It was during David's reign we see the first recorded appointment of the Levites for the specific function of documenting Temple practice and praise, with many songs evolving from their work ( I Chr.16:4). Some of these very songs became canonized in our Scripture in the book of Psalms. David himself is said to have authored seventy-three of these, either by his own hand, or by commission to another. This was a king whose heart was after the heart of God, and with his whole heart ( Ps.119:10) esteemed God's law above that of his own life. No other Jewish king, save Christ, possessed a greater love for God's words than David. One cannot read Psalms 119 without seeing the clear evidence to this, for in every verse is some form of reference to God's words, laws, or precepts. It is not stretching to say that David was consumed with the words of God, as well as His continual promise and presence with him (II Sam.7:8-29). Although not always humanly perfect, to his credit he would not permit another god to vie for his affection or that of his people.

However, as the decades passed, the people would become complacent in its observance, and this law David so highly regarded would be sorely compromised and forgotten entirely by some who succeeded him, beginning with his own son, Solomon. This can clearly be seen with the many false gods and idols permitted under Solomon's reign, and years later in the fallen state of Jewish life during the reign of Josiah who attempted to restore the kingdom to its former glory under God (II Ki.22:1-23:30; II Chr.34 & 35). After the order had been given, one day while cleaning the Temple, a copy of the law of Moses lost through years of neglect was found by a priest. Once again we see the law being read, first to the king, then to the people, this time clearly by an appointed scribe. So moved was the king when he had it read by the scribe, Shaphan, he ordered it repeated to the entire congregation of Israel. After being called to assembly, the people were convicted in their hearts by what they heard. Realizing their personal and national neglect of this covenant and their obedience, they renewed once again their commitment to the covenant that was still in force since the time of Moses. (Even the festival of Passover, the one in which they celebrated their separation from slavery and Egypt, had been neglected in its national observance since the period of the Judges - II Ki.23:22.)

As with most people, the Jew was no exception when it came to the absence of prosperity and well-being creating a desire for a return to God and the fulfillment of one's obligation to their hopeful relationship with Him. This on again off again faithfulness and obedience would continue to worsen, until finally God would take away their kingdom entirely, returning them to captivity. This time Babylon would purge them of their halfhearted devotion to their covenant with Him. No longer would they serve Him only when it suited them, but would apply the lesson hard learned for continual obedience and faithfulness to the One who had separated them from their first bondage in Egypt, and who was truly responsible for the times and years of their previous prosperity in Judea. This, He had been attempting all along, but they were too blind to see it. (Compare: Hos.2:2-23; Jer.2:1 - 6:17; 11:1-17; 17:5-8; Lam.2:17; Ezk.20:5-44). And so He fulfilled His promise of penalty for their disobedience revealed through Moses (Deu.27 & 28; 31:29). The loss of their state, destruction of their cherished city and Temple, coupled with their harsh exile in Babylon, would be sufficient reminders of this undeniable fact.

With their Jewish state destroyed, it would take more than having in common their captivity in Babylon if they were to remain a people, and it was certainly their desire to do so. The law would become that common cohesive. Though held together by blood in Egypt, it was this same law and covenant that had made them distinct as a people since the days of Sinai. They had forgotten this during their centuries of settled life within the promised land, leading to their gross practices of idolatry. (Read Jer.32:25-44 for an overview of God's pronouncement of their judgment, the reason for their judgment, the source of their judgment, the method of their judgment, and the results of their judgment.) Once returned, they would never again forget.

Unable to continue their Temple life in captivity, the reading and study of the law would become central in their group and family worship. It would be the hub around which they would exist while away from their homeland. As they would come together at various times and places, usually in their homes, the law, or the writings of Moses, would be opened and a portion of it read. (It was also during this period that much of the Old Testament canon would be collected and codified as we have it in present form, including the work of the prophets whose ministries had been vindicated by these eschatological events.) Prayers would be offered toward Jerusalem and their hopes would grow toward the eventual day when they would once again walk her streets (Isa.63:7 - 64:12; Dan.6:10).

Although some viewed their bitter end in Judea as God forsaking them entirely, most began to reexamine and come to believe the words of the prophets when they predicted a long captivity and that a remnant would be refined to return. And as in most cases when people find themselves surrounded by hostile circumstances, dreams of better times and a renewed commitment to the goodness of life often emerge and lives hang upon the thinnest thread of promised or perceived hope. Such were the dreams of most of these displaced Jewish people (known as the Diaspora). Born amidst an undesirable environment in a foreign land, those dreams of some day seeing their city and temple restored were not extinguished by their long captivity. On the contrary, it only served to further burn into their collective consciousness their renewed commitment. Although not all would return, some choosing to remain there in their settled life (Daniel and Ezekiel being among them -- and would remain an influential colony whose impact is extant this day), others would emerge with their renewed faith and expectancy that God would bring them in under a new covenant as prophesied by Jeremiah (Jer.31:31-37).