Genesis 1:1 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
APRIL
23
PSALMS:
23, 53, 83, 113, 143
PROVERBS:
23
OLD
TESTAMENT:
1 CHRONICLES 15:1 - 16:36
NEW
TESTAMENT:
ROMANS 1:18 - 32
PSALMS:
23
A
psalm of David.
1
The
LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2
He
makes me lie down in green pastures,
he
leads me beside quiet waters,
3
he
restores my soul.
He
guides me in paths of righteousness
for
his name's sake.
4
Even
though I walk
through
the valley of the shadow of death, A
I
will fear no evil,
for
you are with me;
your
rod and your staff,
they
comfort me.
5
You
prepare a table before me
in
the presence of my enemies.
You
anoint my head with oil;
my
cup overflows.
6
Surely
goodness and love will follow me
all
the days of my life,
and
I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
1 [1]
PSALMS:
53
For
the director of music. According to mahalath.
A
A maskil
B
of David.
1
The
fool says in his heart,
"There
is no God."
They
are corrupt, and their ways are vile;
there
is no one who does good.
2
God
looks down from heaven
on
the sons of men
to
see if there are any who understand,
any
who seek God.
3
Everyone
has turned away,
they
have together become corrupt;
there
is no one who does good,
not
even one.
4
Will
the evildoers never learn--
those
who devour my people as men eat bread
and
who do not call on God?
5
There
they were, overwhelmed with dread,
where
there was nothing to dread.
God
scattered the bones of those who attacked you;
you
put them to shame, for God despised them.
6
Oh,
that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When
God restores the fortunes of his people,
let
Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad! 2 [2]
PSALMS:
83
A
song. A psalm of Asaph.
1
O
God, do not keep silent;
be
not quiet, O God, be not still.
2
See
how your enemies are astir,
how
your foes rear their heads.
3
With
cunning they conspire against your people;
they
plot against those you cherish.
4
"Come,"
they say, "let us destroy them as a nation,
that
the name of Israel be remembered no more."
5
With
one mind they plot together;
they
form an alliance against you--
6
the
tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
of
Moab and the Hagrites,
7
Gebal,
A
Ammon and Amalek,
Philistia,
with the people of Tyre.
8
Even
Assyria has joined them
to
lend strength to the descendants of Lot.
Selah
9
Do
to them as you did to Midian,
as
you did to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon,
10
who
perished at Endor
and
became like refuse on the ground.
11
Make
their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
all
their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12
who
said, "Let us take possession
of
the pasturelands of God." 3[3]
13
Make
them like tumbleweed, O my God,
like
chaff before the wind.
14
As
fire consumes the forest
or
a flame sets the mountains ablaze,
15
so
pursue them with your tempest
and
terrify them with your storm.
16
Cover
their faces with shame
so
that men will seek your name, O LORD.
17
May
they ever be ashamed and dismayed;
may
they perish in disgrace.
18
Let
them know that you, whose name is the LORD--
that
you alone are the Most High over all the earth. 4[4]
PSALMS:
113
1
Praise
the LORD. A
Praise,
O servants of the LORD,
praise
the name of the LORD.
2
Let
the name of the LORD be praised,
both
now and forevermore.
3
From
the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
the
name of the LORD is to be praised.
4
The
LORD is exalted over all the nations,
his
glory above the heavens.
5
Who
is like the LORD our God,
the
One who sits enthroned on high,
6
who
stoops down to look
on
the heavens and the earth?
7
He
raises the poor from the dust
and
lifts the needy from the ash heap;
8
he
seats them with princes,
with
the princes of their people.
9
He
settles the barren woman in her home
as
a happy mother of children.
Praise
the LORD. 5[5]
PSALMS:
143
A
psalm of David.
1
O
LORD, hear my prayer,
listen
to my cry for mercy;
in
your faithfulness and righteousness
come
to my relief.
2
Do
not bring your servant into judgment,
for
no one living is righteous before you.
3
The
enemy pursues me,
he
crushes me to the ground;
he
makes me dwell in darkness
like
those long dead.
4
So
my spirit grows faint within me;
my
heart within me is dismayed.
5
I
remember the days of long ago;
I
meditate on all your works
and
consider what your hands have done.
6
I
spread out my hands to you;
my
soul thirsts for you like a parched land.
Selah
7
Answer
me quickly, O LORD;
my
spirit fails.
Do
not hide your face from me
or
I will be like those who go down to the pit.
8
Let
the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for
I have put my trust in you.
Show
me the way I should go,
for
to you I lift up my soul.
for
I hide myself in you.
10
Teach
me to do your will,
for
you are my God;
may
your good Spirit
lead
me on level ground.
11
For
your name's sake, O LORD, preserve my life;
in
your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.
12
In
your unfailing love, silence my enemies;
destroy
all my foes,
for
I am your servant. 7[7]
PROVERBS:
23
23
1
When you sit to dine with a ruler,
note
well what A
is before you,
2
and
put a knife to your throat
if
you are given to gluttony.
3
Do
not crave his delicacies,
for
that food is deceptive.
4
Do
not wear yourself out to get rich;
have
the wisdom to show restraint.
5
Cast
but a glance at riches, and they are gone,
for
they will surely sprout wings
and
fly off to the sky like an eagle.
6
Do
not eat the food of a stingy man,
do
not crave his delicacies;
7
for
he is the kind of man
who
is always thinking about the cost. B
"Eat
and drink," he says to you,
but
his heart is not with you.
8
You
will vomit up the little you have eaten
and
will have wasted your compliments.
9
Do
not speak to a fool,
for
he will scorn the wisdom of your words.
10
Do
not move an ancient boundary stone
or
encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11
for
their Defender is strong;
he
will take up their case against you.
12
Apply
your heart to instruction
and
your ears to words of knowledge. 8[8]
13
Do
not withhold discipline from a child;
if
you punish him with the rod, he will not die.
14
Punish
him with the rod
and
save his soul from death. C
15
My
son, if your heart is wise,
then
my heart will be glad;
16
my
inmost being will rejoice
when
your lips speak what is right.
17
Do
not let your heart envy sinners,
but
always be zealous for the fear of the LORD.
18
There
is surely a future hope for you,
and
your hope will not be cut off.
19
Listen,
my son, and be wise,
and
keep your heart on the right path.
20
Do
not join those who drink too much wine
or
gorge themselves on meat,
21
for
drunkards and gluttons become poor,
and
drowsiness clothes them in rags.
22
Listen
to your father, who gave you life,
and
do not despise your mother when she is old.
23
Buy
the truth and do not sell it;
get
wisdom, discipline and understanding.
24
The
father of a righteous man has great joy;
he
who has a wise son delights in him.
25
May
your father and mother be glad;
may
she who gave you birth rejoice! 9[9]
26
My
son, give me your heart
and
let your eyes keep to my ways,
27
for
a prostitute is a deep pit
and
a wayward wife is a narrow well.
28
Like
a bandit she lies in wait,
and
multiplies the unfaithful among men.
29
Who
has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who
has strife? Who has complaints?
Who
has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30
Those
who linger over wine,
who
go to sample bowls of mixed wine.
31
Do
not gaze at wine when it is red,
when
it sparkles in the cup,
when
it goes down smoothly!
32
In
the end it bites like a snake
and
poisons like a viper.
33
Your
eyes will see strange sights
and
your mind imagine confusing things.
34
You
will be like one sleeping on the high seas,
lying
on top of the rigging. 10[10]
OLD
TESTAMENT:
1 CHRONICLES 15:1 - 16:36
15
1
After
David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he
prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. 2
Then
David said, "No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God,
because the LORD chose them to carry the ark of the LORD and to
minister before him forever."
3
David
assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the LORD to
the place he had prepared for it. 4
He
called together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:
5
From
the descendants of Kohath,
Uriel
the leader and 120 relatives;
6
from
the descendants of Merari,
Asaiah
the leader and 220 relatives;
7
from
the descendants of Gershon, A
Joel
the leader and 130 relatives;
8
from
the descendants of Elizaphan,
Shemaiah
the leader and 200 relatives;
9
from
the descendants of Hebron,
Eliel
the leader and 80 relatives;
10
from
the descendants of Uzziel,
Amminadab
the leader and 112 relatives.
11
Then
David summoned Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and Uriel, Asaiah,
Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab the Levites. 12
He
said to them, "You are the heads of the Levitical families; you
and your fellow Levites are to consecrate yourselves and bring up the
ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared
11[11]
for
it. 13
It
was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that
the LORD our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of
him about how to do it in the prescribed way." 14
So
the priests and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up
the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel. 15
And
the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders,
as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the LORD.
16
David
told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers
to sing joyful songs, accompanied by musical instruments: lyres,
harps and cymbals.
17
So
the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; from his brothers, Asaph son
of Berekiah; and from their brothers the Merarites, Ethan son of
Kushaiah; 18
and
with them their brothers next in rank: Zechariah, B
Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah,
Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel, C
the gatekeepers.
19
The
musicians Heman, Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals;
20
Zechariah,
Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were to
play the lyres according to alamoth,
D
21
and
Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were
to play the harps, directing according to sheminith.
E
22
Kenaniah
the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his
responsibility because he was skillful at it.
23
Berekiah
and Elkanah were to be doorkeepers for the ark. 24
Shebaniah,
Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer the
priests were to blow trumpets before the ark of God. 12[12]
Obed-Edom
and Jehiah were also to be doorkeepers for the ark.
25
So
David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of units of a
thousand went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from
the house of Obed-Edom, with rejoicing. 26
Because
God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant
of the LORD, seven bulls and seven rams were sacrificed. 27
Now
David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites
who were carrying the ark, and as were the singers, and Kenaniah, who
was in charge of the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen
ephod.
28
So
all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with
shouts, with the sounding of rams' horns and trumpets, and of
cymbals, and the playing of lyres and harps.
29
As
the ark of the covenant of the LORD was entering the City of David,
Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King
David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.
16
1
They
brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had
pitched for it, and they presented burnt offerings and fellowship
offerings A
before God. 2
After
David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship
offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD. 3
Then
he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to
each Israelite man and woman.
4
He
appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD,
to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD, 13[13]
the God of Israel: 5
Asaph
was the chief, Zechariah second, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel,
Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They were to play
the lyres and harps, Asaph was to sound the cymbals,
6
and
Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow the trumpets regularly
before the ark of the covenant of God.
7
That
day David first committed to Asaph and his associates this psalm of
thanks to the LORD:
8
Give
thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make
known among the nations what he has done.
9
Sing
to him, sing praise to him;
tell
of all his wonderful acts.
10
Glory
in his holy name;
let
the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
11
Look
to the LORD and his strength;
seek
his face always.
12
Remember
the wonders he has done,
his
miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,
13
O
descendants of Israel his servant,
O
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones.
14
He
is the LORD our God;
his
judgments are in all the earth.
15
He
remembers B
his covenant forever,
the
word he commanded, for a thousand generations,
the
oath he swore to Isaac.
17
He
confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
to
Israel as an everlasting covenant:
18
"To
you I will give the land of Canaan
as
the portion you will inherit."
19
When
they were but few in number,
few
indeed, and strangers in it,
20
they
C
wandered from nation to nation,
from
one kingdom to another.
21
He
allowed no man to oppress them;
for
their sake he rebuked kings:
22
"Do
not touch my anointed ones;
do
my prophets no harm."
23
Sing
to the LORD, all the earth;
proclaim
his salvation day after day.
24
Declare
his glory among the nations,
his
marvelous deeds among all peoples.
25
For
great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
he
is to be feared above all gods.
26
For
all the gods of the nations are idols,
but
the LORD made the heavens.
27
Splendor
and majesty are before him;
strength
and joy in his dwelling place.
ascribe
to the LORD glory and strength,
29
ascribe
to the LORD the glory due his name.
Bring
an offering and come before him;
worship
the LORD in the splendor of his D
holiness.
30
Tremble
before him, all the earth!
The
world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.
31
Let
the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let
them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns!"
32
Let
the sea resound, and all that is in it;
let
the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!
33
Then
the trees of the forest will sing,
they
will sing for joy before the LORD,
for
he comes to judge the earth.
34
Give
thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his
love endures forever.
35
Cry
out, "Save us, O God our Savior;
gather
us and deliver us from the nations,
that
we may give thanks to your holy name,
that
we may glory in your praise."
36
Praise
be to the LORD, the God of Israel,
from
everlasting to everlasting.
Then
all the people said "Amen" and "Praise the LORD."
16[16]
NEW
TESTAMENT:
ROMANS 1:18 - 32
18
The
wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the
godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their
wickedness, 19
since
what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it
plain to them. 20
For
since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his
eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being
understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
21
For
although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave
thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish
hearts were darkened.
22
Although
they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23
and
exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like
mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
24
Therefore
God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual
impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25
They
exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served
created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen.
26
Because
of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women
exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27
In
the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and
were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts
with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their
perversion.
28
Furthermore,
since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of
God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be
done. 29
They
have become filled with every 17[17]
kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy,
murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30
slanderers,
God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of
doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31
they
are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32
Although
they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things
deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but
also approve of those who practice them. 18
[18]
1 [1]
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
2 [2]
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
3 [3]
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
4 [4]
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
5 [5]
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
6 [6]
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
7 [7]
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
8 [8]
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
9 [9]
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
10 [10]
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
11 [11]Excerpted
from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
12 [12]Excerpted
from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
13 [13]
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
14 [14]
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
15 [15]
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
16 [16]
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
17 [17]
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
18 [18]
Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights
Reserved
John 3:16-21 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, F that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.G 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." H
No comments:
Post a Comment