DID not Absalom come to a very dreadful end? He died in the midst of his wickedness; for God curses children who behave ungratefully to their parents. How much David loved this wicked Absalom! He went on crying for him for some time. David knew why God had let him have such a wicked child. Do you know why? It was because David had killed Uriah. Yet God had forgiven David.'
Now Absalom was dead, David could return to Jerusalem. The people who had said that Absalom was king now wished David to be king again. So David went over the river Jordan on his way back to Jerusalem. As he was on the other side of the river, a man came to David, and threw himself down before him to ask his pardon. Who could this man be? It was the wicked man who had thrown stones and dust at David, when he was leaving Jerusalem.
Did David forgive him? Yes, he did. Was not that kind of David? The man deserved to die, but David said to him, 'Thou shalt not die.' The man was not really sorry; only he did not dare to behave badly to David, now he was king again. God would punish that wicked man, though David forgave him. I hope, dear children, that you will forgive people who behave rudely to you: God has said, that if we do not forgive He will not forgive us.
There was another man, who came to see David, before he crossed over the river. It was one of those rich men who had been kind to David in his distress, and who had sent him the presents of beds, basins, and food. He was an old man, and David thanked him, and asked him to come and live with him at Jerusalem. The rich man said he was too old, but that he would like David to take his son with him to Jerusalem; and David did take his son with him, and he kissed the old man and blessed him. David was grateful; he was kind to people who had been so kind to him.
David was very glad to come back to Jerusalem. Do you know what made him most glad? It was because he wished to worship God near His ark, and to hear all the people praising God. While David had been away from Jerusalem, he had often sighed and wept to think that he could not go to the house of the Lord, for David loved God very much. David was pleased to see the priests offer sacrifices on the altar to God, and to praise God Himself for His goodness, upon his harp.
You remember the kind promise that God had made to David. He had promised that David should have one good son, who should be king after David was dead, who should build a house for the Lord.
One of David's sons was good. God loved him and made him good. His name was Solomon. God told David that he was to be king after him. At last David grew very old and weak, and he knew that he should die. So he wished to make Solomon king before he died. He desired the high-priest to pour oil upon his head; and so the high-priest anointed Solomon to be king.
Then David desired his people to come together to a place in Jerusalem, that he might speak to them all before he died. When they were all come, the king stood up on his feet and said, 'I once wished to build a house for the ark of God, but God would not let me build a house, because I had shed so much blood in battle, but He said that my son should build it.'
Then David spoke to Solomon, and said, `Solomon, my son, serve God, and He will bless you.' Then David showed Solomon the things he had got ready for building the house: gold, and silver, and iron, and stones, and wood: and David asked the people whether they would give any of their things to build a house for God.
And the people gave a great many things: gold, and silver, and brass, and iron, and beautiful shining stones: and the people liked to give their things for God's house.
And David was pleased to see that they liked to give: for that was a sign that they loved God.
Dear children, if you love God, you will like to spare your money to help poor people, and to buy Bibles, and to send missionaries to the heathen.
I shall tell you no more about David. I know that you like him very much. He had loved God since he was a child, and kept sheep. How pleasant it is to love God all our lives long! This is what I wish you to do, my dear children. I want you to love God now you are little, and to go on loving Him when you are grown up, if you live: and to love Him when your hair is gray. David began to sing God's praises when he was a shepherd boy: and he went on praising Him till he died. God was kind to David all his days. And He will be kind to you dear children, even when you are old and gray-headed; and He will take you to that sweet place were David is now, and where Christ is.
Then David prayed to God, and thanked Him for letting Solomon build Him a house, and for letting the people give their things to God. And David asked God to make Solomon love Him, and obey Him. David offered a great many sacrifices to God.
Afterward all the people went to their own homes again, and very soon David died.
Where did his spirit go? To the God he loved. He had sung many sweet songs to Him while he lived on the earth, but now he sings sweeter songs.
This was the name that was given to David: 'The sweet Psalmist of Israel.' Why do you think that name was given to him?
I shall now tell you about Solomon.
Questions on Lesson 18
To what city did David return after Absalom's death?
Who asked David's pardon on his way to Jerusalem?
Why did David forgive him?
How did David behave to an old man, who had been kind to him?
What made David most glad, when he returned to Jerusalem?
Who was anointed king before David died?
What things did David give for building God's house?
Why was David glad that the people liked to give their things to God?
What advice did David give to Solomon?
What name is given to David, because he sang sweet psalms to God?
How long had David loved God?
What is the best time to begin to love God?