David leaves a charge for Israel and Solomon, and prays to the Lord.  Consider:

• Heart – Solomon is to serve God with a whole heart. The people give to the temple with a whole heart.  God searches and tests the heart – what does he see when he looks at your heart?  Are you serving and giving to the Lord with a whole heart?  Join David in asking God to direct your heart more to him.
• Prayer of Praise – David praises God for his many glorious attributes. Reflect on the attributes of God in 29:10-13, and then offer up your own prayer of praise to God.

David prepares for building the temple and organizes the Levites.  Note:

• Seek the Lord – As part of his instructions to the leaders of Israel, he tells them to set their minds and hearts to seek the Lord. Have you set your mind to seek the Lord?  What would that look like?  Have you set your heart to seek the Lord?  What would that look like?
• Praise – David assigns some of the Levites to sing and play instruments in praise to the Lord. They were to praise and thank God every morning and evening.  What does your “praise life” look like?

David continues to subdue his enemies, but then sins.

• Trust – In II Samuel, Joab was known for his vengeful actions. Here we see him in a different light.  In battle, he trusts God to do whatever seems good to the Lord (19:13).  Do you have that kind of trust in the Lord?
• Obedience – In chapter 21, David tells Joab to count the people – something David was not to do. Joab resists, finding the David’s sinful command to be abhorrent. Joab finally does grudgingly do it – an act of disobedience to God, but he still stands above David in this matter.  Do you find sin abhorrent to you?  Do you seek to obey God no matter who tells you otherwise?

God makes a covenant with David.  Consider:

• God Is Great – David acknowledges the greatness of God. There are none like God; indeed he is the only God.  According to his greatness, God has made promises to David, and called Israel to be his people.  Ponder God’s greatness, and his greatness to you!
• God’s Promises – In 17:9-10, God promises to subdue their enemies that Israel might dwell in peace. In chapter 18, God fulfills his promise, giving David victory over his enemies (v6, 13).  We can trust his promises; he will not fail.  What promises of God do you need to cling to today?

David finishes moving the ark to Jerusalem – this time moving it the proper way.

• Praise – As they moved the ark, David and the people were rejoicing before the Lord. Many of the Levites were assigned to sing praises and thanks to God.  David gives them a song of praise to sing.  How can David’s song help you praise God today?
• Seek the Lord – Part of David’s song calls us to seek the Lord (16:10-11). We are to seek him from our hearts.  We are to seek his strength and his presence.  Are you seeking the Lord like this?

David becomes king and tries to move the ark to Jerusalem.

• Rejoicing – As the ark was being moved, David and the people were rejoicing before the Lord. At what special event have you rejoiced before the Lord?  How is rejoicing in the Lord part of your daily life?
• Fear – The ark was not supposed to be carried in a cart, nor was it to be touched. When Uzzah touched it, he died on the spot.  The celebration ended.  David was afraid.  Do you have a proper reverence for the Lord?

The genealogies continue, before retelling Saul’s death:

• Return – Chapter 9 gives the genealogy of those who returned from exile. The point of all these genealogies is to show that the returned exiles belong to Israel.  The promises to Israel belong to them.  In the same way, we celebrate our adoption as the children of God.  The promises of God belong to us through Jesus Christ.
• Broken faith – Chapter 9 begins with a reminder of why Judah went into exile (v1). It is the same reason Saul was rejected as king (10:13-14).  Why?  Because they broke faith with God.  They did not obey God or seek his direction, but went their own way.  Are there ways that you are acting like Judah and Saul?

Our passage today consists of genealogies.

• Davidic Line – Chapter 3 gives the genealogy of David’s descendants. Note that it continues beyond the exile (v17-24).  Judah may have gone into exile, but David’s line continues.  This would have been a great hope to Israel.  And in this line will come our Savior in whom we place our hope.
• Trust or not – The two and a half tribes east of the Jordan cried out to God for help in a battle, and God helped them because they trusted in him (5:18-22). But later they were taken into captivity because they broke faith with God – they went after other gods (5:23-26).  What about you?  Are you looking to God, or chasing after idols?