Great Are the Lord's Works

The Death of David

^10 (A)Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in ^(B)the city of David. ¹¹ And the time that David reigned over Israel was ^(C)forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. ^12 (D)So Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.

³ Solomon ^(A)loved the Lord, ^(B)walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places. ⁴ And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, ^(C)for that was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. ^5 (D)At Gibeon ^(E)the Lord appeared to Solomon ^(F)in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” ⁶ And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because ^(G)he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and ^(H)have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. ⁷ And now, O Lord my God, ^(I)you have made your servant king in place of David my father, ^(J)although I am but a little child. I do not know ^(K)how to go out or come in. ^8 (L)And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, ^(M)too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. ^9 (N)Give your servant therefore an understanding mind ^(O)to govern your people, that I may ^(P)discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”

¹⁰ It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. ¹¹ And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, ¹² behold, ^(Q)I now do according to your word. Behold, ^(R)I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. ^13 (S)I give you also what you have not asked, ^(T)both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. ¹⁴ And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, ^(U)as your father David walked, then ^(V)I will lengthen your days.”

^15 (A)Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, ^16 (B)making the best use of the time, because ^(C)the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what ^(D)the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And ^(E)do not get drunk with wine, for that is ^(F)debauchery, but ^(G)be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ addressing one another in ^(H)psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, ^20 (I)giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father ^(J)in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^21 (K)submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Messengers from John the Baptist

^18 (A)(B)The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, ¹⁹ calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one ^(C)who is to come, or ^(D)shall we look for another?” ²⁰ And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one ^(E)who is to come, or ^(F)shall we look for another?’” ²¹ In that hour ^(G)he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and ^(H)on many who were blind he bestowed sight. ²² And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: ^(I)the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, ^(J)lepers^[a] are cleansed, and ^(K)the deaf hear, ^(L)the dead are raised up, ^(M)the poor have good news preached to them. ²³ And blessed is the one who is ^(N)not offended by me.”

^28 (A)Come to ^(B)me, all who labor and are ^(C)heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and ^(D)learn from me, for I am ^(E)gentle and lowly in heart, and ^(F)you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For ^(G)my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

^14 (A)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and ^(B)the love of God and ^(C)the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.