Psalm 133

Living in Harmony

A song of ascents. Of David.

Judah’s King Jehoshaphat

17 His son Jehoshaphat became king in his place^(A) and strengthened himself against Israel. ² He stationed troops in every fortified city of Judah^(B) and set garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.^(C)

³ Now the Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the former ways of his ancestor David.^[a] He did not seek the Baals ⁴ but sought the God of his father and walked by his commands, not according to the practices of Israel.^{(D) 5} So the Lord established the kingdom in his hand. Then all Judah brought him tribute, and he had riches and honor in abundance.^{(E) 6} He took great pride in the Lord’s ways, and he again^(F) removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.^(G)

Jehoshaphat’s Educational Plan

⁷ In the third year of his reign, Jehoshaphat sent his officials—Ben-hail,^[b] Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah—to teach in the cities of Judah.^{(H) 8} The Levites with them were Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah,^[c] Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah; the priests, Elishama and Jehoram, were with these Levites. ⁹ They taught throughout Judah, having the book of the Lord’s instruction with them.^(I) They went throughout the towns of Judah and taught the people.

¹⁰ The terror of the Lord was on all the kingdoms of the lands that surrounded Judah,^(J) so they didn’t fight against Jehoshaphat. ¹¹ Some of the Philistines also brought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat, and the Arabs brought him flocks: 7,700 rams and 7,700 male goats.^(K)

Jehoshaphat’s Military Might

¹² Jehoshaphat grew stronger and stronger. He built fortresses^(L) and storage cities in Judah ¹³ and carried out great works in the towns of Judah. He had fighting men, valiant warriors, in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ These are their numbers according to their ancestral families.^[d] For Judah, the commanders of thousands:

¹⁹ These were the ones who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.^(N)

Timothy and Epaphroditus

¹⁹ Now I hope in the Lord Jesus^(A) to send Timothy^(B) to you soon so that I too may be encouraged by news about you. ²⁰ For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; ²¹ all seek their own interests,^(C) not those of Jesus Christ.^{(D) 22} But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father. ²³ Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. ²⁴ I am confident in the Lord that I myself will also come soon.^(E)

²⁵ But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus^(F)—my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need^(G)— ²⁶ since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. ²⁷ Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸ For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice again when you see him and I may be less anxious. ²⁹ Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with great joy and hold people like him in honor, ³⁰ because he came close to death for the work^(H) of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me.