Daily Text and Bible Reading: Tuesday, May 13 [Press play below]

16.1 So they brought the Ark of the true God in and placed it inside the tent that David had pitched for it; and they presented burnt offerings and communion sacrifices before the true God.
16.2 When David finished offering up the burnt offerings and the communion sacrifices, he blessed the people in the name of Jehovah.
16.3 Further, he distributed to all the Israelites, to each man and woman, a round loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake.
16.4 Then he appointed some of the Levites to minister before the Ark of Jehovah, to honor, thank, and praise Jehovah the God of Israel.
16.5 Asaph was the head, and second to him was Zechariah; and Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel played stringed instruments and harps; and Asaph played the cymbals,
16.6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests blew the trumpets constantly before the ark of the covenant of the true God.
16.7 It was on that day that David first contributed a song of thanks to Jehovah through Asaph and his brothers:
16.8 “Give thanks to Jehovah, call on his name, Make his deeds known among the peoples!
16.9 Sing to him, sing praises to him, Ponder over all his wonderful works.
16.10 Boast about his holy name. Let the hearts of those seeking Jehovah rejoice.
16.11 Search for Jehovah and his strength. Seek his face constantly.
16.12 Remember the wonderful works he has performed, His miracles and the judgments he has pronounced,
16.13 You offspring of Israel his servant, You sons of Jacob, his chosen ones.
16.14 He is Jehovah our God. His judgments are throughout the earth.
16.15 Remember his covenant forever, The promise he made, to a thousand generations,
16.16 The covenant he made with Abraham, And the oath he swore to Isaac,
16.17 Which he established as a decree to Jacob And as a lasting covenant to Israel,
16.18 Saying, ‘I will give you the land of Canaan As your allotted inheritance.’
16.19 This was when you were few in number, Yes, very few, and you were foreigners in the land.
16.20 They walked about from nation to nation, From one kingdom to another people.
16.21 He did not allow any man to oppress them, But on their account he reproved kings,
16.22 Saying, ‘Do not touch my anointed ones, And to my prophets do nothing bad.’
16.23 Sing to Jehovah, all the earth! Announce his salvation day after day!
16.24 Declare his glory among the nations, His wonderful works among all the peoples.
16.25 For Jehovah is great and most worthy of praise. He is more awe-inspiring than all other gods.
16.26 All the gods of the peoples are worthless gods, But Jehovah is the one who made the heavens.
16.27 In his presence are majesty and splendor; Strength and joy are in his dwelling place.
16.28 Give Jehovah his due, you families of the peoples, Give Jehovah his due for his glory and strength.
16.29 Give Jehovah the glory due his name; Bring a gift and come in before him. Bow down to Jehovah in holy adornment.
16.30 Tremble before him, all the earth! The earth is firmly established; it cannot be moved.
16.31 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be joyful; Declare among the nations: ‘Jehovah has become King!’
16.32 Let the sea thunder and all that fills it; Let the fields and everything in them rejoice.
16.33 At the same time let the trees of the forest shout joyfully before Jehovah, For he is coming to judge the earth.
16.34 Give thanks to Jehovah, for he is good; His loyal love endures forever.
16.35 And say, ‘Save us, O God of our salvation, Gather us and rescue us from the nations, So that we may give thanks to your holy name And exult in praising you.
16.36 May Jehovah, the God of Israel, be praised Throughout all eternity.’” And all the people said, “Amen!” and they praised Jehovah.
16.37 Then David left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah to minister continually before the Ark, according to the daily routine.
16.38 Obed-edom and his brothers, numbering 68, and Obed-edom, the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah were gatekeepers;
16.39 and Zadok the priest and his fellow priests were before the tabernacle of Jehovah on the high place at Gibeon
16.40 to offer up burnt offerings to Jehovah regularly on the altar of burnt offering, morning and evening, and to do all that is written in the Law of Jehovah that he commanded Israel.
16.41 With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of the selected men who were designated by their names to thank Jehovah, because “his loyal love endures forever”;
16.42 and with them were Heman and Jeduthun to sound the trumpets, cymbals, and the instruments used to praise the true God; and the sons of Jeduthun were at the gate.
16.43 Then all the people went to their homes, and David went to bless his own household.

17.1 As soon as David was settled in his own house, he said to Nathan the prophet: “Here I am living in a house of cedars while the ark of the covenant of Jehovah is under tent cloths.”
17.2 Nathan replied to David: “Do whatever is in your heart, for the true God is with you.”
17.3 On that very night, the word of God came to Nathan, saying:
17.4 “Go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what Jehovah says: “You are not the one who will build the house for me to dwell in.
17.5 For I have not dwelled in a house from the day I brought Israel out to this day, but I continued going from tent to tent and from one tabernacle to another.
17.6 During all the time that I went with all Israel, did I ever say one word to any of the judges of Israel whom I appointed to shepherd my people, saying, ‘Why did you not build a house of cedars for me?’”’
17.7 “Now say this to my servant David, ‘This is what Jehovah of armies says: “I took you from the pastures, from following the flock, to become a leader over my people Israel.
17.8 And I will be with you wherever you go, and I will do away with all your enemies from before you; and I will make a name for you like the name of the great men of the earth.
17.9 I will appoint a place for my people Israel and settle them, and they will live there and not be disturbed anymore; and wicked men will not oppress them again as they did in the past,
17.10 from the day that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover, I tell you, ‘Jehovah will build a house for you.’
17.11 “‘“When your days come to an end and you go to be with your forefathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your sons, and I will firmly establish his kingship.
17.12 He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will firmly establish his throne forever.
17.13 I will become his father, and he will become my son. I will not remove my loyal love from him the way I removed it from the one who was prior to you.
17.14 I will cause him to stand in my house and in my kingship forever, and his throne will last forever.”’”
17.15 Nathan told David all these words and this entire vision.
17.16 At that King David came in and sat down before Jehovah and said: “Who am I, O Jehovah God? And what is my house that you have brought me this far?
17.17 As if this were not enough, O God, you also speak about the house of your servant down to a distant future time, and you have looked on me as if I were a man who should be further exalted, O Jehovah God.
17.18 What more can your servant David say to you about the honor given me when you know your servant so well?
17.19 O Jehovah, for the sake of your servant and in agreement with your heart you have done all these great things by revealing your greatness.
17.20 O Jehovah, there is no one like you, and there is no God except you; everything we have heard with our ears confirms this.
17.21 And what other nation on earth is like your people Israel? The true God went and redeemed them as his people. You made a name for yourself by your great and awe-inspiring deeds, driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt.
17.22 You made your people Israel your own people for all time; and you, O Jehovah, became their God.
17.23 Now, O Jehovah, may the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house prove faithful for all time, and may you do just as you have promised.
17.24 May your name endure and be exalted forever, so that people may say, ‘Jehovah of armies, the God of Israel, is God to Israel,’ and may the house of your servant David be firmly established before you.
17.25 For you, my God, have revealed to your servant your purpose to build him a house. That is why your servant has the confidence to offer this prayer to you.
17.26 And now, O Jehovah, you are the true God, and you have promised these good things concerning your servant.
17.27 So may it please you to bless the house of your servant, and may it continue forever before you, for you, O Jehovah, have blessed, and it is blessed forever.”