M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem(A)
6 David again assembled all the best soldiers in Israel, 30,000 men. 2 He and all the people with him left Baalah in Judah[a] to bring Elohim’s ark to Jerusalem. (The ark is called by the name of Yahweh Tsebaoth, who is enthroned over the angels.[b]) 3 David and his men put Elohim’s ark on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab’s home on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab’s sons, were guiding the new cart. 4 They brought it from Abinadab’s home, with Ahio walking ahead of the ark. 5 David and the entire nation of Israel were celebrating in Yahweh’s presence with all kinds of instruments made from cypress wood[c] and with lyres, harps, tambourines, sistrums,[d] and cymbals.
6 But when they came to Nacon’s threshing floor,[e] the oxen stumbled. So Uzzah reached out for the ark of Elohim and grabbed it. 7 Yahweh became angry with Uzzah, so God killed him there for his lack of respect. He died beside the ark of Elohim.
8 David was angry because Yahweh had struck Uzzah so violently. (That place is still called Perez Uzzah [The Striking of Uzzah] today.) 9 David was afraid of Yahweh that day. “How can the ark of Yahweh come to my city?” he asked. 10 So David wouldn’t bring the ark of Yahweh with him to the City of David. Instead, he rerouted it to the home of Obed Edom, who was from Gath. 11 The ark of Yahweh stayed at the home of Obed Edom from Gath for three months, and Yahweh blessed Obed Edom and his whole family.
12 King David was told, “Yahweh has blessed Obed Edom’s home and everything he owns because of the ark of Elohim.” Then David joyfully went to get the ark of Elohim from Obed Edom’s house and bring it to the City of David. 13 When those who carried the ark of Yahweh had gone six steps, David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.
14 Wearing a linen ephod,[f] David danced in Yahweh’s presence with all his might. 15 He and the entire nation of Israel brought the ark of Yahweh with shouts of joy and the sounding of rams’ horns. 16 When the ark of Yahweh came to the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked out of a window and saw King David leaping and dancing in Yahweh’s presence, so she despised him.
17 The men carrying the ark set it in its place inside the tent David had put up for it. David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in Yahweh’s presence. 18 When David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh Tsebaoth. 19 He also distributed to all the people—to the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women—one loaf of bread, one date cake, and one raisin cake. Then all the people went home.
20 When David returned to bless his family, Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him. “How dignified Israel’s king was today! He was exposing himself before the eyes of the slave girls of his palace staff—like a mindless fool might expose himself!”
21 David answered Michal, “I didn’t dance in front of the slave girls but in front of Yahweh. He chose me rather than your father or anyone in your father’s house, and he appointed me leader of Israel, Yahweh’s people. I will celebrate in Yahweh’s presence, 22 and I will degrade myself even more than this. Even if I am humiliated in your eyes, I will be honored by these slave girls you speak about.”
23 So Saul’s daughter Michal was childless her entire life.
The Collection for the People in Jerusalem
16 Now, concerning the money to be collected for God’s people in Jerusalem: I want you to do as I directed the churches in Galatia. 2 Every Sunday each of you should set aside some of your money and save it. Then money won’t have to be collected when I come. 3 When I come, I will give letters of introduction to the people whom you choose. You can send your gift to Jerusalem with them. 4 If I think it’s worthwhile for me to go, they can go with me.
Paul’s Plans
5 After I go through the province of Macedonia, I’ll visit you. (I will be going through Macedonia.) 6 I’ll probably stay with you. I might even spend the winter. Then you can give me your support as I travel, wherever I decide to go. 7 Right now all I could do is visit you briefly, but if the Lord lets me, I hope to spend some time with you. 8 I will be staying here in Ephesus until Pentecost. 9 I have a great opportunity to do effective work here, although there are many people who oppose me.
News about Timothy, Apollos, and Others
10 If Timothy comes, make sure that he doesn’t have anything to be afraid of while he is with you. He’s doing the Lord’s work as I am, 11 so no one should treat him with contempt. Without quarreling, give him your support for his trip so that he may come to me. I’m expecting him to arrive with the other Christians.
12 Concerning Apollos, our brother in the Christian faith: I tried hard to get him to visit you with the other Christians. He didn’t want to at this time. However, he will visit you when he has an opportunity.
13 Be alert. Be firm in the Christian faith. Be courageous and strong. 14 Do everything with love.
15 You know that the family of Stephanas was the first family to be won for Christ in Greece. This family has devoted itself to serving God’s people. So I encourage you, brothers and sisters, 16 to follow the example of people like these and anyone else who shares their labor and hard work. 17 I am glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus came here. They have made up for your absence. 18 They have comforted me, and they have comforted you. Therefore, show people like these your appreciation.
Greetings
19 The churches in the province of Asia greet you. Aquila and Prisca and the church that meets in their house send their warmest Christian greetings. 20 All the brothers and sisters here greet you. Greet each other with a holy kiss. 21 I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand.
22 If anyone doesn’t love the Lord, let him be cursed! Our Lord, come!
23 May the good will[a] of the Lord Yeshua be with you. 24 Through Christ Yeshua my love is with all of you.
Idolaters Condemned
14 Some of Israel’s leaders came to me and sat down in front of me. 2 Then Yahweh spoke his word to me. He said, 3 “Son of man, these people are devoted to their idols, and they are allowing themselves to fall into sin. Should they be allowed to ask me for help?
4 “So speak to them. Tell them, ‘This is what Adonay Yahweh says: Suppose an Israelite is devoted to idols and allows himself to fall into sin. Suppose he goes to a prophet to ask for my help. I, Yahweh, will give that Israelite an answer, the answer that his many idols deserve. 5 I will do this to recapture the hearts of the nation of Israel. They have deserted me because of their disgusting idols.’
6 “So tell the nation of Israel, ‘This is what Adonay Yahweh says: Change the way you think and act! Turn away from your idols, and don’t return to any of your disgusting things. 7 Suppose an Israelite or a foreigner who lives in Israel deserts me by devoting himself to idols and by allowing himself to fall into sin. If he goes to a prophet to ask for my help, I, Yahweh, will give him an answer. 8 I will reject him, and I will make an example of him. I will exclude him from my people. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.
9 “‘If a prophet is tricked into giving a prophecy, it is I, Yahweh, who tricked the prophet. I will use my power against you and destroy you from among my people Israel. 10 Both of you will suffer for your sins. The prophet will be as guilty as you are when you ask for his help. 11 Then the people of Israel will no longer wander away from me. They will no longer dishonor me with all their sins. Then they will be my people, and I will be their Elohim, declares Adonay Yahweh.’”
12 Yahweh spoke his word to me. He said, 13 “Son of man, suppose a country sins against me by being unfaithful to me. I will use my power against it, cut off its food supply, send a famine to it, and destroy its people and animals. 14 Even if these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were in that country, they would, by their righteousness, rescue only themselves,” declares Adonay Yahweh.
15 “Suppose I send wild animals through that country and they make it childless and turn it into such a wasteland that no one travels through it because of the animals. 16 As I live, declares Adonay Yahweh, not even Noah, Daniel, and Job could rescue their own sons or daughters. They could rescue only themselves. And the country would become a wasteland.
17 “Suppose I bring a war against that country by saying, ‘I will let a war go throughout this country.’ Suppose I destroy the people and the animals in it. 18 As I live, declares Adonay Yahweh, not even Noah, Daniel, and Job could rescue their sons or daughters. They could rescue only themselves.
19 “Suppose I send a plague into that country or pour out my fury on it by killing people and destroying animals. 20 As I live, declares Adonay Yahweh, not even Noah, Daniel, and Job could, by their righteousness, rescue their sons or daughters. They could rescue only themselves.
21 “This is what Adonay Yahweh says: I will surely send four terrible punishments against Jerusalem. I will send wars, famines, wild animals, and plagues. They will destroy people and animals. 22 But some people will survive. Some of your sons and daughters will be brought out. When they come out to you, you will see how they live. Then you will be comforted after the disasters that I will bring on Jerusalem, after every disaster that I will bring against it. 23 You will be comforted when you see how they live. Then you will know that everything I have done was done for a reason,” declares Adonay Yahweh.
Psalm 55
For the choir director; on stringed instruments; a maskil by David.
1 Open your ears to my prayer, O Elohim.
Do not hide from my plea for mercy.
2 Pay attention to me, and answer me.
My thoughts are restless, and I am confused
3 because my enemy shouts at me
and a wicked person persecutes me.
They bring misery crashing down on me,
and they attack me out of anger.
4 My heart is in turmoil.
The terrors of death have seized me.
5 Fear and trembling have overcome me.
Horror has overwhelmed me.
6 I said, “If only I had wings like a dove—
I would fly away and find rest.
7 Indeed, I would run far away.
I would stay in the desert. Selah
8 I would hurry to find shelter
from the raging wind and storm.”
9 Completely confuse their language, O Adonay,
because I see violence and conflict in the city.
10 Day and night they go around on top of the city walls.
Trouble and misery are everywhere.
11 Destruction is everywhere.
Oppression and fraud never leave the streets.[a]
12 If an enemy had insulted me,
then I could bear it.
If someone who hated me had attacked me,
then I could hide from him.
13 But it is you, my equal,
my best friend,
one I knew so well!
14 We used to talk to each other in complete confidence
and walk into Elohim’s house with the festival crowds.
15 Let death suddenly take wicked people!
Let them go into the grave while they are still alive,
because evil lives in their homes as well as in their hearts.
16 But I call on Elohim,
and Yahweh saves me.
17 Morning, noon, and night I complain and groan,
and he listens to my voice.
18 With his peace, he will rescue my soul
from the war waged against me,
because there are many soldiers fighting against me.
19 El will listen.
The one who has sat enthroned from the beginning
will deal with them. Selah
They never change. They never fear Elohim.
20 My best friend has betrayed his friends.
He has broken his solemn promise.
21 His speech is smoother than butter,
but there is war in his heart.
His words are more soothing than oil,
but they are like swords ready to attack.
22 Turn your burdens over to Yahweh,
and he will take care of you.
He will never let the righteous person stumble.
23 But you, O Elohim, will throw wicked people into the deepest pit.
Bloodthirsty and deceitful people will not live out half their days.
But I will trust you.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.