DECEMBER 21
PSALMS: 21, 51, 81, 111, 141
PROVERBS: 21
OLD TESTAMENT: NUMBERS 16:41 - 18:32
NEW TESTAMENT: MARK 16:1 - 20
PSALMS: 21
1 The king rejoices in your strength, LORD!
How greatly he rejoices in your yeshu`ah!
2 You have given him his heart's desire,
And have not withheld the request of his lips.
3 For you meet him with the blessings of goodness;
You set a crown of fine gold on his head.
4 He asked life of you, you gave it to him,
Even length of days forever and ever.
5 His glory is great in your salvation.
You lay honor and majesty on him.
6 For you make him most blessed forever.
You make him glad with joy in your presence.
7 For the king trusts in the LORD.
Through the loving kindness of Ha`Elyon,
he shall not be moved.
8 Your hand will find out all of your enemies.
Your right hand will find out those who hate you.
9 You will make them as a fiery furnace in the time of your anger.
The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath.
The fire shall devour them.
10 You will destroy their descendants from the eretz,
Their posterity from among the children of men.
11 For they intended evil against you.
They plotted evil against you which cannot succeed.
12 For you will make them turn their back,
When you aim drawn bows at their face.
13 Be exalted, LORD, in your strength,
So we will sing and praise your power.
PSALMS: 51
1 Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness.
According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity.
Cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions.
My sin is constantly before me.
4 Against you, and you only, have I sinned,
And done that which is evil in your sight;
That you may be proved right when you speak,
And justified when you judge.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity.
In sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts.
You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean.
Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones which you have broken may rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
And blot out all of my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a right spirit within me.
11 Don't throw me from your presence,
And don't take your holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation.
Uphold me with a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways.
Sinners shall be converted to you.
14 Deliver me from blood guiltiness,
O God, the God of my salvation.
My tongue shall sing aloud of your righteousness.
15 Lord, open my lips.
My mouth shall declare your praise.
16 For you don't delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it.
You have no pleasure in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.
A broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.
18 Do well in your good pleasure to Tziyon.
Build the walls of Yerushalayim.
19 Then will you delight in the sacrifices of righteousness,
In burnt offerings and in whole burnt offerings.
Then they will offer bulls on your altar.
PSALMS: 81
1 Sing aloud to God, our strength!
Make a joyful noise to the God of Ya`akov!
2 Raise a song, and bring here the tambourine,
The pleasant lyre with the harp.
3 Blow the shofar at the New Moon,
At the full moon, on our feast day.
4 For it is a statute for Yisra'el,
An ordinance of the God of Ya`akov.
5 He appointed it in Yosef for a testimony,
When he went out over the land of Mitzrayim,
I heard a language that I didn't know.
6 "I removed his shoulder from the burden.
His hands were freed from the basket.
7 You called in trouble, and I delivered you.
I answered you in the secret place of thunder.
I tested you at the waters of Merivah."
Selah.
8 "Hear, my people, and I will testify to you.
Yisra'el, if you would listen to me!
9 There shall be no strange god in you,
Neither shall you worship any foreign god.
10 I am the LORD, your God,
Who brought you up out of the land of Mitzrayim.
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
11 But my people didn't listen to my voice.
Yisra'el desired none of me.
12 So I let them go after the stubbornness of their hearts,
That they might walk in their own counsels.
13 Oh that my people would listen to me,
That Yisra'el would walk in my ways!
14 I would soon subdue their enemies,
And turn my hand against their adversaries.
15 The haters of the LORD would cringe before him,
And their punishment would last forever.
16 But he would have also fed them with the finest of the wheat.
I will satisfy you with honey out of the rock."
PSALMS: 111
1 Praise the LORD!
I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart,
In the council of the upright, and in the congregation.
2 The works of the LORD are great,
Pondered by all those who delight in them.
3 His work is honor and majesty.
His righteousness endures forever.
4 He has caused his wonderful works to be remembered.
The LORD is gracious and merciful.
5 He has given food to those who fear him.
He always remembers his covenant.
6 He has shown his people the power of his works,
In giving them the heritage of the nations.
7 The works of his hands are truth and justice.
All his precepts are sure.
8 They are established forever and ever.
They are done in truth and uprightness.
9 He has sent redemption to his people.
He has ordained his covenant forever.
His name is holy and awesome!
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.
All those who do his work have a good understanding.
His praise endures forever!
PSALMS: 141
1 LORD, I have called on you. Come to me quickly!
Listen to my voice when I call to you.
2 Let my prayer be set before you like incense; ‘
The lifting up of my hands like the evening sacrifice.
3 Set a watch, LORD, before my mouth.
Keep the door of my lips.
4 Don't incline my heart to any evil thing, ‘
To practice deeds of wickedness with men who work iniquity.
Don't let me eat of their delicacies.
5 Let the righteous strike me, it is kindness;
Let him reprove me, it is like oil on the head;
Don't let my head refuse it;
Yet my prayer is always against evil deeds.
6 Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock.
They will hear my words, for they are well spoken.
7 "As when one plows and breaks up the eretz,
Our bones are scattered at the mouth of She'ol."
8 For my eyes are on you, LORD, the Lord.
In you, I take refuge. Don't leave my soul destitute.
9 Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me,
From the traps of the workers of iniquity.
10 Let the wicked fall together into their own nets,
While I pass by.
PROVERBS: 21
1 The king's heart is in the LORD's hand like the watercourses.
He turns it wherever he desires.
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
But the LORD weighs the hearts.
3 To do righteousness and justice
Is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
4 A high look, and a proud heart,
The lamp of the wicked, is sin.
5 The plans of the diligent surely lead to profit;
And everyone who is hasty surely rushes to poverty.
6 Getting treasures by a lying tongue
Is a fleeting vapor for those who seek death.
7 The violence of the wicked will drive them away,
Because they refuse to do what is right.
8 The way of the guilty is devious,
But the conduct of the innocent is upright.
9 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop,
Than to share a house with a contentious woman.
10 The soul of the wicked desires evil;
His neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
11 When the mocker is punished, the simple gains wisdom;
When the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.
12 The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked,
And brings the wicked to ruin.
13 Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor,
He will also cry out, but shall not be heard.
14 A gift in secret pacifies anger;
And a bribe in the cloak, strong wrath.
15 It is joy to the righteous to do justice;
But it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.
16 The man who wanders out of the way of understanding
Shall rest in the assembly of the dead.
17 He who loves pleasure shall be a poor man:
He who loves wine and oil shall not be rich.
18 The wicked is a ransom for the righteous;
The treacherous for the upright.
19 It is better to dwell in a desert land,
Than with a contentious and fretful woman.
20 There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise;
But a foolish man swallows it up.
21 He who follows after righteousness and kindness
Finds life, righteousness, and honor.
22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty,
And brings down the strength of its confidence.
23Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue
Keeps his soul from troubles.
24 The proud and haughty man, "scoffer" is his name;
He works in the arrogance of pride.
25 The desire of the sluggard kills him,
For his hands refuse to labor.
26 There are those who covet greedily all the day long;
But the righteous gives and doesn't withhold.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination:
How much more, when he brings it with a wicked mind!
28 A false witness will perish,
And a man who listens speaks to eternity.
29 A wicked man hardens his face;
But as for the upright, he establishes his ways.
30 There is no wisdom nor understanding
Nor counsel against the LORD.
31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle;
But victory is with the LORD.
OLD TESTAMENT: NUMBERS 16:41 - 18:32
16:41 But on the next day all the congregation of the children of Yisra'el murmured against Moshe and against Aharon, saying, You have killed the people of the LORD. 42 It happened, when the congregation was assembled against Moshe and against Aharon, that they looked toward the tent of meeting: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared. 43 Moshe and Aharon came to the front of the tent of meeting. 44 The LORD spoke to Moshe, saying, 45 Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. They fell on their faces. 46 Moshe said to Aharon, Take they censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and lay incense thereon, and carry it quickly to the congregation, and make atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun. 47 Aharon took as Moshe spoke, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on the incense, and made atonement for the people.48 He stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. 49 Now those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, besides those who died about the matter of Korach. 50 Aharon returned to Moshe to the door of the tent of meeting: and the plague was stayed.
17:1 The LORD spoke to Moshe, saying, 2 Speak to the children of Yisra'el, and take of them rods, one for each fathers' house, of all their princes according to their fathers' houses, twelve rods: write you every man's name on his rod. 3 You shall write Aharon's name on the rod of Levi; for there shall be one rod for each head of their fathers' houses. 4 You shall lay them up in the tent of meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you. 5 It shall happen, that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Yisra'el, which they murmur against you. 6 Moshe spoke to the children of Yisra'el; and all their princes gave him rods, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aharon was among their rods. 7 Moshe laid up the rods before the LORD in the tent of the testimony. 8 It happened on the next day, that Moshe went into the tent of the testimony; and, behold, the rod of Aharon for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds. 9 Moshe brought out all the rods from before the LORD to all the children of Yisra'el: and they looked, and took every man his rod. 10 The LORD said to Moshe, Put back the rod of Aharon before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the children of rebellion; that you may make an end of their murmurings against me, that they not die. 11 Thus did Moshe: as the LORD commanded him, so did he. 12 The children of Yisra'el spoke to Moshe, saying, Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone. 13 Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tent of the LORD, dies: shall we perish all of us?
18:1 The LORD said to Aharon, You and your sons and your fathers' house with you shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary; and you and your sons with you shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. 2 Your brothers also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, bring you near with you, that they may be joined to you, and minister to you: but you and your sons with you shall be before the tent of the testimony. 3 They shall keep your charge, and the charge of all the Tent: only they shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary and to the altar, that they not die, neither they, nor you. 4 They shall be joined to you, and keep the charge of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the Tent: and a stranger shall not come near to you. 5 You shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar; that there be wrath no more on the children of Yisra'el. 6 I, behold, I have taken your brothers the Levites from among the children of Yisra'el: to you they are a gift, given to the LORD, to do the service of the tent of meeting. 7 You and your sons with you shall keep your priesthood for everything of the altar, and for that within the veil; and you shall serve: I give you the priesthood as a service of gift: and the stranger who comes near shall be put to death. 8 The LORD spoke to Aharon, I, behold, I have given you the charge of my heave-offerings, even all the holy things of the children of Yisra'el; to you have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to your sons, as a portion forever. 9 This shall be your of the most holy things, [reserved] from the fire: every offering of theirs, even every meal-offering of theirs, and every sin-offering of theirs, and every trespass-offering of theirs, which they shall render to me, shall be most holy for you and for your sons. 10 As the most holy things shall you eat of it; every male shall eat of it: it shall be holy to you. 11 This is your: the heave-offering of their gift, even all the wave-offerings of the children of Yisra'el; I have given them to you, and to your sons and to your daughters with you, as a portion forever; everyone who is clean in your house shall eat of it. 12 All the best of the oil, and all the best of the vintage, and of the grain, the first fruits of them which they give to the LORD, to you have I given them. 13 The first-ripe fruits of all that is in their land, which they bring to the LORD, shall be your; everyone who is clean in your house shall eat of it. 14 Everything devoted in Yisra'el shall be your. 15 Everything that opens the womb, of all flesh which they offer to the LORD, both of man and animal shall be your: nevertheless the firstborn of man shall you surely redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals shall you redeem. 16 Those who are to be redeemed of them from a month old shall you redeem, according to your estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary (the same is twenty gerahs). 17 But the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat, you shall not redeem; they are holy: you shall sprinkle their blood on the altar, and shall burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savor to the LORD. 18 The flesh of them shall be your, as the wave-breast and as the right thigh, it shall be your. 19 All the heave-offerings of the holy things, which the children of Yisra'el offer to the LORD, have I given you, and your sons and your daughters with you, as a portion forever: it is a covenant of salt forever before the LORD to you and to your seed with you. 20 The LORD said to Aharon, You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them: I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Yisra'el. 21 To the children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Yisra'el for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of the tent of meeting. 22 Henceforth the children of Yisra'el shall not come near the tent of meeting, lest they bear sin, and die.23 But the Levites shall do the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations; and among the children of Yisra'el they shall have no inheritance. 24 For the tithe of the children of Yisra'el, which they offer as a heave-offering to the LORD, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance: therefore I have said to them, Among the children of Yisra'el they shall have no inheritance. 25 The LORD spoke to Moshe, saying, 26 Moreover you shall speak to the Levites, and tell them, When you take of the children of Yisra'el the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall offer up a heave-offering of it for the LORD, a tithe of the tithe. 27 Your heave-offering shall be reckoned to you, as though it were the grain of the threshing floor, and as the fullness of the winepress. 28 Thus you also shall offer a heave-offering to the LORD of all your tithes, which you receive of the children of Yisra'el; and of it you shall give the LORD's heave-offering to Aharon the Kohen. 29 Out of all your gifts you shall offer every heave-offering of the LORD, of all the best of it, even the holy part of it out of it. 30 Therefore you shall tell them, When you heave the best of it from it, then it shall be reckoned to the Levites as the increase of the threshing floor, and as the increase of the wine-press. 31 You shall eat it in every place, you and your households: for it is your reward in return for your service in the tent of meeting. 32 You shall bear no sin by reason of it, when you have heaved from it the best of it: and you shall not profane the holy things of the children of Yisra'el, that you not die.
NEW TESTAMENT: MARK 16:1 - 20
1 When the Shabbat was past, Miryam from Magdala, and Miryam the mother of Ya`akov, and Shalomit, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him.
2 Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.
3 They were saying among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"
4 for it was very big. Looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back.
5 Entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were amazed.
6 He said to them, "Don't be amazed. You seek Yeshua, the Natzri, who has been crucified. He has risen. He is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him!
7 But go, tell his talmidim and Kefa, 'He goes before you into the Galil. There you will see him, as he said to you.'"
8 They went out, and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had come on them. They said nothing to anyone; for they were afraid.
9 Now when he had risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Miryam from Magdala, from whom he had cast out seven demons.
10 She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept.
11 When they heard that he was alive, and had been seen by her, they disbelieved.
12 After these things he was revealed in another form to two of them, as they walked, on their way into the country.
13 They went away and told it to the rest. They didn't believe them, either.
14 Afterward he was revealed to the eleven themselves as they sat at the table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they didn't believe those who had seen him after he had risen.
15 He said to them, "Go into all the world, and preach the Good News to the whole creation.
16 He who believes and is immersed will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned.
17 These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages;
18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will in no way hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
19 So then the Lord Yeshua, after he had spoken to them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
20 They went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amein.
John 3:16-21 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, F that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. G 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." H
