2SAMUEL 14:There is more than one way in which David did not obey God's instructions for kings. The big one of course is the Bathsheba affair, but God had already said that kings should not have lots of wives. David's daughter Tamar was raped by her half brother Amnon. And after two years, Absolom (Tamar's brother) murdered Amnon.

PSALM 113:This is a song praising our incomparable God.

ROMANS 15:Paul continues what he was 'on about' in yesterday's reading. We must accept other believers even though we don't agree on prohibitions, practices, or rituals. Disputes over these things often come from our differing backgrounds.

NLT Translation notes:Rom. 15:6 Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ].9 He also came so that the [non-Jews//Gentiles] might give glory to God for his mercies to them. That is what the psalmist meant when he wrote:"For this, I will praise you among the [non-Jews//Gentiles];I will sing praises to [you/your name]."[The psalmist uses 'your name' as a metonymy for God himself. To us in English, it sounds like idolatry to praise a name rather than the Person Himself.]10 And in another place it is written,"Rejoice with his people,you [non-Jews//Gentiles]."11 And yet again,"Praise the LORD, all you [non-Jews//Gentiles].Praise him, all you people of the earth."12 And in another place Isaiah said,"The heir to David's throne will come,and he will rule over the [non-Jews//Gentiles].They will place their hope on him."13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you [fully believe//trust] in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.16 I am a special messenger from Christ Jesus to you [non-Jews//Gentiles]. I bring you the Good News so that I might present you as an acceptable offering to God, made holy by the Holy Spirit. 18 Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the [non-Jews//Gentiles] to God by my message and by the way I worked among them.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.