Study Desk

For all His Laws were in front of me, and I did not turn aside from them.

So the Lord has paid me for being right with Him, for being clean in His eyes.

"For You are my lamp, O Lord. The Lord gives light to my darkness.

For by You I can run through an army. By my God I can jump over a wall.

As for God, His way is perfect. The Word of the Lord is proven true. He is a covering to all who go to Him to be safe.

"For who is God, but the Lord? Who is a Rock, except our God?

He makes my hands ready for battle, so that my arms can use a bow of brass.

You give me a big place for my steps. I have not fallen.

For You have dressed me with strength for battle. You have put under me those who came against me.

He is the God Who punishes for me. He puts people under my rule.

In truth, does not my house stand right with God? For He has made an agreement with me that lasts forever. It is planned right in all things, and sure. For will He not make all my help and my desire grow?

Next to him among the three strong men was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite. He was with David when they spoke against the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had left.

But Shammah stood in the center of the piece of ground and fought for it. He killed the Philistines. The Lord saved many of His people that day.

David's heart troubled him after he had numbered the people. So he said to the Lord, "I have sinned. But now I beg you, O Lord. Take away the sin of Your servant, for I have acted like a fool."

When David got up in the morning, the word of the Lord came to Gad, the one who spoke for God to David. The Lord said,

So Gad came to David and told him, and said, "Will you have seven years without food in your land? Or will you run from those who hate you for three months, while they come after you? Or will there be disease in your land for three days? Now think about it. Decide what answer I should return to Him Who sent me."

David said to Gad, "I am in much trouble. Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for His loving-kindness is great. But do not let me fall into the hand of man."

Araunah said to David, "Let my lord the king take whatever is good in his eyes, and make a gift of it. Look, there are the bulls for the burnt gift. The tools for cleaning the grain, and the cross-pieces the bulls wear to pull loads, can be used for the wood.

But the king said to Araunah, "No, I will buy it from you for a price. I will not give burnt gifts to the Lord my God which I do not pay for." So David bought the grain-floor and the bulls for fifty pieces of silver.

And David built an altar there to the Lord. He gave burnt gifts and peace gifts. So the Lord listened to the prayers for the land, and stopped the disease in Israel.