176

the ark home; and the king was so
happy that he danced for joy. The
ark was put in a tabernacle which
David made for it; and then he of-
fered sacrifices again, and blessed
the people, and gave them bread,
and wine, and meat, and sent them
away. It was a happy, holy day at

GOD’S PROMISE TO DAVID.

Jerusalem. Why were they all so
joyful? Because they had the ark
with them again. The feasting, and
singing, and shouting, were all holy ;
the people did everything that day
in the fear and honor of God; and
then they had His blessing, and that
made them happy.

LO os,

 

CXXVI.

fop's PROMISE TO Payip.

swyIHEN David had sent the
Ny} people away, he went
| home to his house. What
3| had he to do there? The

day was over, and per-
haps he felt very tired; but he
would not rest until he had prayed
with his family. We ought never
to be too tired to worship God.
When a happy day is passed, we

   

should thank God, who made it so

happy, and ask his blessing before
we sleep. And masters and mis-
tresses ought to do as Dayid did.
In the evening, they should call
their servants and children, and all
_ their family, to worship God. Those
are happy families who love to pray
and praise God together.

Was David’s a happy family?
Did they all love God? Were they
all glad to have the ark among them
again? No; Michal, David’s wife,
was not glad. She did not care for
the ark; and she laughed at David,
because he honored it so much, and
danced in holy joy before it. But
David told her that it was God’s
love and kindness which made him
happy; and that he was thinking
of His goodness in making him

 

king over His people Israel; and
that he must thank the Lord, and
praise Him for all His mercies.
David was right, and God was very
angry with Michal. It made David
unhappy to see Michal laughing at
holy things. He tried to teach his
family right, but he could not make
them love God; he could not give
them new hearts. Many of them
did not care about God. They
knew what was right, but they did
not wish to be like David, and to |
serve God as he did.

A good prophet lived in Israel,
named Nathan. David loved and
honored Nathan very much, and
they often talked together about
holy things. One day, when David
was sitting quietly in his beautiful
house, he said to Nathan, “See what
a beautiful house of cedar I have to
live in; but God’s ark has no house;
it is only in a tabernacle; within
curtains.” David wished to build a
temple for God, and to put the ark
there. Nathan was glad that David
loved and honored God so much,
and he said, “ Do all that is in thy
heart, for the Lord is with thee.”
But that night, God spoke to Na-