M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Laws for War
20 When you go to war against your enemies and you see horses and chariots and an army that is bigger than yours, don’t be afraid of them. The Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, will be with you. 2 The priest must ·come [approach] and speak to the army before you ·go into [engage in] battle. 3 He will say, “Listen, Israel! Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Don’t lose ·your courage [L heart] or be afraid. Don’t panic or be ·frightened [in dread], 4 because the Lord your God goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies and to ·save you [give you the victory].”
5 The ·officers [or scribes] should say to the army, “·Has anyone [L Who has] built a new house but not ·given it to God [dedicated it]? He may go home, because he might die in battle and someone else would ·get to give his house to God [dedicate it]. 6 ·Has anyone [L Who has] planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it? He may go home, because he might die in battle and someone else would enjoy his vineyard. 7 ·Is any man [L Who is] engaged to a woman and not yet married to her? He may go home, because he might die in battle and someone else would marry her.” 8 Then the ·officers [or scribes] should also say, “Is anyone here afraid? Has anyone lost ·his courage [L heart]? He may go home so that he will not ·cause others to lose their courage, too [L melt the hearts of his relatives/brothers like his heart].” 9 When the ·officers [scribes] finish speaking to the army, they should appoint commanders to lead it.
10 When you march up to attack a city, first make them an offer of peace. 11 If they accept your offer and open their gates to you, all the people of that city will ·become your slaves and work for you [serve you in forced labor]. 12 But if they do not make peace with you and fight you in battle, you should ·surround [besiege] that city. 13 The Lord your God will give it ·to you [L into your hands]. Then ·kill [L strike] all the men with your swords, 14 and you may take ·everything else [all the plunder] in the city for yourselves. Take the women, children, and animals, and you may use ·these things [the plunder] the Lord your God gives you from your enemies. 15 Do this to all the cities that are far away, that do not belong to the nations nearby.
16 But ·leave nothing alive [L do not let anything that breathes live] in the cities of the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance. 17 ·Completely destroy [Devote to the Lord; Josh. 6:17] these people: the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, as the Lord your God has commanded. 18 Otherwise, they will teach you what they do for their gods, and if you do these ·hateful [detestable; abhorrent; abominable] things, you will sin against the Lord your God.
19 If you ·surround [besiege] and attack a city for ·a long time [L many days], trying to capture it, do not destroy its trees with an ax. You can eat the fruit from the trees, but do not cut them down. ·These trees are not the enemy, so don’t make war against them [L Are these trees of the field human that you should go against them in siege?]. 20 But you may cut down trees that you know are not fruit trees and use them to build devices to attack the city walls, until the city is captured.
Book 5: Psalms 107–150
God Saves from Many Dangers
107 Thank the Lord because he is good.
His ·love [loyalty] continues forever.
2 That is what those whom the Lord has ·saved [redeemed] should say.
He has ·saved [redeemed] them from the ·enemy [foe]
3 and has gathered them from other lands,
from east and west, north and south [Is. 51:11; C perhaps after the Babylonian exile].
4 Some people had wandered in the ·desert lands [L wilderness, wasteland].
They found no way to a city in which to live.
5 They were hungry and thirsty,
and they were ·discouraged [faint].
6 In their ·misery [distress] they cried out to the Lord,
and he ·saved [rescued; protected] them from their troubles [vv. 13, 19, 28].
7 He led them on a straight road
to a city where they could live.
8 Let them ·give thanks to [praise] the Lord for his ·love [loyalty]
and for the ·miracles [wonderful works] he does for people [vv. 15, 21, 31].
9 He satisfies the thirsty
and fills ·up [L with good things] the hungry [Is. 58:10–11; Jer. 31:25; Luke 1:53].
10 Some sat in ·gloom [darkness] and ·darkness [deep darkness];
they were prisoners ·suffering [afflicted] in ·chains [irons].
11 They had ·turned [rebelled] against the words of God
and had ·refused [rejected] the advice of God Most High.
12 So he ·broke their pride by [L made their hearts cower with] hard work.
They stumbled, and no one helped.
13 In their ·misery [distress] they cried out to the Lord,
and he ·saved them from [gave them victory over] their troubles [vv. 6, 19, 28].
14 He brought them out of their ·gloom [darkness] and ·darkness [deep darkness]
and ·broke [burst] their chains.
15 Let them ·give thanks to [praise] the Lord for his ·love [loyalty]
and for the ·miracles [wonderful works] he does for people [vv. 8, 21, 31].
16 He ·breaks down [shatters] bronze gates
and cuts apart iron bars.
17 Some ·fools turned against God [L became fools in the way of transgression]
and ·suffered [were afflicted] ·for the evil they did [L because of their guilt].
18 ·They refused to eat anything [L Their appetite loathed any food],
so they ·almost died [L approached the gates of death].
19 In their ·misery [distress] they cried out to the Lord,
and he ·saved them [gave them victory] from their troubles [vv. 6, 13, 28].
20 God ·gave the command [L sent forth his word] and healed them,
so they were ·saved [rescued] from ·dying [destruction; or their pits].
21 Let them ·give thanks to [praise] the Lord for his ·love [loyalty]
and for the ·miracles [wonderful works] he does for people [vv. 8, 15, 31].
22 Let them offer ·sacrifices to thank him [thanksgiving offerings].
With joy they should ·tell [recount] what he has done.
23 Others went out to sea in ships
and did ·business [work] on the ·great oceans [L many waters].
24 They saw what the Lord could do,
the ·miracles [worderful works] he did in the deep oceans.
25 He spoke, and a ·storm [L stormy wind] ·came [L stood] up,
which ·blew [raised] up high waves.
26 ·The ships [L They] ·were tossed as high as [L went up to] the ·sky [heavens] and fell low to the depths.
·The storm was so bad that they lost their courage [L Their life/soul melted in evil/trouble].
27 They ·stumbled [reeled; leapt] and ·fell [tottered; staggered] like people who were drunk.
·They did not know what to do [L All their wisdom was confused].
28 In their ·misery [distress] they cried out to the Lord,
and he ·saved [L brought them out] them from their troubles [vv. 6, 13, 19].
29 He ·stilled [quieted] the storm
and ·calmed [hushed] the waves.
30 They were happy that it was quiet,
and God guided them to the ·port [harbor] they wanted.
31 Let them ·give thanks to [praise] the Lord for his ·love [loyalty]
and for the ·miracles [wonderful works] he does for people [vv. 8, 15, 21].
32 Let them ·praise his greatness [exalt him] in the ·meeting [assembly] of the people;
let them praise him in the meeting of the elders.
33 He ·changed [turned; L set] rivers into a ·desert [wilderness]
and springs of water into ·dry [parched; thirsty] ground.
34 He made ·fertile [fruitful] land salty
because the people there did evil [Gen. 19].
35 He ·changed [turned; L set] the ·desert [wilderness] into pools of water
and ·dry [parched] ground into springs of water.
36 He had the hungry settle there
so they could ·build [establish] a city in which to live.
37 They ·planted seeds in the fields and vineyards [L sowed fields and planted vineyards],
and they had a ·good harvest [fruitful crop].
38 God blessed them, and they ·grew in number [multiplied greatly].
Their cattle did not ·become fewer [diminish].
39 Because of ·disaster [oppression], ·troubles [evil], and sadness,
·their families [L they] ·grew smaller [diminished] and ·weaker [were brought low].
40 He ·showed he was displeased with [L poured contempt on] their ·leaders [princes]
and made them wander in a pathless ·desert [waste].
41 But he lifted the ·poor [needy] out of their suffering
and ·made their families grow [L set their clans] like flocks of sheep.
42 ·Good people [The upright/virtuous] see this and are happy,
but the wicked ·say nothing [L shuts their mouths].
43 Whoever is wise will ·remember [keep; guard] these things
and will ·think about [consider] the ·love [loyalty] of the Lord.
God Will Destroy Babylon
47 The Lord says, “·City of [L Virgin daughter] Babylon, go down and sit in the ·dirt [dust].
·People of Babylon [L Daughter of the Chaldeans], sit on the ground.
·You are no longer the ruler [L …without a throne].
You will no longer be called
tender or ·beautiful [delicate; pampered].
2 Take millstones and grind grain into flour.
Remove your veil and ·take [strip] off your nice skirts.
Uncover your legs and cross the rivers [C actions of a servant, not a queen].
3 People will see your nakedness;
they will see your shame [C probably a euphemism for sexual organs].
I will ·punish you [take vengeance];
I will ·punish every one of you [spare no one].”
4 Our ·Savior [Redeemer] is named the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts];
he is the Holy One of Israel [1:4].
5 “·Babylon [L Daughter of the Chaldeans], sit in ·darkness and say nothing [L silence and go into darkness].
You will no longer be called the queen of kingdoms.
6 I was angry with my people,
so I ·rejected [defiled; desecrated; profaned] ·those who belonged to me [my inheritance/possession].
I gave them ·to you [L into your hand],
but you showed them no mercy.
You even ·made the old people
work very hard [L laid a very heavy yoke on the aged].
7 You said, ‘I will ·live [reign; be] forever as the queen.’
But you did not think about these things
or consider ·what would happen [the outcome/end].
8 “Now, listen, you lover of pleasure.
You ·think you are safe [who dwell in security].
You tell yourself,
‘·I am the only one [L I am], and there is no other [Zeph. 2:15].
I will never be a widow
or ·lose [L know the loss of] my children.’
9 Two things will happen to you suddenly, in a single day.
You will lose your children and ·your husband [L become a widow].
These things will ·truly happen to [or overwhelm; L come in abundance upon] you,
in spite of all your ·magic [sorceries],
in spite of your powerful ·tricks [spells; enchantments].
10 You ·do evil things, but you feel safe [L trusted/felt secure in your evil/wickedness]
and say, ‘No one sees ·what I do [L me].’
Your wisdom and knowledge
have ·fooled [mislead] you.
You say to yourself,
‘·I am the only one [L I am], and there is no other [v. 8].’
11 But ·troubles [disaster; evil] will come ·to [upon] you,
and you will not know how to ·stop them [conjure/charm it away].
·Disaster [Calamity; Destruction] will fall on you,
and you will not be able to ·keep it away [appease it; make atonement/pay ransom for it].
A catastrophe will strike ·quickly [suddenly];
you will not even ·see it coming [L know].
12 “Keep on using your ·tricks [magic spells; enchantments]
and doing all your ·magic [sorceries]
that you have ·used [practiced; labored at] since you were young.
Maybe ·they will help you [you will succeed/profit];
maybe you will be able to ·scare someone [provoke terror].
13 You are tired of the ·advice [counsel] you have received.
So let ·those who study the sky [the astrologers; L those who divide the heavens]—
those who ·tell the future by looking at the stars and the new moons [L gaze at the stars to know the months]—
let them save you from what is about to happen to you.
14 But they are like straw;
fire will quickly burn them up.
They cannot save themselves
from the power of the fire.
They are not like coals that give warmth
nor like a fire that you may sit beside.
15 You have ·worked [labored] with these people,
and they have ·been [or done business] with you since you were young,
but they will not be able to help you.
Everyone will ·go [or wander off] his own way,
and there will be no one left to save you.”
The Woman on the Animal
17 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke to me. He said, “Come, and I will show you the ·punishment [judgment] that will be given to the great ·prostitute [whore], the one sitting [or ruling] over many waters [C referring to the Euphrates River and its many waterways (Jer. 51:13), or symbolically to the cosmic forces of evil]. 2 The kings of the earth ·sinned sexually [prostituted themselves; committed fornication] with her, and the people of the earth became drunk from the wine of her ·sexual sin [prostitution; fornication; 14:8].”
3 Then the angel carried me away ·by the Spirit [or in the spirit] to the ·desert [wilderness]. There I saw a woman sitting on a ·red [scarlet] beast. It was covered with ·names against God written on it [blasphemous names], and it had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and ·red [scarlet] and was ·shining [glittering; adorned] with the gold, precious jewels, and pearls she was wearing. She had a golden cup in her hand, a cup filled with ·evil [abominable; detestable] things and the uncleanness of her ·sexual sin [prostitution; fornication]. 5 On her forehead a ·title [name] was written that was ·secret [a mystery]. This is what was written:
the great babylon
mother of ·prostitutes [whores]
and of the ·evil [abominable; detestable] things of the earth
6 Then I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of ·God’s holy people [T the saints] and with the blood of ·those who were killed because of their faith in [witnesses to; or martyrs for] Jesus.
When I saw the woman, I was ·very amazed [greatly astonished; L amazed with great amazement]. 7 Then the angel said to me, “Why are you amazed [astonished]? I will tell you the ·secret [mystery] of this woman and the beast ·she rides [that carries her]—the one with seven heads and ten horns. 8 The beast you saw ·was once alive but is not alive now [L was, and is not; 13:3, 12, 14]. But soon it will come up out of the ·bottomless pit [Abyss; 9:1] and go away to ·be destroyed [its destruction]. There are people who live on earth whose names have not been written in the ·book [scroll] of life [3:5] since the ·beginning [foundation; creation] of the world. They will be amazed when they see the beast, because he was ·once alive, is not alive now, but will come again [L was, is not, but is to come; C imitating the divine title of the Lamb (1:18; 2:8) and God (1:4, 8; 4:8)].
9 “You need a wise mind to understand this. The seven heads on the beast are seven ·mountains [or hills; C Rome was built on seven hills] where the woman sits. 10 ·And they are seven kings. Five of the kings have ·already been destroyed [L fallen], one of the kings ·lives now [L is], and another has not yet come. When he comes, he must stay a short time. 11 The beast that ·was once alive [L was], but ·is not alive now [L is not], is also an eighth king. He belongs to the first seven kings, and he ·will go away to be destroyed [is heading to destruction].
12 “The ten horns [Dan. 7:7–8, 20–25] you saw are ten kings who have not yet ·begun to rule [received a kingdom], but they will receive ·power [authority] to rule with the beast for one hour [C a short time]. 13 All ten of these kings have ·the same [L one] ·purpose [intention], and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will make war against the Lamb [C Jesus], but the Lamb will ·defeat [conquer; be victorious over] them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. ·He will defeat them with his called, chosen, and faithful followers [or Those with him are called, chosen and faithful].”
15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the ·prostitute [whore] sits, are peoples, ·races [multitudes; crowds], nations, and languages. 16 The ten horns and the beast you saw will hate the ·prostitute [whore]. They will ·take everything she has [make her desolate] and leave her naked. They will eat her body and burn her with fire [Ezek. 23:25–29]. 17 [L For] God ·made the ten horns want [L put it into their hearts] to carry out his ·purpose [intention] by agreeing to give the beast their ·power to rule [kingdom], until ·what God has said comes about [L the word of God has been fulfilled/completed]. 18 The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.” [C Whether symbolized by Rome, Babylon, Sodom or apostate Jerusalem, this city is ultimately the human world system ruled by Satan standing in opposition to the city of God, the new Jerusalem.]
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