M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Joab Reproves David’s Lament
19 Then it was told Joab, “Behold, (A)the king is weeping and mourns for Absalom.” 2 The [a]victory that day was turned to mourning for all the people, for the people heard it said that day, “The king is grieved for his son.” 3 So the people went by stealth into the city that day, as people who are humiliated steal away when they flee in battle. 4 The king (B)covered his face and [b]cried out with a loud voice, “(C)O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!” 5 Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “Today you have covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who today have saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines, 6 by loving those who hate you, and by hating those who love you. For you have shown today that [c]princes and servants are nothing to you; for I know this day that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then [d]you would be pleased. 7 Now therefore arise, go out and speak [e]kindly to your servants, for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go out, surely (D)not a man will pass the night with you, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.”
David Restored as King
8 So the king arose and sat in the gate. When they told all the people, saying, “Behold, the king is (E)sitting in the gate,” then all the people came before the king.
Now (F)Israel had fled, each to his tent. 9 All the people were quarreling throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “(G)The king delivered us from the [f]hand of our enemies and (H)saved us from the [g]hand of the Philistines, but now (I)he has fled out of the land from Absalom. 10 However, Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now then, why are you silent about bringing the king back?”
11 Then King David sent to (J)Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, ‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house, since the word of all Israel has come to the king, even to his house? 12 You are my brothers; (K)you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’ 13 Say to (L)Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? (M)May God do so to me, and more also, if you will not be (N)commander of the army before me continually (O)in place of Joab.’” 14 Thus he turned the hearts of all the men of Judah (P)as one man, so that they sent word to the king, saying, “Return, you and all your servants.” 15 The king then returned and came as far as the Jordan. And Judah came to (Q)Gilgal in order to go to meet the king, to bring the king across the Jordan.
16 Then (R)Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite who was from Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17 There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, with (S)Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they rushed to the Jordan before the king. 18 Then they kept crossing the ford to bring over the king’s household, and to do what was good in his sight. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he was about to cross the Jordan. 19 So he said to the king, “(T)Let not my lord consider me guilty, nor remember what your servant did wrong on the day when my lord the king came out from Jerusalem, so that the king would [h]take it to heart. 20 For your servant knows that I have sinned; therefore behold, I have come today, (U)the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.” 21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah said, “(V)Should not Shimei be put to death for this, (W)because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?” 22 David then said, “(X)What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be an adversary to me? (Y)Should any man be put to death in Israel today? For do I not know that I am king over Israel today?” 23 The king said to Shimei, “(Z)You shall not die.” Thus the king swore to him.
24 Then (AA)Mephibosheth the [i]son of Saul came down to meet the king; and (AB)he had neither [j]cared for his feet, nor [k]trimmed his mustache, nor (AC)washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace. 25 It was when he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, “(AD)Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26 So he answered, “O my lord, the king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself that I may ride on it and go with the king,’ (AE)because your servant is lame. 27 Moreover, (AF)he has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is (AG)like the angel of God, therefore do what is good in your sight. 28 For (AH)all my father’s household was nothing but dead men before my lord the king; (AI)yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right do I have yet that I should [l]complain anymore to the king?” 29 So the king said to him, “Why do you still speak of your affairs? I have [m]decided, ‘You and Ziba shall divide the land.’” 30 Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him even take it all, since my lord the king has come safely to his own house.”
31 Now (AJ)Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim; and he went on to the Jordan with the king to [n]escort him over the Jordan. 32 Now Barzillai was very old, being eighty years old; and he had [o](AK)sustained the king while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man. 33 The king said to Barzillai, “You cross over with me and I will [p]sustain you in Jerusalem with me.” 34 But Barzillai said to the king, “(AL)How long [q]have I yet to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 I am [r]now (AM)eighty years old. Can I distinguish between good and bad? Or can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Or can I hear anymore (AN)the voice of singing men and women? (AO)Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? 36 Your servant would merely cross over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king compensate me with this reward? 37 Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. However, here is your servant (AP)Chimham, let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what is good in your sight.” 38 The king answered, “Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him what is good in your sight; and whatever you [s]require of me, I will do for you.” 39 All the people crossed over the Jordan and the king crossed too. The king then (AQ)kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his place.
40 Now the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him; and all the people of Judah and also (AR)half the people of Israel [t]accompanied the king. 41 And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, “(AS)Why had our brothers (AT)the men of Judah stolen you away, and brought the king and his household and all David’s men with him over the Jordan?” 42 Then all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because (AU)the king is a close relative to [u]us. Why then [v]are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s expense, or has [w]anything been taken for us?” 43 But the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, “[x](AV)We have ten parts in the king, therefore [y]we also have more claim on David than you. Why then did you treat us with contempt? Was it not [z]our advice first to bring back [aa]our king?” Yet the words of the men of Judah were harsher than the words of the men of Israel.
Paul’s Vision
12 (A)Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and (B)revelations [a]of the Lord. 2 I know a man (C)in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, (D)God knows—such a man was (E)caught up to the (F)third heaven. 3 And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, (G)God knows— 4 was (H)caught up into (I)Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. 5 (J)On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my (K)weaknesses. 6 For if I do wish to boast I will not be (L)foolish, (M)for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.
A Thorn in the Flesh
7 Because of the surpassing greatness of the (N)revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a (O)thorn in the flesh, a (P)messenger of Satan to [b]torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! 8 Concerning this I implored the Lord (Q)three times that it might leave me. 9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for (R)power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather (S)boast [c]about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore (T)I am well content with weaknesses, with [d]insults, with (U)distresses, with (V)persecutions, with (W)difficulties, (X)for Christ’s sake; for (Y)when I am weak, then I am strong.
11 I have become (Z)foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, for (AA)in no respect was I inferior to the [e]most eminent apostles, even though (AB)I am a nobody. 12 The [f](AC)signs [g]of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by [h]signs and wonders and [i]miracles. 13 For in what respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except that (AD)I myself did not become a burden to you? Forgive me (AE)this wrong!
14 Here (AF)for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I (AG)will not be a burden to you; for I (AH)do not seek what is yours, but (AI)you; for (AJ)children are not responsible to save up for their parents, but (AK)parents for their children. 15 I will (AL)most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If (AM)I love you more, am I to be loved less? 16 But be that as it may, I (AN)did not burden you myself; nevertheless, crafty fellow that I am, I (AO)took you in by deceit. 17 (AP)Certainly I have not taken advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you, have I? 18 I (AQ)urged (AR)Titus to go, and I sent (AS)the brother with him. Titus did not take any advantage of you, did he? Did we not [j]conduct ourselves [k]in the same (AT)spirit and walk (AU)in the same steps?
19 All this time [l]you have been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. Actually, (AV)it is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ; and (AW)all for your upbuilding, (AX)beloved. 20 For I am afraid that perhaps (AY)when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be (AZ)strife, jealousy, (BA)angry tempers, (BB)disputes, (BC)slanders, (BD)gossip, (BE)arrogance, (BF)disturbances; 21 I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have (BG)sinned in the past and not repented of the (BH)impurity, [m]immorality and sensuality which they have practiced.
Judgment on Tyre
26 Now in the eleventh year, on the first of the month, the word of the Lord came to me saying, 2 “Son of man, because (A)Tyre has said concerning Jerusalem, ‘Aha, the (B)gateway of the peoples is broken; it has [a](C)opened to me. I shall be filled, now that she is laid waste,’ 3 therefore thus says the Lord [b]God, ‘Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and I will bring up (D)many nations against you, as the (E)sea brings up its waves. 4 They will (F)destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers; and I will scrape her debris from her and make her a bare rock. 5 She will be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea, for I have spoken,’ declares the Lord God, ‘and she will become (G)spoil for the nations. 6 Also her (H)daughters who are [c]on the mainland will be slain by the sword, and they will know that I am the Lord.’”
7 For thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I will bring upon Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, (I)king of kings, with horses, (J)chariots, cavalry and [d]a great army. 8 He will slay your daughters [e]on the mainland with the sword; and he will make (K)siege walls against you, cast up a (L)ramp against you and raise up a large shield against you. 9 The blow of his battering rams he will direct against your walls, and with his [f]axes he will break down your towers. 10 Because of the multitude of his (M)horses, the dust raised by them will cover you; your walls will (N)shake at the noise of cavalry and [g]wagons and chariots when he (O)enters your gates as men enter a city that is breached. 11 With the hoofs of his (P)horses he will trample all your streets. He will slay your people with the sword; and your strong pillars will (Q)come down to the ground. 12 Also they will make a spoil of your riches and a prey of your (R)merchandise, (S)break down your walls and destroy your (T)pleasant houses, and [h]throw your stones and your timbers and your debris (U)into the water. 13 So I will [i]silence the sound of your (V)songs, and the sound of your (W)harps will be heard no more. 14 I will make you a bare rock; you will be a place for the spreading of nets. You will be (X)built no more, for I the (Y)Lord have spoken,” declares the Lord God.
15 Thus says the Lord God to Tyre, “Shall not the (Z)coastlands (AA)shake at the sound of your fall when the wounded groan, when the slaughter occurs in your midst? 16 Then all the princes of the sea will (AB)go down from their thrones, remove their robes and strip off their embroidered garments. They will (AC)clothe themselves with [j]trembling; they will sit on the ground, (AD)tremble every moment and be appalled at you. 17 They will take up a (AE)lamentation over you and say to you,
‘(AF)How you have perished, O inhabited one,
From the seas, O renowned city,
Which was (AG)mighty on the sea,
She and her inhabitants,
Who [k]imposed [l]her terror
On all her inhabitants!
18 ‘Now the (AH)coastlands will tremble
On the day of your fall;
Yes, the coastlands which are by the sea
Will be terrified at your (AI)passing.’”
19 For thus says the Lord God, “When I make you a desolate city, like the cities which are not inhabited, when I (AJ)bring up the deep over you and the great waters cover you, 20 then I will bring you down with those who (AK)go down to the pit, to the people of old, and I will make you dwell in the (AL)lower parts of the earth, like the ancient waste places, with those who go down to the pit, so that you will not [m]be inhabited; but I will set (AM)glory in the land of the living. 21 I will [n]bring (AN)terrors on you and you will be no more; though you will be sought, (AO)you will never be found again,” declares the Lord God.
An Appeal against the Devastation of the Land by the Enemy.
A [a]Maskil of Asaph.
74 O God, why have You (A)rejected us forever?
Why does Your anger (B)smoke against the (C)sheep of Your [b]pasture?
2 Remember Your congregation, which You have (D)purchased of old,
Which You have (E)redeemed to be the (F)tribe of Your inheritance;
And this Mount (G)Zion, where You have dwelt.
3 [c]Turn Your footsteps toward the (H)perpetual ruins;
The enemy (I)has damaged everything within the sanctuary.
4 Your adversaries have (J)roared in the midst of Your meeting place;
They have set up their (K)own [d]standards (L)for signs.
5 It seems as if one had lifted up
His [e](M)axe in a [f]forest of trees.
6 And now [g]all its (N)carved work
They smash with hatchet and [h]hammers.
7 They have [i](O)burned Your sanctuary [j]to the ground;
They have (P)defiled the dwelling place of Your name.
8 They (Q)said in their heart, “Let us [k]completely [l]subdue them.”
They have burned all the meeting places of God in the land.
9 We do not see our (R)signs;
There is (S)no longer any prophet,
Nor is there any among us who knows (T)how long.
10 How long, O God, will the adversary (U)revile,
And the enemy (V)spurn Your name forever?
11 Why (W)do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?
From within Your bosom, (X)destroy them!
12 Yet God is (Y)my king from of old,
Who works deeds of deliverance in the midst of the earth.
13 [m]You (Z)divided the sea by Your strength;
[n]You (AA)broke the heads of the (AB)sea monsters [o]in the waters.
14 [p]You crushed the heads of [q](AC)Leviathan;
[r]You gave him as food for the [s]creatures (AD)of the wilderness.
15 [t]You (AE)broke open springs and torrents;
[u]You (AF)dried up ever-flowing streams.
16 Yours is the day, Yours also is the night;
[v]You have (AG)prepared the [w]light and the sun.
17 [x]You have (AH)established all the boundaries of the earth;
[y]You have [z]made (AI)summer and winter.
18 Remember this, [aa]O Lord, that the enemy has (AJ)reviled,
And a (AK)foolish people has spurned Your name.
19 Do not deliver the soul of Your (AL)turtledove to the wild beast;
(AM)Do not forget the life of Your afflicted forever.
20 Consider the (AN)covenant;
For the (AO)dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.
21 Let not the (AP)oppressed return dishonored;
Let the (AQ)afflicted and needy praise Your name.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.