Let’s turn to 2SAMUEL 17.
Yesterday we heard how Saul's servant, Ziba, showed his loyalty and helped David on his way. And how Shimei from Saul's family cursed and persecuted David all along the way. No wonder David was exhausted after that hike. David refused to put him to death or to punish him. (But we find out later that he didn't forget about Shimei.) David's friend, Hushai, joined himself to Absalom, as David asked him to do. And Nathan’s prophecy to David was unknowingly fulfilled through Ahithophel’s advice to Absolom.
PSALM 116:
This is a poem sharing personal experience. Though this poem is not attributed to David, what we read here could be his prayer during and following what we are reading about in 1st Samuel 17-18.
Translation note:
6 [CEV] [How kind You are, Lord!— //You are kind, Lord,] so good and merciful.
Today we start the Gospel of John!
I always look forward each year to reading the Gospel of John. John’s Gospel is different from all the other gospels. John was probably very young when he became Jesus’ follower, perhaps 25 years old. But he seems to have waited until very late in life to begin writing, perhaps when he was 85 years old. This was long after the other Gospels and even the epistles were written. The title he gives himself in this book is ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved’. This doesn’t mean that Jesus didn’t love the other 11!
Translation notes:
2 From the very beginning [the Person who is called] the Word was with God.
19 The Jewish authorities in Jerusalem sent some priests and Levites to John to ask him, “[Whose position are you assuming?//Who are you?”]
21 “[Whose role are taking//Who are you], then?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?” “No, I am not,” John answered. “Are you the Prophet?” they asked. “No,” he replied.
27 He is coming after me, but I am not good enough [to be the servant who unties//even to untie] his sandals.”
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