One band inquires, "Who is this King of glory?" Another replies, "The Lord, strong and mighty; The Lord, mighty in battle." All again exclaim, "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; Again the inquiry is made, "Who is this King of glory?" And the reply is heard, "The Lord of hosts; He is the King of glory." CHAPTER XXV. David offers sacrifices and peace-offerings. He reproves Michal. Nathan informs him that not he, but Solomon, should build the temple. Having deposited the ark in its appropriate place, in the tabernacle which David had pre-. pared for it, he offered burnt sacrifices and peaceofferings before God. He then pronounced a so lemn benediction upon the assembled multitude, and caused to be distributed among them a bountiful supply of refreshments which were suited to the occasion. At this time, also, David appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark, and conduct the religious worship of the tabernacle, of whom Asaph was chief. In the music and sacred songs, he played upon the cymbals, while others used psalteries, harps and trumpets. The Psalm recorded in the sixteenth chapter of the first book of Chronicles, composed by David, and delivered by him to Asaph and his brethren for this purpose, was sung by the full choir, and responded to by the whole assembly, bursting forth in one loud and joyful Amen, and praising the Lord. This terminated the solemn service. The people returned to their respective homes, and David to his, to bless his own household and rejoice with them in the Divine goodness. It ought to be noticed in this place, that the tabernacle which David built for the reception of the ark at Jerusalem, was designed by him only as a temporary accommodation for this symbol of the presence of Jehovah, until the splendid temple which doubtless he had already been thinking of, should be completed. It is worthy of remark, also, that Lightfoot and others consider the one hundred and fifth, the ninety-sixth, and the one hundred and sixth Psalms, as having been composed by David at this time. The variations between them and the one recorded in the sixteenth chapter of the first book of Chronicles, are supposed to have originated from this cause: the latter was written expressly for the occasion of the removal of the ark, while the others were corrected and enlarged for the temple worship. While David was on his way home, Michal, his wife, came out to meet him. She had observed him from a window, as the ark was entering Jerusalem, leaping and dancing before it, and, we are told, "despised him in her heart." She thought it beneath the dignity of the sovereign of Israel thus to put off his royal robes, and in a humbler dress, as she considered it, degrade himself by being a mere attendant upon the ark. Herself the daughter of a king, and partaking, doubtless, of the haughty temper of Saul, and the wife, too, of a great and powerful monarch, she could not brook this public disgrace, for so she regarded it, both upon David and herself. Her resentment was still rankling in her breast, and she took this occasion of venting it forth in the most opprobrious and bitter language of irony. "How glorious was the king of Israel to-day," she exclaimed, "who uncovered himself to-day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself." The charge was as false as it was disrespectful and insulting. David replied with that keenness of rebuke which her conduct justly merited. "It was before the Lord," said he, "which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel: therefore will I play before the Lord. And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maid-servants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honor." So far from being a disgrace, he felt it to be a high privilege to occupy the humblest place in the service of Jehovah. He would gladly avail himself of other opportunities to do this, and whatever Michal might think, he had no apprehensions of thus losing the respect even of the most inferior of his subjects. The judgment of God, too, fell upon this proud woman in consequence of her treatment of her husband, and the spirit which it manifested. "She had no child unto the day of her death." This must have proved to her a severe trial. For not to be a mother, was regarded by the married females among the Israelites as one of the greatest calamities. David now felt himself securely established upon his throne. He was enjoying the smiles of a kind, protecting Providence. "The Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies." He was dwelling in his own palace, in a manner befitting the sovereign of a great nation. It was a splendid edifice for the time in which he lived, and he could not but contrast it with the less permanent and costly tabernacle in which he and his people had just deposited the symbol of the Divine presence. Surely, he thought, the King of kings should have a residence more suited to the infinite excellence and majesty of his character. He made known his wishes to the prophet Nathan, in whom he placed great confidence, and whose opinion he was desirous of obtaining. "See now," said he, "I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains." If he added no more, this was sufficient to disclose the pious purpose which was glowing within his breast. "Go," replied the prophet, "do all that is in thine heart; for the Lord is with thee." But this was only the private judgment of Nathan. The undertaking proposed by David appeared to him, indeed, most praiseworthy, and promising success; yet no Divine communication had been made to him on the subject. Such a communication he received the following night. He was directed to inform David that God would not permit him to build the temple. Among other reasons for this prohibition which existed in the Divine mind, we learn afterwards that one was, that David had been a man of war, and had shed much blood. A sovereign of a more peaceful reign would be better adapted for this holy |