M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
15 And it came to pass after this that Absalom prepared himself chariots and horses and fifty men to run before him.
2 And Absalom rose up early and stood beside the way of the gate; and it was so that, when any man who had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him and said, “Of what city art thou?” And he said, “Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.”
3 And Absalom said unto him, “See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed by the king to hear thee.”
4 Absalom said moreover, “Oh, that I were made judge in the land, that every man who hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!”
5 And it was so that, when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand and took him and kissed him.
6 And in this manner did Absalom to all Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
7 And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, “I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow which I have vowed unto the Lord in Hebron.
8 For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, ‘If the Lord shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord.’”
9 And the king said unto him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron.
10 But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, ‘Absalom reigneth in Hebron.’”
11 And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem who were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing.
12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom.
13 And there came a messenger to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.”
14 And David said unto all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, for we shall not else escape from Absalom. Make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.”
15 And the king’s servants said unto the king, “Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint.”
16 And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the house.
17 And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and tarried in a place that was far off.
18 And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.
19 Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, “Why goest thou also with us? Return to thy place and abide with the king, for thou art a stranger and also an exile.
20 Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? Seeing I go whither I may, return thou and take back thy brethren. Mercy and truth be with thee.”
21 And Ittai answered the king and said, “As the Lord liveth and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.”
22 And David said to Ittai, “Go, and pass over.” And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men and all the little ones who were with him.
23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over. The king also himself passed over the Brook Kidron, and all the people passed over toward the way of the wilderness.
24 And lo, Zadok also, and all the Levites were with him bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar went up until all the people had passed out of the city.
25 And the king said unto Zadok, “Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I shall find favor in the eyes of the Lord, He will bring me back, and show me both it and His habitation.
26 But if He thus say, ‘I have no delight in thee,’ behold, here am I. Let Him do to me as seemeth good unto Him.”
27 The king said also unto Zadok the priest, “Art not thou a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.
28 See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness until there come word from you to assure me.”
29 Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem; and they tarried there.
30 And David went up by the ascent of Mount Olivet, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered and went barefoot. And all the people who were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
31 And one told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O Lord, I pray Thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”
32 And it came to pass, when David had come to the top of the mount where he worshiped God, that, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head;
33 unto whom David said, “If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me;
34 but if thou return to the city and say unto Absalom, ‘I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father’s servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant,’ then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.
35 And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? Therefore it shall be that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king’s house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
36 Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them ye shall send unto me everything that ye can hear.”
37 So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
8 Moreover, brethren, we want you to know of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia:
2 how in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing to give of themselves,
4 praying us with earnest entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of ministering to the saints.
5 And this they did, not as we had hoped, but first they gave themselves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God,
6 insomuch that we urged Titus that, as he had begun, so he would finish in you the same grace also.
7 Therefore as ye abound in everything — in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us — see that ye abound in this grace also.
8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forthcoming of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.
10 And herein I give my advice, for this is expedient for you, who began earlier not only to do, but also to be in the forefront a year ago.
11 Now therefore perform the doing of it, that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.
12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what a man hath, and not according to what he hath not.
13 For I do not mean that other men should be eased and ye burdened,
14 but that there be an equality: that now at this time your abundance may supply their want, that their abundance may also supply your want, that there may be equality.
15 As it is written: “He that had gathered much had nothing left over, and he that had gathered little had no lack.”
16 But thanks be to God who put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.
17 For indeed he accepted the exhortation, but being even more zealous, of his own accord he went unto you.
18 And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the Gospel throughout all the churches.
19 And not that only, but he was also chosen by the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and to declare your ready mind.
20 For we are avoiding having any man blame us in this abundance which is administered by us,
21 providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord but also in the sight of men.
22 And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved to be diligent in many things, but now much more diligent because of the great confidence which I have in you.
23 If any should inquire about Titus, he is my partner and fellow helper concerning you. Or if our brethren be inquired about, they are the messengers of the churches and the glory of Christ.
24 Therefore show ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf.
22 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
2 “Now, thou son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city? Yea, thou shalt show her all her abominations.
3 Then say thou, ‘Thus saith the Lord God: The city sheddeth blood in the midst of it, that her time may come, and maketh idols against herself to defile herself.
4 Thou art become guilty in thy blood that thou hast shed, and hast defiled thyself in thine idols which thou hast made; and thou hast caused thy days to draw near, and art come even unto thy years. Therefore have I made thee a reproach unto the heathen and a mocking to all countries.
5 Those that are near and those that are far from thee shall mock thee, who art infamous and much vexed.
6 “‘Behold, the princes of Israel, every one was in thee to their power to shed blood.
7 In thee have they made light of father and mother. In the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger. In thee have they vexed the fatherless and the widow.
8 Thou hast despised Mine holy things and hast profaned My Sabbaths.
9 In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood, and in thee they eat upon the mountains. In the midst of thee they commit lewdness.
10 In thee have they uncovered their fathers’ nakedness. In thee have they humbled her that was set apart for pollution.
11 And one hath committed abomination with his neighbor’s wife, and another hath lewdly defiled his daughter-in-law, and another in thee hath humbled his sister, his father’s daughter.
12 In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood. Thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained from thy neighbors by extortion, and hast forgotten Me, saith the Lord God.
13 “‘Behold, therefore I have smitten Mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee.
14 Can thine heart endure or can thine hands be strong in the days that I shall deal with thee? I, the Lord, have spoken it, and will do it.
15 And I will scatter thee among the heathen and disperse thee in the countries, and will consume thy filthiness out of thee.
16 And thou shalt take thine inheritance in thyself in the sight of the heathen, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord.’”
17 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
18 “Son of man, the house of Israel has to Me become dross. All they are brass and tin and iron and lead in the midst of the furnace; they are even the dross of silver.
19 Therefore thus saith the Lord God: ‘Because ye have all become dross, behold, therefore I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.
20 As they gather silver and brass and iron and lead and tin into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it to melt it, so will I gather you in Mine anger and in My fury, and I will leave you there and melt you.
21 Yea, I will gather you and blow upon you in the fire of My wrath, and ye shall be melted in the midst thereof.
22 As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I, the Lord, have poured out My fury upon you.’”
23 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
24 “Son of man, say unto her: ‘Thou art the land that is not cleansed nor rained upon in the day of indignation.’
25 There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey. They have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof.
26 Her priests have violated My law and have profaned Mine holy things. They have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shown difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from My Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.
27 Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.
28 And her prophets have daubed them with untempered mortar, seeing vanity and divining lies unto them, saying, ‘Thus saith the Lord God,’ when the Lord hath not spoken.
29 The people of the land have used oppression and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy; yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully.
30 And I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none.
31 Therefore have I poured out Mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath. Their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord God.”
69 Save me, O God, for the waters have come in unto my soul.
2 I sink into deep mire where there is no standing; I have come into deep waters where the floods overflow me.
3 I am weary of my crying, my throat is dry; mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.
4 They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head; they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty. Then I was made to restore that which I took not away.
5 O God, Thou knowest my foolishness, and my sins are not hid from Thee.
6 Let not them that wait on Thee, O Lord God of hosts, be ashamed for my sake, let not those that seek Thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel,
7 because for Thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.
8 I have become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children.
9 For the zeal for Thine house hath eaten me up, and the reproaches of them that reproached Thee have fallen upon me.
10 When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting, that was turned to my reproach.
11 I also made sackcloth my garment, and I became a proverb to them.
12 They that sit at the gate speak against me, and I have become the song of the drunkards.
13 But as for me, my prayer is unto Thee: O Lord, in an acceptable time, O God, in the multitude of Thy mercy hear me in the truth of Thy salvation.
14 Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink; let me be delivered from them that hate me and out of the deep waters.
15 Let not the floodwater overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up; and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.
16 Hear me, O Lord, for Thy lovingkindness is good; turn unto me according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies.
17 And hide not Thy face from Thy servant, for I am in trouble; hear me speedily.
18 Draw nigh unto my soul and redeem it; deliver me because of mine enemies.
19 Thou hast known my reproach and my shame and my dishonor; mine adversaries are all before Thee.
20 Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness; I looked for some to take pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none.
21 They gave me also gall for my meat, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
22 Let their table become a snare before them, and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.
23 Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.
24 Pour out Thine indignation upon them, and let Thy wrathful anger take hold of them.
25 Let their habitation be desolate, and let none dwell in their tents.
26 For they persecute him whom Thou hast smitten, and they talk of the grief of those whom Thou hast wounded.
27 Add iniquity unto their iniquity, and let them not come into Thy righteousness.
28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.
29 But I am poor and sorrowful; let Thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.
30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving.
31 This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or a bullock that hath horns and hoofs.
32 The humble shall see this and be glad, and your heart shall live, that seek God.
33 For the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not His prisoners.
34 Let the heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and every thing that moveth therein.
35 For God will save Zion and will build the cities of Judah, that they may dwell there and possess it.
36 The seed also of His servants shall inherit it, and them that love His name shall dwell therein.
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