M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Death of Saul(A)
1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, David had remained two days in Ziklag. 2 On the third day, a man came from the camp of Saul with his clothes torn and dirt upon his head. As he approached David, he fell to the ground prostrate.
3 David asked him, “Where have you come from?”
He responded, “I fled from the camp of Israel.”
4 David said to him, “Tell me, what is the report?”
So he reported, “The people fled from battle. Many of the people have fallen and died; even Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.”
5 Then David asked the young man who was reporting to him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”
6 The young man who was reporting to him answered, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa when, in front of me, Saul was leaning on his spear with the chariots and horsemen drawing close. 7 When he turned around, he noticed me. He summoned me, and I responded, ‘Here I am.’
8 “He asked me, ‘Who are you?’
“I answered, ‘I am an Amalekite.’
9 “Then he said to me, ‘Stand over me and kill me, for I have been mortally wounded, yet I am still alive.’
10 “So I stood beside him and killed him because I knew that he could not live after he had fallen. Then I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”
11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, as did all of the men who were with him. 12 They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul, Jonathan his son, the people of the Lord, and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
13 Then David asked the young man who was reporting to him, “Where are you from?”
He responded, “I am the son of one who sought refuge, an Amalekite.”
14 David said to him, “How is it that you did not fear raising your hand to destroy the anointed of the Lord?”
15 Then David called to one of the young men and said, “Step forward and execute him.” So he struck him and killed him. 16 But David said to him, “Your blood is upon your own head, since your mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I put an end to the anointed of the Lord.’ ”
The Lament of David
17 Then David recited this lament over Saul and Jonathan his son, 18 and he told them to teach the sons of Judah the Song of the Bow. It is written in the book of Jashar:
19 Your splendor, O Israel, has been slain upon your hills.
How the mighty ones have fallen.
20 Do not report it in Gath,
do not announce it in the streets of Ashkelon,
lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
or the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.
21 O mountains of Gilboa,
may there be no rain or dew upon you
or your bountiful fields;
for there the shield of the mighty was defiled!
The shield of Saul is no longer anointed with oil.
22 From the blood of the slain,
from the fat of mighty,
the bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
nor did the sword of Saul return empty.
23 Saul and Jonathan,
beloved and delightful,
neither in life nor death will they be separated.
They were swifter than eagles,
they were stronger than lions.
24 O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you in scarlet and jewels,
who adorned your garments with gold jewelry.
25 How the mighty ones have fallen in the midst of battle!
Jonathan was slain on your high places.
26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
you were very dear to me;
your love was more remarkable than the love of women.
27 How the mighty have fallen,
and the weapons of war have perished.
Spiritual Gifts
12 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed!” And no one can say, “Jesus is the Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
4 There are various gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 There are various operations, but it is the same God who operates all of them in all people.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to everyone for the common good. 8 To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But that one and very same Spirit works all these, dividing to each one individually as He will.
One Body With Many Members
12 For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the many parts of that one body are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether we are Jews or Gentiles, whether we are slaves or free, and we have all been made to drink of one Spirit. 14 The body is not one part, but many.
15 If the foot says, “Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has established the parts, every one of them, in the body as it has pleased Him. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 So there are many parts, yet one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, those parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those parts of the body which we think are less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor. And our less respectable parts are treated with much more respect, 24 whereas our more respectable parts have no need of this. But God has composed the body, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacks it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that the parts should have the same care for one another. 26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts rejoice with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ and members individually. 28 God has put these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have the gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly covet the greater gifts.
Love
Yet I show you a more excellent way.
The Glory of God Leaves the Temple
10 Then I looked, and in the expanse that was above the heads of the cherubim there appeared over them, as it were, a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne. 2 And He spoke to the man clothed with linen and said, “Go in between the wheels under the cherubim and fill your hands with coals of fire from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” And he entered in my sight.
3 Now the cherubim stood on the right side of the temple when the man went in, and the cloud filled the inner court. 4 Then the glory of the Lord went up from the cherub and stood over the threshold of the temple. And the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the glory of the Lord. 5 The sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even in the outer court, like the voice of the Almighty God when He speaks.
6 When He had commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, “Take fire from between the wheels, from among the cherubim,” he went in and stood beside the wheel. 7 One cherub stretched out his hand from among the cherubim to the fire that was between the cherubs, and took some, and put it into the hands of him who was clothed with linen, who took it and went out. 8 There appeared among the cherubim the form of a man’s hand under their wings.
9 Then I looked, and there were the four wheels by the cherubim, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub. And the appearance of the wheels was as the color of a beryl stone. 10 As for their appearances, all four had one likeness, as if one wheel had been in the middle of a wheel. 11 When they went, they went on their four sides. They did not turn as they went, but they followed to the place wherever the head looked. They did not turn as they went. 12 Their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels that the four had were full of eyes all round. 13 As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing the whirling wheels. 14 Each one had four faces. The first face was the face of a cherub, the second face was the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
15 Then the cherubim rose up. They are the living creatures that I saw by the River Kebar. 16 When the cherubim went, the wheels went by them. And when the cherubim lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also would not turn from beside them. 17 When the cherubim stood, the wheels stood. And when they rose up, the wheels also rose up with them. For the spirit of the living creatures was in them.
18 Then the glory of the Lord departed from off the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim. 19 The cherubim lifted up their wings and mounted up from the earth in my sight. When they went out, the wheels were beside them. They stood at the door of the east gate of the house of the Lord; and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.
20 These are the living creatures that I saw under the God of Israel by the River Kebar. So I knew that they were cherubim. 21 Every one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings. And the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings. 22 The likeness of their faces was the same faces which I saw by the River Kebar, their appearances and themselves. Each went straight forward.
Psalm 49
For the Music Director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
1 Hear this, all you people;
give ear, all you inhabitants of the world,
2 both low and high,
rich and poor together.
3 My mouth will speak wisdom,
and the meditation of my heart will be understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to a parable;
I will expound my riddle with a harp.
5 Why should I fear in the days of evil,
when the iniquity of my stalkers surrounds me?
6 Those who trust in their wealth,
and boast in the multitude of their riches,
7 none of them can by any means redeem the other,
nor give to God a ransom for anyone,
8 for the redemption of their souls is costly;
even so people cease to exist forever,
9 making efforts to live eternally,
and not see the pit.
10 For one sees that wise men die,
together the fool and the brute perish,
and leave their wealth to others.
11 Their graves become their perpetual homes,
and their dwelling places to all generations,
though they call their lands after their own names.
12 But a man does not abide in honor;
mankind is like the beasts that come to ruin.
13 This is their way, it is their folly;
yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah
14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
Death shall be their shepherd;
the upright shall rule over them in the morning,
and their form shall waste away in Sheol,
far from their dwelling.
15 But God shall redeem my soul from the power of Sheol,
for He shall receive me. Selah
16 Do not fear when one is made rich,
when the glory of his house is increased,
17 for he takes nothing away in death;
his glory does not descend after him.
18 Though while he lives he blesses his soul—
and men will praise you when you do well for yourself—
19 that soul will go to the generation of his fathers;
they will never see light.
20 A man in honor, and yet without understanding,
is like the animals that perish.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.