Today's first reading preserves a second part of David's legacy. In many ways, this man after God's heart was the ancient equivalent of a Renaissance man. He was a mighty warrior and capable ruler, but he also was timeless singer/songwriter. Many of his greatest songs are preserved in the Bible in Psalms, but this song of praise was so powerful that it was copied into the history book.
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Reading the Bible in Its Entirety
The second selection is the close of 2 Samuel. God punishes David for arbitrarily ordering a census of the people, and David responds by building an altar and offering a sacrifice. This ending, though, is also a beginning. While this incident is better described in 1 Chronicles, it turns out that David builds the altar on the site of the Temple -- the magnificent House of God that Solomon will build.
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If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read 2 Samuel 21-24 today.
