Jesus

says,

it's because

I, Jesus,

have sent my angel

to testify to you

about these things

for the churches.

And he says,

I am the root

of the descendant

of David,

the bright

morning star.

So, even in the

last time

that Jesus

explains himself

or names himself

in the scripture,

it's tied

to being a

descendant

of David,

God's covenant

love

to his people.

So, we have

to look

at David

and the

significance

that he had

in the bigger

picture,

the bigger story

of Christ

and his

redeeming work

as our true

king.

So,

in closing,

I'm going to ask

you to do

something very

different.

So, don't freak

out.

It'll be alright.

Open up your

Bibles to

Psalm 16.

A psalm

of David

when he

prayed for

God's

protection

and refuge.

A psalm

of confidence.

We promised

not to make

this the norm.

but I

would like

for you

to stand

with me.

Stand up

and let's

read

Psalm 16

together.

A psalm

of David.

And knowing

that David

is now

exalted,

he is with

the Lord,

and that is

also what

awaits us.

So, in

closing,

let's read

Psalm 16

together.

It's a few

verses.

Ready?

Preserve

me, O

God,

for in

you I

take refuge.

I say

to the

Lord,

you are

my Lord,

I have

no good

apart from

you.

As for

the saints

in the

land,

they are

the excellent

ones in

whom all

my delight.

For the

sorrows of

those who

run after

another God

and multiply

their

offerings of

blood,

I will

not pour

out.

Or take

the names

on my

lips.

The Lord

is my

chosen

portion

and my

cup.

You hold

my lot.

The lines

have fallen

for me

in pleasant

places.

Indeed,

I have a

beautiful

inheritance.

I bless

the Lord

who gives

me counsel.

In the

night also

my heart

instructs

me.

I have

set the

Lord

always

before me.

Because

he is at

my right

hand,

I shall

not be

shaken.

Therefore,

my heart

is glad

and my

whole being

rejoices.

My flesh

also dwells

secure.

For you

will not

abandon

my soul

to shield

or let

your Holy

One see

corruption.

You make

known to

me the

path of

life.

In your

presence

there is

fullness

of joy.

At your

right hand

there are

pleasures

forever

more.

To

desde