I will praise ¹  the Lord who ²  guides ³  me; yes, during the night I reflect and learn. ⁴ 

The Lord frustrates ¹  the decisions of the nations; he nullifies the plans ²  of the peoples.

The Lord’s decisions stand forever; his plans abide throughout the ages. ¹ 

Now David ¹  had been told, “Ahithophel has sided with the conspirators who are with Absalom. So David prayed, ²  “Make the advice of Ahithophel foolish, O Lord!”

Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite sounds better than the advice of Ahithophel.” Now the Lord had decided ¹  to frustrate the sound advice of Ahithophel, so that the Lord could bring disaster on Absalom.

But Rehoboam rejected their advice and consulted the young advisers who served him, with whom he had grown up. ¹ 

His vigorous steps ¹  are restricted, ²  and his own counsel throws him down. ³ 

for with guidance you wage your war, and with numerous advisers there is victory. ¹ 

For I did not hold back from ¹  announcing ²  to you the whole purpose ³  of God.

In Christ ¹  we too have been claimed as God’s own possession, ²  since we were predestined according to the one purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will

In those days Ahithophel’s advice was considered as valuable as a prophetic revelation. ¹  Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel. ² 

Hushai replied to Absalom, “Ahithophel’s advice is not sound this time.” ¹ 

The king responded to the people harshly. He ¹  rejected the advice of the older men

Disaster after disaster will come, and one rumor after another. They will seek a vision from a prophet; priestly instruction will disappear, along with counsel from the elders.

But Rehoboam rejected their advice and consulted the young advisers who served him, with whom he had grown up. ¹ 

The kings of the earth ¹  form a united front; ²  the rulers collaborate ³  against the Lord and his anointed king. ⁴ 

I will instruct and teach you ¹  about how you should live. ²  I will advise you as I look you in the eye. ³ 

“Bring a plan, make a decision! ¹  Provide some shade in the middle of the day! ²  Hide the fugitives! Do not betray ³  the one who tries to escape!

The Lord ¹  said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who plot evil and give wicked advice in this city.

King Rehoboam consulted with the older advisers who had served ¹  his father Solomon when he had been alive. He asked them, ²  “How do you advise me to answer these people?”