DECEMBER
19
PSALMS: 19,
49, 79, 109, 139
PROVERBS: 19
OLD TESTAMENT: NUMBERS 14:1 - 15:16
NEW TESTAMENT: MARK 14:53 - 72
PSALMS: 19
For
the director of music. A psalm of David.
1
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the
skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night
after night they display knowledge.
3
There is no speech or language
where
their voice is not heard. A
4
Their voiceB goes out into all the earth,
their
words to the ends of the world.
In
the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
5
which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his
pavilion,
like
a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6
It rises at one end of the heavens
and
makes its circuit to the other;
nothing
is hidden from its heat.
7
The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving
the soul.
The
statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making
wise the simple.
8
The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving
joy to the heart.
The
commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving
light to the eyes.
9
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring
forever.
The
ordinances of the LORD are sure
and
altogether righteous. [1]
10
They are more precious than gold,
than
much pure gold;
they
are sweeter than honey,
than
honey from the comb.
11
By them is your servant warned;
in
keeping them there is great reward.
12
Who can discern his errors?
Forgive
my hidden faults.
13
Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may
they not rule over me.
Then
will I be blameless,
innocent
of great transgression.
14
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my
heart
be
pleasing in your sight,
O
LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. [2]
PSALMS: 49
For
the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1
Hear this, all you peoples;
listen,
all who live in this world,
2
both low and high,
rich
and poor alike:
3
My mouth will speak words of wisdom;
the
utterance from my heart will give understanding.
4
I will turn my ear to a proverb;
with
the harp I will expound my riddle:
5
Why should I fear when evil days come,
when
wicked deceivers surround me--
6
those who trust in their wealth
and
boast of their great riches?
7
No man can redeem the life of another
or
give to God a ransom for him--
8
the ransom for a life is costly,
no
payment is ever enough--
9
that he should live on forever
and
not see decay.
10
For all can see that wise men die;
the
foolish and the senseless alike perish
and
leave their wealth to others.
11
Their tombs will remain their housesA
forever,
their
dwellings for endless generations,
though
they had B named lands after themselves. [3]
12
But man, despite his riches, does not endure;
he
is C like the beasts that perish.
13
This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,
and
of their followers, who approve their sayings.
Selah
14
Like sheep they are destined for the grave, D
and
death will feed on them.
The
upright will rule over them in the morning;
their
forms will decay in the grave, E
far
from their princely mansions.
15
But God will redeem my life F from the grave;
he
will surely take me to himself.
Selah
16
Do not be overawed when a man grows rich,
when
the splendor of his house increases;
17
for he will take nothing with him when he dies,
his
splendor will not descend with him.
18
Though while he lived he counted himself blessed--
and
men praise you when you prosper--
19
he will join the generation of his fathers,
who
will never see the light of life.
20
A man who has riches without understanding
is
like the beasts that perish. [4]
PSALMS: 79
A
psalm of Asaph.
1
O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance;
they
have defiled your holy temple,
they
have reduced Jerusalem to rubble.
2
They have given the dead bodies of your servants
as
food to the birds of the air,
the
flesh of your saints to the beasts of the earth.
3
They have poured out blood like water
all
around Jerusalem,
and
there is no one to bury the dead.
4
We are objects of reproach to our neighbors,
of
scorn and derision to those around us.
5
How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever?
How
long will your jealousy burn like fire?
6
Pour out your wrath on the nations
that
do not acknowledge you,
on
the kingdoms
that
do not call on your name;
7
for they have devoured Jacob
and
destroyed his homeland.
8
Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers;
may
your mercy come quickly to meet us,
for
we are in desperate need.
9
Help us, O God our Savior,
for
the glory of your name;
deliver
us and forgive our sins
for
your name's sake.
10
Why should the nations say,
"Where
is their God?" [5]
Before
our eyes, make known among the nations
that
you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants.
11
May the groans of the prisoners come before you;
by
the strength of your arm
preserve
those condemned to die.
12
Pay back into the laps of our neighbors seven times
the
reproach they have hurled at you, O Lord.
13
Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture,
will
praise you forever;
from
generation to generation
we
will recount your praise. [6]
PSALMS: 109
For
the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
1
O God, whom I praise,
do
not remain silent,
2
for wicked and deceitful men
have
opened their mouths against me;
they
have spoken against me with lying tongues.
3
With words of hatred they surround me;
they
attack me without cause.
4
In return for my friendship they accuse me,
but
I am a man of prayer.
5
They repay me evil for good,
and
hatred for my friendship.
6
Appoint A an evil man B to
oppose him;
let
an accuser C stand at his right hand.
7
When he is tried, let him be found guilty,
and
may his prayers condemn him.
8
May his days be few;
may
another take his place of leadership.
9
May his children be fatherless
and
his wife a widow.
10
May his children be wandering beggars;
may
they be driven D from their ruined homes.
11
May a creditor seize all he has;
may
strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.
12
May no one extend kindness to him
or
take pity on his fatherless children.
13
May his descendants be cut off, [7]
their
names blotted out from the next generation.
14
May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before
the LORD;
may
the sin of his mother never be blotted out.
15
May their sins always remain before the LORD,
that
he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.
16
For he never thought of doing a kindness,
but
hounded to death the poor
and
the needy and the brokenhearted.
17
He loved to pronounce a curse--
may
it E come on him;
he
found no pleasure in blessing--
may
it beF far from him.
18
He wore cursing as his garment;
it
entered into his body like water,
into
his bones like oil.
19
May it be like a cloak wrapped about him,
like
a belt tied forever around him.
20
May this be the LORD's payment to my accusers,
to
those who speak evil of me.
21
But you, O Sovereign LORD,
deal
well with me for your name's sake;
out
of the goodness of your love, deliver me.
22
For I am poor and needy,
and
my heart is wounded within me.
23
I fade away like an evening shadow;
I
am shaken off like a locust.
24
My knees give way from fasting;
my
body is thin and gaunt.
25
I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
when
they see me, they shake their heads. [8]
26
Help me, O LORD my God;
save
me in accordance with your love.
27
Let them know that it is your hand,
that
you, O LORD, have done it.
28
They may curse, but you will bless;
when
they attack they will be put to shame,
but
your servant will rejoice.
29
My accusers will be clothed with disgrace
and
wrapped in shame as in a cloak.
30
With my mouth I will greatly extol the LORD;
in
the great throng I will praise him.
31
For he stands at the right hand of the needy one,
to
save his life from those who condemn him. [9]
PSALMS: 139
For
the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
1
O LORD, you have searched me
and
you know me.
2
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you
perceive my thoughts from afar.
3
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you
are familiar with all my ways.
4
Before a word is on my tongue
you
know it completely, O LORD.
5
You hem me in--behind and before;
you
have laid your hand upon me.
6
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too
lofty for me to attain.
7
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where
can I flee from your presence?
8
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if
I make my bed in the depths, A you are there.
9
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if
I settle on the far side of the sea,
10
even there your hand will guide me,
your
right hand will hold me fast.
11
If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and
the light become night around me,"
12
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the
night will shine like the day,
for
darkness is as light to you. [10]
13
For you created my inmost being;
you
knit me together in my mother's womb.
14
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully
made;
your
works are wonderful,
I
know that full well.
15
My frame was not hidden from you
when
I was made in the secret place.
When
I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All
the days ordained for me
were
written in your book
before
one of them came to be.
17
How precious to B me are your thoughts, O
God!
How
vast is the sum of them!
18
Were I to count them,
they
would outnumber the grains of sand.
When
I awake,
I
am still with you.
19
If only you would slay the wicked, O God!
Away
from me, you bloodthirsty men!
20
They speak of you with evil intent;
your
adversaries misuse your name.
21
Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD,
and
abhor those who rise up against you?
22
I have nothing but hatred for them;
I
count them my enemies.
23
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test
me and know my anxious thoughts.
24
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and
lead me in the way everlasting. [11]
PROVERBS: 19
19
1 Better a poor man whose
walk is blameless
than
a fool whose lips are perverse.
2
It is not good to have zeal without knowledge,
nor
to be hasty and miss the way.
3
A man's own folly ruins his life,
yet
his heart rages against the LORD.
4
Wealth brings many friends,
but
a poor man's friend deserts him.
5
A false witness will not go unpunished,
and
he who pours out lies will not go free.
6
Many curry favor with a ruler,
and
everyone is the friend of a man who gives gifts.
7
A poor man is shunned by all his relatives--
how
much more do his friends avoid him!
Though
he pursues them with pleading,
they
are nowhere to be found. A
8
He who gets wisdom loves his own soul;
he
who cherishes understanding prospers.
9
A false witness will not go unpunished,
and
he who pours out lies will perish.
10
It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury--
how
much worse for a slave to rule over princes!
11
A man's wisdom gives him patience;
it
is to his glory to overlook an offense. [12]
12
A king's rage is like the roar of a lion,
but
his favor is like dew on the grass.
13
A foolish son is his father's ruin,
and
a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping.
14
Houses and wealth are inherited from parents,
but
a prudent wife is from the LORD.
15
Laziness brings on deep sleep,
and
the shiftless man goes hungry.
16
He who obeys instructions guards his life,
but
he who is contemptuous of his ways will die.
17
He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD,
and
he will reward him for what he has done.
18
Discipline your son, for in that there is hope;
do
not be a willing party to his death.
19
A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty;
if
you rescue him, you will have to do it again.
20
Listen to advice and accept instruction,
and
in the end you will be wise.
21
Many are the plans in a man's heart,
but
it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.
22
What a man desires is unfailing love B;
better
to be poor than a liar. [13]
23
The fear of the LORD leads to life:
Then
one rests content, untouched by trouble.
24
The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he
will not even bring it back to his mouth!
25
Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence;
rebuke
a discerning man, and he will gain knowledge.
26
He who robs his father and drives out his mother
is
a son who brings shame and disgrace.
27
Stop listening to instruction, my son,
and
you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28
A corrupt witness mocks at justice,
and
the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.
29
Penalties are prepared for mockers,
and
beatings for the backs of fools. [14]
OLD TESTAMENT: NUMBERS 14:1 - 15:16
141That
night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2All
the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to
them, "If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! 3Why is
the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives
and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back
to Egypt?" 4And they said to each other, "We should choose
a leader and go back to Egypt."
5Then
Moses and Aaron fell facedown in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered
there. 6Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among
those who had explored the land, tore their clothes 7and said to the
entire Israelite assembly, "The land we passed through and explored is
exceedingly good. 8If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us
into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. 9Only
do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land,
because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with
us. Do not be afraid of them."
10But
the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Then the glory of the LORD
appeared at the Tent of Meeting to all the Israelites. 11The LORD
said to Moses, "How long will these people treat
me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all
the miraculous signs I have performed among them? 12I will strike
them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation
greater and stronger than they."
13Moses
said to the LORD, "Then the Egyptians will hear about it! By your power
you brought these people up from among them. 14And they will tell
the inhabitants of this land about it. They have already heard that you, O LORD,
are with these people and that you, O LORD, have been seen face to face, that
your cloud stays over them, and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by
day and a pillar of fire by night. 15If you put these people to
death all at one time, the nations who have heard this report about you will
say, 16`The LORD was not able to bring these people into the land he
promised them on oath; so he slaughtered them in the desert.'
17"Now
may the Lord's strength be displayed, just as you have declared: 18`The
LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet
he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin
of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.' 19 In accordance
with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have
pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now."
20 The
LORD replied, "I have forgiven them, as you
asked. 21 Nevertheless, as surely as
I live and as surely as the glory of the LORD fills the whole earth, 22 not one of the men who saw my glory and the miraculous
signs I performed in Egypt and in the desert but who disobeyed me and tested me
ten times—23 not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to
their forefathers. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. 24 But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and
follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his
descendants will inherit it. 25 Since
the Amalekites and Canaanites are living in the valleys, turn back tomorrow and
set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea. A"
[15]
26 The
LORD said to Moses and Aaron: 27 "How
long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints
of these grumbling Israelites. 28 So tell them, `As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I
will do to you the very things I heard you say: 29 In this desert your
bodies will fall--every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in
the census and who has grumbled against me. 30 Not one of you will
enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son
of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. 31 As for your children that you said would be taken as
plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected. 32 But you--your bodies
will fall in this desert. 33 Your
children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your
unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the desert. 34
For forty years--one year for each of the forty
days you explored the land--you will suffer for your sins and know what it is
like to have me against you.' 35 I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will surely do these things
to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will
meet their end in this desert; here they will die."
36 So
the men Moses had sent to explore the land, who returned and made the whole
community grumble against him by spreading a bad report about it—37 these
men responsible for spreading the bad report about the land were struck down
and died of a plague before the LORD. 38 Of the men who went to
explore the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived.
39 When
Moses reported this to all the Israelites, they mourned bitterly. 40 Early
the next morning they went up toward the high hill country. "We have
sinned," they said. "We will go up to the place the LORD
promised."
41 But
Moses said, "Why are you disobeying the LORD's command? This will not
succeed! 42 Do not go up, because the LORD is not with you. You will
be defeated by your enemies, 43 for the Amalekites and Canaanites
will face you there. Because you have turned away from the LORD, he will not be
with you and you will fall by the sword."
44 Nevertheless,
in their presumption they went up toward the high hill country, though neither
Moses nor the ark of the LORD's covenant moved from the camp. 45 Then
the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and
attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.
15 1
The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: `After you enter
the land I am giving you as a home 3 and you present to the LORD offerings made by fire, from the
herd or the flock, as an aroma pleasing to the LORD--whether burnt offerings or
sacrifices, for special vows or freewill offerings or festival offerings—4 then the one who
brings his offering shall present to the LORD a grain offering of a tenth of an
ephah A of fine flour mixed with a
quarter of a hin B of oil. 5 With each lamb for the burnt offering or the sacrifice,
prepare a quarter of a hin of [16] wine as a drink offering.
6"` With a ram prepare a grain offering of two-tenths of an
ephah C of fine flour mixed with a
third of a hin D of oil, 7 and a third of a hin
of wine as a drink offering. Offer it as an aroma pleasing to the LORD.
8"` When you prepare a young bull as a burnt offering or
sacrifice, for a special vow or a fellowship offering E to the LORD, 9 bring with the bull a grain offering of three-tenths of an
ephah F of fine flour mixed with
half a hin G of oil. 10 Also bring half a hin
of wine as a drink offering. It will be an offering made by fire, an aroma
pleasing to the LORD. 11 Each bull or ram, each lamb or young goat, is to be prepared
in this manner. 12 Do this for each one, for as many as you prepare.
13"` Everyone who is native-born must do these things in this
way when he brings an offering made by fire as an aroma pleasing to the LORD. 14 For the generations
to come, whenever an alien or anyone else living among you presents an offering
made by fire as an aroma pleasing to the LORD, he must do exactly as you do. 15 The community is to
have the same rules for you and for the alien living among you; this is a
lasting ordinance for the generations to come. You and the alien shall be the
same before the LORD: 16 The same laws and regulations will apply both to you and to
the alien living among you.'" [17]
NEW TESTAMENT: MARK 14:53 - 72
53 They
took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, elders and teachers
of the law came together.
54 Peter
followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There
he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.
55 The
chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus
so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. 56 Many
testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.
57 Then
some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: 58 "We
heard him say, `I will destroy this man-made temple
and in three days will build another, not made by man.'" 59 Yet
even then their testimony did not agree.
60 Then
the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, "Are you not going
to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against
you?" 61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.
Again the high priest
asked him, "Are you the Christ, F the Son of the Blessed
One?"
62 "I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty
One and coming on the clouds of heaven."
63 The
high priest tore his clothes. "Why do we need any more witnesses?" he
asked. 64 "You have heard the blasphemy. What do you
think?"
They all condemned him
as worthy of death. 65 Then some began to spit at him; they
blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, "Prophesy!"
And the guards took him and beat him.
66 While
Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest
came by. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely
at him.
"You also were with
that Nazarene, Jesus," she said.
68 But
he denied it. "I don't know or understand what you're talking about,"
he said, and went out into the entryway. G
69 When
the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around,
"This fellow is one of them." 70 Again he denied it.
After a little while,
those standing near said to Peter, "Surely you are one of them, for you
are a Galilean."
71 He
began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, "I don't know
this man you're talking about."
72 Immediately
the rooster crowed the second time. H Then Peter remembered the word
Jesus had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows twiceI you
will disown me three times." And he broke down and wept. [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.
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[3]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
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[4]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
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[5]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
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[6]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved
[7]
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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
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Inc. All Rights Reserved
[15] Excerpted from Compton's
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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
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Inc. All Rights Reserved
[18] Excerpted from Compton's
Interactive Bible NIV. Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia
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