The days for David to die drew near, and he ordered Shelomoh his son:
‘I am going the way of all the earth.
You’re to be strong and be a man,
and to keep the charge of Yahweh your God
by walking in his ways,
by keeping his decrees, his orders, his rulings and his affirmations
as written in Mosheh’s [Moses’] instruction,
in order that you may thrive in everything you do
and everywhere you turn your face,
in order that Yahweh may implement his word which he spoke to me:
“If your sons keep watch over their way by walking before me in truthfulness
with their entire mind and with their entire being,
there will not be cut off for you someone on Yisra’el’s throne.”
So David lay down with his ancestors and was buried in David’s Town.
The time that David reigned over Yisra’el was forty years.
In Hebron he reigned seven years;
in Yerushalaim he reigned thirty-three years.
Shelomoh sat on David his father’s throne and his kingship was well established.
Goldingay, John The Bible for Everyone . SPCK. Kindle Edition.
Be thou a bright flame before me,
Be thou a guiding star above me
Be thou a smooth path below me
Be thou a kindly shepherd behind me
Today – tonight -forever
Amen.
St Columba