M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
David Takes Bathsheba(A)
11 In the spring, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, his mercenaries, and Israel’s army to war. They destroyed the Ammonites and attacked Rabbah, while David stayed in Jerusalem.
2 Now, when evening came, David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the royal palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing, and she was very pretty. 3 David sent someone to ask about the woman. The man said, “She’s Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hittite.” 4 So David sent messengers and took her. She came to him, and he went to bed with her. (She had just cleansed herself after her monthly period.) Then she went home. 5 The woman had become pregnant. So she sent someone to tell David that she was pregnant.
6 Then David sent a messenger to Joab, saying, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 When Uriah arrived, David asked him how Joab and the troops were and how the war was going.
8 “Go home,” David said to Uriah, “and wash your feet.” Uriah left the royal palace, and the king sent a present to him. 9 But Uriah slept at the entrance of the royal palace among his superior’s mercenaries. He didn’t go home.
10 When they told David, “Uriah didn’t go home,” David asked Uriah, “Didn’t you just come from a journey? Why didn’t you go home?”
11 Uriah answered David, “The ark and the army of Israel and Judah are in temporary shelters, and my commander Joab and Your Majesty’s mercenaries are living in the field. Should I then go to my house to eat and drink and go to bed with my wife? I solemnly swear, as sure as you’re living, I won’t do this!”
12 David said to Uriah, “Then stay here today, and tomorrow I’ll send you back.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13 David summoned him, ate and drank with him, and got him drunk. But that evening Uriah went to lie down on his bed among his superior’s mercenaries. He didn’t go home.
14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15 In the letter he wrote, “Put Uriah on the front line where the fighting is heaviest. Then abandon him so that he’ll be struck down and die.”
16 Since Joab had kept the city under observation, he put Uriah at the place where he knew the experienced warriors were. 17 The men of the city came out and fought Joab. Some of the people, namely, some of David’s mercenaries, fell and died—including Uriah the Hittite.
18 Then Joab sent a messenger to report to David all the details of the battle. 19 And he commanded the messenger, “When you finish telling the king about the battle, 20 the king may become angry. He might ask you, ‘Why did you go so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you know they would shoot from the wall? 21 Who killed Jerubbesheth’s[a] son Abimelech? Didn’t a woman on the wall of Thebez throw a small millstone at him and kill him? Why did you go so close to the wall?’ If the king asks this, then say, ‘Your man Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’”
22 The messenger left, and when he arrived, he reported to David everything Joab told him to say.[b] 23 The messenger said, “Their men overpowered us and came to attack us in the field. Then we forced them back to the entrance of the city gate. 24 The archers on the wall shot down at your mercenaries, and some of Your Majesty’s mercenaries died. Your man Uriah the Hittite also is dead.”
25 David said to the messenger, “This is what you are to say to Joab, ‘Don’t let this thing trouble you, because a sword can kill one person as easily as another. Strengthen your attack against the city, and destroy it.’ Say this to encourage him.”
26 When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband Uriah was dead, she mourned for him. 27 When her mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to his home, and she became his wife. Then she gave birth to a son. But Yahweh considered David’s actions evil.
Paul Is Never Discouraged
4 We don’t become discouraged, since God has given us this ministry through his mercy. 2 Instead, we have refused to use secret and shameful ways. We don’t use tricks, and we don’t distort God’s word. As God watches, we clearly reveal the truth to everyone. This is our letter of recommendation.
3 So if the Good News that we tell others is covered with a veil, it is hidden from those who are dying. 4 The god of this world has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. As a result, they don’t see the light of the Good News about Christ’s glory. It is Christ who is God’s image.
5 Our message is not about ourselves. It is about Yeshua Christ as the Lord. We are your servants for his sake. 6 We are his servants because the same God who said that light should shine out of darkness has given us light. For that reason we bring to light the knowledge about God’s glory which shines from Christ’s face.
7 Our bodies are made of clay, yet we have the treasure of the Good News in them. This shows that the superior power of this treasure belongs to God and doesn’t come from us. 8 In every way we’re troubled, but we aren’t crushed by our troubles. We’re frustrated, but we don’t give up. 9 We’re persecuted, but we’re not abandoned. We’re captured, but we’re not killed. 10 We always carry around the death of Yeshua in our bodies so that the life of Yeshua is also shown in our bodies. 11 While we are alive, we are constantly handed over to death for Yeshua’s sake so that the life of Yeshua is also shown in our mortal nature. 12 Death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
13 The following is written, “I believed; therefore, I spoke.” We have that same spirit of faith. We also believe; therefore, we also speak. 14 We know that the one who brought the Lord Yeshua back to life will also bring us back to life through Yeshua. He will present us to God together with you.
15 All this is for your sake so that, as God’s kindness[a] overflows in the lives of many people, it will produce even more thanksgiving to the glory of God. 16 That is why we are not discouraged. Though outwardly we are wearing out, inwardly we are renewed day by day. 17 Our suffering is light and temporary and is producing for us an eternal glory that is greater than anything we can imagine. 18 We don’t look for things that can be seen but for things that can’t be seen. Things that can be seen are only temporary. But things that can’t be seen last forever.
Everyone Will Suffer for His Own Sins
18 Yahweh spoke his word to me. He said, 2 “What do you mean when you use this proverb about the land of Israel: ‘Fathers have eaten sour grapes, and their children’s teeth are set on edge’? 3 As I live, declares Adonay Yahweh, you will no longer use this proverb in Israel. 4 The life of every person belongs to me. Fathers and their children belong to me. The person who sins will die.
5 “Suppose a righteous person does what is fair and right. 6 He doesn’t eat at the illegal mountain worship sites or look for help from the idols of the nation of Israel. He doesn’t dishonor his neighbor’s wife or have sexual intercourse with a woman while she is having her period. 7 He doesn’t oppress anyone. He returns what a borrower gives him as security for a loan. He doesn’t rob anyone. He gives food to people who are hungry, and he gives clothes to those who are naked. 8 He doesn’t lend money for interest or make an excessive profit. He refuses to do evil things, and he judges everyone fairly. 9 He lives by my rules and obeys my laws faithfully. This person is righteous. He will certainly live,” declares Adonay Yahweh.
10 “But suppose this person has a son who robs and murders. The son does all the things 11 that his father never did. He eats at the illegal mountain worship sites. He dishonors his neighbor’s wife. 12 He oppresses the poor and needy. He robs. He doesn’t return the security for a loan. He looks to idols for help. He does disgusting things. 13 He lends money for interest and makes excessive profits. Will this person live? He will not live. He has done all these disgusting things. So he must die, and he will be responsible for his own death.
14 “But suppose this person has a son. The son sees all the sins that his father does. He is afraid, so he doesn’t do such things.[a] 15 He doesn’t eat at the illegal mountain worship sites or look for help from the idols of the nation of Israel. He doesn’t dishonor his neighbor’s wife. 16 He doesn’t oppress anyone. He doesn’t keep the security for a loan. He doesn’t rob anyone. He gives food to people who are hungry, and he gives clothes to those who are naked. 17 He refuses to hurt the poor. He doesn’t charge interest or make excessive profits. He obeys my rules and lives by my laws. He won’t die for his father’s sins. He will certainly live. 18 But his father has oppressed others, robbed his relative, and done what is wrong among his people. So the father will die because of his sin.
19 “But you ask, ‘Why isn’t the son punished for his father’s sin?’ It is because the son has done what is fair and right. He obeyed my rules and followed them. He will certainly live. 20 The person who sins will die. A son will not be punished for his father’s sins, and a father will not be punished for his son’s sins. The righteousness of the righteous person will be his own, and the wickedness of the wicked person will be his own.
21 “But suppose a wicked person turns away from all the sins that he has done. He obeys all my laws and does what is fair and right. He will certainly live. He will not die. 22 All the rebellious things that he did will not be remembered. He will live because of the right things that he did. 23 I don’t want wicked people to die.” declares Adonay Yahweh. “I want them to turn from their evil ways and live.
24 “But suppose a righteous person turns away from doing right and he does evil things. He does all the disgusting things that the wicked person did. Will he live? All the right things that he has done will not be remembered because of his unfaithfulness and because of his sin. He will die because of them.
25 “But you say, ‘Adonay’s way is unfair.’ Listen, nation of Israel, isn’t my way fair? Isn’t it your ways that are unfair? 26 When a righteous person turns away from doing right and does evil things, he will die. He will die because of the evil things he has done. 27 When a wicked person turns away from the wicked things that he has done and does what is fair and right, he will live. 28 He realized what he was doing and turned away from all the rebellious things that he had done. He will certainly live. He will not die.
29 “But the nation of Israel says, ‘Adonay’s way is unfair.’ Isn’t my way fair, nation of Israel? Isn’t it your ways that are unfair?
30 “That is why I will judge each of you by what you have done, people of Israel,” declares Adonay Yahweh. “Change the way you think and act. Turn away from all the rebellious things that you have done so that you will not fall into sin. 31 Stop all the rebellious things that you are doing. Get yourselves new hearts and new spirits. Why do you want to die, nation of Israel? 32 I don’t want anyone to die,” declares Adonay Yahweh. “Change the way you think and act!”
Psalm 62
For the choir director; according to Jeduthun; a psalm by David.
1 My soul waits calmly for Elohim alone.
My salvation comes from him.
2 He alone is my rock and my savior—my stronghold.
I cannot be severely shaken.
3 How long will all of you attack a person?
How long will you try to murder him,
as though he were a leaning wall or a sagging fence?
4 They plan to force him out of his high position.
They are happy to lie.
They bless with their mouths,
but in their hearts they curse. Selah
5 Wait calmly for Elohim alone, my soul,
because my hope comes from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my savior—my stronghold.
I cannot be shaken.
7 My salvation and my glory depend on Elohim.
Elohim is the rock of my strength, my Machseh.
8 Trust him at all times, you people.
Pour out your hearts in his presence.
Elohim is our Machseh. Selah
9 Common people are only a whisper in the wind.
Important people are only a delusion.
When all of them are weighed on a scale, they amount to nothing.
They are less than a whisper in the wind.
10 Do not count on extortion to make you rich.
Do not hope to gain anything through robbery.
When riches increase, do not depend on them.
11 Elohim has spoken once.
I have heard it said twice:
“Power belongs to Elohim.
12 Mercy belongs to you, O Adonay.
You reward a person based on what he has done.”
Psalm 63
A psalm by David when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
1 O Elohim, you are my Elohim.
At dawn I search for you.
My soul thirsts for you.
My body longs for you
in a dry, parched land where there is no water.
2 So I look for you in the holy place
to see your power and your glory.
3 My lips will praise you
because your mercy is better than life itself.
4 So I will thank you as long as I live.
I will lift up my hands to pray in your name.
5 You satisfy my soul with the richest foods.
My mouth will sing your praise with joyful lips.
6 As I lie on my bed, I remember you.
Through the long hours of the night, I think about you.
7 You have been my help.
In the shadow of your wings, I sing joyfully.
8 My soul clings to you.
Your right hand supports me.
9 But those who try to destroy my life
will go into the depths of the earth.
10 They will be cut down by swords.
Their dead bodies will be left as food for jackals.
11 But the king will find joy in Elohim.
Everyone who takes an oath by Elohim will brag,
but the mouths of liars will be shut.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.