DECEMBER
7
PSALMS: 7, 37, 67, 97, 127
PROVERBS: 7
OLD
TESTAMENT: LEVITICUS 19:1 - 20:21
NEW
TESTAMENT: MARK 8:11 - 38
PSALMS: 7
A
shiggaion A of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning
Cush, a Benjamite.
1
O LORD my God, I take refuge in you;
save
and deliver me from all who pursue me,
2
or they will tear me like a lion
and
rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.
3
O LORD my God, if I have done this
and
there is guilt on my hands--
4
if I have done evil to him who is at peace with me
or
without cause have robbed my foe--
5
then let my enemy pursue and overtake me;
let
him trample my life to the ground
and
make me sleep in the dust.
Selah
6
Arise, O LORD, in your anger;
rise
up against the rage of my enemies.
Awake,
my God; decree justice.
7
Let the assembled peoples gather around you.
Rule
over them from on high;
8
let the LORD judge the peoples.
Judge
me, O LORD, according to my righteousness,
according
to my integrity, O Most High.
9
O righteous God,
who
searches minds and hearts,
bring
to an end the violence of the wicked
and
make the righteous secure. [1]
10
My shield B is God Most High,
who
saves the upright in heart.
11
God is a righteous judge,
a
God who expresses his wrath every day.
12
If he does not relent,
heC
will sharpen his sword;
he
will bend and string his bow.
13
He has prepared his deadly weapons;
he
makes ready his flaming arrows.
14
He who is pregnant with evil
and
conceives trouble gives birth to disillusionment.
15
He who digs a hole and scoops it out
falls
into the pit he has made.
16
The trouble he causes recoils on himself;
his
violence comes down on his own head.
17
I will give thanks to the LORD because of his
righteousness
and
will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High. [2]
PSALMS: 37
Of
David.
1
Do A not fret because of evil men
or
be envious of those who do wrong;
2
for like the grass they will soon wither,
like
green plants they will soon die away.
3
Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell
in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4
Delight yourself in the LORD
and
he will give you the desires of your heart.
5
Commit your way to the LORD;
trust
in him and he will do this:
6
He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the
justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
7
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do
not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when
they carry out their wicked schemes.
8
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do
not fret--it leads only to evil.
9
For evil men will be cut off,
but
those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
10
A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though
you look for them, they will not be found.
11
But the meek will inherit the land
and
enjoy great peace. [3]
12
The wicked plot against the righteous
and
gnash their teeth at them;
13
but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for
he knows their day is coming.
14
The wicked draw the sword
and
bend the bow
to
bring down the poor and needy,
to
slay those whose ways are upright.
15
But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
and
their bows will be broken.
16
Better the little that the righteous have
than
the wealth of many wicked;
17
for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but
the LORD upholds the righteous.
18
The days of the blameless are known to the LORD,
and
their inheritance will endure forever.
19
In times of disaster they will not wither;
in
days of famine they will enjoy plenty.
20
But the wicked will perish:
The
LORD's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields,
they
will vanish--vanish like smoke.
21
The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but
the righteous give generously;
22
those the LORD blesses will inherit the land,
but
those he curses will be cut off.[4]
23
If the LORD delights in a man's way,
he
makes his steps firm;
24
though he stumble, he will not fall,
for
the LORD upholds him with his hand.
25
I was young and now I am old,
yet
I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or
their children begging bread.
26
They are always generous and lend freely;
their
children will be blessed.
27
Turn from evil and do good;
then
you will dwell in the land forever.
28
For the LORD loves the just
and
will not forsake his faithful ones.
They
will be protected forever,
but
the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;
29
the righteous will inherit the land
and
dwell in it forever.
30
The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom,
and
his tongue speaks what is just.
31
The law of his God is in his heart;
his
feet do not slip.
32
The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,
seeking
their very lives;
33
but the LORD will not leave them in their power
or
let them be condemned when brought to trial. [5]
34
Wait for the LORD
and
keep his way.
He
will exalt you to inherit the land;
when
the wicked are cut off, you will see it.
35
I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
flourishing
like a green tree in its native soil,
36
but he soon passed away and was no more;
though
I looked for him, he could not be found.
37
Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
there
is a future B for the man of peace.
38
But all sinners will be destroyed;
the
future C of the wicked will be cut off.
39
The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
he
is their stronghold in time of trouble.
40
The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he
delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because
they take refuge in him. [6]
PSALMS: 67
For
the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.
1
May God be gracious to us and bless us
and
make his face shine upon us,
Selah
2
that your ways may be known on earth,
your
salvation among all nations.
3
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may
all the peoples praise you.
4
May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for
you rule the peoples justly
and
guide the nations of the earth.
Selah
5
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may
all the peoples praise you.
6
Then the land will yield its harvest,
and
God, our God, will bless us.
7
God will bless us,
and
all the ends of the earth will fear him. [7]
PSALMS: 97
1
The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad;
let
the distant shores rejoice.
2
Clouds and thick darkness surround him;
righteousness
and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3
Fire goes before him
and
consumes his foes on every side.
4
His lightning lights up the world;
the
earth sees and trembles.
5
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before
the Lord of all the earth.
6
The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and
all the peoples see his glory.
7
All who worship images are put to shame,
those
who boast in idols--
worship
him, all you gods!
8
Zion hears and rejoices
and
the villages of Judah are glad
because
of your judgments, O LORD.
9
For you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth;
you
are exalted far above all gods.
10
Let those who love the LORD hate evil,
for
he guards the lives of his faithful ones
and
delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11
Light is shed upon the righteous
and
joy on the upright in heart.
12
Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous,
and
praise his holy name. [8]
PSALMS: 127
A
song of ascents. Of Solomon.
1
Unless the LORD builds the house,
its
builders labor in vain.
Unless
the LORD watches over the city,
the
watchmen stand guard in vain.
2
In vain you rise early
and
stay up late,
toiling
for food to eat--
for
he grants sleep to A those he loves.
3
Sons are a heritage from the LORD,
children
a reward from him.
4
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are
sons born in one's youth.
5
Blessed is the man
whose
quiver is full of them.
They
will not be put to shame
when
they contend with their enemies in the gate. [9]
PROVERBS: 7
7
1 My son, keep my words
and
store up my commands within you.
2
Keep my commands and you will live;
guard
my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3
Bind them on your fingers;
write
them on the tablet of your heart.
4
Say to wisdom, "You
are my sister,"
and
call understanding your kinsman;
5
they will keep you from the adulteress,
from
the wayward wife with her seductive words.
6
At the window of my house
I
looked out through the lattice.
7
I saw among the simple,
I
noticed among the young men,
a
youth who lacked judgment.
8
He was going down the street near her corner,
walking
along in the direction of her house
9
at twilight, as the day was fading,
as
the dark of night set in.
10
Then out came a woman to meet him,
dressed
like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
11
(She is loud and defiant,
her
feet never stay at home;
12
now in the street, now in the squares,
at
every corner she lurks.)
13
She took hold of him and kissed him
and
with a brazen face she said:
14
"I have fellowship offerings A at
home;
today
I fulfilled my vows.
15
So I came out to meet you; [10]
I
looked for you and have found you!
16
I have covered my bed
with
colored linens from Egypt.
17
I have perfumed my bed
with
myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
18
Come, let's drink deep of love till morning;
let's
enjoy ourselves with love!
19
My husband is not at home;
he
has gone on a long journey.
20
He took his purse filled with money
and
will not be home till full moon."
21
With persuasive words she led him astray;
she
seduced him with her smooth talk.
22
All at once he followed her
like
an ox going to the slaughter,
like
a deerB stepping into a noose C
23
till an arrow pierces his liver,
like
a bird darting into a snare,
little
knowing it will cost him his life.
24
Now then, my sons, listen to me;
pay
attention to what I say.
25
Do not let your heart turn to her ways
or
stray into her paths.
26
Many are the victims she has brought down;
her
slain are a mighty throng.
27
Her house is a highway to the grave, D
leading
down to the chambers of death. [11]
OLD TESTAMENT: LEVITICUS 19:1 - 20:21
19 1
The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: `Be
holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.
3 "`Each of you must respect his mother
and father, and you must observe my Sabbaths. I am the LORD your God.
4 "`Do not turn to idols or make gods of cast metal for yourselves.
I am the LORD your God.
5 "`When you sacrifice a fellowship
offering A to the LORD,
sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf. 6 It shall be
eaten on the day you sacrifice it or on the next day; anything left over until
the third day must be burned up. 7 If any of it is eaten on the third day, it
is impure and will not be accepted.
8 Whoever eats it will be held responsible
because he has desecrated what is holy to the LORD; that person must be cut off
from his people.
9 "`When you reap the harvest of your
land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of
your harvest. 10 Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that
have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.
11 "`Do not
steal.
"`Do not
lie.
"`Do not
deceive one another.
12 "`Do not
swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
13 "`Do not defraud your neighbor or rob him.
"`Do not
hold back the wages of a hired man overnight.
14 "`Do not
curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your
God. I am the LORD.
15 "`Do not
pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great,
but judge your neighbor fairly.
16 "`Do not
go about spreading slander among your people.
"`Do not
do anything that endangers your neighbor's life. I am the LORD.
17 "`Do not
hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not
share in his guilt.
18 "`Do not
seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your
neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
19 "`Keep
my decrees.
"`Do not
mate different kinds of animals.
"`Do not
plant your field with two kinds of seed.
"`Do not
wear clothing woven of two kinds of material. [12]
20 "`If a
man sleeps with a woman who is a slave girl promised to another man but who has
not been ransomed or given her freedom, there must be due punishment. Yet they
are not to be put to death, because she had not been freed. 21 The man,
however, must bring a ram to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting for a guilt
offering to the LORD.
22 With the ram
of the guilt offering the priest is to make atonement for him before the LORD
for the sin he has committed, and his sin will be forgiven.
23 "`When
you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as
forbidden.B For three
years you are to consider it forbidden C; it must not be eaten.
24 In the fourth
year all its fruit will be holy, an offering of praise to the LORD. 25 But in the
fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased. I
am the LORD your God.
26 "`Do not
eat any meat with the blood still in it.
" `Do
not practice divination or sorcery.
27 "`Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the
edges of your beard.
28 "`Do not
cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD.
29 "`Do not
degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the land will turn to
prostitution and be filled with wickedness.
30 "`Observe
my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the LORD.
31 " `Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be
defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.
32 " `Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly
and revere your God. I am the LORD.
33 "`When
an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. 34 The alien
living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as
yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
35 "`Do not
use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity.
36 Use honest
scales and honest weights, an honest Ephah D and an honest hin.E I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt.
37 "`Keep
all my decrees and all my laws and follow them. I am the LORD.'"
20 1
The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Say to the Israelites: `Any Israelite or any alien living in
Israel who gives A any of his
children to Molech must be put to death. The people of the community are to
stone him. 3 I will set my face against that man and I will cut him off
from his people; for by giving his children to Molech, he has defiled my
sanctuary and profaned my holy name. 4 If the people of the community close their eyes when that
man gives one of his children to Molech and they fail to put him to death, 5 I will set my face
against that man and his family and will cut off [13] from their people both him and all who follow him in
prostituting themselves to Molech.
6 "`I will set my face against the person who turns to mediums and
spiritists to prostitute himself by following them, and I will cut him off from
his people.
7 "`Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your
God. 8 Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the LORD, who makes you holy.B
9 "`If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death.
He has cursed his father or his mother, and his blood will be on his own head.
10 "`If a
man commits adultery with another man's wife--with the wife of his
neighbor--both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.
11 "`If a
man sleeps with his father's wife, he has dishonored his father. Both the man
and the woman must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.
12 "`If a man sleeps with his daughter-in-law, both of them must be
put to death. What they have done is a perversion; their blood will be on their
own heads.
13 "`If a
man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is
detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.
14 "`If a
man marries both a woman and her mother, it is wicked. Both he and they must be
burned in the fire, so that no wickedness will be among you.
15 " `If a
man has sexual relations with an animal, he must be put to death, and you must
kill the animal.
16 "`If a woman approaches an animal to have sexual relations with
it, kill both the woman and the animal. They must be put to death; their blood
will be on their own heads.
17 "`If a
man marries his sister, the daughter of either his father or his mother, and
they have sexual relations, it is a disgrace. They must be cut off before the
eyes of their people. He has dishonored his sister and will be held
responsible.
18 "`If a
man lies with a woman during her monthly period and has sexual relations with
her, he has exposed the source of her flow, and she has also uncovered it. Both
of them must be cut off from their people.
19 "`Do not
have sexual relations with the sister of either your mother or your father, for
that would dishonor a close relative; both of you would be held responsible. [14]
20 "`If a
man sleeps with his aunt, he has dishonored his uncle. They will be held
responsible; they will die childless.
21 "`If a
man marries his brother's wife, it is an act of impurity; he has dishonored his
brother. They will be childless. [15]
NEW TESTAMENT: MARK 8:11 - 38
11 The Pharisees came and
began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. 12
He sighed deeply and said, "Why does this
generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be
given to it." 13 Then he left them, got back into the
boat and crossed to the other side.
14 The disciples had
forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. 15
"Be careful," Jesus warned
them. "Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees
and that of Herod."
16 They discussed this with
one another and said, "It is because we have no bread."
17 Aware of their
discussion, Jesus asked them: "Why are you
talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your
hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear?
And don't you remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many
basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?"
"Twelve," they replied.
20 "And when I broke
the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you
pick up?"
They answered,
"Seven."
21 He said to them, "Do you still not understand?"
22 They came to Bethsaida,
and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23 He
took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had
spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?"
24 He looked up and said,
"I see people; they look like trees walking
around."
25 Once more Jesus put his
hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and
he saw everything clearly. 26 Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village.A"
27 Jesus and his disciples
went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them,
"Who do people say I am?"
28 They replied, "Some
say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the
prophets."
29 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
Peter answered,
"You are the Christ.B"
30 Jesus warned them not to
tell anyone about him.
31 He then began to teach
them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders,
chief priests and teachers of the [16] law,
and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He
spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
33 But when Jesus turned
and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get
behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do
not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his
disciples and said: "If anyone would come after
me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to
save his life C will lose it, but
whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for a
man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? 37 Or what can a man
give in exchange for his soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous
and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in
his Father's glory with the holy angels."[17]
[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
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