Daily Devotion for April 15, 2010
Prayers
Scripture

Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever.
Latin Text of the Gloria
Glória in excélsis Deo, et in terra pax homínibus bonae voluntátis.
Laudámus te, benedícimus te, adorámus te, glorificámus te, grátias ágimus tibi propter magnam glóriam tuam,
Dómine Deus, Rex cæléstis, Deus Pater omnípotens. Dómine Fili Unigénite, Iesu Christe, Dómine Deus, Agnus Dei, Fílius Patris,
qui tollis peccáta mundi, miserére nobis;
qui tollis peccáta mundi, súscipe deprecatiónem nostram.
Qui sedes ad déxteram Patris, miserére nobis.
Quóniam tu solus Sanctus, tu solus Dóminus, tu solus Altíssimus, Iesu Christe, cum Sancto Spíritu: in glória Dei Patris. Amen.
English Translation of the Gloria
Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace towards men of good will.
We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee. We give thanks to thee for thy great glory.
O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father almighty. O Lord, the only-begotten Son Jesus Christ. O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father.
Thou that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer.
Thou that sittest at the right of the Father, have mercy upon us.
For thou only art Holy. Thou only art the Lord. Thou only art the Most High. Thou only, O Jesus Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art Most High in the glory of God the Father.
Community of Prayer
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be among the community of all who pray in the name of Christ this morning, and remain among us always.
Think of the day ahead in terms of God with you, and visualize health, strength, guidance, purity, calm confidence, and victory as the gifts of His presence.
2 Samuel 3:1-5
David's Sons
The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel;
his second, Kileab the son of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel;
the third, Absalom the son of Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;
the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith;
the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;
and the sixth, Ithream the son of David's wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.
Notes on the Scripture
It is a bit shocking, today, how primitive the morals, politics, and sensabilities of the Jews were at the time of David. We tend to think of him as a great king, a poet and musician, living in a time when modern morality began to arise.
But the primitive habits of the Hebrews are the linchpin of the story. For the most part, David has the habits and attitudes of any minor Eastern potentate of the bronze age. He attacks towns and slaughters the entire population, men, women, and children, without qualm. Not only does he sleep with numerous women, the sons of these trysts are listed alongside the sons of his (multiple) wives. Daughters, of course, are not worth recording.
There really hasn't been much progress since the days of Moses and Gideon; it will be up to David and another son, Solomon, to advance the Hebrew people to a new level of sophistication.
Michelangelo's famous statue of David, housed at the Accademia Gallery in Florence, Italy

Comments