M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Jonathan and David
18 Now it came about when he had finished speaking to Saul, that (A)the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and (B)Jonathan loved him as himself. 2 Saul took him that day and (C)did not let him return to his father’s house. 3 Then (D)Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. 4 (E)Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, including his sword and his bow and his belt. 5 So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and [a]prospered; and Saul set him over the men of war. And it was pleasing in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
6 It happened as they were coming, when David returned from killing the Philistine, that (F)the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy and with [b]musical instruments. 7 The women (G)sang as they [c]played, and said,
8 Then Saul became very angry, for this saying [d]displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now (J)what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 Saul looked at David with suspicion from that day on.
Saul Turns against David
10 Now it came about on the next day that (K)an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and (L)he raved in the midst of the house, while David was playing the harp with his hand, [e](M)as usual; and [f](N)a spear was in Saul’s hand. 11 (O)Saul hurled the spear for he thought, “I will [g]pin David to the wall.” But David [h]escaped from his presence twice.
12 Now (P)Saul was afraid of David, (Q)for the Lord was with him but (R)had departed from Saul. 13 Therefore Saul removed him from [i]his presence and appointed him as his commander of a thousand; and (S)he went out and came in before the people. 14 David was [j]prospering in all his ways for (T)the Lord was with him. 15 When Saul saw that he was [k]prospering greatly, he dreaded him. 16 But (U)all Israel and Judah loved David, and he went out and came in before them.
17 Then Saul said to David, “(V)Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife, only be a valiant man for me and fight (W)the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “My hand shall not be against him, but (X)let the hand of the Philistines be against him.” 18 But David said to Saul, “(Y)Who am I, and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be the king’s son-in-law?” 19 So it came about at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to (Z)Adriel (AA)the Meholathite for a wife.
David Marries Saul’s Daughter
20 Now (AB)Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. When they told Saul, the thing was agreeable [l]to him. 21 Saul thought, “I will give her to him that she may become a snare to him, and (AC)that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David, “(AD)For a second time you may be my son-in-law today.” 22 Then Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David secretly, saying, ‘Behold, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you; now therefore, become the king’s son-in-law.’” 23 So Saul’s servants spoke these words [m]to David. But David said, “Is it trivial in your sight to become the king’s son-in-law, (AE)since I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?” 24 The servants of Saul reported to him [n]according to these words which David spoke. 25 Saul then said, “Thus you shall say to David, ‘The king does not desire any (AF)dowry except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, (AG)to take vengeance on the king’s enemies.’” Now (AH)Saul planned to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 When his servants told David these words, [o]it pleased David to become the king’s son-in-law. [p](AI)Before the days had expired 27 David rose up and went, (AJ)he and his men, and struck down two hundred men among the Philistines. Then (AK)David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. So Saul gave him Michal his daughter for a wife. 28 When Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, 29 then Saul was even more afraid of David. Thus Saul was David’s enemy continually.
30 Then the commanders of the Philistines (AL)went out to battle, and it happened as often as they went out, that David (AM)behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul. So his name was highly esteemed.
Greetings and Love Expressed
16 I (A)commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a [a]servant of the church which is at (B)Cenchrea; 2 that you (C)receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the [b](D)saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a helper of many, [c]and of myself as well.
3 Greet (E)Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers (F)in (G)Christ Jesus, 4 who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles; 5 also greet (H)the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the (I)first convert to Christ from [d](J)Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and [e]Junias, my (K)kinsmen and my (L)fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also [f]were (M)in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker (N)in Christ, and Stachys my beloved. 10 Greet Apelles, the approved (O)in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion, my (P)kinsman. Greet those of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord. 12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, workers in the Lord. Greet Persis the beloved, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet (Q)Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, also his mother and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brethren with them. 15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all (R)the [g]saints who are with them. 16 (S)Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.
17 Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and [h]hindrances (T)contrary to the teaching which you learned, and (U)turn away from them. 18 For such men are (V)slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of (W)their own [i]appetites; and by their (X)smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. 19 For the report of your obedience (Y)has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but (Z)I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. 20 (AA)The God of peace will soon crush (AB)Satan under your feet.
(AC)The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
21 (AD)Timothy my fellow worker greets you, and so do (AE)Lucius and (AF)Jason and (AG)Sosipater, my (AH)kinsmen.
22 I, Tertius, who (AI)write this letter, greet you in the Lord.
23 (AJ)Gaius, host to me and to the whole church, greets you. (AK)Erastus, the city treasurer greets you, and Quartus, the brother. 24 [[j]The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.]
25 (AL)Now to Him who is able to establish you (AM)according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of (AN)the mystery which has been kept secret for (AO)long ages past, 26 but now is manifested, and by (AP)the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to (AQ)obedience of faith; 27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, (AR)be the glory forever. Amen.
Jeremiah Shares Israel’s Affliction
3 I am the man who has (A)seen affliction
Because of the rod of His wrath.
2 He has driven me and made me walk
In (B)darkness and not in light.
3 Surely against me He has (C)turned His hand
Repeatedly all the day.
4 He has caused my (D)flesh and my skin to waste away,
He has (E)broken my bones.
5 He has (F)besieged and encompassed me with (G)bitterness and hardship.
6 In (H)dark places He has made me dwell,
Like those who have long been dead.
7 He has (I)walled me in so that I cannot go out;
He has made my [a](J)chain heavy.
8 Even when I cry out and call for help,
He (K)shuts out my prayer.
9 He has (L)blocked my ways with hewn stone;
He has made my paths crooked.
10 He is to me like a bear lying in wait,
Like a lion in secret places.
11 He has turned aside my ways and (M)torn me to pieces;
He has made me desolate.
12 He (N)bent His bow
And (O)set me as a target for the arrow.
13 He made the [b]arrows of His (P)quiver
To enter into my [c]inward parts.
14 I have become a (Q)laughingstock to all my people,
Their mocking (R)song all the day.
15 He has (S)filled me with bitterness,
He has made me drunk with wormwood.
16 He has (T)broken my teeth with (U)gravel;
He has made me cower in the (V)dust.
17 My soul has been rejected (W)from peace;
I have forgotten [d]happiness.
18 So I say, “My strength has perished,
And so has my (X)hope from the Lord.”
Hope of Relief in God’s Mercy
19 Remember my affliction and my [e]wandering, the (Y)wormwood and bitterness.
20 Surely (Z)my soul remembers
And is (AA)bowed down within me.
21 This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have (AB)hope.
22 The Lord’s (AC)lovingkindnesses [f]indeed never cease,
(AD)For His compassions never fail.
23 They are new (AE)every morning;
Great is (AF)Your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my (AG)portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I (AH)have hope in Him.”
25 The Lord is good to those who (AI)wait for Him,
To the [g]person who (AJ)seeks Him.
26 It is good that he (AK)waits silently
For the salvation of the Lord.
27 It is good for a man that he should bear
The yoke in his youth.
28 Let him (AL)sit alone and be silent
Since He has laid it on him.
29 Let him [h]put his mouth in the (AM)dust,
Perhaps there is (AN)hope.
30 Let him give his (AO)cheek to [i]the smiter,
Let him be filled with reproach.
31 For the Lord will (AP)not reject forever,
32 For if He causes grief,
Then He will have (AQ)compassion
According to His abundant lovingkindness.
33 For He (AR)does not afflict [j]willingly
Or grieve the sons of men.
34 To crush under His feet
All the prisoners of the [k]land,
35 To [l]deprive a man of (AS)justice
In the presence of the Most High,
36 To [m](AT)defraud a man in his lawsuit—
Of these things the Lord does not [n]approve.
37 Who is [o]there who speaks and it (AU)comes to pass,
Unless the Lord has commanded it?
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
That [p](AV)both good and ill go forth?
39 Why should any living [q]mortal, or any man,
Offer (AW)complaint [r]in view of his sins?
40 Let us (AX)examine and probe our ways,
And let us return to the Lord.
41 We (AY)lift up our heart [s]and hands
Toward God in heaven;
42 We have (AZ)transgressed and rebelled,
You have (BA)not pardoned.
43 You have covered Yourself with (BB)anger
And (BC)pursued us;
You have slain and (BD)have not spared.
44 You have (BE)covered Yourself with a cloud
So that (BF)no prayer can pass through.
45 You have made us mere (BG)offscouring and refuse
In the midst of the peoples.
46 All our enemies have (BH)opened their mouths against us.
47 (BI)Panic and pitfall have befallen us,
Devastation and destruction;
48 My [t](BJ)eyes run down with streams of water
Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 My eyes pour down (BK)unceasingly,
Without stopping,
50 Until the Lord (BL)looks down
And sees from heaven.
51 My eyes bring pain to my soul
Because of all the daughters of my city.
52 My enemies (BM)without cause
Hunted me down (BN)like a bird;
53 They have silenced [u]me (BO)in the pit
And have [v](BP)placed a stone on me.
54 Waters flowed (BQ)over my head;
I said, “I am cut off!”
55 I (BR)called on Your name, O Lord,
Out of the lowest pit.
56 You have (BS)heard my voice,
“(BT)Do not hide Your ear from my prayer for relief,
From my cry for help.”
57 You (BU)drew near when I called on You;
You said, “(BV)Do not fear!”
58 O Lord, You (BW)have pleaded my soul’s cause;
You have (BX)redeemed my life.
59 O Lord, You have (BY)seen my oppression;
(BZ)Judge my case.
60 You have seen all their vengeance,
All their (CA)schemes against me.
61 You have heard their (CB)reproach, O Lord,
All their schemes against me.
62 The (CC)lips of my assailants and their whispering
Are against me all day long.
63 Look on their (CD)sitting and their rising;
(CE)I am their mocking song.
64 You will (CF)recompense them, O Lord,
According to the work of their hands.
65 You will give them [w](CG)hardness of heart,
Your curse will be on them.
66 You will (CH)pursue them in anger and destroy them
From under the (CI)heavens of the Lord!
The Lord, a Provider and Deliverer.
A Psalm of David when he [a]feigned madness before [b]Abimelech, who drove him away and he departed.
34 I will (A)bless the Lord at all times;
His (B)praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul will (C)make its boast in the Lord;
The (D)humble will hear it and rejoice.
3 O (E)magnify the Lord with me,
And let us (F)exalt His name together.
4 I (G)sought the Lord, and He answered me,
And (H)delivered me from all my fears.
5 They (I)looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will (J)never be ashamed.
6 This [c]poor man cried, and (K)the Lord heard him
And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The (L)angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.
8 O (M)taste and see that the Lord is good;
How (N)blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
9 O fear the Lord, you (O)His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is (P)no want.
10 The young lions do lack and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the Lord shall (Q)not be in want of any good thing.
11 (R)Come, you children, listen to me;
(S)I will teach you (T)the fear of the Lord.
12 (U)Who is the man who desires life
And loves length of days that he may (V)see good?
13 Keep (W)your tongue from evil
And your lips from speaking (X)deceit.
14 (Y)Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and (Z)pursue it.
15 The (AA)eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
And His ears are open to their cry.
16 The (AB)face of the Lord is against evildoers,
To (AC)cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 The righteous (AD)cry, and the Lord hears
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord (AE)is near to the (AF)brokenhearted
And saves those who are [d](AG)crushed in spirit.
19 (AH)Many are the (AI)afflictions of the righteous,
But the Lord (AJ)delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones,
(AK)Not one of them is broken.
21 (AL)Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous will be [e]condemned.
22 The Lord (AM)redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who (AN)take refuge in Him will be [f]condemned.
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