APRIL 13
PSALMS: 13, 43, 73, 103, 133
PROVERBS: 13
OLD TESTAMENT: 2 KINGS 22:2 - 23:30
NEW TESTAMENT: ACTS 21:37 - 22:16
PSALMS: 13
1 How long, LORD?
Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart every day?
How long shall my enemy triumph over me?
3 Behold, and answer me, LORD, my God.
Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death;
4 Lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed against him;
" Lest my adversaries rejoice when I fall.
5 But I trust in your loving kindness.
My heart rejoices in your yeshu`ah.
6 I will sing to the LORD,
Because he has been good to me.
PSALMS: 43
1 Vindicate me, God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation.
Oh, deliver me from deceitful and wicked men.
2 For you are the God of my strength.
Why have you rejected me?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
3 Oh, send out your light and your truth.
Let them lead me. Let them bring me to your holy hill,
To your tents.
4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
To God, my exceeding joy.
I will praise you on the harp, God, my God.
5 Why are you in despair, my soul?
Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God!
For I shall still praise him,
The saving help of my face, and my God.
PSALMS: 73
1 Surely God is good to Yisra'el,
To those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone.
My steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant,
When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are no struggles in their death,
But their strength is firm.
5 They are free from burdens of men,
Neither are they plagued like other men.
6 Therefore pride is like a chain around their neck.
Violence covers them like a garment.
7 Their eyes bulge with fat.
Their minds pass the limits of conceit.
8 They scoff and speak with malice.
In arrogance, they threaten oppression.
9 They have set their mouth in the heavens.
Their tongue walks through the eretz.
10 Therefore their people return to them,
And they drink up waters of abundance.
11 They say, "How does God know?
Is there knowledge in Ha`Elyon?"
12 Behold, these are the wicked.
Being always at ease, they increase in riches.
13 Surely in vain I have cleansed my heart,
And washed my hands in innocence,
14 For all day long have I been plagued,
And punished every morning.
15 If I had said, "I will speak thus;"
Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
16 When I tried to understand this,
It was too painful for me;
17 Until I entered God's sanctuary,
And considered their latter end.
18 Surely you set them in slippery places.
You throw them down to destruction.
19 How they are suddenly destroyed!
They are completely swept away with terrors.
20 As a dream when one wakes up,
So, Lord, when you awake, you will despise their fantasies.
21 For my soul was grieved.
I was embittered in my heart.
22 I was so senseless and ignorant.
I was a brute beast before you.
23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you.
You have held my right hand.
24 You will guide me with your counsel,
And afterward receive me to glory.
25 Who do I have in heaven?
There is no one on eretz who I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart fails,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 For, behold, those who are far from you shall perish.
You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to you.
28 But it is good for me to come close to God.
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
That I may tell of all your works.
PSALMS: 103
1 Praise the LORD, my soul!
All that is within me, praise his holy name!
2 Praise the LORD, my soul,
And don't forget all his benefits;
3 Who forgives all your sins;
Who heals all your diseases;
4 Who redeems your life from destruction;
Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies;
5 Who satisfies your desire with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The LORD executes righteous acts,
And justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moshe,
His deeds to the children of Yisra'el.
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness.
9 He will not always accuse;
Neither will he stay angry forever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor rewarded us for our iniquities.
11 For as the heavens are high above the eretz,
So great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13 Like a father has compassion on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
14 For he knows how we are made.
He remembers that we are dust.
15 As for man, his days are like grass.
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone.
Its place remembers it no more.
17 But the LORD's loving kindness is from everlasting
to everlasting with those who fear him,
His righteousness to children's children;
18 To those who keep his covenant,
To those who remember to obey his precepts.
19 The LORD has established his throne in the heavens.
His kingdom rules over all.
20 Praise the LORD, you angels of his,
Who are mighty in strength, who fulfill his word,
Obeying the voice of his word.
21 Praise the LORD, all you hosts of his,
You servants of his, who do his pleasure.
22 Praise the LORD, all you works of his,
In all places of his dominion.
Praise the LORD, my soul.
PSALMS: 133
1 See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil on the head,
That ran down on the beard,
Even Aharon's beard;
That came down on the edge of his robes;
3 Like the dew of Hermon,
That comes down on the hills of Tziyon:
For there the LORD gives the blessing,
Even life forevermore.
PROVERBS: 13
1 A wise son listens to his father's instruction,
But a scoffer doesn't listen to rebuke.
2 By the fruit of his lips, a man enjoys good things;
But the unfaithful crave violence.
3 He who guards his mouth guards his soul.
One who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
4 The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing,
But the desire of the diligent shall be fully satisfied.
5 A righteous man hates lies,
But a wicked man brings shame and disgrace.
6 Righteousness guards the way of integrity,
But wickedness overthrows the sinner.
7 There are some who pretend to be rich, yet have nothing.
There are some who pretend to be poor, yet have great wealth.
8 The ransom of a man's life is his riches,
But the poor hears no threats.
9 The light of the righteous shines brightly,
But the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.
10 By pride comes only quarrels,
But with ones who take advice is wisdom.
11 Wealth gained dishonestly dwindles away,
But he who gathers by hand makes it grow.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But when longing is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.
13 Whoever despises instruction will pay for it,
But he who respects a command will be rewarded.
14 The teaching of the wise is a spring of life,
To turn from the snares of death.
15 Good understanding wins favor;
But the way of the unfaithful is hard.
16 Every prudent man acts from knowledge,
But a fool exposes folly.
17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
But a trustworthy envoy gains healing.
18 Poverty and shame come to him who refuses discipline,
But he who heeds correction shall be honored.
19 Longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul,
But fools detest turning from evil.
20 One who walks with wise men grows wise,
But a companion of fools suffers harm.
21 Misfortune pursues sinners,
But prosperity rewards the righteous.
22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children,
But the wealth of the sinner is stored for the righteous.
23 An abundance of food is in poor people's fields,
But injustice sweeps it away.
24 One who spares the rod hates his son,
But one who loves him is careful to discipline him.
25 The righteous one eats to the satisfying of his soul,
But the belly of the wicked goes hungry.
OLD TESTAMENT: 2 KINGS 22:3 - 23:30
22:3 It happened in the eighteenth year of king Yoshiyahu, that the king sent Shafan, the son of Atzalyahu the son of Meshullam, the Sofer, to the house of the LORD, saying, 4 Go up to Hilkiyah the Kohen Gadol, that he may sum the money which is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the threshold have gathered of the people: 5 and let them deliver it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD; and let them give it to the workmen who are in the house of the LORD, to repair the breaches of the house, 6 to the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons, and for buying timber and hewn stone to repair the house. 7 However there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand; for they dealt faithfully. 8 Hilkiyah the Kohen Gadol said to Shafan the Sofer, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. Hilkiyah delivered the book to Shafan, and he read it. 9 Shafan the Sofer came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD. 10 Shafan the Sofer told the king, saying, Hilkiyah the Kohen has delivered me a book. Shafan read it before the king. 11 It happened, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he tore his clothes. 12 The king commanded Hilkiyah the Kohen, and Achikam the son of Shafan, and `Akhbor the son of Mikhayahu, and Shafan the Sofer, and `Asayah the king's servant, saying, 13 Go you, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Yehudah, concerning the words of this book that is found; for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not listened to the words of this book, to do according to all that which is written concerning us. 14 So Hilkiyah the Kohen, and Achikam, and `Akhbor, and Shafan, and `Asayah, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harchas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Yerushalayim in the second quarter); and they talked with her. 15 She said to them, Thus says the LORD, the God of Yisra'el: Tell you the man who sent you to me, 16 Thus says the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil on this place, and on the inhabitants of it, even all the words of the book which the king of Yehudah has read. 17 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and it shall not be quenched. 18 But to the king of Yehudah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, thus shall you tell him, Thus says the LORD, the God of Yisra'el: As touching the words which you have heard, 19 because your heart was tender, and you did humble yourself before the LORD, when you heard what I spoke against this place, and against the inhabitants of it, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and have torn your clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard you, says the LORD. 20 Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in shalom, neither shall your eyes see all the evil which I will bring on this place. They brought the king word again.
23:1 The king sent, and they gathered to him all the Zakenim of Yehudah and of Yerushalayim. 2 The king went up to the house of the LORD, and all the men of Yehudah and all the inhabitants of Yerushalayim with him, and the Kohanim, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD. 3 The king stood by the pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his mitzvot, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all [his] heart, and all [his] soul, to confirm the words of this covenant that were written in this book: and all the people stood to the covenant. 4 The king commanded Hilkiyah the Kohen Gadol, and the Kohanim of the second order, and the keepers of the threshold, to bring forth out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Ba`al, and for the Asherah, and for all the host of the sky, and he burned them outside of Yerushalayim in the fields of the Kidron, and carried the ashes of them to Beit-El 5 He put down the idolatrous Kohanim, whom the kings of Yehudah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Yehudah, and in the places round about Yerushalayim; those also who burned incense to Ba`al, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of the sky. 6 He brought out the Asherah from the house of the LORD, outside of Yerushalayim, to the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and beat it to dust, and cast the dust of it on the graves of the common people. 7 He broke down the houses of the sodomites, that were in the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the Asherah. 8 He brought all the Kohanim out of the cities of Yehudah, and defiled the high places where the Kohanim had burned incense, from Geva to Be'er-Sheva; and he broke down the high places of the gates that were at the entrance of the gate of Yehoshua the governor of the city, which were on a man's left hand at the gate of the city. 9 Nevertheless the Kohanim of the high places didn't come up to the altar of the LORD in Yerushalayim, but they ate matzah among their brothers. 10 He defiled Tofet, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molekh. 11 He took away the horses that the kings of Yehudah had given to the sun, at the entrance of the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Netan-Melekh the chamberlain, which was in the precincts; and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire. 12 The altars that were on the roof of the upper chamber of Achaz, which the kings of Yehudah had made, and the altars which Menashsheh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, did the king break down, and beat [them] down from there, and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron. 13 The high places that were before Yerushalayim, which were on the right hand of the mountain of corruption, which Shlomo the king of Yisra'el had built for `Ashoret the abomination of the Tzidonim, and for Kemosh the abomination of Mo'av, and for Milkom the abomination of the children of `Ammon, did the king defile. 14 He broke in pieces the pillars, and cut down the Asherim, and filled their places with the bones of men 15 Moreover the altar that was at Beit-El, and the high place which Yarov`am the son of Nevat, who made Yisra'el to sin, had made, even that altar and the high place he broke down; and he burned the high place and beat it to dust, and burned the Asherah. 16 As Yoshiyahu turned himself, he spied the tombs that were there in the mountain; and he sent, and took the bones out of the tombs, and burned them on the altar, and defiled it, according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these things. 17 Then he said, What monument is that which I see? The men of the city told him, It is the tomb of the man of God, who came from Yehudah, and proclaimed these things that you have done against the altar of Beit-El. 18 He said, Let him be; let no man move his bones. So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet who came out of Shomron. 19 All the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Shomron, which the kings of Yisra'el had made to provoke [the LORD] to anger, Yoshiyahu took away, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Beit-El 20 He killed all the Kohanim of the high places that were there, on the altars, and burned men's bones on them; and he returned to Yerushalayim. 21 The king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the Pesach to the LORD your God, as it is written in this book of the covenant 22 Surely there was not kept such a Pesach from the days of the judges who judged Yisra'el, nor in all the days of the kings of Yisra'el, nor of the kings of Yehudah; 23 but in the eighteenth year of king Yoshiyahu was this Pesach kept to the LORD in Yerushalayim. 24 Moreover those who had familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the terafim, and the idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Yehudah and in Yerushalayim, did Yoshiyahu put away, that he might confirm the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiyah the Kohen found in the house of the LORD. 25 Like him was there no king before him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moshe; neither after him arose there any like him. 26 Notwithstanding, the LORD didn't turn from the fierceness of his great wrath, with which his anger was kindled against Yehudah, because of all the provocation with which Menashsheh had provoked him. 27 The LORD said, I will remove Yehudah also out of my sight, as I have removed Yisra'el, and I will cast off this city which I have chosen, even Yerushalayim, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there. 28 Now the rest of the acts of Yoshiyahu, and all that he did, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Yehudah? 29 In his days Par`oh-Nekho king of Mitzrayim went up against the king of Ashshur to the river Perat: and king Yoshiyahu went against him; and [Par`oh-Nekho] killed him at Megiddo, when he had seen him. 30 His servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and brought him to Yerushalayim, and buried him in his own tomb. The people of the land took Yeho'achaz the son of Yoshiyahu, and anointed him, and made him king in his father's place.
NEW TESTAMENT: ACTS 21:37 - 22:16
21:37 As Sha'ul was about to be brought into the barracks, he asked the commanding officer, "May I say something to you?" He said, "Do you know Yevanit? 38 Aren't you then the Mitzrian, who before these days stirred up to sedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?" 39 But Sha'ul said, "I am a Yehudi, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. I beg you, allow me to speak to the people." 40 When he had given him permission, Sha'ul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people. When there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,
22:1 "Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make to you." 2 When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He said, 3 "I am indeed a Yehudi, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamli'el, instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are this day. 4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. 5 As also the Kohen Gadol and all the council of the Zakenim testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and journeyed to Dammesek to bring them also who were there to Yerushalayim in bonds to be punished.6 It happened that, as I made my journey, and came close to Dammesek, about noon, suddenly there shone from the sky a great light around me. 7 I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Sha'ul, Sha'ul, why do you persecute me?' 8 I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' He said to me, 'I am Yeshua of Natzeret, whom you persecute.' 9 "Those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they didn't understand the voice of him who spoke to me. 10 I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' The Lord said to me, 'Arise, and go into Dammesek. There you will be told about all things which are appointed for you to do.' 11 When I couldn't see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Dammesek. 12 One Hananyah, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Yehudim who lived there, 13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, 'Brother Sha'ul, receive your sight!' In that very hour I looked up at him. 14 He said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.15 For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard. 16 Now why do you wait? Arise, be immersed, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.'
