M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
32 Heavens, listen to me. Then I will speak.
Earth, hear the words of my mouth.
2 Let my teaching fall like rain.
Let my words come down like dew.
Let them be like raindrops on new grass.
Let them be like rain on tender plants.
3 I will make known the name of the Lord.
Praise God! How great he is!
4 He is the Rock. His works are perfect.
All his ways are right.
He is faithful. He doesn’t do anything wrong.
He is honest and fair.
5 Israel, you have sinned against him very much.
It’s too bad for you that you aren’t his children anymore.
You have become a twisted and evil nation.
6 Is that how you thank the Lord?
You aren’t wise. You are foolish.
Remember, he’s your Father. He’s your Creator.
He made you. He formed you.
7 Remember the days of long ago.
Think about what the Lord did through those many years.
Ask your father. He will tell you.
Ask your elders. They’ll explain it to you.
8 The Most High God gave the nations their lands.
He divided up the human race.
He set up borders for the nations.
He did it based on the number of the angels in his heavenly court.
9 The Lord’s people are his share.
Jacob is the nation he has received.
10 The Lord found Israel in a desert.
He found them in an empty and windy land.
He took care of them and kept them safe.
He guarded them as he would guard his own eyes.
11 He was like an eagle that stirs up its nest.
It hovers over its little ones.
It spreads out its wings to catch them.
It carries them up in the air on its feathers.
12 The Lord was the only one who led Israel.
No other god was with them.
13 The Lord made them ride on the highest places in the land.
He fed them what grew in the fields.
He gave them the sweetest honey.
He fed them olive oil from a rocky hillside.
14 He gave them butter and milk from the herds and flocks.
He fed them the fattest lambs and goats.
He gave them the best of Bashan’s rams.
He fed them the finest wheat.
They drank the bubbling red juice of grapes.
15 When Israel grew fat, they became stubborn.
When they were filled with food, they became fat and heavy.
They left the God who made them.
They turned away from the Rock who saved them.
16 They made him jealous by serving false gods.
They made him angry by worshiping statues of gods.
He hated those gods.
17 The people sacrificed to those false gods, not to God.
They hadn’t known anything about those false gods.
Those gods were new to them.
Their people of long ago didn’t worship them.
18 But then they deserted the Rock. He was their Father.
They forgot the God who created them.
19 When the Lord saw this, he turned away from them.
His sons and daughters made him angry.
20 “I will turn my face away from them,” he said.
“I will see what will happen to them in the end.
They are sinful people.
They are unfaithful children.
21 They made me jealous by serving what is not even a god.
They made me angry by worshiping worthless statues of gods.
I will use people who are not a nation to make them jealous.
A nation that has no understanding will make them angry.
22 My anger will start a fire.
It will burn all the way down to the kingdom of the dead.
It will eat up the earth and its crops.
It will set the base of the mountains on fire.
23 “I will pile troubles on my people.
I will shoot all my arrows at them.
24 I will send them hunger. It will make them weak.
I will send terrible sickness. I will send deadly plagues.
I will send wild animals that will tear them apart.
Snakes that glide through the dust will bite them.
25 In the streets their children will be killed by swords.
Their homes will be filled with terror.
The young men and women will die.
The babies and old people will die.
26 I said I would scatter them.
I said I would erase their name from human memory.
27 But I was afraid their enemies would make fun of that.
I was afraid their attackers would not understand.
I was sure they would say, ‘We’re the ones who’ve beaten them!
The Lord isn’t the one who did it.’ ”
28 Israel is a nation that doesn’t have any sense.
They can’t understand anything.
29 I wish they were wise. Then they would understand what’s coming.
They’d realize what would happen to them in the end.
30 How could one person chase a thousand?
How could two make ten thousand run away?
It couldn’t happen unless their Rock had deserted them.
It couldn’t take place unless the Lord had given them up.
31 Their rock is not like our Rock.
Even our enemies know that.
32 Their vine comes from the vines of Sodom.
It comes from the vineyards of Gomorrah.
Their grapes are filled with poison.
Their bunches of grapes taste bitter.
33 Their wine is like the poison of snakes.
It’s like the deadly poison of cobras.
34 The Lord says, “I have kept all those terrible things stored away.
I have kept them sealed up in my strongbox.
35 I punish people. I will pay them back.
The time will come when their feet will slip.
Their day of trouble is near.
Very soon they will be destroyed.”
36 The Lord will come to the aid of his people.
He’ll show tender love to those who serve him.
He will know when their strength is gone.
He’ll see that no one at all is left.
37 He’ll say, “Where are their gods now?
Where is the rock they went to for safety?
38 Where are the gods who ate the fat of their sacrifices?
Where are the gods who drank the wine of their drink offerings?
Let those gods rise up to help you!
Let them keep you safe!
39 “Look! I am the One!
There is no other God except me.
I put some people to death. I bring others to life.
I have wounded, and I will heal.
No one can save you from my power.
40 I raise my hand to heaven. Here is the promise I make.
You can be sure that I live forever.
41 And you can be just as sure
that I will sharpen my flashing sword.
My hand will hold it when I judge.
I will get even with my enemies.
I will pay back those who hate me.
42 I will make my arrows drip with blood.
My sword will destroy people.
It will kill some. It will even kill prisoners.
It will cut off the heads of enemy leaders.”
43 You nations, be full of joy. Be joyful together with God’s people.
The Lord will get even with his enemies.
He will pay them back for killing those who serve him.
He will wipe away the sin of his land and people.
44 Moses spoke all the words of this song to the people. Joshua, the son of Nun, was with him. 45 Moses finished speaking all these words to all the Israelites. 46 Then he said to them, “Think carefully about all the words I have announced to you today. I want you to command your children to be careful to obey all the words of this law. 47 They aren’t just useless words for you. They are your very life. If you obey them, you will live in the land for a long time. It’s the land you are going across the Jordan River to take as your own.”
Moses Will Die on Mount Nebo
48 On that same day the Lord said to Moses, 49 “Go up into the Abarim mountains. Go to Mount Nebo in Moab. It is across from Jericho. From there look out over Canaan. It is the land I am giving the Israelites to take as their own. 50 You will die there on the mountain you have climbed. You will join the members of your family who have already died. In the same way, your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor. He joined the members of his family who had already died. 51 You and Aaron disobeyed me in front of the Israelites. It happened at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin. You did not honor me among the Israelites as the holy God. 52 So you will see the land, but only from far away. You will not enter the land I am giving to the Israelites.”
ע Ayin
121 I have done what is right and fair.
So don’t leave me to those who treat me badly.
122 Make sure that everything goes well with me.
Don’t let proud people treat me badly.
123 My eyes grow tired as I look to you to save me.
Please save me as you have promised.
124 Be good to me, because you love me.
Teach me your orders.
125 I serve you, so help me to understand what is right.
Then I will understand your covenant laws.
126 Lord, it’s time for you to act.
People are breaking your law.
127 I love your commands more than gold.
I love them more than pure gold.
128 I consider all your rules to be right.
So I hate every path that sinners take.
פ Pe
129 Your covenant laws are wonderful.
So I obey them.
130 When your words are made clear, they bring light.
They bring understanding to childish people.
131 I open my mouth and pant like a dog,
because I long to know your commands.
132 Turn to me and have mercy on me.
That’s what you’ve always done for those who love you.
133 Teach me how to live as you have promised.
Don’t let any sin be my master.
134 Set me free from people who treat me badly.
Then I will obey your rules.
135 Have mercy on me.
Teach me your orders.
136 Streams of tears flow from my eyes,
because people don’t obey your law.
צ Tsadhe
137 Lord, you do what is fair.
And your laws are right.
138 The laws you have made are fair.
They can be completely trusted.
139 My anger is wearing me out,
because my enemies don’t pay any attention to your words.
140 Your promises have proved to be true.
I love them.
141 I’m not important. People look down on me.
But I don’t forget to obey your rules.
142 You always do what is right.
And your law is true.
143 I’ve had my share of trouble and suffering.
But your commands give me delight.
144 Your covenant laws are always right.
Help me to understand them. Then I will live.
The Lord Sets His People Free
59 People of Israel, the Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you.
His ears aren’t too deaf to hear your cry for help.
2 But your sins have separated you from your God.
They have caused him to turn his face away from you.
So he won’t listen to you.
3 Your hands and fingers are stained with blood.
You are guilty of committing murder.
Your mouth has told lies.
Your tongue says evil things.
4 People aren’t fair when they present cases in court.
They aren’t honest when they state their case.
They depend on weak arguments. They tell lies.
They plan to make trouble.
Then they carry it out.
5 The plans they make are like the eggs of poisonous snakes.
Anyone who eats those eggs will die.
When one of them is broken, a snake comes out.
6 Those people weave their evil plans together like a spider’s web.
But the webs they make can’t be used as clothes.
They can’t cover themselves with what they make.
Their acts are evil.
They do things to harm others.
7 They are always in a hurry to sin.
They run quickly to murder those who aren’t guilty.
They love to think up evil plans.
They leave a trail of harmful actions.
8 They don’t know how to live at peace with others.
What they do isn’t fair.
They lead twisted lives.
No one who lives like that will enjoy peace and rest.
9 We aren’t being treated fairly.
We haven’t been set free yet.
The God who always does what is right
hasn’t come to help us.
We look for light, but we see nothing but darkness.
We look for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.
10 Like blind people we feel our way along the wall.
We are like those who can’t see.
At noon we trip and fall as if the sun had already set.
Compared to those who are healthy, we are like dead people.
11 All of us growl like hungry bears.
We sound like doves as we mourn.
We want the Lord to do what is fair and save us.
But he doesn’t do it.
We long for him to set us free.
But the time for that seems far away.
12 That’s because we’ve done so many things he considers wrong.
Our sins prove that we are guilty.
The wrong things we’ve done are always troubling us.
We admit that we have sinned.
13 We’ve refused to obey the Lord.
We’ve made evil plans against him.
We’ve turned our backs on our God.
We’ve stirred up conflict and refused to follow him.
We’ve told lies that came from our own minds.
14 So people stop others from doing what is fair.
They keep them from doing what is right.
No one tells the truth in court anymore.
No one is honest there.
15 In fact, truth can’t be found anywhere.
Those who refuse to do evil are attacked.
The Lord sees that people aren’t treating others fairly.
That makes him unhappy.
16 He sees that there is no one who helps his people.
He is shocked that no one stands up for them.
So he will use his own powerful arm to save them.
He has the strength to do it because he is holy.
17 He will put the armor of holiness on his chest.
He’ll put the helmet of salvation on his head.
He’ll pay people back for the wrong things they do.
He’ll wrap himself in anger as if it were a coat.
18 He will pay his enemies back for what they have done.
He’ll pour his anger out on them.
He’ll punish those who attack him.
He’ll give the people in the islands what they have coming to them.
19 People in the west will show respect for the Lord’s name.
People in the east will worship him because of his glory.
The Lord will come like a rushing river that was held back.
His breath will drive it along.
20 “I set my people free. I will come to Mount Zion.
I will come to those in Jacob’s family who turn away from their sins,”
announces the Lord.
21 “Here is the covenant I will make with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit is on you and will not leave you. I have put my words in your mouth. They will never leave your mouth. And they will never leave the mouths of your children or their children after them. That will be true for all time to come,” says the Lord.
Be Fair When You Judge Other People
7 “Do not judge other people. Then you will not be judged. 2 You will be judged in the same way you judge others. You will be measured in the same way you measure others.
3 “You look at the bit of sawdust in your friend’s eye. But you pay no attention to the piece of wood in your own eye. 4 How can you say to your friend, ‘Let me take the bit of sawdust out of your eye’? How can you say this while there is a piece of wood in your own eye? 5 You pretender! First take the piece of wood out of your own eye. Then you will be able to see clearly to take the bit of sawdust out of your friend’s eye.
6 “Do not give holy things to dogs. Do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they might walk all over them. They might turn around and tear you to pieces.
Ask, Search, Knock
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. 8 Everyone who asks will receive. The one who searches will find. The door will be opened to the one who knocks.
9 “Suppose your son asks for bread. Which of you will give him a stone? 10 Or suppose he asks for a fish. Which of you will give him a snake? 11 Even though you are evil, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 In everything, do to others what you would want them to do to you. This is what is written in the Law and in the Prophets.
The Large and Small Gates
13 “Enter God’s kingdom through the narrow gate. The gate is large and the road is wide that leads to ruin. Many people go that way. 14 But the gate is small and the road is narrow that leads to life. Only a few people find it.
True and False Prophets
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you pretending to be sheep. But on the inside they are hungry wolves. 16 You can tell each tree by its fruit. Do people pick grapes from bushes? Do they pick figs from thorns? 17 In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit. But a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t bear bad fruit. And a bad tree can’t bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down. It is thrown into the fire. 20 You can tell each tree by its fruit.
True and False Disciples
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do what my Father in heaven wants will enter. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord! Lord! Didn’t we prophesy in your name? Didn’t we drive out demons in your name? Didn’t we do many miracles in your name?’ 23 Then I will tell them clearly, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who do evil!’
The Wise and Foolish Builders
24 “So then, everyone who hears my words and puts them into practice is like a wise man. He builds his house on the rock. 25 The rain comes down. The water rises. The winds blow and beat against that house. But it does not fall. It is built on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man. He builds his house on sand. 27 The rain comes down. The water rises. The winds blow and beat against that house. And it falls with a loud crash.”
28 Jesus finished saying all these things. The crowds were amazed at his teaching. 29 That’s because he taught like one who had authority. He did not speak like their teachers of the law.
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