Then Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took her as his wife and loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for fresh game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

But Hamor made this appeal to them: “My son Shechem is in love with your daughter. Please give her to him as his wife.

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons because he was a son born to him late in life, and he made a special tunic for him.

We said to my lord, ‘We have an aged father, and there is a young boy who was born when our father was old. The boy’s brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’

Rather it is because of his love for you and his faithfulness to the promise he solemnly vowed to your ancestors that the Lord brought you out with great power, redeeming you from the place of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

However, if the servant says to you, “I do not want to leave you,” because he loves you and your household, since he is well off with you,

Rather, he must acknowledge the son of the less-loved wife as firstborn and give him the double portion of all he has, for that son is the beginning of his father’s procreative power—to him should go the right of the firstborn.

I also call on you to love the Lord your God, to obey him and be loyal to him, for he gives you life and enables you to live continually in the land the Lord promised to give to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

He will encourage you and provide for you when you are old, for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, has given him birth. She is better to you than seven sons!”

But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he was the one leading them out to battle and back.

May the Lord your God be praised because he favored you by placing you on the throne of Israel! Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he made you king so you could make just and right decisions.”

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good and his loyal love endures.

The trumpeters and musicians played together, praising and giving thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they loudly praised the Lord, singing: “Certainly he is good; certainly his loyal love endures!” Then a cloud filled the Lord’s temple.

When all the Israelites saw the fire come down and the Lord’s splendor over the temple, they got on their knees with their faces downward toward the pavement. They worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “Certainly he is good; certainly his loyal love endures!”

The priests stood in their assigned spots, along with the Levites who had the musical instruments used for praising the Lord. (These were the ones King David made for giving thanks to the Lord and which were used by David when he offered praise, saying, “Certainly his loyal love endures.”) Opposite the Levites, the priests were blowing the trumpets, while all Israel stood there.

May the Lord your God be praised because he favored you by placing you on his throne as the one ruling on his behalf. Because of your God’s love for Israel and his lasting commitment to them, he made you king over them so you could make just and right decisions.”

With antiphonal response they sang, praising and glorifying the Lord: “For he is good; his loyal love toward Israel is forever.” All the people gave a loud shout as they praised the Lord when the temple of the Lord was established.

Was it not because of things like these that King Solomon of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. But the foreign wives made even him sin!

Psalm 45

For the music director, according to the tune of “Lilies”; by the Korahites, a well-written poem, a love song.

My heart is stirred by a beautiful song. I say, “I have composed this special song for the king; my tongue is as skilled as the stylus of an experienced scribe.”

Psalm 84

For the music director, according to the gittith style; written by the Korahites, a psalm.

How lovely is the place where you live, O Lord of Heaven’s Armies!

The king is strong; he loves justice. You ensure that legal decisions will be made fairly; you promote justice and equity in Jacob.

For the Lord is good. His loyal love endures, and he is faithful through all generations.

The Lord is compassionate and merciful; he is patient and demonstrates great loyal love.

Psalm 106

Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, and his loyal love endures.