Podcasts about how shall we sing

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2023 11:06

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 137 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Pentateuch and History: Job 25–26 Job 25–26 (Listen) Bildad Speaks: Man Cannot Be Righteous 25 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: 2 “Dominion and fear are with God;1 he makes peace in his high heaven.3 Is there any number to his armies? Upon whom does his light not arise?4 How then can man be in the right before God? How can he who is born of woman be pure?5 Behold, even the moon is not bright, and the stars are not pure in his eyes;6 how much less man, who is a maggot, and the son of man, who is a worm!” Job Replies: God's Majesty Is Unsearchable 26 Then Job answered and said: 2 “How you have helped him who has no power! How you have saved the arm that has no strength!3 How you have counseled him who has no wisdom, and plentifully declared sound knowledge!4 With whose help have you uttered words, and whose breath has come out from you?5 The dead tremble under the waters and their inhabitants.6 Sheol is naked before God,2 and Abaddon has no covering.7 He stretches out the north over the void and hangs the earth on nothing.8 He binds up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not split open under them.9 He covers the face of the full moon3 and spreads over it his cloud.10 He has inscribed a circle on the face of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness.11 The pillars of heaven tremble and are astounded at his rebuke.12 By his power he stilled the sea; by his understanding he shattered Rahab.13 By his wind the heavens were made fair; his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.14 Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?” Footnotes [1] 25:2 Hebrew him [2] 26:6 Hebrew him [3] 26:9 Or his throne (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Isaiah 46–47 Isaiah 46–47 (Listen) The Idols of Babylon and the One True God 46 Bel bows down; Nebo stoops; their idols are on beasts and livestock; these things you carry are borne as burdens on weary beasts.2 They stoop; they bow down together; they cannot save the burden, but themselves go into captivity. 3 “Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb;4 even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save. 5 “To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be alike?6 Those who lavish gold from the purse, and weigh out silver in the scales, hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; then they fall down and worship!7 They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it, they set it in its place, and it stands there; it cannot move from its place. If one cries to it, it does not answer or save him from his trouble. 8 “Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors,9 remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me,10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,'11 calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it. 12 “Listen to me, you stubborn of heart, you who are far from righteousness:13 I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off, and my salvation will not delay; I will put salvation in Zion, for Israel my glory.” The Humiliation of Babylon 47 Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans! For you shall no more be called tender and delicate.2 Take the millstones and grind flour, put off your veil, strip off your robe, uncover your legs, pass through the rivers.3 Your nakedness shall be uncovered, and your disgrace shall be seen. I will take vengeance, and I will spare no one.4 Our Redeemer—the LORD of hosts is his name— is the Holy One of Israel. 5 Sit in silence, and go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; for you shall no more be called the mistress of kingdoms.6 I was angry with my people; I profaned my heritage; I gave them into your hand; you showed them no mercy; on the aged you made your yoke exceedingly heavy.7 You said, “I shall be mistress forever,” so that you did not lay these things to heart or remember their end. 8 Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures, who sit securely, who say in your heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me; I shall not sit as a widow or know the loss of children”:9 These two things shall come to you in a moment, in one day; the loss of children and widowhood shall come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the great power of your enchantments. 10 You felt secure in your wickedness; you said, “No one sees me”; your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray, and you said in your heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me.”11 But evil shall come upon you, which you will not know how to charm away; disaster shall fall upon you, for which you will not be able to atone; and ruin shall come upon you suddenly, of which you know nothing. 12 Stand fast in your enchantments and your many sorceries, with which you have labored from your youth; perhaps you may be able to succeed; perhaps you may inspire terror.13 You are wearied with your many counsels; let them stand forth and save you, those who divide the heavens, who gaze at the stars, who at the new moons make known what shall come upon you. 14 Behold, they are like stubble; the fire consumes them; they cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame. No coal for warming oneself is this, no fire to sit before!15 Such to you are those with whom you have labored, who have done business with you from your youth; they wander about, each in his own direction; there is no one to save you. (ESV) Gospels and Epistles: Revelation 7–8:5 Revelation 7–8:5 (Listen) The 144,000 of Israel Sealed 7 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” 4 And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: 5 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad,6 12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh,7 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar,8 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed. A Great Multitude from Every Nation 9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” 13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” The Seventh Seal and the Golden Censer 8 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, 4 and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. 5 Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings,1 flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. Footnotes [1] 8:5 Or voices, or sounds (ESV)

December 17: Hosea 6–9; John 11:1–54; Psalm 137; Proverbs 30:7–9

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2023 16:08

Old Testament: Hosea 6–9 Hosea 6–9 (Listen) Israel and Judah Are Unrepentant 6 “Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.3 Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” 4 What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away.5 Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light.6 For I desire steadfast love1 and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. 7 But like Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me.8 Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with blood.9 As robbers lie in wait for a man, so the priests band together; they murder on the way to Shechem; they commit villainy.10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; Ephraim's whoredom is there; Israel is defiled. 11 For you also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed. When I restore the fortunes of my people,7 when I would heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim is revealed, and the evil deeds of Samaria, for they deal falsely; the thief breaks in, and the bandits raid outside.2 But they do not consider that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face.3 By their evil they make the king glad, and the princes by their treachery.4 They are all adulterers; they are like a heated oven whose baker ceases to stir the fire, from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.5 On the day of our king, the princes became sick with the heat of wine; he stretched out his hand with mockers.6 For with hearts like an oven they approach their intrigue; all night their anger smolders; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.7 All of them are hot as an oven, and they devour their rulers. All their kings have fallen, and none of them calls upon me. 8 Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned.9 Strangers devour his strength, and he knows it not; gray hairs are sprinkled upon him, and he knows it not.10 The pride of Israel testifies to his face;2 yet they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him, for all this. 11 Ephraim is like a dove, silly and without sense, calling to Egypt, going to Assyria.12 As they go, I will spread over them my net; I will bring them down like birds of the heavens; I will discipline them according to the report made to their congregation.13 Woe to them, for they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me! I would redeem them, but they speak lies against me. 14 They do not cry to me from the heart, but they wail upon their beds; for grain and wine they gash themselves; they rebel against me.15 Although I trained and strengthened their arms, yet they devise evil against me.16 They return, but not upward;3 they are like a treacherous bow; their princes shall fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongue. This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt. Israel Will Reap the Whirlwind 8 Set the trumpet to your lips! One like a vulture is over the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant and rebelled against my law.2 To me they cry, “My God, we—Israel—know you.”3 Israel has spurned the good; the enemy shall pursue him. 4 They made kings, but not through me. They set up princes, but I knew it not. With their silver and gold they made idols for their own destruction.5 I have4 spurned your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence?6 For it is from Israel; a craftsman made it; it is not God. The calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces.5 7 For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it shall yield no flour; if it were to yield, strangers would devour it.8 Israel is swallowed up; already they are among the nations as a useless vessel.9 For they have gone up to Assyria, a wild donkey wandering alone; Ephraim has hired lovers.10 Though they hire allies among the nations, I will soon gather them up. And the king and princes shall soon writhe because of the tribute. 11 Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they have become to him altars for sinning.12 Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands, they would be regarded as a strange thing.13 As for my sacrificial offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the LORD does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins; they shall return to Egypt.14 For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces, and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; so I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour her strongholds. The Lord Will Punish Israel 9 Rejoice not, O Israel! Exult not like the peoples; for you have played the whore, forsaking your God. You have loved a prostitute's wages on all threshing floors.2 Threshing floor and wine vat shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail them.3 They shall not remain in the land of the LORD, but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean food in Assyria. 4 They shall not pour drink offerings of wine to the LORD, and their sacrifices shall not please him. It shall be like mourners' bread to them; all who eat of it shall be defiled; for their bread shall be for their hunger only; it shall not come to the house of the LORD. 5 What will you do on the day of the appointed festival, and on the day of the feast of the LORD?6 For behold, they are going away from destruction; but Egypt shall gather them; Memphis shall bury them. Nettles shall possess their precious things of silver; thorns shall be in their tents. 7 The days of punishment have come; the days of recompense have come; Israel shall know it. The prophet is a fool; the man of the spirit is mad, because of your great iniquity and great hatred.8 The prophet is the watchman of Ephraim with my God; yet a fowler's snare is on all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God.9 They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah: he will remember their iniquity; he will punish their sins. 10 Like grapes in the wilderness, I found Israel. Like the first fruit on the fig tree in its first season, I saw your fathers. But they came to Baal-peor and consecrated themselves to the thing of shame, and became detestable like the thing they loved.11 Ephraim's glory shall fly away like a bird— no birth, no pregnancy, no conception!12 Even if they bring up children, I will bereave them till none is left. Woe to them when I depart from them!13 Ephraim, as I have seen, was like a young palm6 planted in a meadow; but Ephraim must lead his children out to slaughter.714 Give them, O LORD— what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts. 15 Every evil of theirs is in Gilgal; there I began to hate them. Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of my house. I will love them no more; all their princes are rebels. 16 Ephraim is stricken; their root is dried up; they shall bear no fruit. Even though they give birth, I will put their beloved children to death.17 My God will reject them because they have not listened to him; they shall be wanderers among the nations. Footnotes [1] 6:6 Septuagint mercy [2] 7:10 Or in his presence [3] 7:16 Or to the Most High [4] 8:5 Hebrew He has [5] 8:6 Or shall go up in flames [6] 9:13 Or like Tyre [7] 9:13 Hebrew to him who slaughters (ESV) New Testament: John 11:1–54 John 11:1–54 (Listen) The Death of Lazarus 11 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus1 was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 So Thomas, called the Twin,2 said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” I Am the Resurrection and the Life 17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles3 off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.4 Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” Jesus Weeps 28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved5 in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?” Jesus Raises Lazarus 38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43

December 2: Psalm 137; Psalm 144; Psalm 104; Micah 7:11–20; 1 Peter 4:7–19; Matthew 20:29–34

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2023 10:22

Proper 29 First Psalm: Psalm 137; Psalm 144 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Psalm 144 (Listen) My Rock and My Fortress Of David. 144 Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;2 he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples1 under me. 3 O LORD, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?4 Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. 5 Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke!6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them!7 Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of foreigners,8 whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,10 who gives victory to kings, who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 12 May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace;13 may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;14 may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;2 may there be no cry of distress in our streets!15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD! Footnotes [1] 144:2 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Dead Sea Scroll, Jerome, Syriac, Aquila; most Hebrew manuscripts subdues my people [2] 144:14 Hebrew with no breaking in or going out (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 104 Psalm 104 (Listen) O Lord My God, You Are Very Great 104 Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty,2 covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind;4 he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire. 5 He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved.6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.7 At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them.9 You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. 10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills;11 they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches.13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. 14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth15 and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart. 16 The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.17 In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees.18 The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers. 19 He made the moon to mark the seasons;1 the sun knows its time for setting.20 You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about.21 The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.22 When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens.23 Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening. 24 O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.25 Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great.26 There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.2 27 These all look to you, to give them their food in due season.28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.30 When you send forth your Spirit,3 they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. 31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works,32 who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke!33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 104:19 Or the appointed times (compare Genesis 1:14) [2] 104:26 Or you formed to play with [3] 104:30 Or breath (ESV) Old Testament: Micah 7:11–20 Micah 7:11–20 (Listen) 11 A day for the building of your walls! In that day the boundary shall be far extended.12 In that day they1 will come to you, from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt to the River,2 from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain.13 But the earth will be desolate because of its inhabitants, for the fruit of their deeds. 14 Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, who dwell alone in a forest in the midst of a garden land;3 let them graze in Bashan and Gilead as in the days of old.15 As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show them4 marvelous things.16 The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might; they shall lay their hands on their mouths; their ears shall be deaf;17 they shall lick the dust like a serpent, like the crawling things of the earth; they shall come trembling out of their strongholds; they shall turn in dread to the LORD our God, and they shall be in fear of you. God's Steadfast Love and Compassion 18 Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.19 He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our5 sins into the depths of the sea.20 You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old. Footnotes [1] 7:12 Hebrew he [2] 7:12 That is, the Euphrates [3] 7:14 Hebrew of Carmel [4] 7:15 Hebrew him [5] 7:19 Hebrew their (ESV) New Testament: 1 Peter 4:7–19 1 Peter 4:7–19 (Listen) 7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Suffering as a Christian 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory1 and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”2 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. Footnotes [1] 4:14 Some manuscripts insert and of power [2] 4:18 Greek where will the ungodly and sinner appear? (ESV) Gospel: Matthew 20:29–34 Matthew 20:29–34 (Listen) Jesus Heals Two Blind Men 29 And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. 30 And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord,1 have mercy on us, Son of David!” 31 The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 32 And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34 And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him. Footnotes [1] 20:30 Some manuscripts omit Lord (ESV)

god jesus christ lord spirit man song creator suffering psalm greek blessed compassion jerusalem praise touch rescue flash sing new testament babylon proper amen hebrew beloved bless lebanon stretch o lord lay 1 peter 4 o god my god matthew 20 leviathan bow esv gilead aquila assyria steadfast love dead sea scrolls euphrates psalm 104 psalm 137 bashan o jerusalem edomites gospel matthew syriac my rock how shall we sing many hebrew you are very great

November 7: 2 Kings 20; Hebrews 2; Psalms 137–138; Hosea 13

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2023 10:54

With family: 2 Kings 20; Hebrews 2 2 Kings 20 (Listen) Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery 20 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.'” 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, saying, 3 “Now, O LORD, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 And before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: 5 “Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD, 6 and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David's sake.” 7 And Isaiah said, “Bring a cake of figs. And let them take and lay it on the boil, that he may recover.” 8 And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the LORD on the third day?” 9 And Isaiah said, “This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he has promised: shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?” 10 And Hezekiah answered, “It is an easy thing for the shadow to lengthen ten steps. Rather let the shadow go back ten steps.” 11 And Isaiah the prophet called to the LORD, and he brought the shadow back ten steps, by which it had gone down on the steps of Ahaz. Hezekiah and the Babylonian Envoys 12 At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. 13 And Hezekiah welcomed them, and he showed them all his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. 14 Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say? And from where did they come to you?” And Hezekiah said, “They have come from a far country, from Babylon.” 15 He said, “What have they seen in your house?” And Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.” 16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD: 17 Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the LORD. 18 And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” 19 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?” 20 The rest of the deeds of Hezekiah and all his might and how he made the pool and the conduit and brought water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 21 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and Manasseh his son reigned in his place. (ESV) Hebrews 2 (Listen) Warning Against Neglecting Salvation 2 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. The Founder of Salvation 5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him?7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor,18 putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source.2 That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers,3 12 saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” 13 And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.” 14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Footnotes [1] 2:7 Some manuscripts insert and set him over the works of your hands [2] 2:11 Greek all are of one [3] 2:11 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters (ESV) In private: Psalms 137–138; Hosea 13 Psalms 137–138 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Give Thanks to the Lord Of David. 138 I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.23 On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.3 4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth,5 and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD.6 For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars [2] 138:2 Or you have exalted your word above all your name [3] 138:3 Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength (ESV) Hosea 13 (Listen) The Lord's Relentless Judgment on Israel 13 When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling; he was exalted in Israel, but he incurred guilt through Baal and died.2 And now they sin more and more, and make for themselves metal images, idols skillfully made of their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. It is said of them, “Those who offer human sacrifice kiss calves!”3 Therefore they shall be like the morning mist or like the dew that goes early away, like the chaff that swirls from the threshing floor or like smoke from a window. 4 But I am the LORD your God from the land of Egypt; you know no God but me, and besides me there is no savior.5 It was I who knew you in the wilderness, in the land of drought;6 but when they had grazed,1 they became full, they were filled, and their heart was lifted up; therefore they forgot me.7 So I am to them like a lion; like a leopard I will lurk beside the way.8 I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs; I will tear open their breast, and there I will devour them like a lion, as a wild beast would rip them open. 9 He destroys2 you, O Israel, for you are against me, against your helper.10 Where now is your king, to save you in all your cities? Where are all your rulers— those of whom you said, “Give me a king and princes”?11 I gave you a king in my anger, and I took him away in my wrath. 12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is kept in store.13 The pangs of childbirth come for him, but he is an unwise son, for at the right time he does not present himself at the opening of the womb. 14 I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol; I shall redeem them from Death.3 O Death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where is your sting? Compassion is hidden from my eyes. 15 Though he may flourish among his brothers, the east wind, the wind of the LORD, shall come, rising from the wilderness, and his fountain shall dry up; his spring shall be parched; it shall strip his treasury of every precious thing.16 4 Samaria shall bear her guilt, because she has rebelled against her God; they shall fall by the sword; their little ones shall be dashed in pieces, and their pregnant women ripped open. Footnotes [1] 13:6 Hebrew according to their pasture [2] 13:9 Or I will destroy [3] 13:14 Or Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol? Shall I redeem them from Death? [4] 13:16 Ch 14:1 in Hebrew (ESV)

October 14: Psalm 137; Psalm 144; Psalm 104; Jeremiah 35; 1 Corinthians 12:27–13:3; Matthew 9:35–10:4

ESV: Read through the Bible

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2023 11:53

Proper 22 First Psalm: Psalm 137; Psalm 144 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Psalm 144 (Listen) My Rock and My Fortress Of David. 144 Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;2 he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples1 under me. 3 O LORD, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?4 Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. 5 Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke!6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them!7 Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of foreigners,8 whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,10 who gives victory to kings, who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 12 May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace;13 may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;14 may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;2 may there be no cry of distress in our streets!15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD! Footnotes [1] 144:2 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Dead Sea Scroll, Jerome, Syriac, Aquila; most Hebrew manuscripts subdues my people [2] 144:14 Hebrew with no breaking in or going out (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 104 Psalm 104 (Listen) O Lord My God, You Are Very Great 104 Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty,2 covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind;4 he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire. 5 He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved.6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.7 At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them.9 You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. 10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills;11 they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches.13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. 14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth15 and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart. 16 The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.17 In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees.18 The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers. 19 He made the moon to mark the seasons;1 the sun knows its time for setting.20 You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about.21 The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.22 When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens.23 Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening. 24 O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.25 Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great.26 There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.2 27 These all look to you, to give them their food in due season.28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.30 When you send forth your Spirit,3 they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. 31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works,32 who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke!33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 104:19 Or the appointed times (compare Genesis 1:14) [2] 104:26 Or you formed to play with [3] 104:30 Or breath (ESV) Old Testament: Jeremiah 35 Jeremiah 35 (Listen) The Obedience of the Rechabites 35 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: 2 “Go to the house of the Rechabites and speak with them and bring them to the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers; then offer them wine to drink.” 3 So I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah and his brothers and all his sons and the whole house of the Rechabites. 4 I brought them to the house of the LORD into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the man of God, which was near the chamber of the officials, above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, keeper of the threshold. 5 Then I set before the Rechabites pitchers full of wine, and cups, and I said to them, “Drink wine.” 6 But they answered, “We will drink no wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, ‘You shall not drink wine, neither you nor your sons forever. 7 You shall not build a house; you shall not sow seed; you shall not plant or have a vineyard; but you shall live in tents all your days, that you may live many days in the land where you sojourn.' 8 We have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, to drink no wine all our days, ourselves, our wives, our sons, or our daughters, 9 and not to build houses to dwell in. We have no vineyard or field or seed, 10 but we have lived in tents and have obeyed and done all that Jonadab our father commanded us. 11 But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against the land, we said, ‘Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans and the army of the Syrians.' So we are living in Jerusalem.” 12 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 13 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Go and say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will you not receive instruction and listen to my words? declares the LORD. 14 The command that Jonadab the son of Rechab gave to his sons, to drink no wine, has been kept, and they drink none to this day, for they have obeyed their father's command. I have spoken to you persistently, but you have not listened to me. 15 I have sent to you all my servants the prophets, sending them persistently, saying, ‘Turn now every one of you from his evil way, and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to serve them, and then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to you and your fathers.' But you did not incline your ear or listen to me. 16 The sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have kept the command that their father gave them, but this people has not obeyed me. 17 Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing upon Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the disaster that I have pronounced against them, because I have spoken to them and they have not listened, I have called to them and they have not answered.” 18 But to the house of the Rechabites Jeremiah said, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father and kept all his precepts and done all that he commanded you, 19 therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Jonadab the son of Rechab shall never lack a man to stand before me.” (ESV) New Testament: 1 Corinthians 12:27–13:3 1 Corinthians 12:27–13:3 (Listen) 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. The Way of Love 13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,1 but have not love, I gain nothing. Footnotes [1] 13:3 Some manuscripts deliver up my body [to death] that I may boast (ESV) Gospel: Matthew 9:35–10:4 Matthew 9:35–10:4 (Listen) The Harvest Is Plentiful, the Laborers Few 35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” The Twelve Apostles 10 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;1 4 Simon the Zealot,2 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. Footnotes [1] 10:3 Some manuscripts Lebbaeus, or Lebbaeus called Thaddaeus [2] 10:4 Greek kananaios, meaning zealot (ESV)

god love jesus christ lord israel spirit man song psalm greek blessed corinthians jerusalem praise drink touch rescue flash obedience sing new testament babylon proper hebrew bless lebanon stretch o lord lay matthew 9 o god 1 corinthians 12 my god leviathan bow esv nebuchadnezzar aquila judas iscariot bartholomew zealots zebedee dead sea scrolls syrians psalm 104 chaldeans hanan psalm 137 twelve apostles o jerusalem alphaeus edomites gospel matthew jehoiakim thaddaeus syriac jonadab my rock israel go old testament jeremiah israel behold how shall we sing israel because many hebrew you are very great rechabites jeremiah

September 28: Psalms 133–139

ESV: Chronological

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2023 10:25

Psalms 133–139 Psalms 133–139 (Listen) When Brothers Dwell in Unity A Song of Ascents. Of David. 133 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!12 It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!3 It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore. Come, Bless the Lord A Song of Ascents. 134 Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD!2 Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the LORD! 3 May the LORD bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth! Your Name, O Lord, Endures Forever 135 Praise the LORD! Praise the name of the LORD, give praise, O servants of the LORD,2 who stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God!3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing to his name, for it is pleasant!24 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel as his own possession. 5 For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.6 Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.7 He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses. 8 He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and of beast;9 who in your midst, O Egypt, sent signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants;10 who struck down many nations and killed mighty kings,11 Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan,12 and gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to his people Israel. 13 Your name, O LORD, endures forever, your renown,3 O LORD, throughout all ages.14 For the LORD will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants. 15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands.16 They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see;17 they have ears, but do not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouths.18 Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them. 19 O house of Israel, bless the LORD! O house of Aaron, bless the LORD!20 O house of Levi, bless the LORD! You who fear the LORD, bless the LORD!21 Blessed be the LORD from Zion, he who dwells in Jerusalem! Praise the LORD! His Steadfast Love Endures Forever 136 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.2 Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; 4 to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever;5 to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever;6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever;7 to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever;8 the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever;9 the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever; 10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever;11 and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever;12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever;13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever;14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever;15 but overthrew4 Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever;16 to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever; 17 to him who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;18 and killed mighty kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;19 Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever;20 and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever;21 and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever;22 a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever. 23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever;24 and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever;25 he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever. 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows5 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Give Thanks to the Lord Of David. 138 I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.63 On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.7 4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth,5 and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD.6 For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 139 O LORD, you have searched me and known me!2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.3 You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. 7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,”12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. 13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.8 Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. 17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. 19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me!20 They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain.921 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?22 I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!1024 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!11 Footnotes [1] 133:1 Or dwell together [2] 135:3 Or for he is beautiful [3] 135:13 Or remembrance [4] 136:15 Hebrew shook off [5] 137:2 Or poplars [6] 138:2 Or you have exalted your word above all your name [7] 138:3 Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength [8] 139:14 Or for I am fearfully set apart [9] 139:20 Hebrew lacks your name [10] 139:23 Or cares [11] 139:24 Or in the ancient way (compare Jeremiah 6:16) (ESV)

Radio Crystal Blue 9/23/23 part 1

Radio Crystal Blue

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2023 176:26

RADIO CRYSTAL BLUE 9/23/23 Domenico Modugno "Volare (nel blu di pinto de blu)" Adriano Celentano "Si e spento il sole" - A New Orleans Umberto Tozzi "Gloria" - Gloria Matia Bazar "Grande Piccolo Mondo" - Melo The Late Saints "Psychodrama" - Presto! In America www.jacopodenicola.com Paolo Conte "Max" - Aguapiano Giulia Millanta "Looking For Bliss - Woman On The Moon www.giuliamillanta.com Erene Mastrangeli "Lies & Cries" - Love, Shine www.erenemusic.com *********************** Cormac O'Cairmh "When Someone Says It Must Be Hard - Where The World Begins https://www.cormacocaoimh.net/ Leepeck "No One Knows"- Borderline https://www.facebook.com/Leepeckmusic Kevin Daniel "Happy For A While" - The Life And Adventures Of Kevin Daniel www.thekevindaniel.com Ash & Eric "Autumn Hymn" - Sure www.ashandericcmusic.com Heather Maloney "Wild As A Birdsong" - No Shortcuts (Live At The Academy) www.heathermaloney.com ************* Some music from official showcase participants in this year's FARM (Folk Alliance Region Midwest) conference event: https://www.farmfolk.org/ Karyn Oliver "Skeleton" - Cherchez La Femme www.karynoliver.com Sam Robbins "Just One Cronkite" - Bigger Than In Between www.samrobbins.com Caroline Cotter "Antonia" - Gently As I Go www.carolinecotter.com Greg Greenway "The Skin I'm in" - 20000 Versions Of The Sun www.greggreenway.com Joy Zimmerman "How Shall We Sing" - Where The Light Lives www.joyzimmermanmusic.com Sons Of The Never Wrong "The Great Unknown" - King Fisher King https://sonsoftheneverwrong.com/ ********************* Music from artists that took part in this year's Americanafest event in Nashville: www.americanamusic.org William Matheny "Down At The Hotel Canfield" - That Grand, Old Feeling www.williammatheny.com Darlingside "All The Lights In The City" - Everything Is Alive www.darlingside.com Eddie 9V "Don't Come Around This House" - Little Black Flies www.eddie9v.com Jaimee Harris "Like You" - Boomerang Town www.jaimeeharris.com Ever More Nest "Coming Along" - Out Here Now www.evermorenest.com ******************** Lily Frost "Rainbow Glasses" - Retro-Moderne www.lilyfrost.com Cocktail Slippers "Good Love" www.cocktailslippers.com Elk City "Keep It" - Undertow https://www.facebook.com/elkcityband Esther Fletcher "Home" https://www.facebook.com/estherfletch/ Tenderhooks "Where Are My Fans" 5.4 Light Years https://www.facebook.com/tenderhooksband/ ON "Gator" - https://onmusic.ca/ The Veldt "Aurora Borealis" https://www.facebook.com/VeldtThe/ In The Pines "Painting By Numbers" - Painting By Numbers https://www.inthepines.band/ Black Rose Burning "Night Terrors" - Ad Astra www.blackroseburning.com Jeremiah Chiu "In Electric Time" - In Electric Time www.jeremiahchiu.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/radiocblue/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/radiocblue/support

August 28: Psalms 136–138; 1 Corinthians 9

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2023 8:52

Morning: Psalms 136–138 Psalms 136–138 (Listen) His Steadfast Love Endures Forever 136 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.2 Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; 4 to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever;5 to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever;6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever;7 to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever;8 the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever;9 the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever; 10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever;11 and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever;12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever;13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever;14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever;15 but overthrew1 Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever;16 to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever; 17 to him who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;18 and killed mighty kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;19 Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever;20 and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever;21 and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever;22 a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever. 23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever;24 and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever;25 he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever. 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows2 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Give Thanks to the Lord Of David. 138 I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.33 On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.4 4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth,5 and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD.6 For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. Footnotes [1] 136:15 Hebrew shook off [2] 137:2 Or poplars [3] 138:2 Or you have exalted your word above all your name [4] 138:3 Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength (ESV) Evening: 1 Corinthians 9 1 Corinthians 9 (Listen) Paul Surrenders His Rights 9 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? 2 If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. 3 This is my defense to those who would examine me. 4 Do we not have the right to eat and drink? 5 Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife,1 as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? 6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? 7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? 8 Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? 10 Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. 11 If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12 If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. 13 Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? 14 In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. 15 But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. 16 For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. 18 What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel. 19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. 24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control,2 lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. Footnotes [1] 9:5 Greek a sister as wife [2] 9:27 Greek I pummel my body and make it a slave (ESV)

August 26: Psalm 137; Psalm 144; Psalm 104; 2 Samuel 23:1–7; 2 Samuel 23:13–17; Acts 25:13–27; Mark 13:1–13

ESV: Straight through the Bible

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2023 12:19

Proper 15 First Psalm: Psalm 137; Psalm 144 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Psalm 144 (Listen) My Rock and My Fortress Of David. 144 Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;2 he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples1 under me. 3 O LORD, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?4 Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. 5 Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke!6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them!7 Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of foreigners,8 whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,10 who gives victory to kings, who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 12 May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace;13 may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;14 may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;2 may there be no cry of distress in our streets!15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD! Footnotes [1] 144:2 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Dead Sea Scroll, Jerome, Syriac, Aquila; most Hebrew manuscripts subdues my people [2] 144:14 Hebrew with no breaking in or going out (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 104 Psalm 104 (Listen) O Lord My God, You Are Very Great 104 Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty,2 covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind;4 he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire. 5 He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved.6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.7 At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them.9 You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. 10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills;11 they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches.13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. 14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth15 and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart. 16 The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.17 In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees.18 The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers. 19 He made the moon to mark the seasons;1 the sun knows its time for setting.20 You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about.21 The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.22 When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens.23 Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening. 24 O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.25 Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great.26 There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.2 27 These all look to you, to give them their food in due season.28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.30 When you send forth your Spirit,3 they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. 31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works,32 who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke!33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 104:19 Or the appointed times (compare Genesis 1:14) [2] 104:26 Or you formed to play with [3] 104:30 Or breath (ESV) Old Testament: 2 Samuel 23:1–7; 2 Samuel 23:13–17 2 Samuel 23:1–7 (Listen) The Last Words of David 23 Now these are the last words of David: The oracle of David, the son of Jesse, the oracle of the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel:1 2 “The Spirit of the LORD speaks by me; his word is on my tongue.3 The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has said to me: When one rules justly over men, ruling in the fear of God,4 he dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain2 that makes grass to sprout from the earth. 5 “For does not my house stand so with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. For will he not cause to prosper all my help and my desire?6 But worthless men3 are all like thorns that are thrown away, for they cannot be taken with the hand;7 but the man who touches them arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they are utterly consumed with fire.”4 Footnotes [1] 23:1 Or the favorite of the songs of Israel [2] 23:4 Hebrew from rain [3] 23:6 Hebrew worthlessness [4] 23:7 Hebrew consumed with fire in the sitting (ESV) 2 Samuel 23:13–17 (Listen) 13 And three of the thirty chief men went down and came about harvest time to David at the cave of Adullam, when a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. 15 And David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” 16 Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it. He poured it out to the LORD 17 and said, “Far be it from me, O LORD, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did. (ESV) New Testament: Acts 25:13–27 Acts 25:13–27 (Listen) Paul Before Agrippa and Bernice 13 Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. 14 And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, “There is a man left prisoner by Felix, 15 and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid out their case against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16 I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone before the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him. 17 So when they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought. 18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed. 19 Rather they had certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. 20 Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. 21 But when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of the emperor, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar.” 22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” said he, “you will hear him.” 23 So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But I found that he had done nothing deserving death. And as he himself appealed to the emperor, I decided to go ahead and send him. 26 But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that, after we have examined him, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him.” (ESV) Gospel: Mark 13:1–13 Mark 13:1–13 (Listen) Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple 13 And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” 2 And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” Signs of the End of the Age 3 And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” 5 And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. 6 Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!' and they will lead many astray. 7 And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains. 9 “But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. 10 And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. 11 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12 And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (ESV)

July 10: Psalms 133–139

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2023 10:25

Psalms 133–139 Psalms 133–139 (Listen) When Brothers Dwell in Unity A Song of Ascents. Of David. 133 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!12 It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!3 It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore. Come, Bless the Lord A Song of Ascents. 134 Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD!2 Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the LORD! 3 May the LORD bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth! Your Name, O Lord, Endures Forever 135 Praise the LORD! Praise the name of the LORD, give praise, O servants of the LORD,2 who stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God!3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing to his name, for it is pleasant!24 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel as his own possession. 5 For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.6 Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.7 He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses. 8 He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and of beast;9 who in your midst, O Egypt, sent signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants;10 who struck down many nations and killed mighty kings,11 Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan,12 and gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to his people Israel. 13 Your name, O LORD, endures forever, your renown,3 O LORD, throughout all ages.14 For the LORD will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants. 15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands.16 They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see;17 they have ears, but do not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouths.18 Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them. 19 O house of Israel, bless the LORD! O house of Aaron, bless the LORD!20 O house of Levi, bless the LORD! You who fear the LORD, bless the LORD!21 Blessed be the LORD from Zion, he who dwells in Jerusalem! Praise the LORD! His Steadfast Love Endures Forever 136 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.2 Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; 4 to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever;5 to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever;6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever;7 to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever;8 the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever;9 the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever; 10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever;11 and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever;12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever;13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever;14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever;15 but overthrew4 Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever;16 to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever; 17 to him who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;18 and killed mighty kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;19 Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever;20 and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever;21 and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever;22 a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever. 23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever;24 and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever;25 he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever. 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows5 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Give Thanks to the Lord Of David. 138 I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.63 On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.7 4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth,5 and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD.6 For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 139 O LORD, you have searched me and known me!2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.3 You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. 7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,”12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. 13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.8 Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. 17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. 19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me!20 They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain.921 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?22 I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!1024 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!11 Footnotes [1] 133:1 Or dwell together [2] 135:3 Or for he is beautiful [3] 135:13 Or remembrance [4] 136:15 Hebrew shook off [5] 137:2 Or poplars [6] 138:2 Or you have exalted your word above all your name [7] 138:3 Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength [8] 139:14 Or for I am fearfully set apart [9] 139:20 Hebrew lacks your name [10] 139:23 Or cares [11] 139:24 Or in the ancient way (compare Jeremiah 6:16) (ESV)

July 8: Psalm 137; Psalm 144; Psalm 104; 1 Samuel 14:16–30; Acts 9:10–19; Luke 23:32–43

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2023 11:41

Proper 8 First Psalm: Psalm 137; Psalm 144 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Psalm 144 (Listen) My Rock and My Fortress Of David. 144 Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;2 he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples1 under me. 3 O LORD, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?4 Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. 5 Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke!6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them!7 Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of foreigners,8 whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,10 who gives victory to kings, who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 12 May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace;13 may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;14 may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;2 may there be no cry of distress in our streets!15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD! Footnotes [1] 144:2 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Dead Sea Scroll, Jerome, Syriac, Aquila; most Hebrew manuscripts subdues my people [2] 144:14 Hebrew with no breaking in or going out (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 104 Psalm 104 (Listen) O Lord My God, You Are Very Great 104 Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty,2 covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind;4 he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire. 5 He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved.6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.7 At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them.9 You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. 10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills;11 they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches.13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. 14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth15 and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart. 16 The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.17 In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees.18 The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers. 19 He made the moon to mark the seasons;1 the sun knows its time for setting.20 You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about.21 The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.22 When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens.23 Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening. 24 O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.25 Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great.26 There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.2 27 These all look to you, to give them their food in due season.28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.30 When you send forth your Spirit,3 they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. 31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works,32 who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke!33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 104:19 Or the appointed times (compare Genesis 1:14) [2] 104:26 Or you formed to play with [3] 104:30 Or breath (ESV) Old Testament: 1 Samuel 14:16–30 1 Samuel 14:16–30 (Listen) 16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude was dispersing here and there.1 17 Then Saul said to the people who were with him, “Count and see who has gone from us.” And when they had counted, behold, Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there. 18 So Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God here.” For the ark of God went at that time with the people2 of Israel. 19 Now while Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the camp of the Philistines increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.” 20 Then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and went into the battle. And behold, every Philistine's sword was against his fellow, and there was very great confusion. 21 Now the Hebrews who had been with the Philistines before that time and who had gone up with them into the camp, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 Likewise, when all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they too followed hard after them in the battle. 23 So the LORD saved Israel that day. And the battle passed beyond Beth-aven. Saul's Rash Vow 24 And the men of Israel had been hard pressed that day, so Saul had laid an oath on the people, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies.” So none of the people had tasted food. 25 Now when all the people3 came to the forest, behold, there was honey on the ground. 26 And when the people entered the forest, behold, the honey was dropping, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath, so he put out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes became bright. 28 Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food this day.'” And the people were faint. 29 Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. See how my eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies that they found. For now the defeat among the Philistines has not been great.” Footnotes [1] 14:16 Septuagint; Hebrew they went here and there [2] 14:18 Hebrew; Septuagint “Bring the ephod.” For at that time he wore the ephod before the people [3] 14:25 Hebrew land (ESV) New Testament: Acts 9:10–19 Acts 9:10–19 (Listen) 10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19 and taking food, he was strengthened. Saul Proclaims Jesus in Synagogues For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. (ESV) Gospel: Luke 23:32–43 Luke 23:32–43 (Listen) 32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”1 And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35 And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him,2 “This is the King of the Jews.” 39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him,3 saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Footnotes [1] 23:34 Some manuscripts omit the sentence And Jesus . . . what they do [2] 23:38 Some manuscripts add in letters of Greek and Latin and Hebrew [3] 23:39 Or blasphemed him (ESV)

July 5: Joshua 7; Psalms 137–138; Jeremiah 1; Matthew 15

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2023 14:19

With family: Joshua 7; Psalms 137–138 Joshua 7 (Listen) Israel Defeated at Ai 7 But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the LORD burned against the people of Israel. 2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” And the men went up and spied out Ai. 3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not have all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not make the whole people toil up there, for they are few.” 4 So about three thousand men went up there from the people. And they fled before the men of Ai, 5 and the men of Ai killed about thirty-six of their men and chased them before the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them at the descent. And the hearts of the people melted and became as water. 6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the LORD until the evening, he and the elders of Israel. And they put dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, O Lord GOD, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to give us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would that we had been content to dwell beyond the Jordan! 8 O Lord, what can I say, when Israel has turned their backs before their enemies! 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it and will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will you do for your great name?” The Sin of Achan 10 The LORD said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. 12 Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction.1 I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you. 13 Get up! Consecrate the people and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the LORD, God of Israel, “There are devoted things in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted things from among you.” 14 In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. And the tribe that the LORD takes by lot shall come near by clans. And the clan that the LORD takes shall come near by households. And the household that the LORD takes shall come near man by man. 15 And he who is taken with the devoted things shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he has done an outrageous thing in Israel.'” 16 So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel near tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was taken. 17 And he brought near the clans of Judah, and the clan of the Zerahites was taken. And he brought near the clan of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was taken. 18 And he brought near his household man by man, and Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. 19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD God of Israel and give praise2 to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” 20 And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I did: 21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels,3 then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.” 22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden in his tent with the silver underneath. 23 And they took them out of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the people of Israel. And they laid them down before the LORD. 24 And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver and the cloak and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, “Why did you bring trouble on us? The LORD brings trouble on you today.” And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones. 26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor.4 Footnotes [1] 7:12 That is, set apart (devoted) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction) [2] 7:19 Or and make confession [3] 7:21 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams [4] 7:26 Achor means trouble (ESV) Psalms 137–138 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Give Thanks to the Lord Of David. 138 I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.23 On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.3 4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth,5 and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD.6 For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars [2] 138:2 Or you have exalted your word above all your name [3] 138:3 Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength (ESV) In private: Jeremiah 1; Matthew 15 Jeremiah 1 (Listen) 1 The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, 2 to whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. 3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month. The Call of Jeremiah 4 Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” 6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” 7 But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth'; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD.” 9 Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the LORD said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.10 See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” 11 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see an almond1 branch.” 12 Then the LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.” 13 The word of the LORD came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot, facing away from the north.” 14 Then the LORD said to me, “Out of the north disaster2 shall be let loose upon all the inhabitants of the land. 15 For behold, I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, declares the LORD, and they shall come, and every one shall set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its walls all around and against all the cities of Judah. 16 And I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil in forsaking me. They have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands. 17 But you, dress yourself for work;3 arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. 18 And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the LORD, to deliver you.” Footnotes [1] 1:11 Almond sounds like the Hebrew for watching (compare verse 12) [2] 1:14 The Hebrew word can mean evil, harm, or disaster, depending on the context; so throughout Jeremiah [3] 1:17 Hebrew gird up your loins (ESV) Matthew 15 (Listen) Traditions and Commandments 15 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” 3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,' and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.' 5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,”1 6 he need not honor his father.' So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word2 of God. 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: 8 “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'” What Defiles a Person 10 And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” 12 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides.3 And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15 But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” 16 And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled?4 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.” The Faith of a Canaanite Woman 21 And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.5 Jesus Heals Many 29 Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain and sat down there. 30 And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, 31 so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel. Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand 32 Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” 33 And the disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?” 34 And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” 35 And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36 he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 37 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 38 Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 And after sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan. Footnotes [1] 15:5 Or is an offering [2] 15:6 Some manuscripts law [3] 15:14 Some manuscripts add of the blind [4] 15:17 Greek is expelled into the latrine [5] 15:28 Greek from that hour (ESV)

June 18: 2 Kings 1–2; Psalm 137; 1 Peter 3–5

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2023 16:34

Old Testament: 2 Kings 1–2 2 Kings 1–2 (Listen) Elijah Denounces Ahaziah 1 After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. 2 Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria, and lay sick; so he sent messengers, telling them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.” 3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? 4 Now therefore thus says the LORD, You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'” So Elijah went. 5 The messengers returned to the king, and he said to them, “Why have you returned?” 6 And they said to him, “There came a man to meet us, and said to us, ‘Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him, Thus says the LORD, Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'” 7 He said to them, “What kind of man was he who came to meet you and told you these things?” 8 They answered him, “He wore a garment of hair, with a belt of leather about his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.” 9 Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty men with his fifty. He went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, “O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.'” 10 But Elijah answered the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. 11 Again the king sent to him another captain of fifty men with his fifty. And he answered and said to him, “O man of God, this is the king's order, ‘Come down quickly!'” 12 But Elijah answered them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. 13 Again the king sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up and came and fell on his knees before Elijah and entreated him, “O man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty servants of yours, be precious in your sight. 14 Behold, fire came down from heaven and consumed the two former captains of fifty men with their fifties, but now let my life be precious in your sight.” 15 Then the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So he arose and went down with him to the king 16 and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron—is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word?—therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'” 17 So he died according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken. Jehoram became king in his place in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, because Ahaziah had no son. 18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? Elijah Taken to Heaven 2 Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he said, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” 4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” 6 Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground. 9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. Elisha Succeeds Elijah 15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16 And they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Please let them go and seek your master. It may be that the Spirit of the LORD has caught him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.” 17 But when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men. And for three days they sought him but did not find him. 18 And they came back to him while he was staying at Jericho, and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go'?” 19 Now the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees, but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful.” 20 He said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, “Thus says the LORD, I have healed this water; from now on neither death nor miscarriage shall come from it.” 22 So the water has been healed to this day, according to the word that Elisha spoke. 23 He went up from there to Bethel, and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” 24 And he turned around, and when he saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. And two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys. 25 From there he went on to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria. (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 137 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) New Testament: 1 Peter 3–5 1 Peter 3–5 (Listen) Wives and Husbands 3 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. 7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you1 of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. Suffering for Righteousness' Sake 8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;11 let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered2 once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which3 he went and proclaimed4 to the spirits in prison, 20 because5 they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. Stewards of God's Grace 4 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh,6 arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. 3 For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. 4 With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; 5 but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does. 7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Suffering as a Christian 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory7 and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”8 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. Shepherd the Flock of God 5 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight,9 not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you;10 not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Final Greetings 12 By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. 13 She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son. 14 Greet one another with the kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. Footnotes [1] 3:7 Some manuscripts since you are joint heirs [2] 3:18 Some manuscripts died [3] 3:19 Or the Spirit, in whom [4] 3:19 Or preached [5] 3:20 Or when [6] 4:1 Some manuscripts add for us; some for you [7] 4:14 Some manuscripts insert and of power [8] 4:18 Greek where will the ungodly and sinner appear? [9] 5:2 Some manuscripts omit exercising oversight [10] 5:2 Some manuscripts omit as God would have you (ESV)

June 18: 2 Kings 1–2; Romans 9:1–29; Psalm 137; Proverbs 17:22

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2023 12:57

Old Testament: 2 Kings 1–2 2 Kings 1–2 (Listen) Elijah Denounces Ahaziah 1 After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. 2 Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria, and lay sick; so he sent messengers, telling them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.” 3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? 4 Now therefore thus says the LORD, You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'” So Elijah went. 5 The messengers returned to the king, and he said to them, “Why have you returned?” 6 And they said to him, “There came a man to meet us, and said to us, ‘Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him, Thus says the LORD, Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'” 7 He said to them, “What kind of man was he who came to meet you and told you these things?” 8 They answered him, “He wore a garment of hair, with a belt of leather about his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.” 9 Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty men with his fifty. He went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, “O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.'” 10 But Elijah answered the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. 11 Again the king sent to him another captain of fifty men with his fifty. And he answered and said to him, “O man of God, this is the king's order, ‘Come down quickly!'” 12 But Elijah answered them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. 13 Again the king sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up and came and fell on his knees before Elijah and entreated him, “O man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty servants of yours, be precious in your sight. 14 Behold, fire came down from heaven and consumed the two former captains of fifty men with their fifties, but now let my life be precious in your sight.” 15 Then the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So he arose and went down with him to the king 16 and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron—is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word?—therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'” 17 So he died according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken. Jehoram became king in his place in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, because Ahaziah had no son. 18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? Elijah Taken to Heaven 2 Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he said, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” 4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” 6 Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground. 9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. Elisha Succeeds Elijah 15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16 And they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Please let them go and seek your master. It may be that the Spirit of the LORD has caught him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.” 17 But when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men. And for three days they sought him but did not find him. 18 And they came back to him while he was staying at Jericho, and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go'?” 19 Now the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees, but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful.” 20 He said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, “Thus says the LORD, I have healed this water; from now on neither death nor miscarriage shall come from it.” 22 So the water has been healed to this day, according to the word that Elisha spoke. 23 He went up from there to Bethel, and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” 24 And he turned around, and when he saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. And two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys. 25 From there he went on to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria. (ESV) New Testament: Romans 9:1–29 Romans 9:1–29 (Listen) God's Sovereign Choice 9 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers,1 my kinsmen according to the flesh. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. 6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. 9 For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” 10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—12 she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” 14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion,2 but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. 19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 25 As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,' and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.'”26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,' there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.'” 27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel3 be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, 28 for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” 29 And as Isaiah predicted, “If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah.” Footnotes [1] 9:3 Or brothers and sisters [2] 9:16 Greek not of him who wills or runs [3] 9:27 Or children of Israel (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 137 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Proverb: Proverbs 17:22 Proverbs 17:22 (Listen) 22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. (ESV)

May 18: Psalm 137; Numbers 20–21; Isaiah 58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11

Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2023 15:11

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 137 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Pentateuch and History: Numbers 20–21 Numbers 20–21 (Listen) The Death of Miriam 20 And the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. And Miriam died there and was buried there. The Waters of Meribah 2 Now there was no water for the congregation. And they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 And the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Would that we had perished when our brothers perished before the LORD! 4 Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? 5 And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.” 6 Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. And the glory of the LORD appeared to them, 7 and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 8 “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” 9 And Moses took the staff from before the LORD, as he commanded him. Moses Strikes the Rock 10 Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. 12 And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” 13 These are the waters of Meribah,1 where the people of Israel quarreled with the LORD, and through them he showed himself holy. Edom Refuses Passage 14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: “Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that we have met: 15 how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time. And the Egyptians dealt harshly with us and our fathers. 16 And when we cried to the LORD, he heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. And here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory. 17 Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard, or drink water from a well. We will go along the King's Highway. We will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.” 18 But Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through, lest I come out with the sword against you.” 19 And the people of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the highway, and if we drink of your water, I and my livestock, then I will pay for it. Let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.” 20 But he said, “You shall not pass through.” And Edom came out against them with a large army and with a strong force. 21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory, so Israel turned away from him. The Death of Aaron 22 And they journeyed from Kadesh, and the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor. 23 And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, 24 “Let Aaron be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land that I have given to the people of Israel, because you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah. 25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son and bring them up to Mount Hor. 26 And strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And Aaron shall be gathered to his people and shall die there.” 27 Moses did as the LORD commanded. And they went up Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. 28 And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. 29 And when all the congregation saw that Aaron had perished, all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days. Arad Destroyed 21 When the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negeb, heard that Israel was coming by the way of Atharim, he fought against Israel, and took some of them captive. 2 And Israel vowed a vow to the LORD and said, “If you will indeed give this people into my hand, then I will devote their cities to destruction.”2 3 And the LORD heeded the voice of Israel and gave over the Canaanites, and they devoted them and their cities to destruction. So the name of the place was called Hormah.3 The Bronze Serpent 4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” 6 Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. 7 And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze4 serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live. The Song of the Well 10 And the people of Israel set out and camped in Oboth. 11 And they set out from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim, in the wilderness that is opposite Moab, toward the sunrise. 12 From there they set out and camped in the Valley of Zered. 13 From there they set out and camped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that extends from the border of the Amorites, for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. 14 Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD, “Waheb in Suphah, and the valleys of the Arnon,15 and the slope of the valleys that extends to the seat of Ar, and leans to the border of Moab.” 16 And from there they continued to Beer;5 that is the well of which the LORD said to Moses, “Gather the people together, so that I may give them water.” 17 Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up, O well!—Sing to it!—18 the well that the princes made, that the nobles of the people dug, with the scepter and with their staffs.” And from the wilderness they went on to Mattanah, 19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth, 20 and from Bamoth to the valley lying in the region of Moab by the top of Pisgah that looks down on the desert.6 King Sihon Defeated 21 Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, 22 “Let me pass through your land. We will not turn aside into field or vineyard. We will not drink the water of a well. We will go by the King's Highway until we have passed through your territory.” 23 But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his territory. He gathered all his people together and went out against Israel to the wilderness and came to Jahaz and fought against Israel. 24 And Israel defeated him with the edge of the sword and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as to the Ammonites, for the border of the Ammonites was strong. 25 And Israel took all these cities, and Israel settled in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its villages. 26 For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and taken all his land out of his hand, as far as the Arnon. 27 Therefore the ballad singers say, “Come to Heshbon, let it be built; let the city of Sihon be established.28 For fire came out from Heshbon, flame from the city of Sihon. It devoured Ar of Moab, and swallowed7 the heights of the Arnon.29 Woe to you, O Moab! You are undone, O people of Chemosh! He has made his sons fugitives, and his daughters captives, to an Amorite king, Sihon.30 So we overthrew them; Heshbon, as far as Dibon, perished; and we laid waste as far as Nophah; fire spread as far as Medeba.”8 King Og Defeated 31 Thus Israel lived in the land of the Amorites. 32 And Moses sent to spy out Jazer, and they captured its villages and dispossessed the Amorites who were there. 33 Then they turned and went up by the way to Bashan. And Og the king of Bashan came out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. 34 But the LORD said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have given him into your hand, and all his people, and his land. And you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.” 35 So they defeated him and his sons and all his people, until he had no survivor left. And they possessed his land. Footnotes [1] 20:13 Meribah means quarreling [2] 21:2 That is, set apart (devote) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction); also verse 3 [3] 21:3 Hormah means destruction [4] 21:9 Or copper [5] 21:16 Beer means well [6] 21:20 Or Jeshimon [7] 21:28 Septuagint; Hebrew the lords of [8] 21:30 Compare Samaritan and Septuagint; Hebrew and we laid waste as far as Nophah, which is as far as Medeba (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Isaiah 58 Isaiah 58 (Listen) True and False Fasting 58 “Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins.2 Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God.3 ‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?' Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure,1 and oppress all your workers.4 Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high.5 Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the LORD? 6 “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed2 go free, and to break every yoke?7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.' If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.11 And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.12 And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in. 13 “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure3 on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure,4 or talking idly;514 then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;6 I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” Footnotes [1] 58:3 Or pursue your own business [2] 58:6 Or bruised [3] 58:13 Or business [4] 58:13 Or pursuing your own business [5] 58:13 Hebrew or speaking a word [6] 58:14 Or of the land (ESV) Gospels and Epistles: 1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11 1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11 (Listen) The Coming of the Lord 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord,1 that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words. The Day of the Lord 5 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers,2 you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children3 of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. Footnotes [1] 4:15 Or by the word of the Lord [2] 5:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 4, 12, 14, 25, 26, 27 [3] 5:5 Or sons; twice in this verse (ESV)

April 1: Psalm 137; Psalm 144; Psalms 42–43; Jeremiah 31:27–34; Romans 11:25–36; John 11:28–44; John 12:37–50

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2023 12:08

5 Lent First Psalm: Psalm 137; Psalm 144 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Psalm 144 (Listen) My Rock and My Fortress Of David. 144 Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;2 he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples1 under me. 3 O LORD, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?4 Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. 5 Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke!6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them!7 Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of foreigners,8 whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,10 who gives victory to kings, who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 12 May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace;13 may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;14 may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;2 may there be no cry of distress in our streets!15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD! Footnotes [1] 144:2 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Dead Sea Scroll, Jerome, Syriac, Aquila; most Hebrew manuscripts subdues my people [2] 144:14 Hebrew with no breaking in or going out (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalms 42–43 Psalms 42–43 (Listen) Book Two Why Are You Cast Down, O My Soul? To the choirmaster. A Maskil1 of the Sons of Korah. 42 As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?23 My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?”4 These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival. 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation3 6 and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.7 Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me.8 By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.9 I say to God, my rock: “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”10 As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” 11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Send Out Your Light and Your Truth 43 Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me!2 For you are the God in whom I take refuge; why have you rejected me? Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? 3 Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling!4 Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Footnotes [1] 42:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term [2] 42:2 Revocalization yields and see the face of God [3] 42:5 Hebrew the salvation of my face; also verse 11 and 43:5 (ESV) Old Testament: Jeremiah 31:27–34 Jeremiah 31:27–34 (Listen) 27 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast. 28 And it shall come to pass that as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring harm, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, declares the LORD. 29 In those days they shall no longer say: “‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.' 30 But everyone shall die for his own iniquity. Each man who eats sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge. The New Covenant 31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (ESV) New Testament: Romans 11:25–36 Romans 11:25–36 (Listen) The Mystery of Israel's Salvation 25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers:1 a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;27 “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” 28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now2 receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”35 “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. Footnotes [1] 11:25 Or brothers and sisters [2] 11:31 Some manuscripts omit now (ESV) Gospel: John 11:28–44; John 12:37–50 John 11:28–44 (Listen) Jesus Weeps 28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved1 in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?” Jesus Raises Lazarus 38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” Footnotes [1] 11:33 Or was indignant; also verse 38 (ESV) John 12:37–50 (Listen) 37 Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, 38 so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” 39 Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said, 40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.” 41 Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. 42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. Jesus Came to Save the World 44 And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. 47 If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.” (ESV)

December 17: Hosea 6–9; Psalm 137; 1 Peter 3–5

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2022 17:05

Old Testament: Hosea 6–9 Hosea 6–9 (Listen) Israel and Judah Are Unrepentant 6 “Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.3 Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” 4 What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away.5 Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light.6 For I desire steadfast love1 and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. 7 But like Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me.8 Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with blood.9 As robbers lie in wait for a man, so the priests band together; they murder on the way to Shechem; they commit villainy.10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; Ephraim's whoredom is there; Israel is defiled. 11 For you also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed. When I restore the fortunes of my people,7 when I would heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim is revealed, and the evil deeds of Samaria, for they deal falsely; the thief breaks in, and the bandits raid outside.2 But they do not consider that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face.3 By their evil they make the king glad, and the princes by their treachery.4 They are all adulterers; they are like a heated oven whose baker ceases to stir the fire, from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.5 On the day of our king, the princes became sick with the heat of wine; he stretched out his hand with mockers.6 For with hearts like an oven they approach their intrigue; all night their anger smolders; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.7 All of them are hot as an oven, and they devour their rulers. All their kings have fallen, and none of them calls upon me. 8 Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned.9 Strangers devour his strength, and he knows it not; gray hairs are sprinkled upon him, and he knows it not.10 The pride of Israel testifies to his face;2 yet they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him, for all this. 11 Ephraim is like a dove, silly and without sense, calling to Egypt, going to Assyria.12 As they go, I will spread over them my net; I will bring them down like birds of the heavens; I will discipline them according to the report made to their congregation.13 Woe to them, for they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me! I would redeem them, but they speak lies against me. 14 They do not cry to me from the heart, but they wail upon their beds; for grain and wine they gash themselves; they rebel against me.15 Although I trained and strengthened their arms, yet they devise evil against me.16 They return, but not upward;3 they are like a treacherous bow; their princes shall fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongue. This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt. Israel Will Reap the Whirlwind 8 Set the trumpet to your lips! One like a vulture is over the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant and rebelled against my law.2 To me they cry, “My God, we—Israel—know you.”3 Israel has spurned the good; the enemy shall pursue him. 4 They made kings, but not through me. They set up princes, but I knew it not. With their silver and gold they made idols for their own destruction.5 I have4 spurned your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence?6 For it is from Israel; a craftsman made it; it is not God. The calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces.5 7 For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it shall yield no flour; if it were to yield, strangers would devour it.8 Israel is swallowed up; already they are among the nations as a useless vessel.9 For they have gone up to Assyria, a wild donkey wandering alone; Ephraim has hired lovers.10 Though they hire allies among the nations, I will soon gather them up. And the king and princes shall soon writhe because of the tribute. 11 Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they have become to him altars for sinning.12 Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands, they would be regarded as a strange thing.13 As for my sacrificial offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the LORD does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins; they shall return to Egypt.14 For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces, and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; so I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour her strongholds. The Lord Will Punish Israel 9 Rejoice not, O Israel! Exult not like the peoples; for you have played the whore, forsaking your God. You have loved a prostitute's wages on all threshing floors.2 Threshing floor and wine vat shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail them.3 They shall not remain in the land of the LORD, but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean food in Assyria. 4 They shall not pour drink offerings of wine to the LORD, and their sacrifices shall not please him. It shall be like mourners' bread to them; all who eat of it shall be defiled; for their bread shall be for their hunger only; it shall not come to the house of the LORD. 5 What will you do on the day of the appointed festival, and on the day of the feast of the LORD?6 For behold, they are going away from destruction; but Egypt shall gather them; Memphis shall bury them. Nettles shall possess their precious things of silver; thorns shall be in their tents. 7 The days of punishment have come; the days of recompense have come; Israel shall know it. The prophet is a fool; the man of the spirit is mad, because of your great iniquity and great hatred.8 The prophet is the watchman of Ephraim with my God; yet a fowler's snare is on all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God.9 They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah: he will remember their iniquity; he will punish their sins. 10 Like grapes in the wilderness, I found Israel. Like the first fruit on the fig tree in its first season, I saw your fathers. But they came to Baal-peor and consecrated themselves to the thing of shame, and became detestable like the thing they loved.11 Ephraim's glory shall fly away like a bird— no birth, no pregnancy, no conception!12 Even if they bring up children, I will bereave them till none is left. Woe to them when I depart from them!13 Ephraim, as I have seen, was like a young palm6 planted in a meadow; but Ephraim must lead his children out to slaughter.714 Give them, O LORD— what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts. 15 Every evil of theirs is in Gilgal; there I began to hate them. Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of my house. I will love them no more; all their princes are rebels. 16 Ephraim is stricken; their root is dried up; they shall bear no fruit. Even though they give birth, I will put their beloved children to death.17 My God will reject them because they have not listened to him; they shall be wanderers among the nations. Footnotes [1] 6:6 Septuagint mercy [2] 7:10 Or in his presence [3] 7:16 Or to the Most High [4] 8:5 Hebrew He has [5] 8:6 Or shall go up in flames [6] 9:13 Or like Tyre [7] 9:13 Hebrew to him who slaughters (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 137 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) New Testament: 1 Peter 3–5 1 Peter 3–5 (Listen) Wives and Husbands 3 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. 7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you1 of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. Suffering for Righteousness' Sake 8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;11 let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

December 17: Psalm 137; Job 25–26; Isaiah 46–47; Revelation 7–8:5

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2022 11:07

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 137 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Pentateuch and History: Job 25–26 Job 25–26 (Listen) Bildad Speaks: Man Cannot Be Righteous 25 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: 2 “Dominion and fear are with God;1 he makes peace in his high heaven.3 Is there any number to his armies? Upon whom does his light not arise?4 How then can man be in the right before God? How can he who is born of woman be pure?5 Behold, even the moon is not bright, and the stars are not pure in his eyes;6 how much less man, who is a maggot, and the son of man, who is a worm!” Job Replies: God's Majesty Is Unsearchable 26 Then Job answered and said: 2 “How you have helped him who has no power! How you have saved the arm that has no strength!3 How you have counseled him who has no wisdom, and plentifully declared sound knowledge!4 With whose help have you uttered words, and whose breath has come out from you?5 The dead tremble under the waters and their inhabitants.6 Sheol is naked before God,2 and Abaddon has no covering.7 He stretches out the north over the void and hangs the earth on nothing.8 He binds up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not split open under them.9 He covers the face of the full moon3 and spreads over it his cloud.10 He has inscribed a circle on the face of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness.11 The pillars of heaven tremble and are astounded at his rebuke.12 By his power he stilled the sea; by his understanding he shattered Rahab.13 By his wind the heavens were made fair; his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.14 Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?” Footnotes [1] 25:2 Hebrew him [2] 26:6 Hebrew him [3] 26:9 Or his throne (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Isaiah 46–47 Isaiah 46–47 (Listen) The Idols of Babylon and the One True God 46 Bel bows down; Nebo stoops; their idols are on beasts and livestock; these things you carry are borne as burdens on weary beasts.2 They stoop; they bow down together; they cannot save the burden, but themselves go into captivity. 3 “Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb;4 even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save. 5 “To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be alike?6 Those who lavish gold from the purse, and weigh out silver in the scales, hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; then they fall down and worship!7 They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it, they set it in its place, and it stands there; it cannot move from its place. If one cries to it, it does not answer or save him from his trouble. 8 “Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors,9 remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me,10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,'11 calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it. 12 “Listen to me, you stubborn of heart, you who are far from righteousness:13 I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off, and my salvation will not delay; I will put salvation in Zion, for Israel my glory.” The Humiliation of Babylon 47 Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans! For you shall no more be called tender and delicate.2 Take the millstones and grind flour, put off your veil, strip off your robe, uncover your legs, pass through the rivers.3 Your nakedness shall be uncovered, and your disgrace shall be seen. I will take vengeance, and I will spare no one.4 Our Redeemer—the LORD of hosts is his name— is the Holy One of Israel. 5 Sit in silence, and go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; for you shall no more be called the mistress of kingdoms.6 I was angry with my people; I profaned my heritage; I gave them into your hand; you showed them no mercy; on the aged you made your yoke exceedingly heavy.7 You said, “I shall be mistress forever,” so that you did not lay these things to heart or remember their end. 8 Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures, who sit securely, who say in your heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me; I shall not sit as a widow or know the loss of children”:9 These two things shall come to you in a moment, in one day; the loss of children and widowhood shall come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the great power of your enchantments. 10 You felt secure in your wickedness; you said, “No one sees me”; your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray, and you said in your heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me.”11 But evil shall come upon you, which you will not know how to charm away; disaster shall fall upon you, for which you will not be able to atone; and ruin shall come upon you suddenly, of which you know nothing. 12 Stand fast in your enchantments and your many sorceries, with which you have labored from your youth; perhaps you may be able to succeed; perhaps you may inspire terror.13 You are wearied with your many counsels; let them stand forth and save you, those who divide the heavens, who gaze at the stars, who at the new moons make known what shall come upon you. 14 Behold, they are like stubble; the fire consumes them; they cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame. No coal for warming oneself is this, no fire to sit before!15 Such to you are those with whom you have labored, who have done business with you from your youth; they wander about, each in his own direction; there is no one to save you. (ESV) Gospels and Epistles: Revelation 7–8:5 Revelation 7–8:5 (Listen) The 144,000 of Israel Sealed 7 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” 4 And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: 5 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad,6 12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh,7 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar,8 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed. A Great Multitude from Every Nation 9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” 13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” The Seventh Seal and the Golden Censer 8 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, 4 and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. 5 Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings,1 flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. Footnotes [1] 8:5 Or voices, or sounds (ESV)

December 17: Hosea 6–9; John 11:1–54; Psalm 137; Proverbs 30:7–9

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2022 16:11

Old Testament: Hosea 6–9 Hosea 6–9 (Listen) Israel and Judah Are Unrepentant 6 “Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.3 Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” 4 What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away.5 Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light.6 For I desire steadfast love1 and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. 7 But like Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me.8 Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with blood.9 As robbers lie in wait for a man, so the priests band together; they murder on the way to Shechem; they commit villainy.10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; Ephraim's whoredom is there; Israel is defiled. 11 For you also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed. When I restore the fortunes of my people,7 when I would heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim is revealed, and the evil deeds of Samaria, for they deal falsely; the thief breaks in, and the bandits raid outside.2 But they do not consider that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face.3 By their evil they make the king glad, and the princes by their treachery.4 They are all adulterers; they are like a heated oven whose baker ceases to stir the fire, from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.5 On the day of our king, the princes became sick with the heat of wine; he stretched out his hand with mockers.6 For with hearts like an oven they approach their intrigue; all night their anger smolders; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.7 All of them are hot as an oven, and they devour their rulers. All their kings have fallen, and none of them calls upon me. 8 Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned.9 Strangers devour his strength, and he knows it not; gray hairs are sprinkled upon him, and he knows it not.10 The pride of Israel testifies to his face;2 yet they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him, for all this. 11 Ephraim is like a dove, silly and without sense, calling to Egypt, going to Assyria.12 As they go, I will spread over them my net; I will bring them down like birds of the heavens; I will discipline them according to the report made to their congregation.13 Woe to them, for they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me! I would redeem them, but they speak lies against me. 14 They do not cry to me from the heart, but they wail upon their beds; for grain and wine they gash themselves; they rebel against me.15 Although I trained and strengthened their arms, yet they devise evil against me.16 They return, but not upward;3 they are like a treacherous bow; their princes shall fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongue. This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt. Israel Will Reap the Whirlwind 8 Set the trumpet to your lips! One like a vulture is over the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant and rebelled against my law.2 To me they cry, “My God, we—Israel—know you.”3 Israel has spurned the good; the enemy shall pursue him. 4 They made kings, but not through me. They set up princes, but I knew it not. With their silver and gold they made idols for their own destruction.5 I have4 spurned your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence?6 For it is from Israel; a craftsman made it; it is not God. The calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces.5 7 For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it shall yield no flour; if it were to yield, strangers would devour it.8 Israel is swallowed up; already they are among the nations as a useless vessel.9 For they have gone up to Assyria, a wild donkey wandering alone; Ephraim has hired lovers.10 Though they hire allies among the nations, I will soon gather them up. And the king and princes shall soon writhe because of the tribute. 11 Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they have become to him altars for sinning.12 Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands, they would be regarded as a strange thing.13 As for my sacrificial offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the LORD does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins; they shall return to Egypt.14 For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces, and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; so I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour her strongholds. The Lord Will Punish Israel 9 Rejoice not, O Israel! Exult not like the peoples; for you have played the whore, forsaking your God. You have loved a prostitute's wages on all threshing floors.2 Threshing floor and wine vat shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail them.3 They shall not remain in the land of the LORD, but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean food in Assyria. 4 They shall not pour drink offerings of wine to the LORD, and their sacrifices shall not please him. It shall be like mourners' bread to them; all who eat of it shall be defiled; for their bread shall be for their hunger only; it shall not come to the house of the LORD. 5 What will you do on the day of the appointed festival, and on the day of the feast of the LORD?6 For behold, they are going away from destruction; but Egypt shall gather them; Memphis shall bury them. Nettles shall possess their precious things of silver; thorns shall be in their tents. 7 The days of punishment have come; the days of recompense have come; Israel shall know it. The prophet is a fool; the man of the spirit is mad, because of your great iniquity and great hatred.8 The prophet is the watchman of Ephraim with my God; yet a fowler's snare is on all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God.9 They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah: he will remember their iniquity; he will punish their sins. 10 Like grapes in the wilderness, I found Israel. Like the first fruit on the fig tree in its first season, I saw your fathers. But they came to Baal-peor and consecrated themselves to the thing of shame, and became detestable like the thing they loved.11 Ephraim's glory shall fly away like a bird— no birth, no pregnancy, no conception!12 Even if they bring up children, I will bereave them till none is left. Woe to them when I depart from them!13 Ephraim, as I have seen, was like a young palm6 planted in a meadow; but Ephraim must lead his children out to slaughter.714 Give them, O LORD— what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts. 15 Every evil of theirs is in Gilgal; there I began to hate them. Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of my house. I will love them no more; all their princes are rebels. 16 Ephraim is stricken; their root is dried up; they shall bear no fruit. Even though they give birth, I will put their beloved children to death.17 My God will reject them because they have not listened to him; they shall be wanderers among the nations. Footnotes [1] 6:6 Septuagint mercy [2] 7:10 Or in his presence [3] 7:16 Or to the Most High [4] 8:5 Hebrew He has [5] 8:6 Or shall go up in flames [6] 9:13 Or like Tyre [7] 9:13 Hebrew to him who slaughters (ESV) New Testament: John 11:1–54 John 11:1–54 (Listen) The Death of Lazarus 11 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus1 was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 So Thomas, called the Twin,2 said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” I Am the Resurrection and the Life 17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles3 off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.4 Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” Jesus Weeps 28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved5 in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?” Jesus Raises Lazarus 38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these thi

November 26: Psalm 137; Psalm 144; Psalm 104; Zechariah 14:12–21; Philippians 2:1–11; Luke 19:41–48

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2022 10:29

Proper 29 First Psalm: Psalm 137; Psalm 144 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Psalm 144 (Listen) My Rock and My Fortress Of David. 144 Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;2 he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples1 under me. 3 O LORD, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?4 Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. 5 Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke!6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them!7 Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of foreigners,8 whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,10 who gives victory to kings, who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 12 May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace;13 may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;14 may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;2 may there be no cry of distress in our streets!15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD! Footnotes [1] 144:2 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Dead Sea Scroll, Jerome, Syriac, Aquila; most Hebrew manuscripts subdues my people [2] 144:14 Hebrew with no breaking in or going out (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 104 Psalm 104 (Listen) O Lord My God, You Are Very Great 104 Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty,2 covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind;4 he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire. 5 He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved.6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.7 At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them.9 You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. 10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills;11 they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches.13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. 14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth15 and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart. 16 The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.17 In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees.18 The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers. 19 He made the moon to mark the seasons;1 the sun knows its time for setting.20 You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about.21 The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.22 When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens.23 Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening. 24 O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.25 Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great.26 There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.2 27 These all look to you, to give them their food in due season.28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.30 When you send forth your Spirit,3 they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. 31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works,32 who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke!33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 104:19 Or the appointed times (compare Genesis 1:14) [2] 104:26 Or you formed to play with [3] 104:30 Or breath (ESV) Old Testament: Zechariah 14:12–21 Zechariah 14:12–21 (Listen) 12 And this shall be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. 13 And on that day a great panic from the LORD shall fall on them, so that each will seize the hand of another, and the hand of the one will be raised against the hand of the other. 14 Even Judah will fight at Jerusalem.1 And the wealth of all the surrounding nations shall be collected, gold, silver, and garments in great abundance. 15 And a plague like this plague shall fall on the horses, the mules, the camels, the donkeys, and whatever beasts may be in those camps. 16 Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths. 17 And if any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, there will be no rain on them. 18 And if the family of Egypt does not go up and present themselves, then on them there shall be no rain;2 there shall be the plague with which the LORD afflicts the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths. 19 This shall be the punishment to Egypt and the punishment to all the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths. 20 And on that day there shall be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “Holy to the LORD.” And the pots in the house of the LORD shall be as the bowls before the altar. 21 And every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holy to the LORD of hosts, so that all who sacrifice may come and take of them and boil the meat of the sacrifice in them. And there shall no longer be a trader3 in the house of the LORD of hosts on that day. Footnotes [1] 14:14 Or against Jerusalem [2] 14:18 Hebrew lacks rain [3] 14:21 Or Canaanite (ESV) New Testament: Philippians 2:1–11 Philippians 2:1–11 (Listen) Christ's Example of Humility 2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,1 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,2 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,3 being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Footnotes [1] 2:5 Or which was also in Christ Jesus [2] 2:6 Or a thing to be held on to for advantage [3] 2:7 Or slave (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface) (ESV) Gospel: Luke 19:41–48 Luke 19:41–48 (Listen) Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem 41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” Jesus Cleanses the Temple 45 And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,' but you have made it a den of robbers.” 47 And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, 48 but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words. (ESV)

god jesus christ father lord spirit man song holy psalm greek blessed jerusalem praise temple humility touch philippians rescue flash sing babylon feast proper hebrew bless lebanon stretch philippians 2 o lord luke 19 lay o god my god leviathan preface bow canaanites esv aquila dead sea scrolls booths psalm 104 therefore god psalm 137 o jerusalem edomites jesus cleanses gospel luke syriac my rock how shall we sing new testament philippians many hebrew you are very great

November 7: 2 Kings 20; Hebrews 2; Psalms 137–138; Hosea 13

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2022 10:54

With family: 2 Kings 20; Hebrews 2 2 Kings 20 (Listen) Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery 20 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.'” 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, saying, 3 “Now, O LORD, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 And before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: 5 “Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD, 6 and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David's sake.” 7 And Isaiah said, “Bring a cake of figs. And let them take and lay it on the boil, that he may recover.” 8 And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the LORD on the third day?” 9 And Isaiah said, “This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he has promised: shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?” 10 And Hezekiah answered, “It is an easy thing for the shadow to lengthen ten steps. Rather let the shadow go back ten steps.” 11 And Isaiah the prophet called to the LORD, and he brought the shadow back ten steps, by which it had gone down on the steps of Ahaz. Hezekiah and the Babylonian Envoys 12 At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. 13 And Hezekiah welcomed them, and he showed them all his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. 14 Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say? And from where did they come to you?” And Hezekiah said, “They have come from a far country, from Babylon.” 15 He said, “What have they seen in your house?” And Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.” 16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD: 17 Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the LORD. 18 And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” 19 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?” 20 The rest of the deeds of Hezekiah and all his might and how he made the pool and the conduit and brought water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 21 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and Manasseh his son reigned in his place. (ESV) Hebrews 2 (Listen) Warning Against Neglecting Salvation 2 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. The Founder of Salvation 5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him?7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor,18 putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source.2 That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers,3 12 saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” 13 And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.” 14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Footnotes [1] 2:7 Some manuscripts insert and set him over the works of your hands [2] 2:11 Greek all are of one [3] 2:11 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters (ESV) In private: Psalms 137–138; Hosea 13 Psalms 137–138 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Give Thanks to the Lord Of David. 138 I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.23 On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.3 4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth,5 and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD.6 For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars [2] 138:2 Or you have exalted your word above all your name [3] 138:3 Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength (ESV) Hosea 13 (Listen) The Lord's Relentless Judgment on Israel 13 When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling; he was exalted in Israel, but he incurred guilt through Baal and died.2 And now they sin more and more, and make for themselves metal images, idols skillfully made of their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. It is said of them, “Those who offer human sacrifice kiss calves!”3 Therefore they shall be like the morning mist or like the dew that goes early away, like the chaff that swirls from the threshing floor or like smoke from a window. 4 But I am the LORD your God from the land of Egypt; you know no God but me, and besides me there is no savior.5 It was I who knew you in the wilderness, in the land of drought;6 but when they had grazed,1 they became full, they were filled, and their heart was lifted up; therefore they forgot me.7 So I am to them like a lion; like a leopard I will lurk beside the way.8 I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs; I will tear open their breast, and there I will devour them like a lion, as a wild beast would rip them open. 9 He destroys2 you, O Israel, for you are against me, against your helper.10 Where now is your king, to save you in all your cities? Where are all your rulers— those of whom you said, “Give me a king and princes”?11 I gave you a king in my anger, and I took him away in my wrath. 12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is kept in store.13 The pangs of childbirth come for him, but he is an unwise son, for at the right time he does not present himself at the opening of the womb. 14 I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol; I shall redeem them from Death.3 O Death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where is your sting? Compassion is hidden from my eyes. 15 Though he may flourish among his brothers, the east wind, the wind of the LORD, shall come, rising from the wilderness, and his fountain shall dry up; his spring shall be parched; it shall strip his treasury of every precious thing.16 4 Samaria shall bear her guilt, because she has rebelled against her God; they shall fall by the sword; their little ones shall be dashed in pieces, and their pregnant women ripped open. Footnotes [1] 13:6 Hebrew according to their pasture [2] 13:9 Or I will destroy [3] 13:14 Or Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol? Shall I redeem them from Death? [4] 13:16 Ch 14:1 in Hebrew (ESV)

October 8: Psalm 137; Psalm 144; Psalm 104; Micah 5:1–4; Micah 5:10–15; Acts 25:13–27; Luke 8:16–25

ESV: Read through the Bible

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2022 11:21

Proper 22 First Psalm: Psalm 137; Psalm 144 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Psalm 144 (Listen) My Rock and My Fortress Of David. 144 Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;2 he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples1 under me. 3 O LORD, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?4 Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. 5 Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke!6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them!7 Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of foreigners,8 whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,10 who gives victory to kings, who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 12 May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace;13 may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;14 may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;2 may there be no cry of distress in our streets!15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD! Footnotes [1] 144:2 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Dead Sea Scroll, Jerome, Syriac, Aquila; most Hebrew manuscripts subdues my people [2] 144:14 Hebrew with no breaking in or going out (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 104 Psalm 104 (Listen) O Lord My God, You Are Very Great 104 Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty,2 covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind;4 he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire. 5 He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved.6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.7 At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them.9 You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. 10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills;11 they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches.13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. 14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth15 and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart. 16 The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.17 In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees.18 The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers. 19 He made the moon to mark the seasons;1 the sun knows its time for setting.20 You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about.21 The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.22 When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens.23 Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening. 24 O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.25 Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great.26 There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.2 27 These all look to you, to give them their food in due season.28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.30 When you send forth your Spirit,3 they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. 31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works,32 who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke!33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 104:19 Or the appointed times (compare Genesis 1:14) [2] 104:26 Or you formed to play with [3] 104:30 Or breath (ESV) Old Testament: Micah 5:1–4; Micah 5:10–15 Micah 5:1–4 (Listen) The Ruler to Be Born in Bethlehem 5 1 Now muster your troops, O daughter2 of troops; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek.2 3 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel.4 And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. Footnotes [1] 5:1 Ch 4:14 in Hebrew [2] 5:1 That is, city [3] 5:2 Ch 5:1 in Hebrew (ESV) Micah 5:10–15 (Listen) 10 And in that day, declares the LORD, I will cut off your horses from among you and will destroy your chariots;11 and I will cut off the cities of your land and throw down all your strongholds;12 and I will cut off sorceries from your hand, and you shall have no more tellers of fortunes;13 and I will cut off your carved images and your pillars from among you, and you shall bow down no more to the work of your hands;14 and I will root out your Asherah images from among you and destroy your cities.15 And in anger and wrath I will execute vengeance on the nations that did not obey. (ESV) New Testament: Acts 25:13–27 Acts 25:13–27 (Listen) Paul Before Agrippa and Bernice 13 Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. 14 And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, “There is a man left prisoner by Felix, 15 and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid out their case against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16 I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone before the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him. 17 So when they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought. 18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed. 19 Rather they had certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. 20 Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. 21 But when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of the emperor, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar.” 22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” said he, “you will hear him.” 23 So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But I found that he had done nothing deserving death. And as he himself appealed to the emperor, I decided to go ahead and send him. 26 But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that, after we have examined him, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him.” (ESV) Gospel: Luke 8:16–25 Luke 8:16–25 (Listen) A Lamp Under a Jar 16 “No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. 17 For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. 18 Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.” Jesus' Mother and Brothers 19 Then his mother and his brothers1 came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. 20 And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” 21 But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” Jesus Calms a Storm 22 One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, 23 and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. 24 And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?” Footnotes [1] 8:19 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verses 20, 21 (ESV)

September 28: Psalms 133–139

ESV: Chronological

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2022 10:25

Psalms 133–139 Psalms 133–139 (Listen) When Brothers Dwell in Unity A Song of Ascents. Of David. 133 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!12 It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!3 It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore. Come, Bless the Lord A Song of Ascents. 134 Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD!2 Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the LORD! 3 May the LORD bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth! Your Name, O Lord, Endures Forever 135 Praise the LORD! Praise the name of the LORD, give praise, O servants of the LORD,2 who stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God!3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing to his name, for it is pleasant!24 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel as his own possession. 5 For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.6 Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.7 He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses. 8 He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and of beast;9 who in your midst, O Egypt, sent signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants;10 who struck down many nations and killed mighty kings,11 Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan,12 and gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to his people Israel. 13 Your name, O LORD, endures forever, your renown,3 O LORD, throughout all ages.14 For the LORD will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants. 15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands.16 They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see;17 they have ears, but do not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouths.18 Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them. 19 O house of Israel, bless the LORD! O house of Aaron, bless the LORD!20 O house of Levi, bless the LORD! You who fear the LORD, bless the LORD!21 Blessed be the LORD from Zion, he who dwells in Jerusalem! Praise the LORD! His Steadfast Love Endures Forever 136 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.2 Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; 4 to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever;5 to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever;6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever;7 to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever;8 the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever;9 the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever; 10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever;11 and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever;12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever;13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever;14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever;15 but overthrew4 Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever;16 to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever; 17 to him who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;18 and killed mighty kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;19 Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever;20 and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever;21 and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever;22 a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever. 23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever;24 and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever;25 he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever. 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows5 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Give Thanks to the Lord Of David. 138 I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.63 On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.7 4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth,5 and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD.6 For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 139 O LORD, you have searched me and known me!2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.3 You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. 7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,”12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. 13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.8 Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. 17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. 19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me!20 They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain.921 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?22 I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!1024 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!11 Footnotes [1] 133:1 Or dwell together [2] 135:3 Or for he is beautiful [3] 135:13 Or remembrance [4] 136:15 Hebrew shook off [5] 137:2 Or poplars [6] 138:2 Or you have exalted your word above all your name [7] 138:3 Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength [8] 139:14 Or for I am fearfully set apart [9] 139:20 Hebrew lacks your name [10] 139:23 Or cares [11] 139:24 Or in the ancient way (compare Jeremiah 6:16) (ESV)

August 28: Psalms 136–138; 1 Corinthians 9

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2022 8:52

Morning: Psalms 136–138 Psalms 136–138 (Listen) His Steadfast Love Endures Forever 136 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.2 Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; 4 to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever;5 to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever;6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever;7 to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever;8 the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever;9 the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever; 10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever;11 and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever;12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever;13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever;14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever;15 but overthrew1 Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever;16 to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever; 17 to him who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;18 and killed mighty kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;19 Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever;20 and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever;21 and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever;22 a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever. 23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever;24 and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever;25 he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever. 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows2 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Give Thanks to the Lord Of David. 138 I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.33 On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.4 4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth,5 and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD.6 For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. Footnotes [1] 136:15 Hebrew shook off [2] 137:2 Or poplars [3] 138:2 Or you have exalted your word above all your name [4] 138:3 Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength (ESV) Evening: 1 Corinthians 9 1 Corinthians 9 (Listen) Paul Surrenders His Rights 9 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? 2 If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. 3 This is my defense to those who would examine me. 4 Do we not have the right to eat and drink? 5 Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife,1 as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? 6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? 7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? 8 Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? 10 Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. 11 If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12 If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. 13 Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? 14 In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. 15 But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. 16 For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. 18 What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel. 19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. 24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control,2 lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. Footnotes [1] 9:5 Greek a sister as wife [2] 9:27 Greek I pummel my body and make it a slave (ESV)

August 20: Psalm 137; Psalm 144; Psalm 104; Job 3; Acts 9:10–19; John 6:41–51

ESV: Straight through the Bible

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2022 11:27

Proper 15 First Psalm: Psalm 137; Psalm 144 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Psalm 144 (Listen) My Rock and My Fortress Of David. 144 Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;2 he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples1 under me. 3 O LORD, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?4 Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. 5 Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke!6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them!7 Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of foreigners,8 whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,10 who gives victory to kings, who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 12 May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace;13 may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;14 may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;2 may there be no cry of distress in our streets!15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD! Footnotes [1] 144:2 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Dead Sea Scroll, Jerome, Syriac, Aquila; most Hebrew manuscripts subdues my people [2] 144:14 Hebrew with no breaking in or going out (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 104 Psalm 104 (Listen) O Lord My God, You Are Very Great 104 Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty,2 covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind;4 he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire. 5 He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved.6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.7 At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them.9 You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. 10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills;11 they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches.13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. 14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth15 and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart. 16 The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.17 In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees.18 The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers. 19 He made the moon to mark the seasons;1 the sun knows its time for setting.20 You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about.21 The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.22 When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens.23 Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening. 24 O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.25 Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great.26 There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.2 27 These all look to you, to give them their food in due season.28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.30 When you send forth your Spirit,3 they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. 31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works,32 who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke!33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 104:19 Or the appointed times (compare Genesis 1:14) [2] 104:26 Or you formed to play with [3] 104:30 Or breath (ESV) Old Testament: Job 3 Job 3 (Listen) Job Laments His Birth 3 After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. 2 And Job said: 3 “Let the day perish on which I was born, and the night that said, ‘A man is conceived.'4 Let that day be darkness! May God above not seek it, nor light shine upon it.5 Let gloom and deep darkness claim it. Let clouds dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.6 That night—let thick darkness seize it! Let it not rejoice among the days of the year; let it not come into the number of the months.7 Behold, let that night be barren; let no joyful cry enter it.8 Let those curse it who curse the day, who are ready to rouse up Leviathan.9 Let the stars of its dawn be dark; let it hope for light, but have none, nor see the eyelids of the morning,10 because it did not shut the doors of my mother's womb, nor hide trouble from my eyes. 11 “Why did I not die at birth, come out from the womb and expire?12 Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?13 For then I would have lain down and been quiet; I would have slept; then I would have been at rest,14 with kings and counselors of the earth who rebuilt ruins for themselves,15 or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.16 Or why was I not as a hidden stillborn child, as infants who never see the light?17 There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary are at rest.18 There the prisoners are at ease together; they hear not the voice of the taskmaster.19 The small and the great are there, and the slave is free from his master. 20 “Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul,21 who long for death, but it comes not, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures,22 who rejoice exceedingly and are glad when they find the grave?23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?24 For my sighing comes instead of1 my bread, and my groanings are poured out like water.25 For the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me.26 I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, but trouble comes.” Footnotes [1] 3:24 Or like; Hebrew before (ESV) New Testament: Acts 9:10–19 Acts 9:10–19 (Listen) 10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19 and taking food, he was strengthened. Saul Proclaims Jesus in Synagogues For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. (ESV) Gospel: John 6:41–51 John 6:41–51 (Listen) 41 So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven'?” 43 Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—46 not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (ESV)

god jesus christ father lord israel spirit man song holy spirit psalm acts blessed jerusalem praise jews touch straight rescue flash sing babylon judas proper behold hebrew gentiles bless prophets lebanon stretch john 6 o lord acts 9 damascus lay o god ananias my god may god leviathan bow esv synagogues aquila tarsus dead sea scrolls psalm 104 psalm 137 o jerusalem gospel john edomites brother saul syriac my rock so ananias new testament acts saul proclaims jesus how shall we sing many hebrew you are very great job laments his birth

July 10: Psalms 133–139

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2022 10:25

Psalms 133–139 Psalms 133–139 (Listen) When Brothers Dwell in Unity A Song of Ascents. Of David. 133 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!12 It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!3 It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore. Come, Bless the Lord A Song of Ascents. 134 Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD!2 Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the LORD! 3 May the LORD bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth! Your Name, O Lord, Endures Forever 135 Praise the LORD! Praise the name of the LORD, give praise, O servants of the LORD,2 who stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God!3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing to his name, for it is pleasant!24 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel as his own possession. 5 For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.6 Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.7 He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses. 8 He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and of beast;9 who in your midst, O Egypt, sent signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants;10 who struck down many nations and killed mighty kings,11 Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan,12 and gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to his people Israel. 13 Your name, O LORD, endures forever, your renown,3 O LORD, throughout all ages.14 For the LORD will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants. 15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands.16 They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see;17 they have ears, but do not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouths.18 Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them. 19 O house of Israel, bless the LORD! O house of Aaron, bless the LORD!20 O house of Levi, bless the LORD! You who fear the LORD, bless the LORD!21 Blessed be the LORD from Zion, he who dwells in Jerusalem! Praise the LORD! His Steadfast Love Endures Forever 136 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.2 Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; 4 to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever;5 to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever;6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever;7 to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever;8 the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever;9 the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever; 10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever;11 and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever;12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever;13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever;14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever;15 but overthrew4 Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever;16 to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever; 17 to him who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;18 and killed mighty kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;19 Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever;20 and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever;21 and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever;22 a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever. 23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever;24 and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever;25 he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever. 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows5 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Give Thanks to the Lord Of David. 138 I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.63 On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.7 4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth,5 and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD.6 For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 139 O LORD, you have searched me and known me!2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.3 You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. 7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,”12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. 13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.8 Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. 17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. 19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me!20 They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain.921 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?22 I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!1024 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!11 Footnotes [1] 133:1 Or dwell together [2] 135:3 Or for he is beautiful [3] 135:13 Or remembrance [4] 136:15 Hebrew shook off [5] 137:2 Or poplars [6] 138:2 Or you have exalted your word above all your name [7] 138:3 Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength [8] 139:14 Or for I am fearfully set apart [9] 139:20 Hebrew lacks your name [10] 139:23 Or cares [11] 139:24 Or in the ancient way (compare Jeremiah 6:16) (ESV)

July 5: Joshua 7; Psalms 137–138; Jeremiah 1; Matthew 15

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2022 14:19

With family: Joshua 7; Psalms 137–138 Joshua 7 (Listen) Israel Defeated at Ai 7 But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the LORD burned against the people of Israel. 2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” And the men went up and spied out Ai. 3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not have all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not make the whole people toil up there, for they are few.” 4 So about three thousand men went up there from the people. And they fled before the men of Ai, 5 and the men of Ai killed about thirty-six of their men and chased them before the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them at the descent. And the hearts of the people melted and became as water. 6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the LORD until the evening, he and the elders of Israel. And they put dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, O Lord GOD, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to give us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would that we had been content to dwell beyond the Jordan! 8 O Lord, what can I say, when Israel has turned their backs before their enemies! 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it and will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will you do for your great name?” The Sin of Achan 10 The LORD said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. 12 Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction.1 I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you. 13 Get up! Consecrate the people and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the LORD, God of Israel, “There are devoted things in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted things from among you.” 14 In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. And the tribe that the LORD takes by lot shall come near by clans. And the clan that the LORD takes shall come near by households. And the household that the LORD takes shall come near man by man. 15 And he who is taken with the devoted things shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he has done an outrageous thing in Israel.'” 16 So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel near tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was taken. 17 And he brought near the clans of Judah, and the clan of the Zerahites was taken. And he brought near the clan of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was taken. 18 And he brought near his household man by man, and Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. 19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD God of Israel and give praise2 to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” 20 And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I did: 21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels,3 then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.” 22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden in his tent with the silver underneath. 23 And they took them out of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the people of Israel. And they laid them down before the LORD. 24 And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver and the cloak and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, “Why did you bring trouble on us? The LORD brings trouble on you today.” And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones. 26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor.4 Footnotes [1] 7:12 That is, set apart (devoted) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction) [2] 7:19 Or and make confession [3] 7:21 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams [4] 7:26 Achor means trouble (ESV) Psalms 137–138 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Give Thanks to the Lord Of David. 138 I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.23 On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.3 4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth,5 and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD.6 For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars [2] 138:2 Or you have exalted your word above all your name [3] 138:3 Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength (ESV) In private: Jeremiah 1; Matthew 15 Jeremiah 1 (Listen) 1 The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, 2 to whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. 3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month. The Call of Jeremiah 4 Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” 6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” 7 But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth'; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD.” 9 Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the LORD said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.10 See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” 11 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see an almond1 branch.” 12 Then the LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.” 13 The word of the LORD came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot, facing away from the north.” 14 Then the LORD said to me, “Out of the north disaster2 shall be let loose upon all the inhabitants of the land. 15 For behold, I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, declares the LORD, and they shall come, and every one shall set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its walls all around and against all the cities of Judah. 16 And I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil in forsaking me. They have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands. 17 But you, dress yourself for work;3 arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. 18 And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the LORD, to deliver you.” Footnotes [1] 1:11 Almond sounds like the Hebrew for watching (compare verse 12) [2] 1:14 The Hebrew word can mean evil, harm, or disaster, depending on the context; so throughout Jeremiah [3] 1:17 Hebrew gird up your loins (ESV) Matthew 15 (Listen) Traditions and Commandments 15 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” 3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,' and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.' 5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,”1 6 he need not honor his father.' So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word2 of God. 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: 8 “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'” What Defiles a Person 10 And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” 12 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides.3 And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15 But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” 16 And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled?4 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.” The Faith of a Canaanite Woman 21 And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.5 Jesus Heals Many 29 Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain and sat down there. 30 And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, 31 so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel. Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand 32 Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” 33 And the disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?” 34 And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” 35 And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36 he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 37 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 38 Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 And after sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan. Footnotes [1] 15:5 Or is an offering [2] 15:6 Some manuscripts law [3] 15:14 Some manuscripts add of the blind [4] 15:17 Greek is expelled into the latrine [5] 15:28 Greek from that hour (ESV)

July 2: Psalm 137; Psalm 144; Psalm 104; Numbers 24:12–25; Romans 8:18–25; Matthew 22:23–40

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2022 11:06

Proper 8 First Psalm: Psalm 137; Psalm 144 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Psalm 144 (Listen) My Rock and My Fortress Of David. 144 Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;2 he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples1 under me. 3 O LORD, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?4 Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. 5 Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke!6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them!7 Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of foreigners,8 whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,10 who gives victory to kings, who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 12 May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace;13 may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;14 may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;2 may there be no cry of distress in our streets!15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD! Footnotes [1] 144:2 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Dead Sea Scroll, Jerome, Syriac, Aquila; most Hebrew manuscripts subdues my people [2] 144:14 Hebrew with no breaking in or going out (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 104 Psalm 104 (Listen) O Lord My God, You Are Very Great 104 Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty,2 covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind;4 he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire. 5 He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved.6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.7 At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them.9 You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. 10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills;11 they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches.13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. 14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth15 and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart. 16 The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.17 In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees.18 The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers. 19 He made the moon to mark the seasons;1 the sun knows its time for setting.20 You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about.21 The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.22 When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens.23 Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening. 24 O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.25 Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great.26 There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.2 27 These all look to you, to give them their food in due season.28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.30 When you send forth your Spirit,3 they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. 31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works,32 who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke!33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 104:19 Or the appointed times (compare Genesis 1:14) [2] 104:26 Or you formed to play with [3] 104:30 Or breath (ESV) Old Testament: Numbers 24:12–25 Numbers 24:12–25 (Listen) 12 And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, 13 ‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the LORD speaks, that will I speak'? 14 And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.” Balaam's Final Oracle 15 And he took up his discourse and said, “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,16 the oracle of him who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered:17 I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead1 of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth.18 Edom shall be dispossessed; Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed. Israel is doing valiantly.19 And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion and destroy the survivors of cities!” 20 Then he looked on Amalek and took up his discourse and said, “Amalek was the first among the nations, but its end is utter destruction.” 21 And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his discourse and said, “Enduring is your dwelling place, and your nest is set in the rock.22 Nevertheless, Kain shall be burned when Asshur takes you away captive.” 23 And he took up his discourse and said, “Alas, who shall live when God does this?24 But ships shall come from Kittim and shall afflict Asshur and Eber; and he too shall come to utter destruction.” 25 Then Balaam rose and went back to his place. And Balak also went his way. Footnotes [1] 24:17 Hebrew corners [of the head] (ESV) New Testament: Romans 8:18–25 Romans 8:18–25 (Listen) Future Glory 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (ESV) Gospel: Matthew 22:23–40 Matthew 22:23–40 (Listen) Sadducees Ask About the Resurrection 23 The same day Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question, 24 saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.' 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. 26 So too the second and third, down to the seventh. 27 After them all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her.” 29 But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 31 And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.” 33 And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching. The Great Commandment 34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (ESV)

god lord israel spirit man law song romans resurrection teacher psalm numbers blessed jerusalem praise touch rescue flash sing babylon scriptures proper pharisees hebrew bless prophets lebanon stretch romans 8 enduring almighty o lord alas lay o god moab my god leviathan bow esv most high balaam sadducees aquila edom great commandment balak kain dead sea scrolls amalek psalm 104 psalm 137 o jerusalem edomites eber seir gospel matthew syriac my rock kenite new testament romans kittim how shall we sing then balaam sadducees ask about many hebrew you are very great

June 18: 2 Kings 1–2; Psalm 137; 1 Peter 3–5

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2022 16:34

Old Testament: 2 Kings 1–2 2 Kings 1–2 (Listen) Elijah Denounces Ahaziah 1 After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. 2 Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria, and lay sick; so he sent messengers, telling them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.” 3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? 4 Now therefore thus says the LORD, You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'” So Elijah went. 5 The messengers returned to the king, and he said to them, “Why have you returned?” 6 And they said to him, “There came a man to meet us, and said to us, ‘Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him, Thus says the LORD, Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'” 7 He said to them, “What kind of man was he who came to meet you and told you these things?” 8 They answered him, “He wore a garment of hair, with a belt of leather about his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.” 9 Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty men with his fifty. He went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, “O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.'” 10 But Elijah answered the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. 11 Again the king sent to him another captain of fifty men with his fifty. And he answered and said to him, “O man of God, this is the king's order, ‘Come down quickly!'” 12 But Elijah answered them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. 13 Again the king sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up and came and fell on his knees before Elijah and entreated him, “O man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty servants of yours, be precious in your sight. 14 Behold, fire came down from heaven and consumed the two former captains of fifty men with their fifties, but now let my life be precious in your sight.” 15 Then the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So he arose and went down with him to the king 16 and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron—is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word?—therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'” 17 So he died according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken. Jehoram became king in his place in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, because Ahaziah had no son. 18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? Elijah Taken to Heaven 2 Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he said, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” 4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” 6 Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground. 9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. Elisha Succeeds Elijah 15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16 And they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Please let them go and seek your master. It may be that the Spirit of the LORD has caught him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.” 17 But when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men. And for three days they sought him but did not find him. 18 And they came back to him while he was staying at Jericho, and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go'?” 19 Now the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees, but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful.” 20 He said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, “Thus says the LORD, I have healed this water; from now on neither death nor miscarriage shall come from it.” 22 So the water has been healed to this day, according to the word that Elisha spoke. 23 He went up from there to Bethel, and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” 24 And he turned around, and when he saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. And two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys. 25 From there he went on to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria. (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 137 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) New Testament: 1 Peter 3–5 1 Peter 3–5 (Listen) Wives and Husbands 3 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. 7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you1 of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. Suffering for Righteousness' Sake 8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;11 let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered2 once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which3 he went and proclaimed4 to the spirits in prison, 20 because5 they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. Stewards of God's Grace 4 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh,6 arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. 3 For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. 4 With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; 5 but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does. 7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Suffering as a Christian 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory7 and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”8 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. Shepherd the Flock of God 5 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight,9 not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you;10 not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Final Greetings 12 By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. 13 She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son. 14 Greet one another with the kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. Footnotes [1] 3:7 Some manuscripts since you are joint heirs [2] 3:18 Some manuscripts died [3] 3:19 Or the Spirit, in whom [4] 3:19 Or preached [5] 3:20 Or when [6] 4:1 Some manuscripts add for us; some for you [7] 4:14 Some manuscripts insert and of power [8] 4:18 Greek where will the ungodly and sinner appear? [9] 5:2 Some manuscripts omit exercising oversight [10] 5:2 Some manuscripts omit as God would have you (ESV)

June 18: 2 Kings 1–2; Romans 9:1–29; Psalm 137; Proverbs 17:22

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2022 12:57

Old Testament: 2 Kings 1–2 2 Kings 1–2 (Listen) Elijah Denounces Ahaziah 1 After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. 2 Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria, and lay sick; so he sent messengers, telling them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.” 3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? 4 Now therefore thus says the LORD, You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'” So Elijah went. 5 The messengers returned to the king, and he said to them, “Why have you returned?” 6 And they said to him, “There came a man to meet us, and said to us, ‘Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him, Thus says the LORD, Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'” 7 He said to them, “What kind of man was he who came to meet you and told you these things?” 8 They answered him, “He wore a garment of hair, with a belt of leather about his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.” 9 Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty men with his fifty. He went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, “O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.'” 10 But Elijah answered the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. 11 Again the king sent to him another captain of fifty men with his fifty. And he answered and said to him, “O man of God, this is the king's order, ‘Come down quickly!'” 12 But Elijah answered them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. 13 Again the king sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up and came and fell on his knees before Elijah and entreated him, “O man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty servants of yours, be precious in your sight. 14 Behold, fire came down from heaven and consumed the two former captains of fifty men with their fifties, but now let my life be precious in your sight.” 15 Then the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So he arose and went down with him to the king 16 and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron—is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word?—therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'” 17 So he died according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken. Jehoram became king in his place in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, because Ahaziah had no son. 18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? Elijah Taken to Heaven 2 Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he said, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” 4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” 6 Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground. 9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. Elisha Succeeds Elijah 15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16 And they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Please let them go and seek your master. It may be that the Spirit of the LORD has caught him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.” 17 But when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men. And for three days they sought him but did not find him. 18 And they came back to him while he was staying at Jericho, and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go'?” 19 Now the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees, but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful.” 20 He said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, “Thus says the LORD, I have healed this water; from now on neither death nor miscarriage shall come from it.” 22 So the water has been healed to this day, according to the word that Elisha spoke. 23 He went up from there to Bethel, and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” 24 And he turned around, and when he saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. And two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys. 25 From there he went on to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria. (ESV) New Testament: Romans 9:1–29 Romans 9:1–29 (Listen) God's Sovereign Choice 9 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers,1 my kinsmen according to the flesh. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. 6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. 9 For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” 10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—12 she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” 14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion,2 but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. 19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 25 As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,' and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.'”26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,' there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.'” 27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel3 be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, 28 for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” 29 And as Isaiah predicted, “If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah.” Footnotes [1] 9:3 Or brothers and sisters [2] 9:16 Greek not of him who wills or runs [3] 9:27 Or children of Israel (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 137 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Proverb: Proverbs 17:22 Proverbs 17:22 (Listen) 22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. (ESV)

May 18: Psalm 137; Numbers 20–21; Isaiah 58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11

Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2022 15:11

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 137 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Pentateuch and History: Numbers 20–21 Numbers 20–21 (Listen) The Death of Miriam 20 And the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. And Miriam died there and was buried there. The Waters of Meribah 2 Now there was no water for the congregation. And they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 And the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Would that we had perished when our brothers perished before the LORD! 4 Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? 5 And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.” 6 Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. And the glory of the LORD appeared to them, 7 and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 8 “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” 9 And Moses took the staff from before the LORD, as he commanded him. Moses Strikes the Rock 10 Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. 12 And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” 13 These are the waters of Meribah,1 where the people of Israel quarreled with the LORD, and through them he showed himself holy. Edom Refuses Passage 14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: “Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that we have met: 15 how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time. And the Egyptians dealt harshly with us and our fathers. 16 And when we cried to the LORD, he heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. And here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory. 17 Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard, or drink water from a well. We will go along the King's Highway. We will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.” 18 But Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through, lest I come out with the sword against you.” 19 And the people of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the highway, and if we drink of your water, I and my livestock, then I will pay for it. Let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.” 20 But he said, “You shall not pass through.” And Edom came out against them with a large army and with a strong force. 21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory, so Israel turned away from him. The Death of Aaron 22 And they journeyed from Kadesh, and the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor. 23 And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, 24 “Let Aaron be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land that I have given to the people of Israel, because you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah. 25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son and bring them up to Mount Hor. 26 And strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And Aaron shall be gathered to his people and shall die there.” 27 Moses did as the LORD commanded. And they went up Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. 28 And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. 29 And when all the congregation saw that Aaron had perished, all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days. Arad Destroyed 21 When the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negeb, heard that Israel was coming by the way of Atharim, he fought against Israel, and took some of them captive. 2 And Israel vowed a vow to the LORD and said, “If you will indeed give this people into my hand, then I will devote their cities to destruction.”2 3 And the LORD heeded the voice of Israel and gave over the Canaanites, and they devoted them and their cities to destruction. So the name of the place was called Hormah.3 The Bronze Serpent 4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” 6 Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. 7 And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze4 serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live. The Song of the Well 10 And the people of Israel set out and camped in Oboth. 11 And they set out from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim, in the wilderness that is opposite Moab, toward the sunrise. 12 From there they set out and camped in the Valley of Zered. 13 From there they set out and camped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that extends from the border of the Amorites, for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. 14 Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD, “Waheb in Suphah, and the valleys of the Arnon,15 and the slope of the valleys that extends to the seat of Ar, and leans to the border of Moab.” 16 And from there they continued to Beer;5 that is the well of which the LORD said to Moses, “Gather the people together, so that I may give them water.” 17 Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up, O well!—Sing to it!—18 the well that the princes made, that the nobles of the people dug, with the scepter and with their staffs.” And from the wilderness they went on to Mattanah, 19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth, 20 and from Bamoth to the valley lying in the region of Moab by the top of Pisgah that looks down on the desert.6 King Sihon Defeated 21 Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, 22 “Let me pass through your land. We will not turn aside into field or vineyard. We will not drink the water of a well. We will go by the King's Highway until we have passed through your territory.” 23 But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his territory. He gathered all his people together and went out against Israel to the wilderness and came to Jahaz and fought against Israel. 24 And Israel defeated him with the edge of the sword and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as to the Ammonites, for the border of the Ammonites was strong. 25 And Israel took all these cities, and Israel settled in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its villages. 26 For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and taken all his land out of his hand, as far as the Arnon. 27 Therefore the ballad singers say, “Come to Heshbon, let it be built; let the city of Sihon be established.28 For fire came out from Heshbon, flame from the city of Sihon. It devoured Ar of Moab, and swallowed7 the heights of the Arnon.29 Woe to you, O Moab! You are undone, O people of Chemosh! He has made his sons fugitives, and his daughters captives, to an Amorite king, Sihon.30 So we overthrew them; Heshbon, as far as Dibon, perished; and we laid waste as far as Nophah; fire spread as far as Medeba.”8 King Og Defeated 31 Thus Israel lived in the land of the Amorites. 32 And Moses sent to spy out Jazer, and they captured its villages and dispossessed the Amorites who were there. 33 Then they turned and went up by the way to Bashan. And Og the king of Bashan came out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. 34 But the LORD said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have given him into your hand, and all his people, and his land. And you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.” 35 So they defeated him and his sons and all his people, until he had no survivor left. And they possessed his land. Footnotes [1] 20:13 Meribah means quarreling [2] 21:2 That is, set apart (devote) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction); also verse 3 [3] 21:3 Hormah means destruction [4] 21:9 Or copper [5] 21:16 Beer means well [6] 21:20 Or Jeshimon [7] 21:28 Septuagint; Hebrew the lords of [8] 21:30 Compare Samaritan and Septuagint; Hebrew and we laid waste as far as Nophah, which is as far as Medeba (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Isaiah 58 Isaiah 58 (Listen) True and False Fasting 58 “Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins.2 Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God.3 ‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?' Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure,1 and oppress all your workers.4 Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high.5 Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the LORD? 6 “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed2 go free, and to break every yoke?7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.' If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.11 And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.12 And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in. 13 “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure3 on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure,4 or talking idly;514 then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;6 I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” Footnotes [1] 58:3 Or pursue your own business [2] 58:6 Or bruised [3] 58:13 Or business [4] 58:13 Or pursuing your own business [5] 58:13 Hebrew or speaking a word [6] 58:14 Or of the land (ESV) Gospels and Epistles: 1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11 1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11 (Listen) The Coming of the Lord 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord,1 that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words. The Day of the Lord 5 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers,2 you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children3 of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. Footnotes [1] 4:15 Or by the word of the Lord [2] 5:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 4, 12, 14, 25, 26, 27 [3] 5:5 Or sons; twice in this verse (ESV)

April 9: Psalm 137; Psalm 144; Psalms 42–43; Exodus 10:21–11:8; 2 Corinthians 4:13–18; Mark 10:46–52

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2022 9:51

5 Lent First Psalm: Psalm 137; Psalm 144 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Psalm 144 (Listen) My Rock and My Fortress Of David. 144 Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;2 he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples1 under me. 3 O LORD, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?4 Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. 5 Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke!6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them!7 Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of foreigners,8 whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,10 who gives victory to kings, who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 12 May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace;13 may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;14 may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;2 may there be no cry of distress in our streets!15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD! Footnotes [1] 144:2 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Dead Sea Scroll, Jerome, Syriac, Aquila; most Hebrew manuscripts subdues my people [2] 144:14 Hebrew with no breaking in or going out (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalms 42–43 Psalms 42–43 (Listen) Book Two Why Are You Cast Down, O My Soul? To the choirmaster. A Maskil1 of the Sons of Korah. 42 As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?23 My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?”4 These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival. 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation3 6 and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.7 Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me.8 By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.9 I say to God, my rock: “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”10 As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” 11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Send Out Your Light and Your Truth 43 Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me!2 For you are the God in whom I take refuge; why have you rejected me? Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? 3 Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling!4 Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Footnotes [1] 42:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term [2] 42:2 Revocalization yields and see the face of God [3] 42:5 Hebrew the salvation of my face; also verse 11 and 43:5 (ESV) Old Testament: Exodus 10:21–11:8 Exodus 10:21–11:8 (Listen) The Ninth Plague: Darkness 21 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.” 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. 23 They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the people of Israel had light where they lived. 24 Then Pharaoh called Moses and said, “Go, serve the LORD; your little ones also may go with you; only let your flocks and your herds remain behind.” 25 But Moses said, “You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. 26 Our livestock also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must take of them to serve the LORD our God, and we do not know with what we must serve the LORD until we arrive there.” 27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go. 28 Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me; take care never to see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die.” 29 Moses said, “As you say! I will not see your face again.” A Final Plague Threatened 11 The LORD said to Moses, “Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will drive you away completely. 2 Speak now in the hearing of the people, that they ask, every man of his neighbor and every woman of her neighbor, for silver and gold jewelry.” 3 And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people. 4 So Moses said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt, 5 and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle. 6 There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again. 7 But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.' 8 And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, you and all the people who follow you.' And after that I will go out.” And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. (ESV) New Testament: 2 Corinthians 4:13–18 2 Corinthians 4:13–18 (Listen) 13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self1 is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. Footnotes [1] 4:16 Greek man (ESV) Gospel: Mark 10:46–52 Mark 10:46–52 (Listen) Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus 46 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” 50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way. (ESV)

February 26: Psalm 137; Psalm 144; Psalm 104; Proverbs 8:22–36; 2 Timothy 1:1–14; John 12:20–26

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2022 10:40

7 Epiphany First Psalm: Psalm 137; Psalm 144 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Psalm 144 (Listen) My Rock and My Fortress Of David. 144 Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;2 he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples1 under me. 3 O LORD, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?4 Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. 5 Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke!6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them!7 Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of foreigners,8 whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,10 who gives victory to kings, who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 12 May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace;13 may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;14 may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;2 may there be no cry of distress in our streets!15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD! Footnotes [1] 144:2 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Dead Sea Scroll, Jerome, Syriac, Aquila; most Hebrew manuscripts subdues my people [2] 144:14 Hebrew with no breaking in or going out (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 104 Psalm 104 (Listen) O Lord My God, You Are Very Great 104 Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty,2 covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind;4 he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire. 5 He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved.6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.7 At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them.9 You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. 10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills;11 they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches.13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. 14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth15 and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart. 16 The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.17 In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees.18 The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers. 19 He made the moon to mark the seasons;1 the sun knows its time for setting.20 You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about.21 The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.22 When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens.23 Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening. 24 O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.25 Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great.26 There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.2 27 These all look to you, to give them their food in due season.28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.30 When you send forth your Spirit,3 they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. 31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works,32 who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke!33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 104:19 Or the appointed times (compare Genesis 1:14) [2] 104:26 Or you formed to play with [3] 104:30 Or breath (ESV) Old Testament: Proverbs 8:22–36 Proverbs 8:22–36 (Listen) 22 “The LORD possessed1 me at the beginning of his work,2 the first of his acts of old.23 Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.25 Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth,26 before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.27 When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,28 when he made firm the skies above, when he established3 the fountains of the deep,29 when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,30 then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his4 delight, rejoicing before him always,31 rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man. 32 “And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways.33 Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.34 Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.35 For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD,36 but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.” Footnotes [1] 8:22 Or fathered; Septuagint created [2] 8:22 Hebrew way [3] 8:28 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [4] 8:30 Or daily filled with (ESV) New Testament: 2 Timothy 1:1–14 2 Timothy 1:1–14 (Listen) Greeting 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Guard the Deposit Entrusted to You 3 I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to1 a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,2 10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.3 13 Follow the pattern of the sound4 words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. Footnotes [1] 1:9 Or with [2] 1:9 Greek before times eternal [3] 1:12 Or what I have entrusted to him; Greek my deposit [4] 1:13 Or healthy (ESV) Gospel: John 12:20–26 John 12:20–26 (Listen) Some Greeks Seek Jesus 20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. (ESV)

god jesus christ father lord spirit man song holy spirit psalm greek blessed jerusalem praise proverbs touch rescue flash sing new testament babylon guard hebrew bless ages lebanon stretch epiphany galilee o lord john 12 sir lay o god my god leviathan 2 timothy 1 bow esv greeting aquila dead sea scrolls bethsaida psalm 104 psalm 137 septuagint o jerusalem gospel john edomites syriac to timothy my rock old testament proverbs how shall we sing many hebrew you are very great some greeks seek jesus

December 17: Psalm 137; Job 25–26; Isaiah 46–47; Revelation 7–8:5

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2021 11:07

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 137 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Pentateuch and History: Job 25–26 Job 25–26 (Listen) Bildad Speaks: Man Cannot Be Righteous 25 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: 2 “Dominion and fear are with God;1 he makes peace in his high heaven.3 Is there any number to his armies? Upon whom does his light not arise?4 How then can man be in the right before God? How can he who is born of woman be pure?5 Behold, even the moon is not bright, and the stars are not pure in his eyes;6 how much less man, who is a maggot, and the son of man, who is a worm!” Job Replies: God's Majesty Is Unsearchable 26 Then Job answered and said: 2 “How you have helped him who has no power! How you have saved the arm that has no strength!3 How you have counseled him who has no wisdom, and plentifully declared sound knowledge!4 With whose help have you uttered words, and whose breath has come out from you?5 The dead tremble under the waters and their inhabitants.6 Sheol is naked before God,2 and Abaddon has no covering.7 He stretches out the north over the void and hangs the earth on nothing.8 He binds up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not split open under them.9 He covers the face of the full moon3 and spreads over it his cloud.10 He has inscribed a circle on the face of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness.11 The pillars of heaven tremble and are astounded at his rebuke.12 By his power he stilled the sea; by his understanding he shattered Rahab.13 By his wind the heavens were made fair; his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.14 Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?” Footnotes [1] 25:2 Hebrew him [2] 26:6 Hebrew him [3] 26:9 Or his throne (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Isaiah 46–47 Isaiah 46–47 (Listen) The Idols of Babylon and the One True God 46 Bel bows down; Nebo stoops; their idols are on beasts and livestock; these things you carry are borne as burdens on weary beasts.2 They stoop; they bow down together; they cannot save the burden, but themselves go into captivity. 3 “Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb;4 even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save. 5 “To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be alike?6 Those who lavish gold from the purse, and weigh out silver in the scales, hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; then they fall down and worship!7 They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it, they set it in its place, and it stands there; it cannot move from its place. If one cries to it, it does not answer or save him from his trouble. 8 “Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors,9 remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me,10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,'11 calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it. 12 “Listen to me, you stubborn of heart, you who are far from righteousness:13 I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off, and my salvation will not delay; I will put salvation in Zion, for Israel my glory.” The Humiliation of Babylon 47 Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans! For you shall no more be called tender and delicate.2 Take the millstones and grind flour, put off your veil, strip off your robe, uncover your legs, pass through the rivers.3 Your nakedness shall be uncovered, and your disgrace shall be seen. I will take vengeance, and I will spare no one.4 Our Redeemer—the LORD of hosts is his name— is the Holy One of Israel. 5 Sit in silence, and go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; for you shall no more be called the mistress of kingdoms.6 I was angry with my people; I profaned my heritage; I gave them into your hand; you showed them no mercy; on the aged you made your yoke exceedingly heavy.7 You said, “I shall be mistress forever,” so that you did not lay these things to heart or remember their end. 8 Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures, who sit securely, who say in your heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me; I shall not sit as a widow or know the loss of children”:9 These two things shall come to you in a moment, in one day; the loss of children and widowhood shall come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the great power of your enchantments. 10 You felt secure in your wickedness; you said, “No one sees me”; your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray, and you said in your heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me.”11 But evil shall come upon you, which you will not know how to charm away; disaster shall fall upon you, for which you will not be able to atone; and ruin shall come upon you suddenly, of which you know nothing. 12 Stand fast in your enchantments and your many sorceries, with which you have labored from your youth; perhaps you may be able to succeed; perhaps you may inspire terror.13 You are wearied with your many counsels; let them stand forth and save you, those who divide the heavens, who gaze at the stars, who at the new moons make known what shall come upon you. 14 Behold, they are like stubble; the fire consumes them; they cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame. No coal for warming oneself is this, no fire to sit before!15 Such to you are those with whom you have labored, who have done business with you from your youth; they wander about, each in his own direction; there is no one to save you. (ESV) Gospels and Epistles: Revelation 7–8:5 Revelation 7–8:5 (Listen) The 144,000 of Israel Sealed 7 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” 4 And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: 5 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad,6 12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh,7 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar,8 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed. A Great Multitude from Every Nation 9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” 13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” The Seventh Seal and the Golden Censer 8 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, 4 and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. 5 Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings,1 flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. Footnotes [1] 8:5 Or voices, or sounds (ESV)

December 17: Hosea 6–9; John 11:1–54; Psalm 137; Proverbs 30:7–9

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2021 16:11

Old Testament: Hosea 6–9 Hosea 6–9 (Listen) Israel and Judah Are Unrepentant 6 “Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.3 Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” 4 What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away.5 Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light.6 For I desire steadfast love1 and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. 7 But like Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me.8 Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with blood.9 As robbers lie in wait for a man, so the priests band together; they murder on the way to Shechem; they commit villainy.10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; Ephraim's whoredom is there; Israel is defiled. 11 For you also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed. When I restore the fortunes of my people,7 when I would heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim is revealed, and the evil deeds of Samaria, for they deal falsely; the thief breaks in, and the bandits raid outside.2 But they do not consider that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face.3 By their evil they make the king glad, and the princes by their treachery.4 They are all adulterers; they are like a heated oven whose baker ceases to stir the fire, from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.5 On the day of our king, the princes became sick with the heat of wine; he stretched out his hand with mockers.6 For with hearts like an oven they approach their intrigue; all night their anger smolders; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.7 All of them are hot as an oven, and they devour their rulers. All their kings have fallen, and none of them calls upon me. 8 Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned.9 Strangers devour his strength, and he knows it not; gray hairs are sprinkled upon him, and he knows it not.10 The pride of Israel testifies to his face;2 yet they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him, for all this. 11 Ephraim is like a dove, silly and without sense, calling to Egypt, going to Assyria.12 As they go, I will spread over them my net; I will bring them down like birds of the heavens; I will discipline them according to the report made to their congregation.13 Woe to them, for they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me! I would redeem them, but they speak lies against me. 14 They do not cry to me from the heart, but they wail upon their beds; for grain and wine they gash themselves; they rebel against me.15 Although I trained and strengthened their arms, yet they devise evil against me.16 They return, but not upward;3 they are like a treacherous bow; their princes shall fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongue. This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt. Israel Will Reap the Whirlwind 8 Set the trumpet to your lips! One like a vulture is over the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant and rebelled against my law.2 To me they cry, “My God, we—Israel—know you.”3 Israel has spurned the good; the enemy shall pursue him. 4 They made kings, but not through me. They set up princes, but I knew it not. With their silver and gold they made idols for their own destruction.5 I have4 spurned your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence?6 For it is from Israel; a craftsman made it; it is not God. The calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces.5 7 For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it shall yield no flour; if it were to yield, strangers would devour it.8 Israel is swallowed up; already they are among the nations as a useless vessel.9 For they have gone up to Assyria, a wild donkey wandering alone; Ephraim has hired lovers.10 Though they hire allies among the nations, I will soon gather them up. And the king and princes shall soon writhe because of the tribute. 11 Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they have become to him altars for sinning.12 Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands, they would be regarded as a strange thing.13 As for my sacrificial offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the LORD does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins; they shall return to Egypt.14 For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces, and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; so I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour her strongholds. The Lord Will Punish Israel 9 Rejoice not, O Israel! Exult not like the peoples; for you have played the whore, forsaking your God. You have loved a prostitute's wages on all threshing floors.2 Threshing floor and wine vat shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail them.3 They shall not remain in the land of the LORD, but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean food in Assyria. 4 They shall not pour drink offerings of wine to the LORD, and their sacrifices shall not please him. It shall be like mourners' bread to them; all who eat of it shall be defiled; for their bread shall be for their hunger only; it shall not come to the house of the LORD. 5 What will you do on the day of the appointed festival, and on the day of the feast of the LORD?6 For behold, they are going away from destruction; but Egypt shall gather them; Memphis shall bury them. Nettles shall possess their precious things of silver; thorns shall be in their tents. 7 The days of punishment have come; the days of recompense have come; Israel shall know it. The prophet is a fool; the man of the spirit is mad, because of your great iniquity and great hatred.8 The prophet is the watchman of Ephraim with my God; yet a fowler's snare is on all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God.9 They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah: he will remember their iniquity; he will punish their sins. 10 Like grapes in the wilderness, I found Israel. Like the first fruit on the fig tree in its first season, I saw your fathers. But they came to Baal-peor and consecrated themselves to the thing of shame, and became detestable like the thing they loved.11 Ephraim's glory shall fly away like a bird— no birth, no pregnancy, no conception!12 Even if they bring up children, I will bereave them till none is left. Woe to them when I depart from them!13 Ephraim, as I have seen, was like a young palm6 planted in a meadow; but Ephraim must lead his children out to slaughter.714 Give them, O LORD— what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts. 15 Every evil of theirs is in Gilgal; there I began to hate them. Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of my house. I will love them no more; all their princes are rebels. 16 Ephraim is stricken; their root is dried up; they shall bear no fruit. Even though they give birth, I will put their beloved children to death.17 My God will reject them because they have not listened to him; they shall be wanderers among the nations. Footnotes [1] 6:6 Septuagint mercy [2] 7:10 Or in his presence [3] 7:16 Or to the Most High [4] 8:5 Hebrew He has [5] 8:6 Or shall go up in flames [6] 9:13 Or like Tyre [7] 9:13 Hebrew to him who slaughters (ESV) New Testament: John 11:1–54 John 11:1–54 (Listen) The Death of Lazarus 11 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus1 was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 So Thomas, called the Twin,2 said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” I Am the Resurrection and the Life 17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles3 off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.4 Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” Jesus Weeps 28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved5 in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?” Jesus Raises Lazarus 38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these thi

December 17: Hosea 6–9; Psalm 137; 1 Peter 3–5

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2021 17:05

Old Testament: Hosea 6–9 Hosea 6–9 (Listen) Israel and Judah Are Unrepentant 6 “Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.3 Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” 4 What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away.5 Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light.6 For I desire steadfast love1 and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. 7 But like Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me.8 Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with blood.9 As robbers lie in wait for a man, so the priests band together; they murder on the way to Shechem; they commit villainy.10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; Ephraim's whoredom is there; Israel is defiled. 11 For you also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed. When I restore the fortunes of my people,7 when I would heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim is revealed, and the evil deeds of Samaria, for they deal falsely; the thief breaks in, and the bandits raid outside.2 But they do not consider that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face.3 By their evil they make the king glad, and the princes by their treachery.4 They are all adulterers; they are like a heated oven whose baker ceases to stir the fire, from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.5 On the day of our king, the princes became sick with the heat of wine; he stretched out his hand with mockers.6 For with hearts like an oven they approach their intrigue; all night their anger smolders; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.7 All of them are hot as an oven, and they devour their rulers. All their kings have fallen, and none of them calls upon me. 8 Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned.9 Strangers devour his strength, and he knows it not; gray hairs are sprinkled upon him, and he knows it not.10 The pride of Israel testifies to his face;2 yet they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him, for all this. 11 Ephraim is like a dove, silly and without sense, calling to Egypt, going to Assyria.12 As they go, I will spread over them my net; I will bring them down like birds of the heavens; I will discipline them according to the report made to their congregation.13 Woe to them, for they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me! I would redeem them, but they speak lies against me. 14 They do not cry to me from the heart, but they wail upon their beds; for grain and wine they gash themselves; they rebel against me.15 Although I trained and strengthened their arms, yet they devise evil against me.16 They return, but not upward;3 they are like a treacherous bow; their princes shall fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongue. This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt. Israel Will Reap the Whirlwind 8 Set the trumpet to your lips! One like a vulture is over the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant and rebelled against my law.2 To me they cry, “My God, we—Israel—know you.”3 Israel has spurned the good; the enemy shall pursue him. 4 They made kings, but not through me. They set up princes, but I knew it not. With their silver and gold they made idols for their own destruction.5 I have4 spurned your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence?6 For it is from Israel; a craftsman made it; it is not God. The calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces.5 7 For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it shall yield no flour; if it were to yield, strangers would devour it.8 Israel is swallowed up; already they are among the nations as a useless vessel.9 For they have gone up to Assyria, a wild donkey wandering alone; Ephraim has hired lovers.10 Though they hire allies among the nations, I will soon gather them up. And the king and princes shall soon writhe because of the tribute. 11 Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they have become to him altars for sinning.12 Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands, they would be regarded as a strange thing.13 As for my sacrificial offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the LORD does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins; they shall return to Egypt.14 For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces, and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; so I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour her strongholds. The Lord Will Punish Israel 9 Rejoice not, O Israel! Exult not like the peoples; for you have played the whore, forsaking your God. You have loved a prostitute's wages on all threshing floors.2 Threshing floor and wine vat shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail them.3 They shall not remain in the land of the LORD, but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean food in Assyria. 4 They shall not pour drink offerings of wine to the LORD, and their sacrifices shall not please him. It shall be like mourners' bread to them; all who eat of it shall be defiled; for their bread shall be for their hunger only; it shall not come to the house of the LORD. 5 What will you do on the day of the appointed festival, and on the day of the feast of the LORD?6 For behold, they are going away from destruction; but Egypt shall gather them; Memphis shall bury them. Nettles shall possess their precious things of silver; thorns shall be in their tents. 7 The days of punishment have come; the days of recompense have come; Israel shall know it. The prophet is a fool; the man of the spirit is mad, because of your great iniquity and great hatred.8 The prophet is the watchman of Ephraim with my God; yet a fowler's snare is on all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God.9 They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah: he will remember their iniquity; he will punish their sins. 10 Like grapes in the wilderness, I found Israel. Like the first fruit on the fig tree in its first season, I saw your fathers. But they came to Baal-peor and consecrated themselves to the thing of shame, and became detestable like the thing they loved.11 Ephraim's glory shall fly away like a bird— no birth, no pregnancy, no conception!12 Even if they bring up children, I will bereave them till none is left. Woe to them when I depart from them!13 Ephraim, as I have seen, was like a young palm6 planted in a meadow; but Ephraim must lead his children out to slaughter.714 Give them, O LORD— what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts. 15 Every evil of theirs is in Gilgal; there I began to hate them. Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of my house. I will love them no more; all their princes are rebels. 16 Ephraim is stricken; their root is dried up; they shall bear no fruit. Even though they give birth, I will put their beloved children to death.17 My God will reject them because they have not listened to him; they shall be wanderers among the nations. Footnotes [1] 6:6 Septuagint mercy [2] 7:10 Or in his presence [3] 7:16 Or to the Most High [4] 8:5 Hebrew He has [5] 8:6 Or shall go up in flames [6] 9:13 Or like Tyre [7] 9:13 Hebrew to him who slaughters (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 137 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) New Testament: 1 Peter 3–5 1 Peter 3–5 (Listen) Wives and Husbands 3 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. 7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you1 of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. Suffering for Righteousness' Sake 8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;11 let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Bible: Psalms 134-139

Flow State Reads

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2021 9:28

A reading of…The Holy BiblePsalm 134: Come, Bless the LordPsalm 135: Your Name, O Lord, Endures ForeverPsalm 136: His Steadfast Love Endures ForeverPsalm 137: How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song?Psalm 138: Give Thanks to the LordPsalm 139: Search Me, O God, and Know My HeartRead by Sir StoneMusic Playlist: BeatstrumentalsSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sir-reads/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

lord bible song psalm psalms bless give thanks o lord o god your name search me how shall we sing

November 27: Psalm 137; Psalm 144; Psalm 104; Micah 7:11–20; 1 Peter 4:7–19; Matthew 20:29–34

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2021 10:22

Proper 29 First Psalm: Psalm 137; Psalm 144 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Psalm 144 (Listen) My Rock and My Fortress Of David. 144 Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;2 he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples1 under me. 3 O LORD, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?4 Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. 5 Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke!6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them!7 Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of foreigners,8 whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,10 who gives victory to kings, who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 12 May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace;13 may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;14 may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;2 may there be no cry of distress in our streets!15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD! Footnotes [1] 144:2 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Dead Sea Scroll, Jerome, Syriac, Aquila; most Hebrew manuscripts subdues my people [2] 144:14 Hebrew with no breaking in or going out (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 104 Psalm 104 (Listen) O Lord My God, You Are Very Great 104 Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty,2 covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind;4 he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire. 5 He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved.6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.7 At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them.9 You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. 10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills;11 they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches.13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. 14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth15 and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart. 16 The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.17 In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees.18 The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers. 19 He made the moon to mark the seasons;1 the sun knows its time for setting.20 You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about.21 The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.22 When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens.23 Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening. 24 O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.25 Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great.26 There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.2 27 These all look to you, to give them their food in due season.28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.30 When you send forth your Spirit,3 they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. 31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works,32 who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke!33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 104:19 Or the appointed times (compare Genesis 1:14) [2] 104:26 Or you formed to play with [3] 104:30 Or breath (ESV) Old Testament: Micah 7:11–20 Micah 7:11–20 (Listen) 11 A day for the building of your walls! In that day the boundary shall be far extended.12 In that day they1 will come to you, from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt to the River,2 from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain.13 But the earth will be desolate because of its inhabitants, for the fruit of their deeds. 14 Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, who dwell alone in a forest in the midst of a garden land;3 let them graze in Bashan and Gilead as in the days of old.15 As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show them4 marvelous things.16 The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might; they shall lay their hands on their mouths; their ears shall be deaf;17 they shall lick the dust like a serpent, like the crawling things of the earth; they shall come trembling out of their strongholds; they shall turn in dread to the LORD our God, and they shall be in fear of you. God's Steadfast Love and Compassion 18 Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.19 He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our5 sins into the depths of the sea.20 You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old. Footnotes [1] 7:12 Hebrew he [2] 7:12 That is, the Euphrates [3] 7:14 Hebrew of Carmel [4] 7:15 Hebrew him [5] 7:19 Hebrew their (ESV) New Testament: 1 Peter 4:7–19 1 Peter 4:7–19 (Listen) 7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Suffering as a Christian 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory1 and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”2 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. Footnotes [1] 4:14 Some manuscripts insert and of power [2] 4:18 Greek where will the ungodly and sinner appear? (ESV) Gospel: Matthew 20:29–34 Matthew 20:29–34 (Listen) Jesus Heals Two Blind Men 29 And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. 30 And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord,1 have mercy on us, Son of David!” 31 The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 32 And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34 And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him. Footnotes [1] 20:30 Some manuscripts omit Lord (ESV)

god jesus christ lord spirit man song creator suffering psalm greek blessed compassion jerusalem praise touch rescue flash sing new testament babylon proper amen hebrew beloved bless lebanon stretch o lord lay 1 peter 4 o god my god matthew 20 leviathan bow esv gilead aquila assyria steadfast love dead sea scrolls euphrates psalm 104 psalm 137 bashan o jerusalem edomites gospel matthew syriac my rock how shall we sing many hebrew you are very great

November 7: 2 Kings 20; Hebrews 2; Psalms 137–138; Hosea 13

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2021 10:54

With family: 2 Kings 20; Hebrews 2 2 Kings 20 (Listen) Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery 20 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.'” 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, saying, 3 “Now, O LORD, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 And before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: 5 “Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD, 6 and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David's sake.” 7 And Isaiah said, “Bring a cake of figs. And let them take and lay it on the boil, that he may recover.” 8 And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the LORD on the third day?” 9 And Isaiah said, “This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he has promised: shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?” 10 And Hezekiah answered, “It is an easy thing for the shadow to lengthen ten steps. Rather let the shadow go back ten steps.” 11 And Isaiah the prophet called to the LORD, and he brought the shadow back ten steps, by which it had gone down on the steps of Ahaz. Hezekiah and the Babylonian Envoys 12 At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. 13 And Hezekiah welcomed them, and he showed them all his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. 14 Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say? And from where did they come to you?” And Hezekiah said, “They have come from a far country, from Babylon.” 15 He said, “What have they seen in your house?” And Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.” 16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD: 17 Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the LORD. 18 And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” 19 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?” 20 The rest of the deeds of Hezekiah and all his might and how he made the pool and the conduit and brought water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 21 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and Manasseh his son reigned in his place. (ESV) Hebrews 2 (Listen) Warning Against Neglecting Salvation 2 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. The Founder of Salvation 5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him?7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor,18 putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source.2 That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers,3 12 saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” 13 And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.” 14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Footnotes [1] 2:7 Some manuscripts insert and set him over the works of your hands [2] 2:11 Greek all are of one [3] 2:11 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters (ESV) In private: Psalms 137–138; Hosea 13 Psalms 137–138 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Give Thanks to the Lord Of David. 138 I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.23 On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.3 4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth,5 and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD.6 For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars [2] 138:2 Or you have exalted your word above all your name [3] 138:3 Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength (ESV) Hosea 13 (Listen) The Lord's Relentless Judgment on Israel 13 When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling; he was exalted in Israel, but he incurred guilt through Baal and died.2 And now they sin more and more, and make for themselves metal images, idols skillfully made of their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. It is said of them, “Those who offer human sacrifice kiss calves!”3 Therefore they shall be like the morning mist or like the dew that goes early away, like the chaff that swirls from the threshing floor or like smoke from a window. 4 But I am the LORD your God from the land of Egypt; you know no God but me, and besides me there is no savior.5 It was I who knew you in the wilderness, in the land of drought;6 but when they had grazed,1 they became full, they were filled, and their heart was lifted up; therefore they forgot me.7 So I am to them like a lion; like a leopard I will lurk beside the way.8 I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs; I will tear open their breast, and there I will devour them like a lion, as a wild beast would rip them open. 9 He destroys2 you, O Israel, for you are against me, against your helper.10 Where now is your king, to save you in all your cities? Where are all your rulers— those of whom you said, “Give me a king and princes”?11 I gave you a king in my anger, and I took him away in my wrath. 12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is kept in store.13 The pangs of childbirth come for him, but he is an unwise son, for at the right time he does not present himself at the opening of the womb. 14 I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol; I shall redeem them from Death.3 O Death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where is your sting? Compassion is hidden from my eyes. 15 Though he may flourish among his brothers, the east wind, the wind of the LORD, shall come, rising from the wilderness, and his fountain shall dry up; his spring shall be parched; it shall strip his treasury of every precious thing.16 4 Samaria shall bear her guilt, because she has rebelled against her God; they shall fall by the sword; their little ones shall be dashed in pieces, and their pregnant women ripped open. Footnotes [1] 13:6 Hebrew according to their pasture [2] 13:9 Or I will destroy [3] 13:14 Or Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol? Shall I redeem them from Death? [4] 13:16 Ch 14:1 in Hebrew (ESV)

October 9: Psalm 137; Psalm 144; Psalm 104; Jeremiah 35; 1 Corinthians 12:27–13:3; Matthew 9:35–10:4

ESV: Read through the Bible

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2021 11:53

Proper 22 First Psalm: Psalm 137; Psalm 144 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Psalm 144 (Listen) My Rock and My Fortress Of David. 144 Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;2 he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples1 under me. 3 O LORD, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?4 Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. 5 Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke!6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them!7 Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of foreigners,8 whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,10 who gives victory to kings, who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 12 May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace;13 may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;14 may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;2 may there be no cry of distress in our streets!15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD! Footnotes [1] 144:2 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Dead Sea Scroll, Jerome, Syriac, Aquila; most Hebrew manuscripts subdues my people [2] 144:14 Hebrew with no breaking in or going out (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 104 Psalm 104 (Listen) O Lord My God, You Are Very Great 104 Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty,2 covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind;4 he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire. 5 He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved.6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.7 At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them.9 You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. 10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills;11 they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches.13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. 14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth15 and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart. 16 The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.17 In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees.18 The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers. 19 He made the moon to mark the seasons;1 the sun knows its time for setting.20 You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about.21 The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.22 When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens.23 Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening. 24 O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.25 Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great.26 There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.2 27 These all look to you, to give them their food in due season.28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.30 When you send forth your Spirit,3 they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. 31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works,32 who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke!33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 104:19 Or the appointed times (compare Genesis 1:14) [2] 104:26 Or you formed to play with [3] 104:30 Or breath (ESV) Old Testament: Jeremiah 35 Jeremiah 35 (Listen) The Obedience of the Rechabites 35 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: 2 “Go to the house of the Rechabites and speak with them and bring them to the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers; then offer them wine to drink.” 3 So I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah and his brothers and all his sons and the whole house of the Rechabites. 4 I brought them to the house of the LORD into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the man of God, which was near the chamber of the officials, above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, keeper of the threshold. 5 Then I set before the Rechabites pitchers full of wine, and cups, and I said to them, “Drink wine.” 6 But they answered, “We will drink no wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, ‘You shall not drink wine, neither you nor your sons forever. 7 You shall not build a house; you shall not sow seed; you shall not plant or have a vineyard; but you shall live in tents all your days, that you may live many days in the land where you sojourn.' 8 We have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, to drink no wine all our days, ourselves, our wives, our sons, or our daughters, 9 and not to build houses to dwell in. We have no vineyard or field or seed, 10 but we have lived in tents and have obeyed and done all that Jonadab our father commanded us. 11 But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against the land, we said, ‘Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans and the army of the Syrians.' So we are living in Jerusalem.” 12 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 13 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Go and say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will you not receive instruction and listen to my words? declares the LORD. 14 The command that Jonadab the son of Rechab gave to his sons, to drink no wine, has been kept, and they drink none to this day, for they have obeyed their father's command. I have spoken to you persistently, but you have not listened to me. 15 I have sent to you all my servants the prophets, sending them persistently, saying, ‘Turn now every one of you from his evil way, and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to serve them, and then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to you and your fathers.' But you did not incline your ear or listen to me. 16 The sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have kept the command that their father gave them, but this people has not obeyed me. 17 Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing upon Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the disaster that I have pronounced against them, because I have spoken to them and they have not listened, I have called to them and they have not answered.” 18 But to the house of the Rechabites Jeremiah said, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father and kept all his precepts and done all that he commanded you, 19 therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Jonadab the son of Rechab shall never lack a man to stand before me.” (ESV) New Testament: 1 Corinthians 12:27–13:3 1 Corinthians 12:27–13:3 (Listen) 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. The Way of Love 13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,1 but have not love, I gain nothing. Footnotes [1] 13:3 Some manuscripts deliver up my body [to death] that I may boast (ESV) Gospel: Matthew 9:35–10:4 Matthew 9:35–10:4 (Listen) The Harvest Is Plentiful, the Laborers Few 35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” The Twelve Apostles 10 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;1 4 Simon the Zealot,2 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. Footnotes [1] 10:3 Some manuscripts Lebbaeus, or Lebbaeus called Thaddaeus [2] 10:4 Greek kananaios, meaning zealot (ESV)

god love jesus christ lord israel spirit man song psalm greek blessed corinthians jerusalem praise drink touch rescue flash obedience sing new testament babylon proper hebrew bless lebanon stretch o lord lay matthew 9 o god 1 corinthians 12 my god leviathan bow esv nebuchadnezzar aquila judas iscariot bartholomew zealots zebedee dead sea scrolls syrians psalm 104 chaldeans hanan psalm 137 twelve apostles o jerusalem alphaeus edomites gospel matthew jehoiakim thaddaeus syriac jonadab my rock israel go old testament jeremiah israel behold how shall we sing israel because many hebrew you are very great rechabites jeremiah

September 28: Psalms 133–139

ESV: Chronological

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2021 23:06

Psalms 133–139 Psalms 133–139 (Listen) When Brothers Dwell in Unity A Song of Ascents. Of David. 133 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!12 It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!3 It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore. Come, Bless the Lord A Song of Ascents. 134 Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD!2 Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the LORD! 3 May the LORD bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth! Your Name, O Lord, Endures Forever 135 Praise the LORD! Praise the name of the LORD, give praise, O servants of the LORD,2 who stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God!3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing to his name, for it is pleasant!24 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel as his own possession. 5 For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.6 Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.7 He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses. 8 He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and of beast;9 who in your midst, O Egypt, sent signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants;10 who struck down many nations and killed mighty kings,11 Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan,12 and gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to his people Israel. 13 Your name, O LORD, endures forever, your renown,3 O LORD, throughout all ages.14 For the LORD will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants. 15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands.16 They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see;17 they have ears, but do not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouths.18 Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them. 19 O house of Israel, bless the LORD! O house of Aaron, bless the LORD!20 O house of Levi, bless the LORD! You who fear the LORD, bless the LORD!21 Blessed be the LORD from Zion, he who dwells in Jerusalem! Praise the LORD! His Steadfast Love Endures Forever 136 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.2 Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; 4 to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever;5 to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever;6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever;7 to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever;8 the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever;9 the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever; 10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever;11 and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever;12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever;13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever;14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever;15 but overthrew4 Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever;16 to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever; 17 to him who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;18 and killed mighty kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;19 Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever;20 and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever;21 and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever;22 a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever. 23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever;24 and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever;25 he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever. 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows5 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Give Thanks to the Lord Of David. 138 I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.63 On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.7 4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth,5 and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD.6 For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 139 O LORD, you have searched me and known me!2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.3 You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. 7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,”12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. 13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.8 Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. 17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. 19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me!20 They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain.921 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?22 I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!1024 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!11 Footnotes [1] 133:1 Or dwell together [2] 135:3 Or for he is beautiful [3] 135:13 Or remembrance [4] 136:15 Hebrew shook off [5] 137:2 Or poplars [6] 138:2 Or you have exalted your word above all your name [7] 138:3 Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength [8] 139:14 Or for I am fearfully set apart [9] 139:20 Hebrew lacks your name [10] 139:23 Or cares [11] 139:24 Or in the ancient way (compare Jeremiah 6:16) (ESV)

August 28: Psalms 136–138; 1 Corinthians 9

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2021 8:52

Morning: Psalms 136–138 Psalms 136–138 (Listen) His Steadfast Love Endures Forever 136 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.2 Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; 4 to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever;5 to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever;6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever;7 to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever;8 the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever;9 the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever; 10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever;11 and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever;12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever;13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever;14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever;15 but overthrew1 Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever;16 to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever; 17 to him who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;18 and killed mighty kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;19 Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever;20 and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever;21 and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever;22 a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever. 23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever;24 and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever;25 he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever. 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows2 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Give Thanks to the Lord Of David. 138 I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.33 On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.4 4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth,5 and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD.6 For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. Footnotes [1] 136:15 Hebrew shook off [2] 137:2 Or poplars [3] 138:2 Or you have exalted your word above all your name [4] 138:3 Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength (ESV) Evening: 1 Corinthians 9 1 Corinthians 9 (Listen) Paul Surrenders His Rights 9 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? 2 If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. 3 This is my defense to those who would examine me. 4 Do we not have the right to eat and drink? 5 Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife,1 as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? 6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? 7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? 8 Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? 10 Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. 11 If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12 If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. 13 Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? 14 In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. 15 But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. 16 For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. 18 What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel. 19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. 24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control,2 lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. Footnotes [1] 9:5 Greek a sister as wife [2] 9:27 Greek I pummel my body and make it a slave (ESV)

August 21: Psalm 137; Psalm 144; Psalm 104; 2 Samuel 23:1–7; 2 Samuel 23:13–17; Acts 25:13–27; Mark 13:1–13

ESV: Straight through the Bible

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2021 12:19

Proper 15 First Psalm: Psalm 137; Psalm 144 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Psalm 144 (Listen) My Rock and My Fortress Of David. 144 Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;2 he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples1 under me. 3 O LORD, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?4 Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. 5 Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke!6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them!7 Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of foreigners,8 whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,10 who gives victory to kings, who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 12 May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace;13 may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;14 may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;2 may there be no cry of distress in our streets!15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD! Footnotes [1] 144:2 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Dead Sea Scroll, Jerome, Syriac, Aquila; most Hebrew manuscripts subdues my people [2] 144:14 Hebrew with no breaking in or going out (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 104 Psalm 104 (Listen) O Lord My God, You Are Very Great 104 Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty,2 covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind;4 he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire. 5 He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved.6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.7 At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them.9 You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. 10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills;11 they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches.13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. 14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth15 and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart. 16 The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.17 In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees.18 The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers. 19 He made the moon to mark the seasons;1 the sun knows its time for setting.20 You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about.21 The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.22 When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens.23 Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening. 24 O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.25 Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great.26 There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.2 27 These all look to you, to give them their food in due season.28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.30 When you send forth your Spirit,3 they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. 31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works,32 who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke!33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 104:19 Or the appointed times (compare Genesis 1:14) [2] 104:26 Or you formed to play with [3] 104:30 Or breath (ESV) Old Testament: 2 Samuel 23:1–7; 2 Samuel 23:13–17 2 Samuel 23:1–7 (Listen) The Last Words of David 23 Now these are the last words of David: The oracle of David, the son of Jesse, the oracle of the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel:1 2 “The Spirit of the LORD speaks by me; his word is on my tongue.3 The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has said to me: When one rules justly over men, ruling in the fear of God,4 he dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain2 that makes grass to sprout from the earth. 5 “For does not my house stand so with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. For will he not cause to prosper all my help and my desire?6 But worthless men3 are all like thorns that are thrown away, for they cannot be taken with the hand;7 but the man who touches them arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they are utterly consumed with fire.”4 Footnotes [1] 23:1 Or the favorite of the songs of Israel [2] 23:4 Hebrew from rain [3] 23:6 Hebrew worthlessness [4] 23:7 Hebrew consumed with fire in the sitting (ESV) 2 Samuel 23:13–17 (Listen) 13 And three of the thirty chief men went down and came about harvest time to David at the cave of Adullam, when a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. 15 And David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” 16 Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it. He poured it out to the LORD 17 and said, “Far be it from me, O LORD, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did. (ESV) New Testament: Acts 25:13–27 Acts 25:13–27 (Listen) Paul Before Agrippa and Bernice 13 Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. 14 And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, “There is a man left prisoner by Felix, 15 and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid out their case against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16 I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone before the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him. 17 So when they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought. 18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed. 19 Rather they had certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. 20 Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. 21 But when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of the emperor, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar.” 22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” said he, “you will hear him.” 23 So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But I found that he had done nothing deserving death. And as he himself appealed to the emperor, I decided to go ahead and send him. 26 But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that, after we have examined him, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him.” (ESV) Gospel: Mark 13:1–13 Mark 13:1–13 (Listen) Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple 13 And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” 2 And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” Signs of the End of the Age 3 And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” 5 And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. 6 Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!' and they will lead many astray. 7 And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains. 9 “But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. 10 And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. 11 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12 And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (ESV)

July 10: Psalms 133–139

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2021 10:25

Psalms 133–139 Psalms 133–139 (Listen) When Brothers Dwell in Unity A Song of Ascents. Of David. 133 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!12 It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!3 It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore. Come, Bless the Lord A Song of Ascents. 134 Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD!2 Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the LORD! 3 May the LORD bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth! Your Name, O Lord, Endures Forever 135 Praise the LORD! Praise the name of the LORD, give praise, O servants of the LORD,2 who stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God!3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing to his name, for it is pleasant!24 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel as his own possession. 5 For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.6 Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.7 He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses. 8 He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and of beast;9 who in your midst, O Egypt, sent signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants;10 who struck down many nations and killed mighty kings,11 Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan,12 and gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to his people Israel. 13 Your name, O LORD, endures forever, your renown,3 O LORD, throughout all ages.14 For the LORD will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants. 15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands.16 They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see;17 they have ears, but do not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouths.18 Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them. 19 O house of Israel, bless the LORD! O house of Aaron, bless the LORD!20 O house of Levi, bless the LORD! You who fear the LORD, bless the LORD!21 Blessed be the LORD from Zion, he who dwells in Jerusalem! Praise the LORD! His Steadfast Love Endures Forever 136 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.2 Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; 4 to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever;5 to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever;6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever;7 to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever;8 the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever;9 the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever; 10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever;11 and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever;12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever;13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever;14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever;15 but overthrew4 Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever;16 to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever; 17 to him who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;18 and killed mighty kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;19 Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever;20 and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever;21 and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever;22 a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever. 23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever;24 and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever;25 he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever. 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows5 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Give Thanks to the Lord Of David. 138 I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.63 On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.7 4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth,5 and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD.6 For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 139 O LORD, you have searched me and known me!2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.3 You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. 7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,”12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. 13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.8 Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. 17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. 19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me!20 They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain.921 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?22 I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!1024 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!11 Footnotes [1] 133:1 Or dwell together [2] 135:3 Or for he is beautiful [3] 135:13 Or remembrance [4] 136:15 Hebrew shook off [5] 137:2 Or poplars [6] 138:2 Or you have exalted your word above all your name [7] 138:3 Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength [8] 139:14 Or for I am fearfully set apart [9] 139:20 Hebrew lacks your name [10] 139:23 Or cares [11] 139:24 Or in the ancient way (compare Jeremiah 6:16) (ESV)

July 5: Joshua 7; Psalms 137–138; Jeremiah 1; Matthew 15

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2021 14:19

With family: Joshua 7; Psalms 137–138 Joshua 7 (Listen) Israel Defeated at Ai 7 But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the LORD burned against the people of Israel. 2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” And the men went up and spied out Ai. 3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not have all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not make the whole people toil up there, for they are few.” 4 So about three thousand men went up there from the people. And they fled before the men of Ai, 5 and the men of Ai killed about thirty-six of their men and chased them before the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them at the descent. And the hearts of the people melted and became as water. 6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the LORD until the evening, he and the elders of Israel. And they put dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, O Lord GOD, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to give us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would that we had been content to dwell beyond the Jordan! 8 O Lord, what can I say, when Israel has turned their backs before their enemies! 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it and will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will you do for your great name?” The Sin of Achan 10 The LORD said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. 12 Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction.1 I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you. 13 Get up! Consecrate the people and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the LORD, God of Israel, “There are devoted things in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted things from among you.” 14 In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. And the tribe that the LORD takes by lot shall come near by clans. And the clan that the LORD takes shall come near by households. And the household that the LORD takes shall come near man by man. 15 And he who is taken with the devoted things shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he has done an outrageous thing in Israel.'” 16 So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel near tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was taken. 17 And he brought near the clans of Judah, and the clan of the Zerahites was taken. And he brought near the clan of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was taken. 18 And he brought near his household man by man, and Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. 19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD God of Israel and give praise2 to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” 20 And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I did: 21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels,3 then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.” 22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden in his tent with the silver underneath. 23 And they took them out of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the people of Israel. And they laid them down before the LORD. 24 And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver and the cloak and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, “Why did you bring trouble on us? The LORD brings trouble on you today.” And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones. 26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor.4 Footnotes [1] 7:12 That is, set apart (devoted) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction) [2] 7:19 Or and make confession [3] 7:21 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams [4] 7:26 Achor means trouble (ESV) Psalms 137–138 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Give Thanks to the Lord Of David. 138 I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.23 On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.3 4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth,5 and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD.6 For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars [2] 138:2 Or you have exalted your word above all your name [3] 138:3 Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength (ESV) In private: Jeremiah 1; Matthew 15 Jeremiah 1 (Listen) 1 The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, 2 to whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. 3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month. The Call of Jeremiah 4 Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” 6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” 7 But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth'; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD.” 9 Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the LORD said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.10 See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” 11 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see an almond1 branch.” 12 Then the LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.” 13 The word of the LORD came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot, facing away from the north.” 14 Then the LORD said to me, “Out of the north disaster2 shall be let loose upon all the inhabitants of the land. 15 For behold, I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, declares the LORD, and they shall come, and every one shall set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its walls all around and against all the cities of Judah. 16 And I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil in forsaking me. They have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands. 17 But you, dress yourself for work;3 arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. 18 And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the LORD, to deliver you.” Footnotes [1] 1:11 Almond sounds like the Hebrew for watching (compare verse 12) [2] 1:14 The Hebrew word can mean evil, harm, or disaster, depending on the context; so throughout Jeremiah [3] 1:17 Hebrew gird up your loins (ESV) Matthew 15 (Listen) Traditions and Commandments 15 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” 3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,' and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.' 5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,”1 6 he need not honor his father.' So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word2 of God. 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: 8 “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'” What Defiles a Person 10 And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” 12 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides.3 And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15 But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” 16 And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled?4 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.” The Faith of a Canaanite Woman 21 And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.5 Jesus Heals Many 29 Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain and sat down there. 30 And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, 31 so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel. Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand 32 Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” 33 And the disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?” 34 And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” 35 And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36 he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 37 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 38 Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 And after sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan. Footnotes [1] 15:5 Or is an offering [2] 15:6 Some manuscripts law [3] 15:14 Some manuscripts add of the blind [4] 15:17 Greek is expelled into the latrine [5] 15:28 Greek from that hour (ESV)

July 3: Psalm 137; Psalm 144; Psalm 104; 1 Samuel 14:16–30; Acts 9:10–19; Luke 23:32–43

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2021 11:41

Proper 8 First Psalm: Psalm 137; Psalm 144 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Psalm 144 (Listen) My Rock and My Fortress Of David. 144 Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;2 he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples1 under me. 3 O LORD, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?4 Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. 5 Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke!6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them!7 Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of foreigners,8 whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,10 who gives victory to kings, who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 12 May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace;13 may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;14 may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;2 may there be no cry of distress in our streets!15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD! Footnotes [1] 144:2 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Dead Sea Scroll, Jerome, Syriac, Aquila; most Hebrew manuscripts subdues my people [2] 144:14 Hebrew with no breaking in or going out (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 104 Psalm 104 (Listen) O Lord My God, You Are Very Great 104 Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty,2 covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind;4 he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire. 5 He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved.6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.7 At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them.9 You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. 10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills;11 they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches.13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. 14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth15 and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart. 16 The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.17 In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees.18 The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers. 19 He made the moon to mark the seasons;1 the sun knows its time for setting.20 You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about.21 The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.22 When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens.23 Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening. 24 O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.25 Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great.26 There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.2 27 These all look to you, to give them their food in due season.28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.30 When you send forth your Spirit,3 they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. 31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works,32 who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke!33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 104:19 Or the appointed times (compare Genesis 1:14) [2] 104:26 Or you formed to play with [3] 104:30 Or breath (ESV) Old Testament: 1 Samuel 14:16–30 1 Samuel 14:16–30 (Listen) 16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude was dispersing here and there.1 17 Then Saul said to the people who were with him, “Count and see who has gone from us.” And when they had counted, behold, Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there. 18 So Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God here.” For the ark of God went at that time with the people2 of Israel. 19 Now while Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the camp of the Philistines increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.” 20 Then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and went into the battle. And behold, every Philistine's sword was against his fellow, and there was very great confusion. 21 Now the Hebrews who had been with the Philistines before that time and who had gone up with them into the camp, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 Likewise, when all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they too followed hard after them in the battle. 23 So the LORD saved Israel that day. And the battle passed beyond Beth-aven. Saul's Rash Vow 24 And the men of Israel had been hard pressed that day, so Saul had laid an oath on the people, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies.” So none of the people had tasted food. 25 Now when all the people3 came to the forest, behold, there was honey on the ground. 26 And when the people entered the forest, behold, the honey was dropping, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath, so he put out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes became bright. 28 Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food this day.'” And the people were faint. 29 Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. See how my eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies that they found. For now the defeat among the Philistines has not been great.” Footnotes [1] 14:16 Septuagint; Hebrew they went here and there [2] 14:18 Hebrew; Septuagint “Bring the ephod.” For at that time he wore the ephod before the people [3] 14:25 Hebrew land (ESV) New Testament: Acts 9:10–19 Acts 9:10–19 (Listen) 10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19 and taking food, he was strengthened. Saul Proclaims Jesus in Synagogues For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. (ESV) Gospel: Luke 23:32–43 Luke 23:32–43 (Listen) 32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”1 And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35 And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him,2 “This is the King of the Jews.” 39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him,3 saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Footnotes [1] 23:34 Some manuscripts omit the sentence And Jesus . . . what they do [2] 23:38 Some manuscripts add in letters of Greek and Latin and Hebrew [3] 23:39 Or blasphemed him (ESV)

June 18: 2 Kings 1–2; Psalm 137; 1 Peter 3–5

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2021 17:03

Old Testament: 2 Kings 1–2 2 Kings 1–2 (Listen) Elijah Denounces Ahaziah 1 After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. 2 Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria, and lay sick; so he sent messengers, telling them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.” 3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? 4 Now therefore thus says the LORD, You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'” So Elijah went. 5 The messengers returned to the king, and he said to them, “Why have you returned?” 6 And they said to him, “There came a man to meet us, and said to us, ‘Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him, Thus says the LORD, Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'” 7 He said to them, “What kind of man was he who came to meet you and told you these things?” 8 They answered him, “He wore a garment of hair, with a belt of leather about his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.” 9 Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty men with his fifty. He went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, “O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.'” 10 But Elijah answered the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. 11 Again the king sent to him another captain of fifty men with his fifty. And he answered and said to him, “O man of God, this is the king's order, ‘Come down quickly!'” 12 But Elijah answered them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. 13 Again the king sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up and came and fell on his knees before Elijah and entreated him, “O man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty servants of yours, be precious in your sight. 14 Behold, fire came down from heaven and consumed the two former captains of fifty men with their fifties, but now let my life be precious in your sight.” 15 Then the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So he arose and went down with him to the king 16 and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron—is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word?—therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'” 17 So he died according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken. Jehoram became king in his place in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, because Ahaziah had no son. 18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? Elijah Taken to Heaven 2 Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he said, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” 4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” 6 Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground. 9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. Elisha Succeeds Elijah 15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16 And they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Please let them go and seek your master. It may be that the Spirit of the LORD has caught him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.” 17 But when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men. And for three days they sought him but did not find him. 18 And they came back to him while he was staying at Jericho, and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go'?” 19 Now the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees, but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful.” 20 He said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, “Thus says the LORD, I have healed this water; from now on neither death nor miscarriage shall come from it.” 22 So the water has been healed to this day, according to the word that Elisha spoke. 23 He went up from there to Bethel, and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” 24 And he turned around, and when he saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. And two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys. 25 From there he went on to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria. (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 137 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) New Testament: 1 Peter 3–5 1 Peter 3–5 (Listen) Wives and Husbands 3 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. 7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you1 of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. Suffering for Righteousness' Sake 8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;11 let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered2 once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which3 he went and proclaimed4 to the spirits in prison, 20 because5 they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. Stewards of God's Grace 4 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh,6 arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. 3 For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. 4 With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; 5 but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does. 7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Suffering as a Christian 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory7 and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”8 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. Shepherd the Flock of God 5 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight,9 not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you;10 not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Final Greetings 12 By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. 13 She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son. 14 Greet one another with the kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. Footnotes [1] 3:7 Some manuscripts since you are joint heirs [2] 3:18 Some manuscripts died [3] 3:19 Or the Spirit, in whom [4] 3:19 Or preached [5] 3:20 Or when [6] 4:1 Some manuscripts add for us; some for you [7] 4:14 Some manuscripts insert and of power [8] 4:18 Greek where will the ungodly and sinner appear? [9] 5:2 Some manuscripts omit exercising oversight [10] 5:2 Some manuscripts omit as God would have you (ESV)

June 18: 2 Kings 1–2; Romans 9:1–29; Psalm 137; Proverbs 17:22

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2021 13:13

Old Testament: 2 Kings 1–2 2 Kings 1–2 (Listen) Elijah Denounces Ahaziah 1 After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. 2 Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria, and lay sick; so he sent messengers, telling them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.” 3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? 4 Now therefore thus says the LORD, You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'” So Elijah went. 5 The messengers returned to the king, and he said to them, “Why have you returned?” 6 And they said to him, “There came a man to meet us, and said to us, ‘Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him, Thus says the LORD, Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'” 7 He said to them, “What kind of man was he who came to meet you and told you these things?” 8 They answered him, “He wore a garment of hair, with a belt of leather about his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.” 9 Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty men with his fifty. He went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, “O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.'” 10 But Elijah answered the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. 11 Again the king sent to him another captain of fifty men with his fifty. And he answered and said to him, “O man of God, this is the king's order, ‘Come down quickly!'” 12 But Elijah answered them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. 13 Again the king sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up and came and fell on his knees before Elijah and entreated him, “O man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty servants of yours, be precious in your sight. 14 Behold, fire came down from heaven and consumed the two former captains of fifty men with their fifties, but now let my life be precious in your sight.” 15 Then the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So he arose and went down with him to the king 16 and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron—is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word?—therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'” 17 So he died according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken. Jehoram became king in his place in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, because Ahaziah had no son. 18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? Elijah Taken to Heaven 2 Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he said, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” 4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” 6 Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground. 9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. Elisha Succeeds Elijah 15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16 And they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Please let them go and seek your master. It may be that the Spirit of the LORD has caught him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.” 17 But when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men. And for three days they sought him but did not find him. 18 And they came back to him while he was staying at Jericho, and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go'?” 19 Now the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees, but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful.” 20 He said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, “Thus says the LORD, I have healed this water; from now on neither death nor miscarriage shall come from it.” 22 So the water has been healed to this day, according to the word that Elisha spoke. 23 He went up from there to Bethel, and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” 24 And he turned around, and when he saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. And two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys. 25 From there he went on to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria. (ESV) New Testament: Romans 9:1–29 Romans 9:1–29 (Listen) God's Sovereign Choice 9 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers,1 my kinsmen according to the flesh. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. 6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. 9 For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” 10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—12 she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” 14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion,2 but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. 19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 25 As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,' and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.'”26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,' there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.'” 27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel3 be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, 28 for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” 29 And as Isaiah predicted, “If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah.” Footnotes [1] 9:3 Or brothers and sisters [2] 9:16 Greek not of him who wills or runs [3] 9:27 Or children of Israel (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 137 Psalm 137 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows1 there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! 7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars (ESV) Proverb: Proverbs 17:22 Proverbs 17:22 (Listen) 22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. (ESV)

May 18: Psalm 137; Numbers 20–21; Isaiah 58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11