M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
David Strikes Down Nations
8 (A)Now it happened afterwards, that David struck the Philistines and subdued them; and David took [a]control of the chief city from the hand of the Philistines.
2 (B)He also struck (C)Moab, and measured them with the line, making them lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death and one full line to keep alive. And (D)the Moabites became servants to David, (E)bringing tribute.
3 Then David struck (F)Hadadezer, the son of Rehob king of Zobah, as (G)he went to restore his [b]power at the [c]River. 4 And David captured from him 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers; and David (H)hamstrung all the chariot horses, but left enough of them for 100 chariots. 5 Then (I)the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, king of Zobah. And David struck down 22,000 Arameans. 6 Then David placed garrisons among the Arameans of Damascus; and (J)the Arameans became servants to David, bringing tribute. And (K)Yahweh granted salvation to David wherever he went. 7 And David took the small shields of gold which were [d]carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 Also from [e]Betah and from (L)Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a very large amount of bronze.
9 Then Toi king of (M)Hamath heard that David had struck down all the military force of Hadadezer, 10 so Toi sent [f]Joram his son to King David to [g]greet him and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and struck him down; for Hadadezer [h]had been at war with Toi. And in [i]Joram’s hand were articles of silver, of gold, and of bronze. 11 King David also (N)set these apart as holy to Yahweh, with the silver and the gold that he had set apart as holy from all the nations which he had subdued: 12 from [j]Aram, (O)Moab, (P)the sons of Ammon, (Q)the Philistines, (R)Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
13 So (S)David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down 18,000 [k]Arameans in (T)the Valley of Salt. 14 Then he placed garrisons in Edom. In all Edom he placed garrisons, and (U)all the Edomites became servants to David. And (V)Yahweh granted salvation to David wherever he went.
15 So David reigned over all Israel; and David was doing justice and righteousness for all his people. 16 (W)Now Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and (X)Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was (Y)recorder; 17 (Z)and Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were (AA)priests, and Seraiah was (AB)scribe; 18 (AC)and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada [l]was over the (AD)Cherethites and the Pelethites; and the sons of David were [m](AE)priests.
David’s Lovingkindness to Mephibosheth
9 Then David said, “Is there yet [n]anyone left of the house of Saul, (AF)that I may show him lovingkindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David; and the king said to him, “Are you (AG)Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” 3 And the king said, “Is there not yet anyone of the house of Saul to whom I may show the (AH)lovingkindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “(AI)There is still a son of Jonathan who is crippled in both feet.” 4 So the king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is (AJ)in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel in Lo-debar.” 5 Then King David sent and took him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar. 6 (AK)So Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, came to David and (AL)fell on his face and prostrated himself. And David said, “Mephibosheth.” And he said, “Here is your servant!” 7 And David said to him, “Do not fear, for (AM)I will surely show lovingkindness to you for the sake of your father Jonathan, and (AN)will restore to you all the [o]land of your [p]grandfather Saul; and (AO)you shall [q]eat at my table continually.” 8 So he prostrated himself and said, “What is your servant, that you should regard (AP)a dead dog like me?”
9 Then the king called Saul’s young man Ziba and said to him, “(AQ)All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s [r]grandson. 10 And you and your sons and your servants shall cultivate the land for him, and you shall bring in the produce so that your master’s grandson may have food and eat of it; nevertheless (AR)Mephibosheth your master’s grandson (AS)shall [s]eat at my table continually.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According (AT)to all that my lord the king commands his servant so your servant will do.” So Mephibosheth ate at [t]David’s table as one of the king’s sons. 12 Now Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. And all who lived in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth. 13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for (AU)he ate at the king’s table continually. Now (AV)he was lame in both feet.
2 But I determined this [a]for my own sake, that I (A)would not come to you again in sorrow. 2 For if I (B)cause you sorrow, who then makes me glad but the one whom I made sorrowful? 3 And this is the very thing I (C)wrote you, so that (D)when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having (E)confidence in you all that my joy would be the joy of you all. 4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I (F)wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have abundantly for you.
Forgive and Love the Sinner
5 But (G)if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree—[b]in order not to say too much—to all of you. 6 Sufficient for such a one is (H)this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, 7 so that on the contrary you should rather (I)graciously forgive and comfort him, lest such a one be swallowed up by excessive sorrow. 8 Therefore I encourage you to reaffirm your love for him. 9 For to this end also (J)I wrote, so that I might (K)know your proven character, whether you are (L)obedient in all things. 10 But one whom you graciously forgive anything, I graciously forgive also. For indeed what I have graciously forgiven, if I have graciously forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes (M)in the presence of Christ, 11 so that no advantage would be taken of us by (N)Satan, for (O)we are not ignorant of his schemes.
12 Now when I came to (P)Troas for the (Q)gospel of Christ and when a (R)door was opened for me in the Lord, 13 I (S)had no rest for my spirit, not finding (T)Titus my brother. But (U)saying farewell to them, I went on to (V)Macedonia.
14 (W)But thanks be to God, who always (X)leads us in triumphal procession in Christ, and manifests through us the (Y)aroma of the (Z)knowledge of Him in every place. 15 For we are a (AA)fragrance of Christ to God among (AB)those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; 16 (AC)to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is (AD)sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not like many, [c](AE)peddling the word of God, but (AF)as from sincerity, but as from God, (AG)in the sight of God, we speak in Christ.
Jerusalem Plays the Harlot
16 Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, (A)make known to Jerusalem her abominations 3 and say, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh to Jerusalem, “Your origin and your birth are from the land of the Canaanite; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. 4 As for your birth, (B)on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water for cleansing; you were not rubbed with salt or even wrapped in cloths. 5 No eye had pity on you to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you. Rather you were thrown out into the [a](C)open field, for your soul was abhorred on the day you were born.
6 “Then I passed by you and saw you squirming in your blood. So I said to you while you were in your blood, ‘Live!’ Indeed I said to you while you were in your blood, ‘Live!’ 7 I (D)made you [b]numerous like plants of the field. Then you grew up, became tall, and came into the age for fine ornaments; your breasts were formed, and your hair had grown. Yet you were naked and bare.
8 “Then I passed by you and saw you, and behold, [c]you were at the time for love; so I (E)spread My skirt over you and covered your nakedness. I also (F)swore to you and (G)entered into a covenant with you so that you (H)became Mine,” declares Lord Yahweh. 9 “Then I washed you with water, rinsed your blood off from you, and (I)anointed you with oil. 10 I also clothed you with (J)embroidered cloth and put sandals of porpoise skin on your feet; and I wrapped you with fine linen and covered you with silk. 11 I also adorned you with ornaments and put (K)bracelets on your hands and a (L)necklace around your neck. 12 I also put a (M)ring in your nose, earrings in your ears, and a (N)splendid crown on your head. 13 Thus you were adorned with (O)gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour, honey, and oil; so you were exceedingly beautiful and advanced to (P)royalty. 14 Then your (Q)name went forth among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was (R)perfect because of My majesty which I set on you,” declares Lord Yahweh.
15 “But you (S)trusted in your beauty and (T)played the harlot because of your name, and you poured out your harlotries on every passer-by [d]who might be willing. 16 You took some of your clothes, made for yourself high places of various colors, and played the harlot on them, [e]which should never come about nor happen. 17 You also took your splendid [f](U)jewelry made of My gold and of My silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself male images that you might play the harlot with them. 18 Then you took your embroidered cloth and covered them and gave My oil and My incense before them. 19 Also (V)My bread which I gave you, fine flour, oil, and honey with which I had you eat, you gave before them for a soothing aroma; so it happened,” declares Lord Yahweh. 20 “Moreover, you took your sons and daughters, whom you had borne to (W)Me, and (X)sacrificed them to [g]idols to be devoured. Were your harlotries so small a matter? 21 You slaughtered (Y)My children and gave them up to [h]idols by (Z)causing them to pass through the fire. 22 Besides all your abominations and harlotries you did not remember the days of (AA)your youth, when you were naked and bare—you were squirming in your blood!
23 “Now it happened after all your evil—‘Woe, woe to you!’ declares Lord Yahweh— 24 that you built yourself a (AB)shrine and made yourself a (AC)high place in every square. 25 You built yourself a high place at the head of (AD)every street and made your beauty abominable, and you spread your legs to every passer-by to multiply your harlotry. 26 You also played the harlot with the Egyptians, your [i]lustful neighbors, and you multiplied your harlotry to (AE)provoke Me to anger. 27 Behold now, I have stretched out My hand against you and cut off your rations. And I gave you up to the desire of those who hate you, the (AF)daughters of the Philistines, who are ashamed of your lewd way. 28 Moreover, you played the harlot with the (AG)Assyrians because you were not satisfied; you played the harlot with them and still were not satisfied. 29 You also multiplied your harlotry with the land of merchants, Chaldea, yet even with this you were not satisfied.”’”
30 “How (AH)languishing is your heart,” declares Lord Yahweh, “while you do all these things, the actions of a [j](AI)bold-faced harlot. 31 When you built your shrine at the head of every way and made your high place in every square, in (AJ)disdaining your earnings, you were not like a harlot. 32 You adulteress wife, who takes strangers instead of her husband! 33 [k]Men give gifts to all harlots, but you (AK)give your gifts to all your lovers to bribe them to come to you from all around for your harlotries. 34 Thus you are the opposite of those women in your harlotries, in that no one plays the harlot [l]as you do, because you give away your earnings and no earnings are given to you; thus you are the opposite.”
35 Therefore, O harlot, hear the word of Yahweh. 36 Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Because your lewdness was poured out and your nakedness uncovered through your harlotries with your lovers and with all your abominable (AL)idols, and because of the blood of your sons which you gave to [m]idols, 37 therefore, behold, I will (AM)gather all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, even all those whom you loved and all those whom you (AN)hated. So I will gather them against you from all around and (AO)uncover your nakedness to them that they may see all your nakedness. 38 Thus I will (AP)judge you like women who commit adultery or shed blood are judged; and I will bring on you the blood of (AQ)wrath and jealousy. 39 I will also give you into [n]the hands of your lovers, and they will pull down your shrines, tear down your high places, (AR)strip you of your clothing, take away your [o]splendid jewelry, and will leave you naked and bare. 40 They will bring up an (AS)assembly against you, and they will stone you and cut you to pieces with their swords. 41 They will (AT)burn your houses with fire and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women. Then I will (AU)make you cease from playing the harlot, and you will also no longer give [p]your earnings to your lovers. 42 So I (AV)will [q]cause My wrath against you to be at rest, and My jealousy will depart from you, and I will be quiet, and I will (AW)not be provoked anymore. 43 Because you have (AX)not remembered the days of your youth but [r]have (AY)enraged Me by all these things, behold, I in turn will (AZ)bring your way down on your own head,” declares Lord Yahweh, “so that you will not commit this lewdness on top of all your other abominations.
44 “Behold, everyone who quotes (BA)proverbs will quote this proverb concerning you, saying, ‘[s]Like mother, [t]like daughter.’ 45 You are the daughter of your mother, who loathed her husband and children. You are also the (BB)sister of your sisters, who (BC)loathed their husbands and children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite. 46 Now your (BD)older sister is Samaria, who lives [u]north of you with her [v]daughters; and your younger sister, who lives [w]south of you, is (BE)Sodom with her daughters. 47 Yet you have not merely walked in their ways or done according to their abominations; but, as if that were (BF)too little, you acted (BG)more corruptly in all your ways than they. 48 As I live,” declares Lord Yahweh, “Sodom your sister and her daughters have (BH)not done as you and your daughters have done. 49 Behold, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had (BI)lofty pride, (BJ)abundant food, and (BK)quiet ease, but she did not strengthen the hand of the (BL)afflicted and needy. 50 Then they were haughty and committed (BM)abominations before Me. So I (BN)removed them [x]when I saw it. 51 Furthermore, Samaria did not commit half of your sins, for you have multiplied your abominations more than they. Thus you have made your sisters appear (BO)righteous by all your abominations which you have done. 52 Also bear your dishonor in that you have [y]made judgment favorable for your sisters. Because of your sins in which you acted (BP)more abominably than they, they are more in the right than you. Yes, be also ashamed and bear your dishonor, in that you made your sisters appear righteous.
53 “Nevertheless, I will [z]return their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, and [aa]along with them [ab]your own captivity, 54 in order that you may bear your dishonor and feel (BQ)dishonor for all that you have done when you become (BR)a comfort to them. 55 Your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, [ac]will return to their former state, and you with your daughters will also return to your former state. 56 As the name of your sister Sodom was not heard in your mouth in your day of lofty pride, 57 before your (BS)wickedness was uncovered, [ad]so now you have become the (BT)reproach of the daughters of [ae]Edom and of all who are around her, of the daughters of the Philistines—those all around you who despise you. 58 You have (BU)borne the penalty of your lewdness and abominations,” declares Yahweh. 59 For thus says Lord Yahweh, “I will also do with you as you have done, you who have (BV)despised the oath by breaking the covenant.
Yahweh’s Everlasting Covenant
60 “Nevertheless, I Myself will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an (BW)everlasting covenant with you. 61 Then you will (BX)remember your ways and feel dishonor when you receive your sisters, both your older and your younger; and I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of your covenant. 62 Thus I will (BY)establish My covenant with you, and you shall (BZ)know that I am Yahweh, 63 so that you may (CA)remember and be ashamed and (CB)never open your mouth anymore because of your dishonor, when I have (CC)atoned for you for all that you have done,” declares Lord Yahweh.
There Is a God Who Judges on Earth
For the choir director. [a]Al-tashheth. Of David. A [b]Mikhtam.
58 Do you indeed [c]speak righteousness, O [d]gods?
Do you (A)judge [e]with equity, O sons of men?
2 No, in heart you (B)work unrighteousness;
On earth you [f](C)prepare a path for the violence of your hands.
3 The wicked are estranged (D)from the womb;
These who speak falsehood (E)wander in error from [g]birth.
4 They have venom like the (F)venom of a serpent;
Like a deaf cobra that stops up its ear,
5 So that it (G)does not hear the voice of [h](H)charmers,
Or a skillful caster of spells.
6 O God, (I)shatter their teeth in their mouth;
Break out the fangs of the young lions, O Yahweh.
7 Let them (J)flow away like water that runs off;
When he [i](K)aims his arrows, let them be as [j]headless shafts.
8 Let them be as a snail which [k]melts away as it goes along,
Like the (L)miscarriages of a woman which never behold the sun.
9 Before your (M)pots can feel the fire of thorns
He will (N)sweep them away with a whirlwind, the living and the burning alike.
10 The (O)righteous will be glad when he (P)beholds the vengeance;
He will (Q)wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 And men will say, “Surely there is a [l](R)reward for the righteous;
Surely there is a God who (S)judges [m]on earth!”
Deliver Me from My Enemies
For the choir director. [n]Al-tashheth. Of David. A [o]Mikhtam. [p]When Saul sent men and they watched the house in order to put him to death.
59 (T)Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
[q](U)Set me securely on high away from those who rise up against me.
2 Deliver me from (V)workers of iniquity
And save me from (W)men of bloodshed.
3 For behold, they (X)have lain in wait for my soul;
[r]Fierce men [s](Y)launch an attack against me,
(Z)Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Yahweh,
4 [t](AA)For no guilt of mine, they run and set themselves against me.
(AB)Arouse Yourself to meet me, and see!
5 You, (AC)O Yahweh God of hosts, the God of Israel,
Awake to [u](AD)punish all the nations;
(AE)Do not be gracious to any who are treacherous in [v]iniquity. [w]Selah.
6 They (AF)return at evening, they howl like a (AG)dog,
And go around the city.
7 Behold, they (AH)pour forth speech with their mouth;
(AI)Swords are in their lips,
For, they say, “(AJ)Who hears?”
8 But You, O Yahweh, (AK)laugh at them;
You (AL)mock all the nations.
9 Because of [x]his (AM)strength I will watch for You,
For God is my (AN)stronghold.
10 [y]My God (AO)in His lovingkindness will approach me;
God will let me (AP)look triumphantly upon [z]my foes.
11 Do not slay them, (AQ)or my people will forget;
(AR)Make them wander about by Your power, and bring them down,
O Lord, (AS)our shield.
12 [aa]On account of the (AT)sin of their mouth and the word of their lips,
Let them even be (AU)caught in their pride,
And on account of (AV)curses and [ab]lies which they utter.
13 [ac](AW)Destroy them in wrath, [ad]destroy them that they may be no more;
That men may (AX)know that God [ae]rules in Jacob
To the ends of the earth. Selah.
14 They (AY)return at evening, they howl like a dog,
And go around the city.
15 They (AZ)wander about [af]for food
And [ag]growl if they are not satisfied.
16 But as for me, I shall (BA)sing of Your strength;
And I shall (BB)joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the (BC)morning,
For You have been my (BD)stronghold
And a (BE)refuge in the day of my distress.
17 (BF)O my strength, I will sing praises to You;
For God is my (BG)stronghold, the [ah]God who shows me lovingkindness.
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