DECEMBER
23
PSALMS: 23, 53, 83, 113, 143
PROVERBS: 23
OLD TESTAMENT: NUMBERS 21:1 - 22:20
NEW TESTAMENT: LUKE 1:26 - 56
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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.
9
Rescue me from my enemies, O LORD, [6]
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.
12In
your unfailing love, silence my enemies;
destroy
all my foes,
for
I am your servant. [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]
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]
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]
OLD TESTAMENT: NUMBERS 21:1 - 22:20
21 1
When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the
Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked the
Israelites and captured some of them.
2 Then Israel made this vow to
the LORD: "If you will deliver these people into our hands, we will
totally destroy A their
cities." 3 The LORD listened to Israel's plea and gave the
Canaanites over to them. They completely destroyed them and their towns; so the
place was named Hormah. B
4 They
traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, C to go
around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke
against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out
of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we
detest this miserable food!"
6 Then
the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many
Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, "We
sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will
take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.
8 The
LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up
on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." 9 So
Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten
by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.
10 The
Israelites moved on and camped at Oboth. 11 Then they set out from
Oboth and camped in Iye Abarim, in the desert that faces Moab toward the
sunrise. 12 From there they moved on and camped in the Zered Valley.
13 They set out from there and camped alongside the Arnon, which is
in the desert extending into Amorite territory. The Arnon is the border of
Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
14 That is why the Book of the Wars
of the LORD says:
". . .
Waheb in Suphah D and the
ravines,
the Arnon 15 and E the slopes of the ravines
that lead to
the site of Ar
and lie along
the border of Moab."
16 From there they continued on to
Beer, the well where the LORD said to Moses, "Gather
the people together and I will give them water." [11]
17 Then
Israel sang this song:
"Spring up, O well!
Sing about it,
18 about
the well that the princes dug,
that the nobles of the
people sank--
the nobles with scepters
and staffs."
Then they went from the
desert to Mattanah, 19 from Mattanah to Nahaliel, from Nahaliel to
Bamoth, 20 and from Bamoth to the valley in Moab where the top of
Pisgah overlooks the wasteland.
21 Israel
sent messengers to say to Sihon king of the Amorites:
22 "Let
us pass through your country. We will not turn aside into any field or
vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the king's highway
until we have passed through your territory."
23 But
Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. He mustered his entire
army and marched out into the desert against Israel. When he reached Jahaz, he
fought with Israel. 24 Israel, however, put him to the sword and
took over his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, but only as far as the
Ammonites, because their border was fortified. 25 Israel captured
all the cities of the Amorites and occupied them, including Heshbon and all its
surrounding settlements. 26 Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of
the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and had taken from
him all his land as far as the Arnon.
27 That
is why the poets say:
"Come to Heshbon
and let it be rebuilt;
let Sihon's city be
restored.
28 "Fire
went out from Heshbon[12]
a blaze from the city of
Sihon.
It consumed Ar of Moab,
the citizens of Arnon's
heights.
29 Woe
to you, O Moab!
You are destroyed, O
people of Chemosh!
He has given up his sons
as fugitives
and his daughters as
captives
to Sihon king of the
Amorites.
30 "But
we have overthrown them;
Heshbon is destroyed all
the way to Dibon.
We have demolished them
as far as Nophah,
which extends to Medeba."
31 So
Israel settled in the land of the Amorites.
32 After
Moses had sent spies to Jazer, the Israelites captured its surrounding
settlements and drove out the Amorites who were there. 33 Then they
turned and went up along the road toward Bashan, and Og king of Bashan and his
whole army marched out to meet them in battle at Edrei.
34 The
LORD said to Moses, "Do not be afraid of him, for
I have handed him over to you, with his whole army and his land. Do to him what
you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon."
35 So
they struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army, leaving them
no survivors. And they took possession of his land.
22 1
Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and
camped along the Jordan across from Jericho. A
2 Now
Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, 3 and
Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled
with dread because of the Israelites. [13]
4 The
Moabites said to the elders of Midian, "This horde is going to lick up
everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field."
So Balak son of Zippor,
who was king of Moab at that time, 5 sent messengers to summon
Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the River, B in his
native land. Balak said:
"A people has come
out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. 6
Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful
for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the
country. For I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are
cursed."
7 The
elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When
they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.
8 "Spend
the night here," Balaam said to them, "and I will bring you back the
answer the LORD gives me." So the Moabite princes stayed with him.
9God
came to Balaam and asked, "Who are these men with
you?"
10 Balaam
said to God, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: 11
`A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now
come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them
and drive them away.' "
12 But
God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them. You
must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed."
13 The
next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak's princes, "Go back to your
own country, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you."
14 So
the Moabite princes returned to Balak and said, "Balaam refused to come
with us."
15 Then
Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first.
16
They came to Balaam and said:
"This is what Balak
son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me,
17 because
I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on
these people for me."
18 But
Balaam answered them, "Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver
and gold, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of
the LORD my God.
19 Now stay here tonight as the others did, and I
will find out what else the LORD will tell me."
20 That
night God came to Balaam and said, "Since these
men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you."
[14]
NEW TESTAMENT: LUKE 1:26 - 56
26 In
the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27
to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of
David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and
said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored!
The Lord is with you."
29 Mary
was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might
be. 30 But the angel said to her, "Do
not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.
31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you
are to give him the name Jesus.
32 He
will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will
give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his
kingdom will never end."
34 "How
will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
35 The
angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come
upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one
to be born will be called C the
Son of God.
36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age,
and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month.
37 For nothing is impossible with God."
38 "I
am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have
said." Then the angel left her.
39 At
that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,
40 where
she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When
Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was
filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed:
"Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43
But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44
As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my
womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that what
the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
46And
Mary said:
"My soul glorifies
the Lord
47
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for
he has been mindful
of the humble state of
his servant. [15]
From now on all
generations will call me blessed,
49
for the Mighty One has done great things
for me--
holy is his name.
50 His
mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to
generation.
51 He
has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those
who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He
has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the
humble.
53 He
has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich
away empty.
54 He
has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be
merciful
55 to
Abraham and his descendants forever,
even as he said to our
fathers."
56 Mary
stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. [16]
[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
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