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 when anyone that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto them and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy slave is of one of the tribes of Israel.
3 And Absalom would say unto them, See, thy matters are good and just; but there is no one delegated by the king to hear thee.
4 And Absalom would say, Oh, that I were made judge in the land, that everyone who has any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!
5 And it was so, that when anyone came near unto him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand and took him and kissed him.
6 And Absalom did according to this manner with all Israel that came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole the hearts of those of Israel.
7 ¶ And at the end of a predetermined period of forty years, it came to pass that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go to Hebron and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD.
8 For thy slave 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 shofar, then ye shall say, Absalom reigns in Hebron.
11 And two hundred men of Jerusalem went with Absalom, that were invited by him, and they went in their integrity, without knowing anything.
12 Absalom also sent for Ahithophel, the Gilonite, of David’s counsel, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom.
13 ¶ And the word came to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.
14 Then David said unto all his slaves that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee, for we shall not otherwise 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 slaves said unto the king, Behold, thy slaves are ready to do whatever my lord the king shall choose.
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 stopped in a place that was far off.
18 And all his slaves passed to his side, and all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had come on foot with him from Gath, went before the king.
19 Then the king said to Ittai, the Gittite, Why dost thou also go with us? Return to thy place and abide with the king; for thou art a stranger and also an exile.
20 Whereas thou didst come but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? Seeing I go where I go, return thou and take back thy brethren; mercy and truth are in thee.
21 And Ittai answered the king and said, As the LORD lives and as my lord the king lives, for life or for death, wherever my lord the king shall be, there also will thy slave be.
22 Then David said to Ittai, Go, therefore, and pass. And Ittai, the Gittite, passed and all his men and all the little ones that were with him.
23 And all those of the land wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed the brook Kidron; and then the king also passed, and all the people passed unto the way of the wilderness.
24 ¶ And behold Zadok also and with him all the Levites who bore the ark of the covenant of God, and they set down the ark of God. And Abiathar went up after all the people had finished leaving the city.
25 But the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city; if I shall find grace in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again and show me both it and his tabernacle.
26 But if he should say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here I am, let him do to me as seems 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 you send word to me.
29 Then Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem, and they remained there.
30 And David went up by the ascent of Mount Olivet and wept as he went up and had his head covered, and he went barefoot. And all the people that were with him covered each one his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
31 ¶ And it was told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. Then David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into folly.
32 And it came to pass that when David came to the top of the mount to worship God there, behold, Hushai, the Archite came to meet him, with his coat rent and earth upon his head,
33 Unto whom David said, If thou pass 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 slave, O king as I have been thy father’s slave until now, so will I now also be thy slave; then thou may defeat the counsel of Ahithophel for me.
35 Are not Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, there with thee? Therefore, it shall be that whatever 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 you shall send unto me everything that you hear.
37 So Hushai, David’s special companion came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
8 ¶ Likewise, brethren, we make known unto you the grace of God bestowed on the congregations {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} of Macedonia,
2 how that in a great trial of tribulation the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
3 For to their power, I bear record, and even beyond their power they were willing of themselves,
4 praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the grace and take upon us the fellowship of the ministry to the saints.
5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord and then unto us by the will of God.
6 Insomuch that we exhorted Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete among you the same grace also.
7 ¶ Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith and in word and in knowledge and in all diligence and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.
8 I speak not as commanding, but by occasion of the diligence of others and to prove the sincerity of your charity.
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 enriched.
10 And in this I give my advice, for this is expedient for you, who began not only to do, but also to be diligent a year ago.
11 Now therefore finish the doing of it that as there was a readiness to will, so there may also be a performance out of that which ye have.
12 For if there is first a willing desire, it is accepted according to what a person has and not according to what they do not have.
13 For I mean not that others be eased and ye burdened,
14 but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want that their abundance also may be a supply for your want, that there may be equality:
15 As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over, and he that had gathered little had no lack.
16 ¶ But thanks be to God, who put the same diligence into the heart of Titus for you.
17 For indeed he accepted the exhortation, but being more diligent, 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 congregations, {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones}
19 and not that only, but who was also ordained by the congregations {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord and declaration of your ready desire,
20 avoiding that anyone should blame us regarding this abundance which is ministered 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 diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which we have in you.
23 Regarding Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you; or regarding our brethren, they are the apostles of the congregations {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} and the glory of Christ.
24 Therefore show ye unto them before the congregations, {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} the proof of your charity and of our glorying regarding you.
22 ¶ Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Now, thou son of man, wilt thou not judge, wilt thou not judge the city that spills innocent blood and cause her to know all her abominations?
3 Then thou shalt say, Thus hath the Lord GOD said, City that sheds blood in the midst of thyself, that thy time may come, and that has made idols against thyself to defile thyself!
4 In thy blood that thou hast shed thou hast sinned and hast defiled thyself with thine idols which thou hast made; and thou hast caused thy days to draw near and art come even unto thy years; therefore I have given thee in reproach unto the Gentiles, and in shame unto all the 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, each one according to their power, were in thee to shed blood.
7 In thee they have despised father and mother; in the midst of thee they have dealt by oppression with the stranger; in thee they have vexed the fatherless and the widow.
8 Thou hast despised my 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 they have discovered their fathers’ nakedness; in thee they have forced the unclean menstruous woman.
11 And one has committed abomination with his neighbour’s wife; and another has lewdly defiled his daughter-in-law; and another in thee has forced his sister, his father’s daughter.
12 In thee they have taken bribes to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion and hast forgotten me, said the Lord GOD.
13 Behold, therefore I have smitten my hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made and at thy blood which has 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 Gentiles 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 Gentiles, 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 is to me become dross; they are all brass and tin and iron and lead in the midst of the furnace; they are become the dross of silver.
19 Therefore thus hath the Lord GOD said: Because ye are 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 my anger and in my fury, and I will cause you to rest, and melt you.
21 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 not clean land, nor art thou sprinkled with rain 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 treasures and honour; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof.
26 Her priests have violated my law by force and have profaned my holy things; they have made no difference between the holy and the profane, neither have they showed the 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 follow their own greed.
28 And her prophets have plastered them over with loose mud, prophesying vanity and divining lies unto them, saying: Thus hath the Lord GOD said, when the LORD has not spoken.
29 The people of the land have used oppression and exercised robbery and have done violence unto the poor and needy; 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 no one.
31 Therefore have I poured out my indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath; I have recompensed their own way upon their heads, said the Lord GOD.
To the Overcomer upon Shoshannim (lilies), A Psalm of David.
1 ¶ Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.
2 I sink in deep mire where there is no standing; I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.
3 I am weary of my crying; my throat is dried; my eyes fail while I wait for my God.
4 Those that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; those that would destroy me, being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty; then I restored that which I did not take away.
5 O God, thou knowest my foolishness, and my guiltiness is not hid from thee.
6 Do not let those that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of the hosts, be ashamed for my sake; do not let those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.
7 Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame has covered my face.
8 I am become a stranger unto my brethren and an alien unto my mother’s sons.
9 For the zeal of thy house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those that reproached thee are fallen upon me.
10 When I wept with fasting of my soul, thou hast been a reproach unto me.
11 I made sackcloth also my garment, and I became a proverb to them.
12 They that sat in the gate spoke against me, and I was the song of the drunkards.
13 ¶ But I corrected my prayer unto thee, O LORD, in the time of thy good pleasure; O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy saving health.
14 Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not drown; let me be delivered from those that hate me and out of the deep waters.
15 Let not the violent force of the waters overcome 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 mercy is perceptible, look upon me according to the multitude of thy acts of compassion
17 And hide not thy face from thy slave, for I am in trouble; hear me speedily.
18 Draw near unto my soul and redeem it; deliver me because of my enemies.
19 Thou hast known my reproach and my shame and my dishonour; my adversaries are all before thee.
20 Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness, and I looked for some to take pity, but there was no one, and for comforters, but I found none.
21 They also gave me gall for my food; 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 prosperity, let it become a stumbling block.
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 palace be desolate, and let no one dwell in their tents.
26 For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten, and they boast that thou hast slain their enemies.
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 saving health, O God, set me up on high.
30 ¶ I will praise the name of God with a song and will magnify him with praises.
31 This also shall please the LORD better than the sacrifice of an ox or bullock that struggles with horns and hoofs.
32 The humble shall see this and be glad; seek God and thy heart shall live.
33 For the LORD hears the destitute and does not despise his prisoners.
34 Let the heavens and the earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moves in them.
35 For God will protect Zion and will rebuild the cities of Judah; they shall dwell there and inherit it.
36 The seed of his slaves shall inherit it, and those that love his name shall dwell therein.
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