M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
David’s Triumphs
8 (A)Now after this it came about that David [a]defeated the Philistines and subdued them; and David took [b]control of the chief city from the hand of the Philistines.
2 (B)He [c]defeated (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 [d]defeated (F)Hadadezer, the son of Rehob king of Zobah, as (G)he went to restore his [e]rule at the [f]River. 4 David captured from him 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers; and David (H)hamstrung the chariot horses, but reserved enough of them for 100 chariots. 5 When (I)the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, king of Zobah, David [g]killed 22,000 Arameans. 6 Then David put garrisons among the Arameans of Damascus, and (J)the Arameans became servants to David, bringing tribute. And (K)the Lord helped David wherever he went. 7 David took the shields of gold which were [h]carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 From [i]Betah and from (L)Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a very large amount of bronze.
9 Now when Toi king of (M)Hamath heard that David had [j]defeated all the army of Hadadezer, 10 Toi sent [k]Joram his son to King David to [l]greet him and bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and [m]defeated him; for Hadadezer [n]had been at war with Toi. And [o]Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold and of bronze. 11 King David also (N)dedicated these to the Lord, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated from all the nations which he had subdued: 12 from [p]Aram and (O)Moab and (P)the sons of Ammon and (Q)the Philistines and (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 [q]killing 18,000 [r]Arameans in (T)the Valley of Salt. 14 He put garrisons in Edom. In all Edom he put garrisons, and (U)all the Edomites became servants to David. And (V)the Lord helped David wherever he went.
15 So David reigned over all Israel; and David [s]administered justice and righteousness for all his people. 16 (W)Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and (X)Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was (Y)recorder. 17 (Z)Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were (AA)priests, and Seraiah was (AB)secretary. 18 (AC)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada [t]was over the (AD)Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were [u](AE)chief ministers.
David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth
9 Then David said, “Is there yet [v]anyone left of the house of Saul, (AF)that I may show him kindness 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 The king said, “Is there not yet anyone of the house of Saul to whom I may show the (AH)kindness 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 brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar. 6 (AK)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 David said to him, “Do not fear, for (AM)I will surely show kindness to you for the sake of your father Jonathan, and (AN)will restore to you all the [w]land of your [x]grandfather Saul; and (AO)you shall [y]eat at my table regularly.” 8 Again 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 servant Ziba and said to him, “(AQ)All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s [z]grandson. 10 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; nevertheless (AR)Mephibosheth your master’s grandson (AS)shall [aa]eat at my table regularly.” 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 [ab]David’s table as one of the king’s sons. 12 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 regularly. Now (AV)he was lame in both feet.
Reaffirm Your Love
2 But I determined this [a]for my own sake, that I (A)would not come to you in sorrow again. 2 For if I (B)cause you sorrow, who then makes me glad but the one whom I made sorrowful? 3 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 especially for you.
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)forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. 9 For to this end also (J)I wrote, so that I might [c](K)put you to the test, whether you are (L)obedient in all things. 10 But one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have 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)taking my leave of them, I went on to (V)Macedonia.
14 (W)But thanks be to God, who always (X)leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the (Y)sweet 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)adequate for these things? 17 For we are not like many, [d](AE)peddling the word of God, but (AF)as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ (AG)in the sight of God.
God’s Grace to Unfaithful Jerusalem
16 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, (A)make known to Jerusalem her abominations 3 and say, ‘Thus says the Lord [a]God 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 looked with pity on you to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you. Rather you were thrown out into the [b](C)open field, [c]for you were abhorred on the day you were born.
6 “When I passed by you and saw you squirming in your blood, I said to you while you were in your blood, ‘Live!’ Yes, I said to you while you were in your blood, ‘Live!’ 7 I (D)made you [d]numerous like plants of the field. Then you grew up, became tall and reached 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, [e]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 the Lord God. 9 “Then I bathed you with water, washed off your blood 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 adorned you with ornaments, put (K)bracelets on your hands and a (L)necklace around your neck. 12 I also put a (M)ring in your nostril, earrings in your ears and a (N)beautiful crown on your head. 13 Thus you were adorned with (O)gold and silver, and your dress 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)fame went forth among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was (R)perfect because of My splendor which I bestowed on you,” declares the Lord God.
15 “But you (S)trusted in your beauty and (T)played the harlot because of your fame, and you poured out your harlotries on every passer-by [f]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, [g]which should never come about nor happen. 17 You also took your beautiful [h](U)jewels 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 offered My oil and My incense before them. 19 Also (V)My bread which I gave you, fine flour, oil and honey with which I fed you, [i]you would offer before them for a soothing aroma; so it happened,” declares the Lord God. 20 “Moreover, you took your sons and daughters whom you had borne to (W)Me and (X)sacrificed them to [j]idols to be devoured. Were your harlotries so small a matter? 21 You slaughtered (Y)My children and offered them up to [k]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 and squirming in your blood.
23 “Then it came about after all your wickedness (‘Woe, woe to you!’ declares the Lord God), 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 top 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 [l]lustful neighbors, and multiplied your harlotry to (AE)make Me angry. 27 Behold now, I have stretched out My hand against you and diminished your rations. And I delivered you up to the desire of those who hate you, the (AF)daughters of the Philistines, who are ashamed of your lewd conduct. 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 the Lord God, “while you do all these things, the actions of a [m](AI)bold-faced harlot. 31 When you built your shrine at the beginning of every street and made your high place in every square, in (AJ)disdaining money, you were not like a harlot. 32 You adulteress wife, who takes strangers instead of her husband! 33 [n]Men give gifts to all harlots, but you (AK)give your gifts to all your lovers to bribe them to come to you from every direction for your harlotries. 34 Thus you are different from those women in your harlotries, in that no one plays the harlot [o]as you do, because you give money and no money is given you; thus you are different.”
35 Therefore, O harlot, hear the word of the Lord. 36 Thus says the Lord God, “Because your lewdness was poured out and your nakedness uncovered through your harlotries with your lovers and with all your detestable (AL)idols, and because of the blood of your sons which you gave to [p]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 every direction and (AO)expose 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 [q]the hands of your lovers, and they will tear down your shrines, demolish your high places, (AR)strip you of your clothing, take away your [r]jewels, and will leave you naked and bare. 40 They will [s]incite a (AS)crowd 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)stop you from playing the harlot, and you will also no longer pay [t]your lovers. 42 So I (AV)will calm My fury against you and My jealousy will depart from you, and I will be pacified and angry (AW)no more. 43 Because you have (AX)not remembered the days of your youth but [u]have (AY)enraged Me by all these things, behold, I in turn will (AZ)bring your conduct down on your own head,” declares the Lord God, “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, ‘[v]Like mother, [w]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 [x]north of you with her [y]daughters; and your younger sister, who lives [z]south of you, is (BE)Sodom with her [aa]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 conduct than they. 48 As I live,” declares the Lord God, “Sodom, your sister and her daughters have (BH)not done as you and your daughters have done. 49 Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had (BI)arrogance, (BJ)abundant food and (BK)careless ease, but she did not [ab]help the (BL)poor and needy. 50 Thus they were haughty and committed (BM)abominations before Me. Therefore I (BN)removed them [ac]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 committed. 52 Also bear your disgrace in that you have [ad]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 disgrace, in that you made your sisters appear righteous.
53 “Nevertheless, I will restore their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, and [ae]along with them [af]your own captivity, 54 in order that you may bear your humiliation and feel (BQ)ashamed for all that you have done when you become (BR)a consolation to them. 55 Your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, [ag]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 from your lips in your day of pride, 57 before your (BS)wickedness was uncovered, [ah]so now you have become the (BT)reproach of the daughters of [ai]Edom and of all who are around her, of the daughters of the Philistines—those surrounding you who despise you. 58 You have (BU)borne the penalty of your lewdness and abominations,” the Lord declares. 59 For thus says the Lord God, “I will also do with you as you have done, you who have (BV)despised the oath by breaking the covenant.
The Covenant Remembered
60 “Nevertheless, I 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 be ashamed 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 the Lord, 63 so that you may (CA)remember and be ashamed and (CB)never open your mouth anymore because of your humiliation, when I have (CC)forgiven you for all that you have done,” the Lord God declares.
Prayer for the Punishment of the Wicked.
For the choir director; set to [a]Al-tashheth. A [b]Mikhtam of David.
58 Do you indeed [c]speak righteousness, O [d]gods?
Do you (A)judge [e]uprightly, O sons of men?
2 No, in heart you (B)work unrighteousness;
On earth you (C)weigh out the violence of your hands.
3 The wicked are estranged (D)from the womb;
These who speak lies (E)go astray from [f]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 [g](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 Lord.
7 Let them (J)flow away like water that runs off;
When he [h](K)aims his arrows, let them be as [i]headless shafts.
8 Let them be as a snail which [j]melts away as it goes along,
Like the (L)miscarriages of a woman which never see the sun.
9 Before your (M)pots can feel the fire of thorns
He will (N)sweep them away with a whirlwind, the [k]green and the burning alike.
10 The (O)righteous will rejoice when he (P)sees 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!”
Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies.
For the choir director; set to [n]Al-tashheth. A [o]Mikhtam of David, [p]when Saul sent men and they watched the house in order to kill him.
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)those who do iniquity
And save me from (W)men of bloodshed.
3 For behold, they (X)have [r]set an ambush for my [s]life;
[t]Fierce men [u](Y)launch an attack against me,
(Z)Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord,
4 [v](AA)For no guilt of mine, they run and set themselves against me.
(AB)Arouse Yourself to [w]help me, and see!
5 You, (AC)O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel,
Awake to [x](AD)punish all the nations;
(AE)Do not be gracious to any who are treacherous in iniquity. [y]Selah.
6 They (AF)return at evening, they howl like a (AG)dog,
And go around the city.
7 Behold, they (AH)belch forth with their mouth;
(AI)Swords are in their lips,
For, they say, “(AJ)Who hears?”
8 But You, O Lord, (AK)laugh at them;
You (AL)scoff at all the nations.
9 Because of [z]his (AM)strength I will watch for You,
For God is my (AN)stronghold.
10 [aa]My God (AO)in His lovingkindness will meet me;
God will let me (AP)look triumphantly upon [ab]my foes.
11 Do not slay them, (AQ)or my people will forget;
[ac](AR)Scatter them by Your power, and bring them down,
O Lord, (AS)our shield.
12 [ad]On account of the (AT)sin of their mouth and the words of their lips,
Let them even be (AU)caught in their pride,
And on account of (AV)curses and [ae]lies which they utter.
13 [af](AW)Destroy them in wrath, [ag]destroy them that they may be no more;
That men may (AX)know that God [ah]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 [ai]for food
And [aj]growl if they are not satisfied.
16 But as for me, I shall (BA)sing of Your strength;
Yes, 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 [ak]God who shows me lovingkindness.
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