M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Samuel Addresses Israel
12 Then Samuel said to all Israel, “Behold, (A)I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me and I (B)have [a]appointed a king over you. 2 Now, (C)here is the king walking before you, but (D)I am old and gray, and behold (E)my sons are with you. And (F)I have walked before you from my youth even to this day. 3 Here I am; bear witness against me before the Lord and (G)His anointed. (H)Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed, or (I)from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? I will restore it to you.” 4 They said, “You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from any man’s hand.” 5 He said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day that (J)you have found nothing (K)in my hand.” And they said, “He is witness.”
6 Then Samuel said to the people, “It is the Lord who [b](L)appointed Moses and Aaron and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt. 7 So now, take your stand, (M)that I may plead with you before the Lord concerning all the righteous acts of the Lord which He did for you and your fathers. 8 (N)When Jacob went into Egypt and (O)your fathers cried out to the Lord, then (P)the Lord sent Moses and Aaron [c](Q)who brought your fathers out of Egypt and settled them in this place. 9 But (R)they forgot the Lord their God, so (S)He sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and (T)into the hand of the Philistines and (U)into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. 10 (V)They cried out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned because we have forsaken the Lord and have served (W)the Baals and the Ashtaroth; but (X)now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve You.’ 11 Then the Lord sent (Y)Jerubbaal and [d](Z)Bedan and (AA)Jephthah and (AB)Samuel, and delivered you from the hands of your enemies all around, so that you lived in security.
The King Confirmed
12 When you saw (AC)that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, you said to me, ‘(AD)No, but a king shall reign over us,’ (AE)although the Lord your God was your king. 13 Now therefore, (AF)here is the king whom you have chosen, (AG)whom you have asked for, and behold, the Lord has set a king over you. 14 (AH)If you will fear the Lord and serve Him, and listen to His voice and not rebel against the [e]command of the Lord, then both you and also the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God. 15 (AI)If you will not listen to the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the [f]command of the Lord, then (AJ)the hand of the Lord will be against you, (AK)as it was against your fathers. 16 Even now, (AL)take your stand and see this great thing which the Lord will do before your eyes. 17 (AM)Is it not the wheat harvest today? (AN)I will call to the Lord, that He may send [g]thunder and rain. Then you will know and see that (AO)your wickedness is great which you have done in the sight of the Lord by asking for yourselves a king.” 18 So Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent [h]thunder and rain that day; and (AP)all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.
19 Then all the people said to Samuel, “(AQ)Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, so that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins (AR)this evil by asking for ourselves a king.” 20 Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet (AS)do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. 21 You must not turn aside, for then you would go after (AT)futile things which can not profit or deliver, because they are futile. 22 For (AU)the Lord will not abandon His people (AV)on account of His great name, because the Lord (AW)has been pleased to make you a people for Himself. 23 Moreover, as for me, (AX)far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; but (AY)I will instruct you in the good and right way. 24 (AZ)Only [i]fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider (BA)what great things He has done for you. 25 (BB)But if you still do wickedly, (BC)both you and your king (BD)will be swept away.”
The Word of Faith Brings Salvation
10 Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. 2 For I testify about them that they have (A)a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. 3 For not knowing about (B)God’s righteousness and (C)seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4 For (D)Christ is the [a]end of the law for righteousness to (E)everyone who believes.
5 For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is [b]based on law (F)shall live [c]by that righteousness. 6 But (G)the righteousness [d]based on faith speaks as follows: “(H)Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), 7 or ‘Who will descend into the (I)abyss?’ (that is, to (J)bring Christ up from the dead).” 8 But what does it say? “(K)The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9 [e]that (L)if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and (M)believe in your heart that (N)God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, [f]resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, [g]resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “(O)Whoever believes in Him will not be [h]disappointed.” 12 For (P)there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is (Q)Lord of (R)all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for “(S)Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him (T)whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without (U)a preacher? 15 How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “(V)How beautiful are the feet of those who [i](W)bring good news of good things!”
16 However, they (X)did not all heed the [j]good news; for Isaiah says, “(Y)Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So faith comes from (Z)hearing, and hearing by (AA)the word [k]of Christ.
18 But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have;
19 But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? First Moses says,
“(AC)I will (AD)make you jealous by that which is not a nation,
By a nation without understanding will I anger you.”
20 And Isaiah is very bold and says,
“(AE)I was found by those who did not seek Me,
I became manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”
21 But as for Israel He says, “(AF)All the day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”
Prophecy against Ammon
49 Concerning the sons of (A)Ammon. Thus says the Lord:
“Does Israel have no sons?
Or has he no heirs?
Why then has [a]Malcam taken possession of Gad
And his people settled in its cities?
2 “Therefore behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“That I will cause a [b](B)trumpet blast of war to be heard
Against (C)Rabbah of the sons of Ammon;
And it will become a desolate heap,
And her (D)towns will be set on fire.
Then Israel will take (E)possession of his possessors,”
Says the Lord.
3 “Wail, O (F)Heshbon, for (G)Ai has been destroyed!
Cry out, O daughters of Rabbah,
(H)Gird yourselves with sackcloth and lament,
And rush back and forth inside the walls;
For [c]Malcam will (I)go into exile
Together with his priests and his princes.
4 “How (J)boastful you are about the valleys!
Your valley is flowing away,
O (K)backsliding daughter
Who trusts in her (L)treasures, saying,
‘(M)Who will come against me?’
5 “Behold, I am going to bring (N)terror upon you,”
Declares the Lord [d]God of hosts,
“From all directions around you;
And each of you will be (O)driven out [e]headlong,
With no one to gather the (P)fugitives together.
6 “But afterward I will (Q)restore
The [f]fortunes of the sons of Ammon,”
Declares the Lord.
Prophecy against Edom
7 Concerning (R)Edom.
Thus says the Lord of hosts,
“Is there no longer any (S)wisdom in (T)Teman?
Has good counsel been lost to the prudent?
Has their wisdom decayed?
8 “Flee away, turn back, dwell in the depths,
O inhabitants of (U)Dedan,
For I [g]will bring the (V)disaster of Esau upon him
At the time I [h]punish him.
9 “(W)If grape gatherers came to you,
Would they not leave gleanings?
If thieves came by night,
They would destroy only [i]until they had enough.
10 “But I have (X)stripped Esau bare,
I have uncovered his hiding places
So that he will not be able to conceal himself;
His [j]offspring has been destroyed along with his [k]relatives
And his neighbors, and (Y)he is no more.
11 “Leave your [l](Z)orphans behind, I will keep them alive;
And let your (AA)widows trust in Me.”
12 For thus says the Lord, “Behold, those [m]who were not sentenced to drink the (AB)cup will certainly drink it, and are you the one who will be (AC)completely acquitted? You will not be acquitted, but you will certainly drink it. 13 For I have (AD)sworn by Myself,” declares the Lord, “that (AE)Bozrah will become an (AF)object of horror, a reproach, a ruin and a curse; and all its cities will become perpetual ruins.”
14 I have (AG)heard a message from the Lord,
And an (AH)envoy is sent among the nations, saying,
“(AI)Gather yourselves together and come against her,
And rise up for battle!”
15 “For behold, I have made you small among the nations,
Despised among men.
16 “As for the terror of you,
The arrogance of your heart has deceived you,
O you who live in the clefts of [n]the (AJ)rock,
Who occupy the height of the hill.
Though you make your nest as (AK)high as an eagle’s,
I will (AL)bring you down from there,” declares the Lord.
17 “Edom will become an (AM)object of horror; everyone who passes by it will be horrified and will (AN)hiss at all its wounds. 18 Like the (AO)overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah with its neighbors,” says the Lord, “(AP)no one will live there, nor will a son of man reside in it. 19 (AQ)Behold, one will come up like a lion from the [o](AR)thickets of the Jordan against [p]a perennially watered pasture; for in an instant I will make him run away from it, and whoever is (AS)chosen I shall appoint over it. For who is (AT)like Me, and who will summon Me into court? And who then is the shepherd (AU)who can stand against Me?”
20 Therefore hear the (AV)plan of the Lord which He has planned against Edom, and His purposes which He has purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: surely they will drag them off, even the little ones of the flock; surely He will make their [q]pasture (AW)desolate because of them. 21 The (AX)earth has quaked at the noise of their downfall. There is an outcry! The noise of it has been heard at the [r]Red Sea. 22 Behold, [s]He will mount up and (AY)swoop like an eagle and spread out His wings [t]against Bozrah; and the (AZ)hearts of the mighty men of Edom in that day will be like the heart of a woman in labor.
Prophecy against Damascus
23 Concerning (BA)Damascus.
“(BB)Hamath and (BC)Arpad are put to shame,
For they have heard bad news;
They are (BD)disheartened.
There is anxiety by the sea,
It (BE)cannot be calmed.
24 “Damascus has become helpless;
She has turned away to flee,
And panic has gripped her;
(BF)Distress and pangs have taken hold of her
Like a woman in childbirth.
25 “How [u]the (BG)city of praise has not been deserted,
The town of My joy!
26 “Therefore, her (BH)young men will fall in her streets,
And all the men of war will be [v]silenced in that day,” declares the Lord of hosts.
27 “I will (BI)set fire to the wall of Damascus,
And it will devour the [w]fortified towers of (BJ)Ben-hadad.”
Prophecy against Kedar and Hazor
28 Concerning (BK)Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated. Thus says the Lord,
“Arise, go up to Kedar
And devastate the [x](BL)men of the east.
29 “They will take away their tents and their flocks;
They will carry off for themselves
Their tent (BM)curtains, all their goods and their (BN)camels,
And they will call out to one another, ‘(BO)Terror on every side!’
30 “Run away, flee! Dwell in the depths,
O inhabitants of Hazor,” declares the Lord;
“For (BP)Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has formed a plan against you
And devised a scheme against you.
31 “Arise, go up against a nation which is (BQ)at ease,
Which lives securely,” declares the Lord.
“It has (BR)no gates or bars;
They (BS)dwell alone.
32 “Their camels will become plunder,
And their many cattle for booty,
And I will (BT)scatter to all the winds those who (BU)cut the corners of their hair;
And I will bring their disaster from every side,” declares the Lord.
33 “Hazor will become a (BV)haunt of jackals,
A desolation forever;
No one will live there,
Nor will a son of man reside in it.”
Prophecy against Elam
34 That which came as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet concerning (BW)Elam, (BX)at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying:
35 “Thus says the Lord of hosts,
‘Behold, I am going to (BY)break the bow of Elam,
The [y]finest of their might.
36 ‘I will bring upon Elam the (BZ)four winds
From the four ends of heaven,
And will (CA)scatter them to all these winds;
And there will be no nation
To which the outcasts of Elam will not go.
37 ‘So I will [z]shatter Elam before their enemies
And before those who seek their lives;
And I will (CB)bring calamity upon them,
Even My (CC)fierce anger,’ declares the Lord,
‘And I will (CD)send out the sword after them
Until I have consumed them.
38 ‘Then I will set My throne in Elam
And destroy [aa]out of it king and princes,’
Declares the Lord.
39 ‘But it will come about in the last days
That I will (CE)restore the [ab]fortunes of Elam,’”
Declares the Lord.
Protestation of Integrity and Prayer for Protection.
A Psalm of David.
26 [a](A)Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have (B)walked in my integrity,
And I have (C)trusted in the Lord [b](D)without wavering.
2 (E)Examine me, O Lord, and try me;
(F)Test my [c]mind and my heart.
3 For Your (G)lovingkindness is before my eyes,
And I have (H)walked in Your [d]truth.
4 I do not (I)sit with [e]deceitful men,
Nor will I go with [f](J)pretenders.
5 I (K)hate the assembly of evildoers,
And I will not sit with the wicked.
6 I shall (L)wash my hands in innocence,
And I will go about (M)Your altar, O Lord,
7 That I may proclaim with the voice of (N)thanksgiving
And declare all Your [g]wonders.
8 O Lord, I (O)love the habitation of Your house
And the place [h]where Your (P)glory dwells.
9 (Q)Do not [i]take my soul away along with sinners,
Nor my life with (R)men of bloodshed,
10 In whose hands is a (S)wicked scheme,
And whose right hand is full of (T)bribes.
11 But as for me, I shall (U)walk in my integrity;
(V)Redeem me, and be gracious to me.
12 (W)My foot stands on a (X)level place;
In the (Y)congregations I shall bless the Lord.
A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God.
A Psalm of David.
27 The Lord is my (Z)light and my (AA)salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the [j](AB)defense of my life;
(AC)Whom shall I dread?
2 When evildoers came upon me to (AD)devour my flesh,
My adversaries and my enemies, they (AE)stumbled and fell.
3 Though a (AF)host encamp against me,
My heart will not fear;
Though war arise against me,
In spite of this I [k]shall be (AG)confident.
4 (AH)One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:
That I may (AI)dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
To behold (AJ)the [l]beauty of the Lord
And to [m](AK)meditate in His temple.
5 For in the (AL)day of trouble He will (AM)conceal me in His [n]tabernacle;
In the secret place of His tent He will (AN)hide me;
He will (AO)lift me up on a rock.
6 And now (AP)my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,
And I will offer in His tent (AQ)sacrifices [o]with shouts of joy;
I will (AR)sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.
7 (AS)Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice,
And be gracious to me and (AT)answer me.
8 When You said, “(AU)Seek My face,” my heart said to You,
“Your face, O Lord, (AV)I shall seek.”
9 (AW)Do not hide Your face from me,
Do not turn Your servant away in (AX)anger;
You have been (AY)my help;
(AZ)Do not abandon me nor (BA)forsake me,
O God of my salvation!
10 [p]For my father and (BB)my mother have forsaken me,
But (BC)the Lord will take me up.
11 (BD)Teach me Your way, O Lord,
And lead me in a (BE)level path
Because of [q]my foes.
12 Do not deliver me over to the [r](BF)desire of my adversaries,
For (BG)false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as (BH)breathe out violence.
13 [s]I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the (BI)goodness of the Lord
In the (BJ)land of the living.
14 (BK)Wait for the Lord;
Be (BL)strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the Lord.
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