The Daily Bible Readings for Tuesday, August 17, 2021

 

Solomon’s Palace

The Daily Bible Readings
Tuesday, August 17, 2021
Psalm 101; 1 Kings 7:1-12; Acts 7:9-16
with commentaries from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible

Introduction

In today’s lectionary readings, our psalm is Psalm of David as the man after God’s own heart when he was about to become king in Israel. The reading from 1 Kings describes the building of his palace that took 13-years to complete. In our reading from the Book of Acts, Stephen reminds the Jews of their mean beginning as a check to priding themselves in the glories of their nation. Our verse of the day comes from the Apostle Paul’s writings to the Corinthians; “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

Today’s Verse of the Day:
2 Corinthians 10:17-18

But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

Those who brag about their accomplishments pridefully call attention to themselves—which has absolutely no value. Rather, we should rejoice in what Christ has done for us and give Him all the glory, honor, and praise (Jer. 9:24). Because only He is able to save us, transform our lives, and empower our ministries.

Today’s Lectionary Readings:
From the Psalter
Psalm 101
I will Walk with Integrity of Heart

1 I will sing of your love and justice;
     to you, Lord, I will sing praise.
2 I will be careful to lead a blameless life—
     when will you come to me?

  I will conduct the affairs of my house
     with a blameless heart.
3 I will not look with approval
     on anything that is vile.

  I hate what faithless people do;
     I will have no part in it.
4 The perverse of heart shall be far from me;
     I will have nothing to do with what is evil.

5 Whoever slanders their neighbor in secret,
     I will put to silence;
  whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart,
     I will not tolerate.

6 My eyes will be on the faithful in the land,
     that they may dwell with me;
  the one whose walk is blameless
     will minister to me.

7 No one who practices deceit
     will dwell in my house;
  no one who speaks falsely
     will stand in my presence.

8 Every morning I will put to silence
     all the wicked in the land;
  I will cut off every evildoer
     from the city of the Lord.

Commentary

This psalm was composed by David, probably at the commencement of his reign. It contains a number of resolutions upon which he was prepared to act. First, he made up his mind that he would give heed to the perfect way , and would walk in his house in the integrity of his heart, Psalms 101:2 , r.v., margin. Next, he made up his mind to choose his friends with rigorous care, that froward hearts and evil persons should depart from him; that he would not enter into close relations with those that slandered their neighbors, or that gave evidence by their high looks of proud hearts. Deceit and falsehood were alike to be banished from his palace; while faithful souls, who also walked in “the perfect way,” should minister to him. Finally, he made up his mind to carry out his rule in the public state, that the wicked might be put out of the way and the righteous exalted.

It was an excellent program, and happy would he have been if, throughout his life, he had rigorously adhered to it. It is not possible for us to exercise David’s absolute power in the selection of our environment. It is often necessary for us to work in places of business among those whom we would not choose as associates. But we can, at least, forbear making any of these our intimates, or the friends with whom we spend our leisure and recreational hours, 1 Corinthians 5:9-11 (F.B. Meyer's 'Through the Bible' Commentary).

From the Books of the Prophets
1 Kings 7:1-12
Solomon’s Palace is Built

7:1 It took Solomon thirteen years, however, to complete the construction of his palace. 2 He built the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon a hundred cubits long, fifty wide and thirty high, with four rows of cedar columns supporting trimmed cedar beams. 3 It was roofed with cedar above the beams that rested on the columns—forty-five beams, fifteen to a row. 4 Its windows were placed high in sets of three, facing each other. 5 All the doorways had rectangular frames; they were in the front part in sets of three, facing each other.

6 He made a colonnade fifty cubits long and thirty wide. In front of it was a portico, and in front of that were pillars and an overhanging roof.

7 He built the throne hall, the Hall of Justice, where he was to judge, and he covered it with cedar from floor to ceiling. 8 And the palace in which he was to live, set farther back, was similar in design. Solomon also made a palace like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had married.

9 All these structures, from the outside to the great courtyard and from foundation to eaves, were made of blocks of high-grade stone cut to size and smoothed on their inner and outer faces. 10 The foundations were laid with large stones of good quality, some measuring ten cubits and some eight. 11 Above were high-grade stones, cut to size, and cedar beams. 12 The great courtyard was surrounded by a wall of three courses of dressed stone and one course of trimmed cedar beams, as was the inner courtyard of the temple of the Lord with its portico.

Commentary

All Solomon's buildings, though beautiful, were intended for use. Solomon began with the temple; he built for God first, and then his other buildings. The surest foundations of lasting prosperity are laid in early piety. He was thirteen years building his house, yet he built the temple in little more than seven years; not that he was more exact, but less eager in building his own house, than in building God's. We ought to prefer God's honor before our own ease and satisfaction.

From the Book of Acts
Acts 7:9-16
Joseph’s Family is Fed in Egypt

7:9 “Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him 10 and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt. So Pharaoh made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace.

11 “Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great suffering, and our ancestors could not find food. 12 When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our forefathers on their first visit. 13 On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was, and Pharaoh learned about Joseph’s family. 14 After this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family, seventy-five in all. 15 Then Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our ancestors died. 16 Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a certain sum of money.

Commentary

Stephen reminds the Jews of their mean beginning as a check to priding themselves in the glories of that nation. Likewise of the wickedness of the patriarchs of their tribes, in envying their brother Joseph; and the same spirit was still working in them toward Christ and his ministers. The faith of the patriarchs, in desiring to be buried in the land of Canaan, plainly showed they had regard to the heavenly country. It is well to recur to the first rise of usages, or sentiments, which have been perverted. Would we know the nature and effects of justifying faith, we should study the character of the father of the faithful. His calling shows the power and freeness of Divine grace, and the nature of conversion. Here also we see that outward forms and distinctions are as nothing, compared with separation from the world, and devotedness to God.

Today’s Lectionary Readings are selected from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, a three-year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year B. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2021, we will be in Year C. The year which ended at Advent 2020 was Year A. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org. The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle, and Gospel lessons are from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Commentaries from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible.