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
in
the light of life. D [3]
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,
6
the 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 glazeA 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]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
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[2]
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[3]
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[4]
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[5]
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[6]
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[7]
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[8]
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[9]
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[10] Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV. Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia
Inc. All Rights Reserved
[11] Excerpted from Compton's
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Inc. All Rights Reserved
[12] Excerpted from Compton's
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[13] Excerpted from Compton's
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[14] Excerpted from Compton's
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[15] Excerpted from Compton's
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[16] Excerpted from Compton's
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[17] Excerpted from Compton's
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[18] Excerpted from Compton's
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