Genesis 1:1 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
AUGUST
26
PSALMS:
26, 56, 86, 116, 146
PROVERBS:
26
OLD
TESTAMENT:
EZEKIEL 31:1 - 32:32
NEW
TESTAMENT:
HEBREWS 12:14 - 29
PSALMS:
26
Of
David.
1
Vindicate
me, O LORD,
for
I have led a blameless life;
I
have trusted in the LORD
without
wavering.
2
Test
me, O LORD, and try me,
examine
my heart and my mind;
3
for
your love is ever before me,
and
I walk continually in your truth.
4
I
do not sit with deceitful men,
nor
do I consort with hypocrites;
5
I
abhor the assembly of evildoers
and
refuse to sit with the wicked.
6
I
wash my hands in innocence,
and
go about your altar, O LORD,
7
proclaiming
aloud your praise
and
telling of all your wonderful deeds.
8
I
love the house where you live, O LORD,
the
place where your glory dwells.
9
Do
not take away my soul along with sinners,
my
life with bloodthirsty men,
10
in
whose hands are wicked schemes,
whose
right hands are full of bribes.
11
But
I lead a blameless life;
redeem
me and be merciful to me.
12
My
feet stand on level ground;
in
the great assembly I will praise the LORD. 1
PSALMS:
56
For
the director of music. To the tune of "A Dove on Distant Oaks."
Of David. A miktam.
A
When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.
1
Be
merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me;
all
day long they press their attack.
2
My
slanderers pursue me all day long;
many
are attacking me in their pride.
3
When
I am afraid,
I
will trust in you.
4
In
God, whose word I praise,
in
God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What
can mortal man do to me?
5
All
day long they twist my words;
they
are always plotting to harm me.
6
They
conspire, they lurk,
they
watch my steps,
eager
to take my life.
7
On
no account let them escape;
in
your anger, O God, bring down the nations.
8
Record
my lament;
list
my tears on your scroll B--
are
they not in your record?
9
Then
my enemies will turn back
when
I call for help.
By
this I will know that God is for me.
10
In
God, whose word I praise,
in
the LORD, whose word I praise--
11
in
God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What
can man do to me? 2
12
I
am under vows to you, O God;
I
will present my thank offerings to you.
13
For
you have delivered me C
from death
and
my feet from stumbling,
that
I may walk before God
PSALMS:
86
A
prayer of David.
1
Hear,
O LORD, and answer me,
for
I am poor and needy.
2
Guard
my life, for I am devoted to you.
You
are my God; save your servant
who
trusts in you.
3
Have
mercy on me, O Lord,
for
I call to you all day long.
4
Bring
joy to your servant,
for
to you, O Lord,
I
lift up my soul.
5
You
are forgiving and good, O Lord,
abounding
in love to all who call to you.
6
Hear
my prayer, O LORD;
listen
to my cry for mercy.
7
In
the day of my trouble I will call to you,
for
you will answer me.
8
Among
the gods there is none like you, O Lord;
no
deeds can compare with yours.
9
All
the nations you have made
will
come and worship before you, O Lord;
they
will bring glory to your name.
10
For
you are great and do marvelous deeds;
you
alone are God. 4
11
Teach
me your way, O LORD,
and
I will walk in your truth;
give
me an undivided heart,
that
I may fear your name.
12
I
will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
I
will glorify your name forever.
13
For
great is your love toward me;
you
have delivered me from the depths of the grave. A
14
The
arrogant are attacking me, O God;
a
band of ruthless men seeks my life--
men
without regard for you.
15
But
you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow
to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
16
Turn
to me and have mercy on me;
grant
your strength to your servant
and
save the son of your maidservant. B
17
Give
me a sign of your goodness,
that
my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
for
you, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me. 5
PSALMS:
116
1
I
love the LORD, for he heard my voice;
he
heard my cry for mercy.
2
Because
he turned his ear to me,
I
will call on him as long as I live.
3
The
cords of death entangled me,
the
anguish of the grave A
came upon me;
I
was overcome by trouble and sorrow.
4
Then
I called on the name of the LORD:
"O
LORD, save me!"
5
The
LORD is gracious and righteous;
our
God is full of compassion.
6
The
LORD protects the simplehearted;
when
I was in great need, he saved me.
7
Be
at rest once more, O my soul,
for
the LORD has been good to you.
8
For
you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death,
my
eyes from tears,
my
feet from stumbling,
9
that
I may walk before the LORD
in
the land of the living.
10
I
believed; therefore B
I said,
"I
am greatly afflicted."
11
And
in my dismay I said,
"All
men are liars."
12
How
can I repay the LORD
for
all his goodness to me?
13
I
will lift up the cup of salvation
and
call on the name of the LORD.
14
I
will fulfill my vows to the LORD
in
the presence of all his people. 6
15
Precious
in the sight of the LORD
is
the death of his saints.
16
O
LORD, truly I am your servant;
I
am your servant, the son of your maidservant C;
you
have freed me from my chains.
17
I
will sacrifice a thank offering to you
and
call on the name of the LORD.
18
I
will fulfill my vows to the LORD
in
the presence of all his people,
19
in
the courts of the house of the LORD--
in
your midst, O Jerusalem.
Praise
the LORD. D
7
PSALMS:
146
1
Praise
the LORD. A
Praise
the LORD, O my soul.
2
I
will praise the LORD all my life;
I
will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
3
Do
not put your trust in princes,
in
mortal men, who cannot save.
4
When
their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on
that very day their plans come to nothing.
5
Blessed
is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose
hope is in the LORD his God,
6the
Maker of heaven and earth,
the
sea, and everything in them--
the
LORD, who remains faithful forever.
7
He
upholds the cause of the oppressed
and
gives food to the hungry.
The
LORD sets prisoners free,
8
the
LORD gives sight to the blind,
the
LORD lifts up those who are bowed down,
the
LORD loves the righteous.
9
The
LORD watches over the alien
and
sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but
he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
10
The
LORD reigns forever,
your
God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise
the LORD. 8
PROVERBS:
26
26
1
Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
honor
is not fitting for a fool.
2
Like
a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
an
undeserved curse does not come to rest.
3
A
whip for the horse, a halter for the donkey,
and
a rod for the backs of fools!
4
Do
not answer a fool according to his folly,
or
you will be like him yourself.
5
Answer
a fool according to his folly,
or
he will be wise in his own eyes.
6
Like
cutting off one's feet or drinking violence
is
the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.
7
Like
a lame man's legs that hang limp
is
a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
8
Like
tying a stone in a sling
is
the giving of honor to a fool.
9
Like
a thornbush in a drunkard's hand
is
a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
10
Like
an archer who wounds at random
is
he who hires a fool or any passer-by.
11
As
a dog returns to its vomit,
so
a fool repeats his folly.
There
is more hope for a fool than for him.
13
The
sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road,
a
fierce lion roaming the streets!"
14
As
a door turns on its hinges,
so
a sluggard turns on his bed.
15
The
sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he
is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
16
The
sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
than
seven men who answer discreetly.
17
Like
one who seizes a dog by the ears
is
a passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own.
18
Like
a madman shooting
firebrands
or deadly arrows
19
is
a man who deceives his neighbor
and
says, "I was only joking!"
20
Without
wood a fire goes out;
without
gossip a quarrel dies down.
21
As
charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
so
is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. 10
22
The
words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they
go down to a man's inmost parts.
23
Like
a coating of glaze A
over earthenware
are
fervent lips with an evil heart.
24
A
malicious man disguises himself with his lips,
but
in his heart he harbors deceit.
25
Though
his speech is charming, do not believe him,
for
seven abominations fill his heart.
26
His
malice may be concealed by deception,
but
his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27
If
a man digs a pit, he will fall into it;
if
a man rolls a stone, it will roll back on him.
28
A
lying tongue hates those it hurts,
and
a flattering mouth works ruin. 11
OLD
TESTAMENT:
EZEKIEL 31:1 - 32:32
31
1
In
the eleventh year, in the third month on the first day, the word of
the LORD came to me: 2
"Son
of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes:
"`Who
can be compared with you in majesty?
3
Consider
Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon,
with
beautiful branches overshadowing the forest;
it
towered on high,
its
top above the thick foliage.
4
The
waters nourished it,
deep
springs made it grow tall;
their
streams flowed
all
around its base
and
sent their channels
to
all the trees of the field.
5
So
it towered higher
than
all the trees of the field;
its
boughs increased
and
its branches grew long,
spreading
because of abundant waters.
6
All
the birds of the air
nested
in its boughs,
all
the beasts of the field
gave
birth under its branches;
all
the great nations
lived
in its shade.
7
It
was majestic in beauty,
with
its spreading boughs, 12
for
its roots went down
to
abundant waters.
8
The
cedars in the garden of God
could
not rival it,
nor
could the pine trees
equal
its boughs,
nor
could the plane trees
compare
with its branches--
no
tree in the garden of God
could
match its beauty.
9
I
made it beautiful
with
abundant branches,
the
envy of all the trees of Eden
in
the garden of God.
10
"`Therefore
this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because it towered on high,
lifting its top above the thick foliage, and because it was proud of
its height, 11
I
handed it over to the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with
according to its wickedness. I cast it aside, 12
and
the most ruthless of foreign nations cut it down and left it. Its
boughs fell on the mountains and in all the valleys; its branches lay
broken in all the ravines of the land. All the nations of the earth
came out from under its shade and left it. 13
All
the birds of the air settled on the fallen tree, and all the beasts
of the field were among its branches. 14
Therefore
no other trees by the waters are ever to tower proudly on high,
lifting their tops above the thick foliage. No other trees so
well-watered are ever to reach such a height; they are all destined
for death, for the earth below, among mortal men, with those who go
down to the pit.
15
"`This
is what the Sovereign LORD says: On the day it was brought down to
the grave A
I covered the deep springs with mourning for it; I held back its
streams, and its abundant waters were restrained. Because of it I
clothed Lebanon with gloom, and all the trees of the field withered
away. 16
I
made the nations tremble at the sound of its fall when I brought it
down to the grave with those who go down to the pit. Then all the
trees of Eden, the choicest and best of Lebanon, all the trees that
were well-watered, were consoled in the earth below. 17
Those
who 13
lived in its shade, its allies among the nations, had also gone down
to the grave with it, joining those killed by the sword.
18
"`Which
of the trees of Eden can be compared with you in splendor and
majesty? Yet you, too, will be brought down with the trees of Eden to
the earth below; you will lie among the uncircumcised, with those
killed by the sword.
"`This
is Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the Sovereign LORD.'"
32
1
In
the twelfth year, in the twelfth month on the first day, the word of
the LORD came to me: 2
"Son
of man, take up a lament concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to
him:
"`You
are like a lion among the nations;
you
are like a monster in the seas
thrashing
about in your streams,
churning
the water with your feet
and
muddying the streams.
3
"`This
is what the Sovereign LORD says:
"`With
a great throng of people
I
will cast my net over you,
and
they will haul you up in my net.
4
I
will throw you on the land
and
hurl you on the open field.
I
will let all the birds of the air settle on you
and
all the beasts of the earth gorge themselves on you.
5
I
will spread your flesh on the mountains
and
fill the valleys with your remains. 14
6
I
will drench the land with your flowing blood
all
the way to the mountains,
and
the ravines will be filled with your flesh.
7
When
I snuff you out, I will cover the heavens
and
darken their stars;
I
will cover the sun with a cloud,
and
the moon will not give its light.
8
All
the shining lights in the heavens
I
will darken over you;
I
will bring darkness over your land,
declares
the Sovereign LORD.
9
I
will trouble the hearts of many peoples
when
I bring about your destruction among the nations,
among
A
lands you have not known.
10
I
will cause many peoples to be appalled at you,
and
their kings will shudder with horror because of you
when
I brandish my sword before them.
On
the day of your downfall
each
of them will tremble
every
moment for his life.
11
"`For
this is what the Sovereign LORD says:
"`The
sword of the king of Babylon
will
come against you.
by
the swords of mighty men--
the
most ruthless of all nations.
They
will shatter the pride of Egypt,
and
all her hordes will be overthrown.
13
I
will destroy all her cattle
from
beside abundant waters
no
longer to be stirred by the foot of man
or
muddied by the hoofs of cattle.
14
Then
I will let her waters settle
and
make her streams flow like oil,
declares
the Sovereign LORD.
15
When
I make Egypt desolate
and
strip the land of everything in it,
when
I strike down all who live there,
then
they will know that I am the LORD.'
16
"This
is the lament they will chant for her. The daughters of the nations
will chant it; for Egypt and all her hordes they will chant it,
declares the Sovereign LORD."
17
In
the twelfth year, on the fifteenth day of the month, the word of the
LORD came to me: 18
"Son
of man, wail for the hordes of Egypt and consign to the earth below
both her and the daughters of mighty nations, with those who go down
to the pit. 19
Say
to them, `Are you more favored than others? Go down and be laid among
the uncircumcised.' 20
They
will fall among those killed by the sword. The sword is drawn; let
her be dragged off with all her hordes. 21
From
within the grave B
the mighty leaders will say of Egypt and her allies, `They have come
down and they lie with the uncircumcised, with those killed by the
sword.'
22
"Assyria
is there with her whole army; she is surrounded by the graves of all
her slain, all who have fallen by the sword. 23
Their
graves are in the depths of the pit and her army lies around her
grave. All who had spread terror in the land of the living are slain,
fallen by the sword. 16
24
"Elam
is there, with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are
slain, fallen by the sword. All who had spread terror in the land of
the living went down uncircumcised to the earth below. They bear
their shame with those who go down to the pit. 25
A
bed is made for her among the slain, with all her hordes around her
grave. All of them are uncircumcised, killed by the sword. Because
their terror had spread in the land of the living, they bear their
shame with those who go down to the pit; they are laid among the
slain.
26
"Meshech
and Tubal are there, with all their hordes around their graves. All
of them are uncircumcised, killed by the sword because they spread
their terror in the land of the living. 27
Do
they not lie with the other uncircumcised warriors who have fallen,
who went down to the grave with their weapons of war, whose swords
were placed under their heads? The punishment for their sins rested
on their bones, though the terror of these warriors had stalked
through
the land of the living.
28
"You
too, O Pharaoh, will be broken and will lie among the uncircumcised,
with those killed by the sword.
29
"Edom
is there, her kings and all her princes; despite their power, they
are laid with those killed by the sword. They lie with the
uncircumcised, with those who go down to the pit.
30
"All
the princes of the north and all the Sidonians are there; they went
down with the slain in disgrace despite the terror caused by their
power. They lie uncircumcised with those killed by the sword and bear
their shame with those who go down to the pit.
31
"Pharaoh--he
and all his army--will see them and he will be consoled for all his
hordes that were killed by the sword, declares the Sovereign LORD. 32
Although
I had him spread terror in the land of the living, Pharaoh and all
his hordes will be laid among the uncircumcised, with those killed by
the sword, declares the Sovereign LORD."
17
NEW
TESTAMENT:
HEBREWS 12:14 - 29
14
Make
every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without
holiness no one will see the Lord. 15
See
to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root
grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 16
See
that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a
single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.
17
Afterward,
as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was
rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought
the blessing with tears.
18
You
have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning
with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; 19
to
a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who
heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, 20
because
they could not bear what was commanded: "If even an animal
touches the mountain, it must be stoned." C
21 The
sight was so terrifying that Moses said, "I am trembling with
fear." D
22
But
you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of
the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels
in joyful assembly, 23
to
the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You
have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous
men made perfect, 24
to
Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that
speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25
See
to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape
when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will
we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 26
At
that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once
more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens."
E
27
The
words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be
shaken--that is, created things--so that what cannot be shaken may
remain.
28
Therefore,
since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be
thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29
for
our "God
is a consuming fire."
F
18
1
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11
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18
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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
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