AUGUST
15
PSALMS: 15,
45, 75, 105, 135
PROVERBS: 15
OLD TESTAMENT: EZEKIEL 10:1 - 11:25
NEW TESTAMENT: HEBREWS 6:1 - 20
PSALMS: 15
A
psalm of David.
1
LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who
may live on your holy hill?
2
He whose walk is blameless
and
who does what is righteous,
who
speaks the truth from his heart
3
and has no slander on his tongue,
who
does his neighbor no wrong
and
casts no slur on his fellowman,
4
who despises a vile man
but
honors those who fear the LORD,
who
keeps his oath
even
when it hurts,
5
who lends his money without usury
and
does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He
who does these things
will
never be shaken. [1]
PSALMS: 45
For
the director of music. To the tune of "Lilies." Of the Sons of Korah.
A maskil. A A wedding song.
1
My heart is stirred by a noble theme
as
I recite my verses for the king;
my
tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.
2
You are the most excellent of men
and
your lips have been anointed with grace,
since
God has blessed you forever.
3
Gird your sword upon your side, O mighty one;
clothe
yourself with splendor and majesty.
4
In your majesty ride forth victoriously
in
behalf of truth, humility and righteousness;
let
your right hand display awesome deeds.
5
Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king's
enemies;
let
the nations fall beneath your feet.
6
Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a
scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
7
You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
therefore
God, your God, has set you above your companions
by
anointing you with the oil of joy.
8
All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and
cassia;
from
palaces adorned with ivory
the
music of the strings makes you glad.
9
Daughters of kings are among your honored women;
at
your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir.
10
Listen, O daughter, consider and give ear:
Forget
your people and your father's house. [2]
11
The king is enthralled by your beauty;
honor
him, for he is your lord.
12
The Daughter of Tyre will come with a gift, B
men
of wealth will seek your favor.
13
All glorious is the princess within her chamber;
her
gown is interwoven with gold.
14
In embroidered garments she is led to the king;
her
virgin companions follow her
and
are brought to you.
15
They are led in with joy and gladness;
they
enter the palace of the king.
16
Your sons will take the place of your fathers;
you
will make them princes throughout the land.
17
I will perpetuate your memory through all generations;
therefore
the nations will praise you for ever and ever. [3]
PSALMS: 75
For
the director of music. To the tune of "Do Not Destroy." A psalm of
Asaph. A song.
1
We give thanks to you, O God,
we
give thanks, for your Name is near;
men
tell of your wonderful deeds.
2
You say, "I choose
the appointed time;
it is I who judge uprightly.
3 When the
earth and all its people quake,
it is I who hold its pillars firm.
Selah
4
To the arrogant I say, `Boast no more,'
and to the wicked, `Do not lift up your horns.
5 Do not
lift your horns against heaven;
do not speak with outstretched neck.'"
6
No one from the east or the west
or
from the desert can exalt a man.
7
But it is God who judges:
He
brings one down, he exalts another.
8
In the hand of the LORD is a cup
full
of foaming wine mixed with spices;
he
pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth
drink
it down to its very dregs.
9
As for me, I will declare this forever;
I
will sing praise to the God of Jacob.
10
I will cut off the horns of all the wicked,
but
the horns of the righteous will be lifted up. [4]
PSALMS: 105
1
Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make
known among the nations what he has done.
2
Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell
of all his wonderful acts.
3
Glory in his holy name;
let
the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
4
Look to the LORD and his strength;
seek
his face always.
5
Remember the wonders he has done,
his
miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,
6
O descendants of Abraham his servant,
O
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones.
7
He is the LORD our God;
his
judgments are in all the earth.
8
He remembers his covenant forever,
the
word he commanded, for a thousand generations,
9
the covenant he made with Abraham,
the
oath he swore to Isaac.
10
He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
to
Israel as an everlasting covenant:
11
"To you I will give
the land of Canaan
as the portion you will inherit."
12
When they were but few in number,
few
indeed, and strangers in it,
13
they wandered from nation to nation,
from
one kingdom to another.
14
He allowed no one to oppress them;
for
their sake he rebuked kings:
15
"Do not touch my
anointed ones;
do my prophets no harm." [5]
16
He called down famine on the land
and
destroyed all their supplies of food;
17
and he sent a man before them--
Joseph,
sold as a slave.
18
They bruised his feet with shackles,
his
neck was put in irons,
19
till what he foretold came to pass,
till
the word of the LORD proved him true.
20
The king sent and released him,
the
ruler of peoples set him free.
21
He made him master of his household,
ruler
over all he possessed,
22
to instruct his princes as he pleased
and
teach his elders wisdom.
23
Then Israel entered Egypt;
Jacob
lived as an alien in the land of Ham.
24
The LORD made his people very fruitful;
he
made them too numerous for their foes,
25
whose hearts he turned to hate his people,
to
conspire against his servants.
26
He sent Moses his servant,
and
Aaron, whom he had chosen.
27
They performed his miraculous signs among them,
his
wonders in the land of Ham.
28
He sent darkness and made the land dark--
for
had they not rebelled against his words?
29
He turned their waters into blood,
causing
their fish to die.
30
Their land teemed with frogs,
which
went up into the bedrooms of their rulers.
31
He spoke, and there came swarms of flies,
and
gnats throughout their country.
32
He turned their rain into hail,
with
lightning throughout their land; [6]
33
he struck down their vines and fig trees
and
shattered the trees of their country.
34
He spoke, and the locusts came,
grasshoppers
without number;
35
they ate up every green thing in their land,
ate
up the produce of their soil.
36
Then he struck down all the firstborn in their land,
the
firstfruits of all their manhood.
37
He brought out Israel, laden with silver and gold,
and
from among their tribes no one faltered.
38
Egypt was glad when they left,
because
dread of Israel had fallen on them.
39
He spread out a cloud as a covering,
and
a fire to give light at night.
40
They asked, and he brought them quail
and
satisfied them with the bread of heaven.
41
He opened the rock, and water gushed out;
like
a river it flowed in the desert.
42
For he remembered his holy promise
given
to his servant Abraham.
43
He brought out his people with rejoicing,
his
chosen ones with shouts of joy;
44
he gave them the lands of the nations,
and
they fell heir to what others had toiled for--
45
that they might keep his precepts
and
observe his laws.
Praise
the LORD. A [7]
PSALMS: 135
1
Praise the LORD. A
Praise
the name of the LORD;
praise
him, you servants of the LORD,
2
you who minister 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
praise to his name, for that is pleasant.
4
For the LORD has chosen Jacob to be his own,
Israel
to be his treasured possession.
5
I know that the LORD is great,
that
our Lord is greater than all gods.
6
The LORD does whatever pleases him,
in
the heavens and on the earth,
in
the seas and all their depths.
7
He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth;
he
sends lightning with the rain
and
brings out the wind from his storehouses.
8
He struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
the
firstborn of men and animals.
9
He sent his signs and wonders into your midst, O
Egypt,
against
Pharaoh and all his servants.
10
He struck down many nations
and
killed mighty kings--
11
Sihon king of the Amorites,
Og
king of Bashan
and
all the kings of Canaan--
12
and he gave their land as an inheritance,
an
inheritance to his people Israel. [8]
13
Your name, O LORD, endures forever,
your
renown, O LORD, through all generations.
14
For the LORD will vindicate his people
and
have compassion on his servants.
15
The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
made
by the hands of men.
16
They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes,
but they cannot see;
17
they have ears, but cannot hear,
nor
is there breath in their mouths.
18
Those who make them will be like them,
and
so will all who trust in them.
19
O house of Israel, praise the LORD;
O
house of Aaron, praise the LORD;
20
O house of Levi, praise the LORD;
you
who fear him, praise the LORD.
21
Praise be to the LORD from Zion,
to
him who dwells in Jerusalem.
Praise
the LORD. [9]
PROVERBS: 15
15
1 A gentle answer turns
away wrath,
but
a harsh word stirs up anger.
2
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but
the mouth of the fool gushes folly.
3
The eyes of the LORD are everywhere,
keeping
watch on the wicked and the good.
4
The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life,
but
a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
5
A fool spurns his father's discipline,
but
whoever heeds correction shows prudence.
6
The house of the righteous contains great treasure,
but
the income of the wicked brings them trouble.
7
The lips of the wise spread knowledge;
not
so the hearts of fools.
8
The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked,
but
the prayer of the upright pleases him.
9
The LORD detests the way of the wicked
but
he loves those who pursue righteousness.
10
Stern discipline awaits him who leaves the path;
he
who hates correction will die.
11
Death and Destruction A lie open before the
LORD--
how
much more the hearts of men! [10]
12
A mocker resents correction;
he
will not consult the wise.
13
A happy heart makes the face cheerful,
but
heartache crushes the spirit.
14
The discerning heart seeks knowledge,
but
the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.
15
All the days of the oppressed are wretched,
but
the cheerful heart has a continual feast.
16
Better a little with the fear of the LORD
than
great wealth with turmoil.
17
Better a meal of vegetables where there is love
than
a fattened calf with hatred.
18
A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension,
but
a patient man calms a quarrel.
19
The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns,
but
the path of the upright is a highway.
20
A wise son brings joy to his father,
but
a foolish man despises his mother.
21
Folly delights a man who lacks judgment,
but
a man of understanding keeps a straight course.
22
Plans fail for lack of counsel,
but
with many advisers they succeed. [11]
23
A man finds joy in giving an apt reply--
and
how good is a timely word!
24
The path of life leads upward for the wise
to
keep him from going down to the grave. B
25
The LORD tears down the proud man's house
but
he keeps the widow's boundaries intact.
26
The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked,
but
those of the pure are pleasing to him.
27
A greedy man brings trouble to his family,
but
he who hates bribes will live.
28
The heart of the righteous weighs its answers,
but
the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.
29
The LORD is far from the wicked
but
he hears the prayer of the righteous.
30
A cheerful look brings joy to the heart,
and
good news gives health to the bones.
31
He who listens to a life-giving rebuke
will
be at home among the wise.
32
He who ignores discipline despises himself,
but
whoever heeds correction gains understanding. [12]
33
The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, C
OLD TESTAMENT: EZEKIEL 10:1 - 11:25
10 1
I looked, and I
saw the likeness of a throne of sapphire A above the expanse that
was over the heads of the cherubim. 2 The LORD said to the man
clothed in linen, "Go in among the wheels beneath
the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and
scatter them over the city." And as I watched, he went in.
3 Now
the cherubim were standing on the south side of the temple when the man went
in, and a cloud filled the inner court. 4 Then the glory of the LORD
rose from above the cherubim and moved to the threshold of the temple. The
cloud filled the temple, and the court was full of the radiance of the glory of
the LORD. 5 The sound of the wings of the cherubim could be heard as
far away as the outer court, like the voice of God Almighty B when
he speaks.
6 When
the LORD commanded the man in linen, "Take fire
from among the wheels, from among the cherubim," the man went in
and stood beside a wheel. 7 Then one of the cherubim reached out his
hand to the fire that was among them. He took up some of it and put it into the
hands of the man in linen, who took it and went out. 8 (Under the
wings of the cherubim could be seen what looked like the hands of a man.)
9 I
looked, and I saw beside the cherubim four wheels, one beside each of the
cherubim; the wheels sparkled like chrysolite. 10 As for their
appearance, the four of them looked alike; each was like a wheel intersecting a
wheel. 11 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four
directions the cherubim faced; the wheels did not turn about C as
the cherubim went. The cherubim went in whatever direction the head faced,
without turning as they went. 12 Their entire bodies, including
their backs, their hands and their wings, were completely full of eyes, as were
their four wheels. 13 I heard the wheels being called "the
whirling wheels."
14 Each
of the cherubim had four faces: One face was that of a cherub, the second the
face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an
eagle.
15 Then
the cherubim rose upward. These were the living creatures I had seen by the
Kebar River. 16 When the cherubim moved, the wheels beside them
moved; and when the cherubim spread their wings to rise from the ground, the
wheels did not leave their side. 17 When the cherubim stood still,
they also stood still; and when the cherubim rose, they rose with them, because
the spirit of the living creatures was in them.
18 Then
the glory of the LORD departed from over the threshold of the temple and
stopped above the cherubim. 19 While I watched, the cherubim spread
their wings and rose from the ground, and as they went, the wheels went with
them. They stopped at the entrance to the east gate of the LORD's house, and
the glory of the God of Israel was above them.
20 These
were the living creatures I had seen beneath the God of Israel by the Kebar
River, and I realized that they were cherubim. 21 Each had four
faces and four wings, and under their wings was what looked like the hands of a
man. 22 Their faces had the same appearance as those I had seen by
the Kebar River. Each one went straight ahead. [15]
11 1
Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the
gate of the house of the LORD that faces east. There at the entrance to the
gate were twenty-five men, and I saw among them Jaazaniah son of Azzur and
Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people. 2 The LORD said to
me, "Son of man, these are the men who are plotting
evil and giving wicked advice in this city. 3 They say, `Will it
not soon be time to build houses? A
This city is a cooking pot, and we are the meat.' 4 Therefore prophesy against them; prophesy, son of man."
5 Then
the Spirit of the LORD came upon me, and he told me to say: "This is what the LORD says: That is what you are saying, O
house of Israel, but I know what is going through your mind. 6 You have killed many
people in this city and filled its streets with the dead.
7 "Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: The bodies you
have thrown there are the meat and this city is the pot, but I will drive you
out of it. 8 You fear the sword, and the sword is what I will bring against you,
declares the Sovereign LORD. 9 I will drive you out of the city and hand
you over to foreigners and inflict punishment on you. 10 You will fall
by the sword, and I will execute judgment on you at the borders of Israel. Then
you will know that I am the LORD. 11 This city
will not be a pot for you, nor will you be the meat in it; I will execute
judgment on you at the borders of Israel. 12 And you will
know that I am the LORD, for you have not followed my decrees or kept my laws
but have conformed to the standards of the nations around you."
13 Now
as I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I fell facedown and
cried out in a loud voice, "Ah, Sovereign LORD! Will you completely
destroy the remnant of Israel?"
14 The
word of the LORD came to me: 15 "Son
of man, your brothers--your brothers who are your blood relatives B and the whole house of Israel--are those of whom the people
of Jerusalem have said, `They are C
far away from the LORD; this land was given to us as our possession.'
16 "Therefore
say: `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Although I sent them far away among
the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I
have been a sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.'
17 "Therefore
say: `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will gather you from the nations
and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will
give you back the land of Israel again.'
18 "They
will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. 19 I will give
them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them
their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. 20 Then they
will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people,
and I will be their God. 21 But as for those whose hearts are devoted to their vile images and
detestable idols, I will bring down on their own heads what they have done,
declares the Sovereign LORD."
22 Then
the cherubim, with the wheels beside them, spread their wings, and the glory of
the God of Israel was above them. 23 The glory of the LORD went up
from within the city and stopped above the mountain east of it. 24 The
Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the exiles in BabyloniaD in
the vision given by the Spirit of God. [16]
Then the vision I had
seen went up from me, 25 and I told the exiles everything the LORD
had shown me. [17]
NEW TESTAMENT: HEBREWS 6:1 - 20
6 1
Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about
Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance
from acts that lead to death, A and of faith in God, 2 instruction
about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and
eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so.
4 It
is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the
heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted
the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6 if
they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because B to their
loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to
public disgrace.
7 Land
that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to
those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8 But land
that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being
cursed. In the end it will be burned.
9 Even
though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in
your case--things that accompany salvation. 10 God is not unjust; he
will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped
his people and continue to help them. 11 We want each of you to show
this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. 12 We
do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and
patience inherit what has been promised.
13 When
God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to
swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants."
C 15 And so after
waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
16 Men
swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said
and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the
unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised,
he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two
unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled
to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We
have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner
sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus, who went before us,
has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of
Melchizedek. [18]
[1]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved
[2]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved
[3]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved
[4]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved
[5]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved
[6]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved
[7]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved
[8]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved
[9]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved
[10] Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV. Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia
Inc. All Rights Reserved
[11] Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV. Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia
Inc. All Rights Reserved
[12] Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV. Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia
Inc. All Rights Reserved
[13] Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV. Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia
Inc. All Rights Reserved
[14] Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV. Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia
Inc. All Rights Reserved
[15] Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV. Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia
Inc. All Rights Reserved
[16] Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV. Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia
Inc. All Rights Reserved
[17] Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV. Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia
Inc. All Rights Reserved
[18] Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV. Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia
Inc. All Rights Reserved
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