M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Balaam’s Third Prophecy
24 When Balaam noticed that the Lord was pleased that Balaam was blessing Israel, he didn’t behave as he had time after time before, that is, to practice divination. Instead, he turned with his face to the wilderness, 2 looked up, and saw Israel encamped in their respective tribal order. Just then, the spirit of God came upon him. 3 Balaam uttered this prophetic statement:
“A declaration by Beor’s son Balaam,
a declaration by the strong, blind man.[a]
4 A declaration from one who hears what God has to say,
who saw the vision that the Almighty revealed,
who keeps stumbling
with open eyes.
5 Jacob, your tents are so fine,
as well as your dwelling places,[b] O Israel!
6 They’re spread out like valleys,
like gardens along river banks,
like aloe planted by the Lord,
or like cedars beside water.
7 He will pour water from his buckets,
and his descendants will stream forth like abundant water.
His king will be more exalted than Agag
when he exalts his own kingdom.
8 God is bringing them[c] out of Egypt
with the strength of an ox.
He’ll devour enemy nations,
break their bones,
and impale them with arrows.
9 He crouches, laying low like a lion.
Who would awaken him?
Those who bless you are blessed,
and those who curse you are cursed.”
10 Balak flew into a rage and he started hitting his fists together. “I called you to curse my enemies,” he yelled at Balaam. “But look here! You’ve blessed them three times! 11 Now get out of here! I had promised you that I would definitely honor you, but now the Lord has kept me from doing that!”
12 But Balaam replied to Balak, “I told your messengers, 13 ‘Even if Balak gives me his palace[d] full of silver and gold, I won’t double-cross the command of the Lord and do anything—whether good or evil—on my own initiative, because I’m going to say whatever the Lord says.’ 14 Meanwhile, since I have to return to my people, come and listen while I tell you what this people will be doing to your people in the last days.”
Balaam’s Final Prophecies
15 Then Balaam[e] uttered this prophetic statement:
“The declaration by Beor’s son Balaam,
a declaration by the strong, blind man.
16 A declaration from one who hears what God has to say,
who knows what the Most High knows,
who saw the vision that the Almighty revealed,
who keeps stumbling with open eyes.
17 I can see him,
but not right now.
I observe him,
but from a distance.[f]
A star streams forth from Jacob;
a scepter arises from Israel.
He will crush Moab’s forehead,
along with all of Seth’s descendants.
18 Edom will be a conquered nation
and Seir will be Israel’s[g] defeated foe,
while Israel performs valiantly.
19 He will rule over Jacob,
annihilating those who survive in the city.”
20 Next, Balaam[h] looked directly at Amalek and then uttered this prophetic statement:
“Even though Amalek is an international leader,
his future is permanent destruction.”
21 Balaam also uttered this prophetic statement about the Kenites:[i]
“Your dwelling places are stable,
because your nest is carved in solid rock.
22 Nevertheless, Kain will be incinerated.
How long will it take until Asshur[j] takes you hostage?”
23 Finally, he uttered this prophetic statement:
“Ah, who can live,
unless God makes it happen?
24 Ships under control of Kittim will devastate Asshur and Eber,
until they are permanently destroyed.”
25 Then Balaam got up, returned to his country, and Balak went on his way.
To the Director: A song. A Psalm.
A Song of Praise
66 Shout praise to God all the earth!
2 Sing praise about the glory of his name.[a]
Make his praise glorious.
3 Say to God: “How awesome are your works!
Because of your great strength
your enemies cringe before you.”
4 The whole earth worships you.
They sing praise to you.
They sing praise to your name.
5 Come and see the awesome works of God
on behalf of human beings:
6 He turned the sea into dry land.
Israel[b] crossed the river on foot;
let us rejoice in him.
7 He rules by his power forever,
his eyes watching over the nations.
Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves.
8 Bless our God, people,
and let the sound of his praise be heard.
9 He gives us life
and does not permit our feet to slip.
10 For you, God, tested us,
to purify us like fine silver.
11 You have led us into a trap[c]
and set burdens on our backs.
12 You caused men to ride over us.[d]
You brought us through fire and water,
but you led us to abundance.
13 I will come to your house with burnt offerings.
I will fulfill my vows to you
14 that my lips uttered and that my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble.
15 I will offer to you burnt offerings of fat,
along with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams.
I will offer bulls along with goats.
16 Come and listen, all of you who fear God,
and I will tell you what he did for me.
17 I called aloud to him
and praised him with my tongue.
18 Were I to cherish iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not listen to me.
19 Surely God has heard,
and he paid attention to my[e] prayers.
20 Blessed be God, who did not turn away my prayers
nor his gracious love from me.
To the Director of music: Accompanied by stringed instruments. A Psalm. A song.
A Call to Thanksgiving
67 May God show us favor and bless us;
may he truly show us his favor.[f]
2 Let your ways be known by all the nations of the earth,
along with your deliverance.
3 Let the people thank you, God.
Let all the people thank you.
4 Let the nations rejoice and sing for joy,
because you judge people with fairness
and you govern the people of the earth.
5 Let the people thank you, God;
let all the people thank you.
6 May the earth yield its produce.
May God, our God, bless us.
7 May God truly bless us
so that all the peoples[g] of the earth will fear him.
Israel Mocks Babylon’s King
14 However, the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and will once again choose Israel. He will settle them in their own land, and foreigners will join them, affiliating themselves with the house of Jacob. 2 Many[a] nations will take them and bring them to their land and[b] their own place. The house of Israel will put those nations[c] to conscripted labor[d] in the Lord’s land. They will take captive those who were their captors, and will rule continually[e] over those who oppressed them.
3 At the time,[f] when the Lord gives you rest from your suffering, turmoil, and the cruel bondage which they forced you to serve,[g] 4 you will lift up this song of mockery against[h] the king of Babylon:
“How the oppressor has come to an end!
How the attacker[i] has ceased!
5 The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked,
the scepter of rulers,
6 that struck down peoples in anger
with unceasing blows,
that oppressed nations in fury
with relentless persecution.
7 The entire earth is at rest and peace;
its inhabitants[j] break into song.
8 Even the cypresses rejoice over you,
as do[k] the cedars of Lebanon, saying,
‘Now that you’ve been laid low,
no woodcutter comes up against us.’[l]
9 “The afterlife[m] below is all astir
to meet you when you arrive;[n]
it rouses up the spirits of the dead to greet you—
everyone who used to be world leaders.
It has raised up from their thrones
all who used to be kings of the nations.
10 In answer, all of them[o] will tell you,
‘You’ve also become as weak as we are!
You have become just like us!’
11 Your[p] pomp has been brought down to Sheol,[q]
along with the noise of your harps.
Maggots are spread out beneath you,
and worms are your covering.”[r]
The Fall of the Day Star
12 “How you have fallen from heaven,
Day Star,[s] son of the Dawn![t]
How you have been thrown down to earth,
you who laid low the nation![u]
13 You said in your heart,
‘I’ll ascend to heaven,
above the stars of God.
I’ll erect my throne;
I’ll sit[v] on the Mount of Assembly
in the far reaches of the north;[w]
14 I’ll ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I’ll make myself like the Most High.’
15 But you are brought down to join the dead,[x]
to the far reaches of the Pit.[y]
16 “Those who see you will stare at you.
They will wonder about you:
‘Is this the man who[z] made the earth tremble,
who made kingdoms quake,
17 who made the world like a desert,
who[aa] destroyed its cities,
who would not open the jails for his prisoners?’
18 All the kings of the nations lie[ab] in state,
each in his own tomb.
19 But you are cast away from your grave,
like a repulsive branch,
your clothing is the slain,
those pierced by the sword;
those who go down to the Pit.[ac]
Like a dead body trampled underfoot,
20 you will not be united[ad] with them[ae] in burial,
for you have destroyed your land,
you have slain your people.
People will never mention
the descendants of those who practice evil again![af]
21 Prepare a massacre for his sons
because of the guilt of their forefathers!
They are not to rise and inherit the earth,
and cover[ag] the surface of the world with cities.”
Babylon’s Desolation
22 “I will rise up against them,” declares the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, “and I will eliminate from Babylon her name and survivors, her offspring and descendants,”[ah] declares the Lord. 23 “And[ai] I’m going to make it a possession of the hedgehog—pools[aj] of water—and I’ll sweep[ak] with the broom of destruction,” declares the Lord of the Heavenly Armies.
24 The Lord of the Heavenly Armies has sworn:
“Surely as I have planned,
that’s what she[al] will become;[am]
and just as I have determined,
so will it remain—
25 to crush the Assyrian in my land,
and on my mountains I will trample him down.
His yoke[an] will turn away from you,[ao]
and his burden from your[ap] shoulders.”
26 “This is what I’ve planned
for the whole earth,
and this is the hand that is stretched out
over all the nations.
27 For the Lord of the Heavenly Armies has planned,
and who can thwart him?
His hand is stretched out,
and who can turn it back?”
A Pronouncement against Philistia
28 In the year that King Ahaz died this message[aq] came:
29 “Don’t rejoice, all of you Philistines,
that the rod that struck you is broken,
because from the snake’s root a viper will spring up,
and its offspring[ar] will be a darting, poisonous serpent.
30 The firstborn of the poor will find pasture,
and the needy will lie down in safety;
but I’ll kill your root[as] by famine,
and I’ll[at] execute your survivors.
31 Wail, you gate!
Cry out, you city!
Melt away,[au] all you Philistines!
For smoke comes from the north,
and there’s no one to take measure[av] in its festivals.[aw]
32 How will they[ax] answer the messengers of the nation?
“The Lord has founded Zion,
and in it[ay] the afflicted among his people will find refuge.”
Live as God’s Chosen People
2 Therefore, rid yourselves of every kind of evil and deception, hypocrisy, jealousy, and every kind of slander. 2 Like newborn babies, thirst for the pure milk of the word so that by it you may grow in your salvation. 3 Surely you have tasted that the Lord is good!
4 As you come to him, the living stone who was rejected by people but was chosen and precious in God’s sight, 5 you, too, as living stones, are building yourselves up into a spiritual house and a holy priesthood, so that you may offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus, the Messiah.[a] 6 This is why it says in Scripture:
“Look! I am laying a chosen, precious cornerstone[b] in Zion.
The one who believes in him will never be ashamed.”[c]
7 Therefore he is precious to you who believe, but to those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,[d]
8 a stone they stumble over
and a rock they trip on.”[e]
They keep on stumbling because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people to be his very own and to proclaim the wonderful deeds[f] of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
10 Once you were not a people,
but now you are the people of God.
Once you had not received mercy,
but now you have received mercy.
Live as God’s Servants
11 Dear friends, I urge you as aliens and exiles to keep on abstaining from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul. 12 Continue to live such upright lives among the gentiles that, when they slander you as practicers of evil, they may see your good actions and glorify God when he visits them.[g]
13 For the Lord’s sake submit yourselves to every human authority: whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing right you should silence the ignorant talk[h] of foolish people. 16 Live like free people, and do not use your freedom as an excuse for doing evil. Instead, be God’s servants. 17 Honor everyone. Keep on loving the community of believers,[i] fearing God, and honoring the king.
Suffer Patiently
18 You household servants must submit yourselves to your masters out of respect, not only to those who are kind and fair, but also to those who are unjust. 19 For it is a fine thing if, when moved by your conscience to please God, you suffer patiently when wronged. 20 What good does it do if, when you sin, you patiently receive punishment for it? But if you suffer for doing good and receive it patiently, you have God’s approval. 21 This is, in fact, what you were called to do, because:
The Messiah[j] also suffered for you
and left an example for you
to follow in his steps.
22 “He never sinned,
and he never told a lie.”[k]
23 When he was insulted,
he did not retaliate.
When he suffered,
he did not threaten.
It was his habit
to commit the matter to the one who judges fairly.
24 “He himself bore our sins”[l] in his body on the tree,
so that we might die to those sins
and live righteously.
“By his wounds
you have been healed.”[m]
25 You were “like sheep that kept going astray,”[n]
but now you have returned to the shepherd
and overseer of your souls.
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