Day 154- 2 Samuel 9-11; Proverbs 6

2 Samuel 9 is about kindness, Henry notes,

Note, Good men should seek opportunities of doing good. The liberal deviseth liberal things, Isa. 32:8 . For, the most proper objects of our kindness and charity are such as will not be frequently met with without enquiry. The most necessitous are the least clamorous.

2 Samuel 11 is summarized,


"What David said of the mournful report of Saul’s death may more fitly be applied to the sad story of this chapter, the adultery and murder David was guilty of.—"Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon.’’ We wish we could draw a veil over it, and that it might never be known, might never be said, that David did such things as are here recorded of him. But it cannot, it must not, be concealed. The scripture is faithful in relating the faults even of those whom it most applauds, which is an instance of the sincerity of the penmen, and an evidence that it was not written to serve any party: and even such stories as these "were written for our learning,’’ that "he that thinks he stands may take heed lest he fall,’’ and that others’ harms may be our warnings. Many, no doubt, have been emboldened to sin, and hardened in it, by this story, and to them it is a "savour of death unto death;’’ but many have by it been awakened to a holy jealousy over themselves, and constant watchfulness against sin, and to them it is a "savour of life unto life.’’ Those are very great sins, and greatly aggravated, which here we find David guilty of. I. He committed adultery with Bath-sheba, the wife of Uriah (v. 1-5). II. He endeavoured to father the spurious brood upon Uriah (v. 6-13). III. When that project failed, he plotted the death of Uriah by the sword of the children of Ammon, and effected it (v. 14-25). IV. He married Bath-sheba (v. 26, v. 27). Is this David? Is this the man after God’s own heart? How is his behaviour changed, worse than it was before Ahimelech! How has this gold become dim! Let him that readeth understand what the best of men are when God leaves them to themselves."

Proverbs 6 is interesting,

"In this chapter we have, I. A caution against rash suretiship (v. 1-5). II. A rebuke to slothfulness (v. 6-11). III. The character and fate of a malicious mischievous man (v. 12-15). IV. An account of seven things which God hates (v. 16-19). V. An exhortation to make the word of God familiar to us (v. 20-23). VI. A repeated warning of the pernicious consequences of the sin of whoredom (v. 24-35). We are here dissuaded from sin very much by arguments borrowed from our secular interests, for it is not only represented as damning in the other world, but as impoverishing in this."

Day 153- 2 Samuel 7-8; Proverbs 4-5

I am having a hard time pulling meaning from 2 Samuel.  However from Proverbs,

Note, Magistrates and ministers, who are entrusted with the direction of larger societies, are concerned to take a more than ordinary care for the good instruction of their own families; from this duty their public work will by no means excuse them. This charity must begin at home, though it must not end there; for he that has not his children in subjection with all gravity, and does not take pains in their good education, how shall he do his duty as he ought to the church of God? 1 Tim. 3:4, 1 Tim. 3:5 . The children of those that are eminent for wisdom and public usefulness ought to improve in knowledge and grace in proportion to the advantages they derive from their relation to such parents. Yet it may be observed, to save both the credit and the comfort of those parents whose children do not answer the hopes that arose from their education, that Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, was far from being either one of the wisest or one of the best. We have reason to think that thousands have got more good by Solomon’s proverbs than his own son did, to whom they seem to have been dedicated. 

Day 152- 2 Samuel 5-6; Proverbs 3; Psalm 57

Friends, I read today, but there is a last minute school bake off occurring.  Read your lesson and let's comment tomorrow. 

Day 151- 2 Samuel 3-4; Proverbs 2; Psalm 56

In 2 Samuel 4 Henry notes,

Note, Charity teaches us to make the best, not only of our friends, but of our enemies, and to think those may be righteous persons who yet, in some instances, do us wrong. I must not presently judge a man a bad man because I think him so to me.

Henry explains about the good and bad men and women,

Note, 1. There is a way which is peculiarly the way of good men, the way in which good men, as such, and as far as they have really been such, have always walked. 2. It will be our wisdom to walk in that way, to ask for the good old way and walk therein, Jer. 6:16 ; Heb. 6:12 Heb. 12:1 . And we must not only walk in that way awhile, but we must keep it, keep in it, and never turn aside out of it: The paths of the righteous are the paths of life, which all that are wise, having taken hold of, will keep their hold of. "That thou mayest imitate those excellent persons, the patriarchs and prophets (so bishop Patrick paraphrases it), and be preserved in the paths of those righteous men who followed after them.’’ We must not only choose our way in general by the good examples of the saints, but must also take directions from them in the choice of our particular paths; observe the track, and go forth by the footsteps of the flock. Two reasons are here given why we should thus choose:—(1.) Because men’s integrity will be their establishment, v. 21. It will be the establishment, [1.] Of their persons: The upright shall dwell in the land, peaceably and quietly, as long as they live; and their uprightness will contribute to it, as it settles their minds, guides their counsels, gains them the good-will of their neighbours, and entitles them to God’s special favour. [2.] Of their families: The perfect, in their posterity, shall remain in it. They shall dwell and remain for ever in the heavenly Canaan, of which the earthly one was but a type. (2.) Because men’s iniquity will be their destruction, v. 22. See what becomes of the wicked, who choose the way of the evil man; they shall be cut off, not only from heaven hereafter and all hopes of that, but from the earth now, on which they set their affections, and in which they lay up their treasure. They think to take root in it, but they and their families shall be rooted out of it, in judgment to them, but in mercy to the earth. There is a day coming which shall leave them neither root nor branch, Mal. 4:1 . Let that wisdom then enter into our hearts, and be pleasant to our souls, which will keep us out of a way that will end thus.           

And on the Psalm,

"It seems by this, and many other psalms, that even in times of the greatest trouble and distress David never hung his harp upon the willow-trees, never unstrung it or laid it by; but that when his dangers and fears were greatest he was still in tune for singing God’s praises. He was in imminent peril when he penned this psalm, at least when he meditated it; yet even then his meditation of God was sweet. I. He complains of the malice of his enemies, and begs mercy for himself and justice against them (v. 1, v. 2, v. 5-7). II. He confides in God, being assured that he took his part, comforting himself with this, that therefore he was safe and should be victorious, and that while he lived he should praise God (v. 3, v. 4, v. 8-13). How pleasantly may a good Christian, in singing this psalm, rejoice in God, and praise him for what he will do, as well as for what he has done.To the chief musician upon Jonath-elem-rechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath."

Day 150- 2 Samuel 1-2; Proverbs 1

In summary of 2 Samuel 1,

In the close of the foregoing book (with which this is connected as a continuation of the same history) we had Saul’s exit; he went down slain to the pit, though we was the terror of the mighty in the land of the living. We are now to look towards the rising sun, and to enquire where David is, and what he is doing

And 2,

David had paid due respect to the memory of Saul his prince and Jonathan his friend, and what he did was as much his praise as theirs; he is now considering what is to be done next. Saul is dead, now therefore David arise.

On Proverbs,

"Those who read David’s psalms, especially those towards the latter end, would be tempted to think that religion is all rapture and consists in nothing but the ecstasies and transports of devotion; and doubtless there is a time for them, and if there be a heaven upon earth it is in them: but, while we are on earth, we cannot be wholly taken up with them; we have a life to live in the flesh, must have a conversation in the world, and into that we must now be taught to carry our religion, which is a rational thing, and very serviceable to the government of human life, and tends as much to make us discreet as to make us devout, to make the face shine before men, in a prudent, honest, useful conversation, as to make the heart burn towards God in holy and pious affections. In this chapter we have, I. The title of the book, showing the general scope and design of it (v. 1-6). II. The first principle of it recommended to our serious consideration (v. 7-9). III. A necessary caution against bad company (v. 10-19). IV. A faithful and lively representation of wisdom’s reasonings with the children of men, and the certain ruin of those who turn a deaf ear to those reasonings (v. 20-33)."