M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Absalom’s Conspiracy
15 Now it happened afterwards, that (A)Absalom prepared for himself a chariot and horses and fifty men as runners before him. 2 And Absalom used to rise early and (B)stand beside the way to the gate; and when any man had a case to come to the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And he would say, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” 3 Then Absalom would say to him, “See, (C)your words are good and right, but no man listens to you on the part of the king.” 4 Then Absalom would say, “(D)Oh that one would appoint me judge in the land, then every man who has any case or judgment could come to me and I would justify him.” 5 And when a man came near to prostrate himself before him, he would send forth his hand and take hold of him and (E)kiss him. 6 In this manner Absalom dealt with all Israel who came to the king for judgment; (F)so Absalom stole away the hearts of the men of Israel.
7 Now it happened at the end of [a]forty years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow which I have vowed to Yahweh, in (G)Hebron. 8 For your servant (H)vowed a vow while I was living at Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘(I)If Yahweh shall indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve Yahweh.’” 9 And the king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron. 10 Then Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘(J)Absalom is king in Hebron.’” 11 Now two hundred men went with Absalom from Jerusalem, (K)who were invited and (L)went [b]innocently, and they did not know anything. 12 And Absalom sent for (M)Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city (N)Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for (O)the people increased continually with Absalom.
David Flees Jerusalem
13 Then an informant came to David, saying, “(P)The hearts of the men of Israel [c]have followed Absalom.” 14 So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “(Q)Arise and let us flee, for otherwise there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Go in haste, lest he overtake us hastily and drive calamity on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.” 15 Then the king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king chooses.” 16 So the king went out and all his household [d]with him. But (R)the king left ten concubines to keep the house. 17 And the king went out and all the people [e]with him, and they stopped at the last house. 18 Now all his servants passed on beside him, (S)all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, (T)six hundred men who had come [f]with him from Gath, passed on before the king.
19 Then the king said to (U)Ittai the Gittite, “Why will you also go with us? Return and remain with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile; return to your own place. 20 You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander with us, going about, while (V)I go where I go? Return and cause your brothers to return; (W)lovingkindness and [g]truth be with you.” 21 But Ittai answered the king and said, “As Yahweh lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely (X)wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, there also your servant will be.” 22 So David said to Ittai, “Go and pass over.” So Ittai the Gittite passed over with all his men and all the little ones who were with him. 23 While all the country was weeping with a loud voice, all the people passed over. The king also passed over (Y)the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over toward (Z)the way of the wilderness.
24 Now behold, (AA)Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him (AB)carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and (AC)Abiathar came up until all the people had finished passing from the city. 25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of Yahweh, then (AD)He will cause me to return and show me both it and (AE)His habitation. 26 But if He should say thus, ‘(AF)I have no delight in you,’ behold, here I am, (AG)let Him do to me as seems good in His sight.” 27 The king said also to Zadok the priest, “Are you not (AH)a seer? Return to the city in peace and your (AI)two sons with you, your son Ahimaaz and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28 See, I am going to wait (AJ)at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” 29 So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and remained there.
30 But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went, and (AK)his head was covered and he was walking (AL)barefoot. And all the people who were with him each covered his head and went up weeping as they went. 31 Now David informed them, saying, “(AM)Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O Yahweh, I pray, (AN)make the counsel of Ahithophel foolishness.”
32 Then it happened that as David was coming to the summit, where he used to worship God, that behold, Hushai the (AO)Archite met him with his [h]coat torn and [i]dust on his head. 33 And David said to him, “If you pass over with me, then you will be (AP)a burden to me. 34 But if you return to the city, and (AQ)say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father’s servant in time past, so I will now be your servant,’ then you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me. 35 Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? So it shall be that (AR)whatever you hear from the king’s house, you shall inform Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36 Behold, (AS)their two sons are with them there, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and (AT)by their hand you shall send me everything that you hear.” 37 So Hushai, (AU)David’s friend, came into the city, and (AV)Absalom came into Jerusalem.
Generosity and Grace
8 Now brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been (A)given in the churches of (B)Macedonia, 2 that in a great testing by affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the (C)richness of their [a]generosity. 3 For I testify that (D)according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, 4 begging us with much urging for the (E)grace [b]of sharing in the (F)ministry to the saints, 5 and this, not as we had [c]expected, but they first (G)gave themselves to the Lord and to us by (H)the will of God. 6 So we (I)encouraged (J)Titus that as he had previously (K)made a beginning, so he would also complete in you (L)this gracious work as well.
7 But just as you (M)abound (N)in everything, in faith and word and knowledge and in all earnestness and in [d]the love we inspired in you, see that you (O)abound in this gracious work also. 8 I (P)am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also. 9 For you know (Q)the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that (R)though being rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. 10 And I (S)give my opinion in this matter, for this is profitable for you, who were the first to begin (T)a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it. 11 But now complete [e]doing it also, so that just as there was the (U)readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it from what you have. 12 For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable (V)according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For this is not for the relief of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality— 14 at this present time your abundance being a supply for (W)their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for (X)your need, that there may be equality. 15 As it is written, “(Y)He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little had no lack.”
16 But [f](Z)thanks be to God who (AA)puts the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of (AB)Titus. 17 For he not only accepted our (AC)plea, but being himself very earnest, he has gone out to you of his own accord. 18 And we have sent along with him (AD)the brother whose praise in the things of the (AE)gospel is throughout (AF)all the churches. 19 (AG)And not only this, but he has also been (AH)appointed by the churches to travel with us in (AI)this gracious work that is being ministered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our (AJ)readiness, 20 [g]taking precaution lest anyone discredits us in our ministering of this generous gift, 21 for we (AK)respect what is good, not only in (AL)the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 22 And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found earnest in many things, but now even more earnest because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for (AM)Titus, he is my (AN)partner and fellow worker [h]among you; as for our (AO)brothers, they are [i](AP)messengers of the churches, (AQ)a glory to Christ. 24 Therefore [j]openly before the churches, [k]show them the proof of your love and of our (AR)reason for boasting about you.
The Abominations of Israel
22 Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 2 “Now as for you, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the city of blood? Then you shall cause her to know all her abominations. 3 And you shall say, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “A city (A)shedding blood in her midst, so that her time will come; and she makes idols against herself for defilement! 4 You have become (B)guilty by [a]the blood which you have shed, and defiled by your idols which you have made. Thus you have brought your [b]day near and have come to your years; therefore I have made you a (C)reproach to the nations and a mocking to all the lands. 5 Those who are near and those who are far from you will mock you, you of unclean name, full of (D)turmoil.
6 “Behold, the (E)princes of Israel, each according to his [c]power, have been in you for the purpose of shedding blood. 7 They have (F)treated father and mother with contempt within you. The (G)sojourner they have oppressed in your midst; the (H)fatherless and the widow they have mistreated in you. 8 You have (I)despised My holy things and (J)profaned My sabbaths. 9 Slanderous men have been in you for the purpose of shedding blood, and in you they have eaten at the mountain shrines. In your midst they have (K)done acts of lewdness. 10 In you [d]they have (L)uncovered their fathers’ nakedness; in you they have humbled her who was (M)unclean in her menstrual impurity. 11 One has also done what is an abomination with his (N)neighbor’s wife, and another has lewdly defiled his (O)daughter-in-law. And another in you has (P)violated his sister, his father’s daughter. 12 In you they have (Q)taken bribes for the purpose of shedding blood; you have taken (R)interest and profits, and you have injured your neighbors for gain by (S)oppression, and you have (T)forgotten Me,” declares Lord Yahweh.
13 “Now behold, I have struck My hand at your (U)greedy gain which you have acquired and at [e]the bloodshed which is among you. 14 Can (V)your heart stand, or can your hands be strong in the days that I will act against you? (W)I, Yahweh, have spoken and will act. 15 I will (X)scatter you among the nations, and I will disperse you through the lands, and I will (Y)put an end to your uncleanness from you. 16 You will profane yourself in the sight of the nations, and you will (Z)know that I am Yahweh.”’”
17 And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 18 “Son of man, the house of Israel has become (AA)dross to Me; all of them are (AB)bronze and tin and iron and lead in the (AC)furnace; they are the dross of silver. 19 Therefore, thus says Lord Yahweh, ‘Because all of you have become dross, therefore, behold, I am going to gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. 20 As they gather silver and bronze and iron and lead and tin into the (AD)furnace to blow fire on it in order to melt it, so I will gather you in My anger and in My wrath, and I will lay you there and melt you. 21 And I will collect you together and blow on you with the fire of My fury, and you will be melted in the midst of it. 22 As silver is melted in the furnace, so you will be melted in the midst of it; and you will know that I, Yahweh, have (AE)poured out My wrath on you.’”
23 And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 24 “Son of man, say to her, ‘You are a land that is (AF)not cleansed or rained on in the day of indignation.’ 25 There is a (AG)conspiracy of her prophets in her midst like a roaring lion tearing the prey. They have (AH)devoured lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many (AI)widows in the midst of her. 26 Her (AJ)priests have done violence to My law and have (AK)profaned My holy things; they have made no (AL)separation between the holy and the profane, and they have not made known the difference between the (AM)unclean and the clean; and they hide their eyes from My sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. 27 Her princes within her are like wolves tearing the prey by shedding blood and (AN)destroying lives in order to get (AO)greedy gain. 28 And her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, beholding (AP)worthless visions and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh,’ when Yahweh has not spoken. 29 The people of the land have practiced (AQ)oppression and committed robbery, and they have mistreated the afflicted and needy and have (AR)oppressed the sojourner without justice. 30 And I (AS)searched for a man among them who would (AT)build up the wall and (AU)stand in the breach before Me for the land, so that I would not bring it to ruin; but I found [f]no one. 31 Thus I have poured out My (AV)indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My fury; (AW)their way I have brought upon their heads,” declares Lord Yahweh.
Save Me, O God
For the choir director. According to [a]Shoshannim. Of David.
69 Save me, O God,
For the (A)waters have [b]threatened my life.
2 I have sunk in deep (B)clay, and there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters, and a [c](C)flood overflows me.
3 I am (D)weary with my calling out; my throat is parched;
My (E)eyes fail while I wait for my God.
4 Those (F)who hate me without cause are more than the hairs of my head;
Those who would [d]destroy me (G)are powerful, being wrongfully my enemies;
(H)What I did not steal, I then have to restore.
5 O God, it is You who knows (I)my folly,
And [e](J)all my guilt is not hidden from You.
6 May those who hope for You not (K)be ashamed through me, O Lord Yahweh of hosts;
May those who seek You not be dishonored through me, O God of Israel,
7 Because (L)for Your sake I have borne reproach;
(M)Dishonor has covered my face.
8 I have become (N)estranged [f]from my brothers
And a foreigner to my mother’s sons.
9 For (O)zeal for Your house has consumed me,
And (P)the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.
10 When I wept (Q)in my soul with fasting,
It became my reproach.
11 When I made (R)sackcloth my clothing,
I became (S)a byword to them.
12 Those who (T)dwell at the gate moan about me,
And I am (U)the drunkards’ songs.
13 But as for me, my prayer is to You, O Yahweh, (V)at an acceptable time;
O God, in the (W)abundance of Your lovingkindness,
Answer me with the truth of Your salvation.
14 Deliver me from the (X)mire and do not let me sink;
May I be (Y)delivered from [g]my foes and from the [h](Z)deep waters.
15 May the [i](AA)flood of water not overflow me
Nor the deep swallow me up,
Nor the (AB)pit shut its mouth on me.
16 Answer me, O Yahweh, for (AC)Your lovingkindness is good;
(AD)According to the abundance of Your compassion, (AE)turn to me,
17 And (AF)do not hide Your face from Your slave,
For I am (AG)in distress; answer me quickly.
18 Oh draw near to my soul and (AH)redeem it;
(AI)Ransom me because of my enemies!
19 You know my (AJ)reproach and my shame and my dishonor;
All my adversaries are [j]before You.
20 Reproach has (AK)broken my heart and I am so sick.
And (AL)I hoped for sympathy, but there was none,
And for (AM)comforters, but I found none.
21 They also gave me [k](AN)gall [l]for my food
And for my thirst they (AO)gave me vinegar to drink.
22 May (AP)their table before them become a snare;
And [m](AQ)when they are in peace, may it become a trap.
23 May their (AR)eyes darken so that they cannot see,
And make their (AS)loins quake continually.
24 (AT)Pour out Your indignation on them,
And may Your burning anger overtake them.
25 May their [n](AU)camp be desolate;
May none dwell in their tents.
26 For they have (AV)persecuted him whom (AW)You Yourself have struck down,
And they recount the pain of those whom (AX)You have [o]wounded.
27 Add (AY)iniquity to their iniquity,
And (AZ)may they not come into (BA)Your righteousness.
28 May they be (BB)blotted out of the (BC)book of life
And may they not be [p](BD)recorded with the righteous.
29 But I am (BE)afflicted and in pain;
[q]May Your salvation, O God, (BF)set me securely on high.
30 I will (BG)praise the name of God with song
And (BH)magnify Him with (BI)thanksgiving.
31 And this will (BJ)please Yahweh better than an ox
Or a young bull with horns and hoofs.
32 The (BK)humble [r]see it and are glad;
You who seek God, (BL)let your heart [s]revive.
33 For (BM)Yahweh hears the needy
And (BN)does not despise His who are prisoners.
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