MAY
22
PSALMS: 22,
52, 82, 112, 142
PROVERBS: 22
OLD TESTAMENT: NEHEMIAH 1:1 - 3:14
NEW TESTAMENT: 1 CORINTHIANS 7:1 - 24
PSALMS: 22
For
the director of music. To the tune of "The Doe of the Morning." A
psalm of David.
1
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why
are you so far from saving me,
so
far from the words of my groaning?
2
O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by
night, and am not silent.
3
Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you
are the praise of Israel. A
4
In you our fathers put their trust;
they
trusted and you delivered them.
5
They cried to you and were saved;
in
you they trusted and were not disappointed.
6
But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned
by men and despised by the people.
7
All who see me mock me;
they
hurl insults, shaking their heads:
8
"He trusts in the LORD;
let
the LORD rescue him.
Let
him deliver him,
since
he delights in him."
9
Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you
made me trust in you
even
at my mother's breast.
10
From birth I was cast upon you;
from
my mother's womb you have been my God. [1]
11
Do not be far from me,
for
trouble is near
and
there is no one to help.
12
Many bulls surround me;
strong
bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13
Roaring lions tearing their prey
open
their mouths wide against me.
14
I am poured out like water,
and
all my bones are out of joint.
My
heart has turned to wax;
it
has melted away within me.
15
My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and
my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you
lay me B in the dust of death.
16
Dogs have surrounded me;
a
band of evil men has encircled me,
they
have pierced C my hands and my feet.
17
I can count all my bones;
people
stare and gloat over me.
18
They divide my garments among them
and
cast lots for my clothing.
19
But you, O LORD, be not far off;
O
my Strength, come quickly to help me.
20
Deliver my life from the sword,
my
precious life from the power of the dogs.
21
Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
Save
D me from the horns of the wild oxen.
22
I will declare your name to my brothers;
in
the congregation I will praise you.
23
You who fear the LORD, praise him!
All
you descendants of Jacob, honor him! [2]
Revere
him, all you descendants of Israel!
24
For he has not despised or disdained
the
suffering of the afflicted one;
he
has not hidden his face from him
but
has listened to his cry for help.
25
From you comes the theme of my praise in the great
assembly;
before
those who fear you E will I fulfill my vows.
26
The poor will eat and be satisfied;
they
who seek the LORD will praise him--
may
your hearts live forever!
27
All the ends of the earth
will
remember and turn to the LORD,
and
all the families of the nations
will
bow down before him,
28
for dominion belongs to the LORD
and
he rules over the nations.
29
All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all
who go down to the dust will kneel before him--
those
who cannot keep themselves alive.
30
Posterity will serve him;
future
generations will be told about the Lord.
31
They will proclaim his righteousness
to
a people yet unborn--
for
he has done it. [3]
PSALMS: 52
For
the director of music. A maskil A of David. When Doeg the
Edomite had gone to Saul and told him: "David has gone to the house of
Ahimelech."
1
Why do you boast of evil, you mighty man?
Why
do you boast all day long,
you
who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?
2
Your tongue plots destruction;
it
is like a sharpened razor,
you
who practice deceit.
3 You
love evil rather than good,
falsehood
rather than speaking the truth.
Selah
4
You love every harmful word,
O
you deceitful tongue!
5
Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin:
He
will snatch you up and tear you from your tent;
he
will uproot you from the land of the living.
Selah
6
The righteous will see and fear;
they
will laugh at him, saying,
7
"Here now is the man
who
did not make God his stronghold
but
trusted in his great wealth
and
grew strong by destroying others!"
8
But I am like an olive tree
flourishing
in the house of God;
I
trust in God's unfailing love
for
ever and ever.
9
I will praise you forever for what you have done; [4]
in
your name I will hope, for your name is good.
I
will praise you in the presence of your saints. [5]
PSALMS: 82
A
psalm of Asaph.
1
God presides in the great assembly;
he
gives judgment among the "gods":
2
"How long will you A defend the unjust
and show partiality to the wicked?
Selah
3
Defend the cause of the weak and
fatherless;
maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
4 Rescue the
weak and needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
5
"They know nothing,
they understand nothing.
They walk about in darkness;
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6
"I said, `You are
"gods";
you are all sons of the Most High.'
7 But you
will die like mere men;
you will fall like every other ruler."
8 Rise up, O
God, judge the earth,
for all the nations are your inheritance. [6]
PSALMS: 112
1
Praise A the LORD. B
Blessed
is the man who fears the LORD,
who
finds great delight in his commands.
2
His children will be mighty in the land;
the
generation of the upright will be blessed.
3
Wealth and riches are in his house,
and
his righteousness endures forever.
4
Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
for
the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. C
5
Good will come to him who is generous and lends
freely,
who
conducts his affairs with justice.
6
Surely he will never be shaken;
a
righteous man will be remembered forever.
7
He will have no fear of bad news;
his
heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
8
His heart is secure, he will have no fear;
in
the end he will look in triumph on his foes.
9
He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor,
his
righteousness endures forever;
his
horn D will be lifted high in honor.
10
The wicked man will see and be vexed,
he
will gnash his teeth and waste away;
the
longings of the wicked will come to nothing. [7]
PSALMS: 142
A
maskil A of David. When he was in the cave. A prayer.
1
I cry aloud to the LORD;
I
lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy.
2
I pour out my complaint before him;
before
him I tell my trouble.
3
When my spirit grows faint within me,
it
is you who know my way.
In
the path where I walk
men
have hidden a snare for me.
4
Look to my right and see;
no
one is concerned for me.
I
have no refuge;
no
one cares for my life.
5
I cry to you, O LORD;
I
say, "You are my refuge,
my
portion in the land of the living."
6
Listen to my cry,
for
I am in desperate need;
rescue
me from those who pursue me,
for
they are too strong for me.
7
Set me free from my prison,
that
I may praise your name.
Then
the righteous will gather about me
because
of your goodness to me. [8]
PROVERBS: 22
22
1 A good name is more
desirable than great riches;
to
be esteemed is better than silver or gold.
2
Rich and poor have this in common:
The
LORD is the Maker of them all.
3
A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge,
but
the simple keep going and suffer for it.
4
Humility and the fear of the LORD
bring
wealth and honor and life.
5
In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares,
but
he who guards his soul stays far from them.
6
Train A a child in the way he should go,
and
when he is old he will not turn from it.
7
The rich rule over the poor,
and
the borrower is servant to the lender.
8
He who sows wickedness reaps trouble,
and
the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
9
A generous man will himself be blessed,
for
he shares his food with the poor.
10
Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife;
quarrels
and insults are ended.
11
He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious
will
have the king for his friend. [9]
12
The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge,
but
he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.
13
The sluggard says, "There is a lion
outside!"
or,
"I will be murdered in the streets!"
14
The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit;
he
who is under the LORD's wrath will fall into it.
15
Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but
the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.
16
He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth
and
he who gives gifts to the rich--both come to poverty.
17
Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise;
apply
your heart to what I teach,
18
for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
and
have all of them ready on your lips.
19
So that your trust may be in the LORD,
I
teach you today, even you.
20
Have I not written thirty B sayings for
you,
sayings
of counsel and knowledge,
21
teaching you true and reliable words,
so
that you can give sound answers
to
him who sent you?
22
Do not exploit the poor because they are poor
and
do not crush the needy in court,
23
for the LORD will take up their case
and
will plunder those who plunder them. [10]
24
Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man,
do
not associate with one easily angered,
25
or you may learn his ways
and
get yourself ensnared.
26
Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge
or
puts up security for debts;
27
if you lack the means to pay,
your
very bed will be snatched from under you.
28
Do not move an ancient boundary stone
set
up by your forefathers.
29
Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He
will serve before kings;
he
will not serve before obscure men. [11]
OLD TESTAMENT: NEHEMIAH 1:1 - 3:14
1 1
The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah:
In the month of Kislev
in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, 2 Hanani,
one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them
about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.
3 They
said to me, "Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are
in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its
gates have been burned with fire."
4 When
I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted
and prayed before the God of heaven. 5 Then I said:
"O LORD, God of
heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those
who love him and obey his commands, 6 let your ear be attentive and
your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and
night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we
Israelites, including myself and my father's house, have committed against you.
7 We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the
commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
8 "Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses,
saying, `If you are unfaithful, I will scatter
you among the nations, 9 but if you
return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the
farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I
have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.'
10 "They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed
by your great strength and your mighty hand. 11 O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this
your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your
name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of
this man."
I was cupbearer to the
king.
2 1
In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,
when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had
not been sad in his presence before; 2 so the king asked me,
"Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing
but sadness of heart."
I was very much afraid, 3
but I said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should my
face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and
its gates have been destroyed by fire?" [12]
4 The
king said to me, "What is it you want?"
Then I prayed to the God
of heaven, 5 and I answered the king, "If it pleases the king
and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city
in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it."
6 Then
the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, "How long will your
journey take, and when will you get back?" It pleased the king to send me;
so I set a time.
7 I
also said to him, "If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the
governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I
arrive in Judah? 8 And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the
king's forest, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the
citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will
occupy?" And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king
granted my requests. 9 So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates
and gave them the king's letters. The king had also sent army officers and
cavalry with me.
10 When
Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they
were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the
Israelites.
11 I
went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days 12 I set out
during the night with a few men. I had not told anyone what my God had put in
my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was
riding on.
13 By
night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal A Well
and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken
down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. 14 Then I
moved on toward the Fountain Gate and the King's Pool, but there was not enough
room for my mount to get through; 15 so I went up the valley by
night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the
Valley Gate. 16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what
I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or
nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.
17 Then
I said to them, "You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins,
and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of
Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace." 18 I also
told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said
to me. [13]
They replied, "Let us start rebuilding." So they began this good
work.
19 But
when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab
heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. "What is this you are
doing?" they asked. "Are you rebelling against the king?"
20 I
answered them by saying, "The God of heaven will give us success. We his
servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem
or any claim or historic right to it."
3 1
Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went
to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set its doors in
place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and
as far as the Tower of Hananel. 2 The men of Jericho built the
adjoining section, and Zaccur son of Imri built next to them.
3 The
Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and put its
doors and bolts and bars in place. 4 Meremoth son of Uriah, the son
of Hakkoz, repaired the next section. Next to him Meshullam son of Berekiah,
the son of Meshezabel, made repairs, and next to him Zadok son of Baana also
made repairs. 5 The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa,
but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their
supervisors. A
6 The
Jeshanah B Gate was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam
son of Besodeiah. They laid its beams and put its doors and bolts and bars in
place. 7 Next to them, repairs were made by men from Gibeon and
Mizpah--Melatiah of Gibeon and Jadon of Meronoth--places under the authority of
the governor of Trans-Euphrates.
8 Uzziel
son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the next section; and
Hananiah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs next to that. They restored C
Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. 9 Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of
a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section. 10 Adjoining
this, Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house, and Hattush son
of Hashabneiah made repairs next to him. 11 Malkijah son of Harim
and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section and the Tower of the
Ovens. 12 Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem,
repaired the next section with the help of his daughters. [14]
13 The
Valley Gate was repaired by Hanun and the residents of Zanoah. They rebuilt it
and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. They also repaired five hundred
yards D of the wall as far as the Dung Gate.
14 The
Dung Gate was repaired by Malkijah son of Recab, ruler of the district of Beth
Hakkerem. He rebuilt it and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. [15]
NEW TESTAMENT: 1 CORINTHIANS 7:1 - 24
7 1
Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a
man not to marry. A 2 But since there is so much
immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. 3
The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the
wife to her husband. 4 The wife's body does not belong to her alone
but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to
him alone but also to his wife. 5 Do not deprive each other except
by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer.
Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack
of self-control. 6 I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7
I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God;
one has this gift, another has that.
8 Now
to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried,
as I am. 9 But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry,
for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
10 To
the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate
from her husband.
11 But
if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband.
And a husband must not divorce his wife.
12 To
the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a
believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And
if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with
her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has
been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified
through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as
it is, they are holy.
15 But
if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound
in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 16 How do
you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know,
husband, whether you will save your wife?
17 Nevertheless,
each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to
which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. 18
Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become
uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be
circumcised.
19 Circumcision
is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands is what
counts. 20 Each one should remain in the situation which he was in
when God called him. 21 Were you a slave when you were called? Don't
let it trouble you--although if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22 For
he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord's freedman;
similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave. 23 You
were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 24 Brothers,
each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him
to. [16]
[1]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved
[2]
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[3]
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Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved
[4]
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV.
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[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]
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[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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