M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
David’s Adultery with Bathsheba
11 In the spring when kings march out to war, David sent Joab with his officers and all Israel. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah, but David remained in Jerusalem.(A)
2 One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing—a very beautiful woman. 3 So David sent someone to inquire about her, and he reported, “This is Bathsheba,(B) daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah(C) the Hittite.”[a]
4 David sent messengers to get her, and when she came to him, he slept with her. Now she had just been purifying herself from her uncleanness.(D) Afterward, she returned home. 5 The woman conceived and sent word to inform David: “I am pregnant.”
6 David sent orders to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab and the troops were doing and how the war was going. 8 Then he said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king followed him. 9 But Uriah slept at the door of the palace with all his master’s servants; he did not go down to his house.
10 When it was reported to David, “Uriah didn’t go home,” David questioned Uriah, “Haven’t you just come from a journey? Why didn’t you go home?”
11 Uriah answered David, “The ark, Israel, and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my master Joab and his soldiers[b] are camping in the open field. How can I enter my house to eat and drink and sleep with my wife? As surely as you live and by your life, I will not do this!”(E)
12 “Stay here today also,” David said to Uriah, “and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13 Then David invited Uriah to eat and drink with him, and David got him drunk. He went out in the evening to lie down on his cot with his master’s servants, but he did not go home.
Uriah’s Death Arranged
14 The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15 In the letter he wrote:
Put Uriah(F) at the front of the fiercest fighting, then withdraw from him so that he is struck down and dies.
16 When Joab was besieging the city, he put Uriah in the place where he knew the best enemy soldiers were. 17 Then the men of the city came out and attacked Joab, and some of the men from David’s soldiers fell in battle; Uriah the Hittite also died.
18 Joab sent someone to report to David all the details of the battle. 19 He commanded the messenger, “When you’ve finished telling the king all the details of the battle— 20 if the king’s anger gets stirred up and he asks you, ‘Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you realize they would shoot from the top of the wall? 21 At Thebez, who struck Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth?[c][d] Didn’t a woman drop an upper millstone on him from the top of the wall so that he died?(G) Why did you get so close to the wall?’—then say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’” 22 Then the messenger left.
When he arrived, he reported to David all that Joab had sent him to tell. 23 The messenger reported to David, “The men gained the advantage over us and came out against us in the field, but we counterattacked right up to the entrance of the gate. 24 However, the archers shot down on your soldiers from the top of the wall, and some of the king’s soldiers died. Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.”
25 David told the messenger, “Say this to Joab: ‘Don’t let this matter upset you because the sword devours all alike. Intensify your fight against the city and demolish it.’ Encourage him.”
26 When Uriah’s(H) wife heard that her husband Uriah had died, she mourned for him.[e] 27 When the time of mourning ended, David had her brought to his house. She became his wife and bore him a son. However, the Lord considered what David had done to be evil.(I)
The Light of the Gospel
4 Therefore, since we have this ministry because we were shown mercy,(A) we do not give up.(B) 2 Instead, we have renounced shameful secret things, not walking(C) in deceit or distorting God’s message,(D) but commending ourselves to every person’s conscience in God’s sight by an open display of the truth.(E) 3 But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case, the god of this age(F) has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,[a](G) who is the image of God.(H) 5 For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord,(I) and ourselves as your slaves because of Jesus. 6 For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”(J) has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge(K) of God’s glory(L) in the face of Jesus Christ.
Treasure in Clay Jars
7 Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power(M) may be from God and not from us. 8 We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; 9 we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. 10 We always carry the death of Jesus(N) in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who live are always given over to death(O) because of Jesus, so that Jesus’ life may also be revealed in our mortal flesh. 12 So death works in us, but life in you. 13 And since we have the same spirit of faith in keeping with what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke,(P)[b] we also believe, and therefore speak. 14 We know that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus(Q) and present us with you. 15 Indeed, everything is for your benefit, so that grace, extended through more and more people, may cause thanksgiving(R) to increase to God’s glory.
16 Therefore we do not give up.(S) Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person(T) is being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary light affliction[c](U) is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.(V) 18 So we do not focus on what is seen,(W) but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Personal Responsibility for Sin
18 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel:
3 As I live”—this is the declaration of the Lord God—“you will no longer use this proverb in Israel.(C) 4 Look, every life belongs to Me.(D) The life of the father is like the life of the son—both belong to Me. The person who sins is the one who will die.(E)
5 “Now suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right: 6 He does not eat at the mountain shrines(F) or raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife(G) or come near a woman during her menstrual impurity.(H) 7 He doesn’t oppress anyone(I) but returns his collateral to the debtor.(J) He does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry(K) and covers the naked with clothing. 8 He doesn’t lend at interest or for profit(L) but keeps his hand from wrongdoing and carries out true justice between men.(M) 9 He follows My statutes and keeps My ordinances, acting faithfully. Such a person is righteous; he will certainly live.”(N) This is the declaration of the Lord God.
10 “Now suppose the man has a violent son, who sheds blood(O) and does any of these things, 11 though the father has done none of them. Indeed, when the son eats at the mountain shrines and defiles his neighbor’s wife, 12 and when he oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, and does not return collateral, and when he raises his eyes to the idols, commits detestable acts,(P) 13 and lends at interest or for profit, will he live? He will not live! Since he has committed all these detestable acts, he will certainly die. His blood will be on him.(Q)
14 “Now suppose he has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, and though he sees them, he does not do likewise. 15 He does not eat at the mountain shrines or raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife. 16 He doesn’t oppress anyone, hold collateral, or commit robbery. He gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing. 17 He keeps his hand from harming the poor, not taking interest or profit on a loan. He practices My ordinances and follows My statutes. Such a person will not die for his father’s iniquity. He will certainly live.
18 “As for his father, he will die for his own iniquity because he practiced fraud, robbed his brother, and did what was wrong among his people.(R) 19 But you may ask, ‘Why doesn’t the son suffer punishment for the father’s iniquity?’(S) Since the son has done what is just and right, carefully observing all My statutes, he will certainly live. 20 The person who sins is the one who will die.(T) A son won’t suffer punishment for the father’s iniquity, and a father won’t suffer punishment for the son’s iniquity.(U) The righteousness of the righteous person will be on him,(V) and the wickedness of the wicked person will be on him.(W)
21 “Now if the wicked person turns from all the sins he has committed,(X) keeps all My statutes, and does what is just and right, he will certainly live; he will not die. 22 None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him.(Y) He will live because of the righteousness he has practiced.(Z) 23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?”(AA) This is the declaration of the Lord God. “Instead, don’t I take pleasure when he turns from his ways and lives? 24 But when a righteous person turns from his righteousness(AB) and practices iniquity, committing the same detestable acts that the wicked do, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered.(AC) He will die because of the treachery he has engaged in and the sin he has committed.
25 “But you say, ‘The Lord’s way isn’t fair.’(AD) Now listen, house of Israel: Is it My way that is unfair? Instead, isn’t it your ways that are unfair? 26 When a righteous person turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, he will die for this. He will die because of the iniquity he has practiced. 27 But if a wicked person turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will preserve his life. 28 He will certainly live because he thought it over and turned from all the transgressions he had committed; he will not die. 29 But the house of Israel says, ‘The Lord’s way isn’t fair.’ Is it My ways that are unfair, house of Israel? Instead, isn’t it your ways that are unfair?
30 “Therefore, house of Israel, I will judge each one of you according to his ways.”(AE) This is the declaration of the Lord God. “Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so they will not be a stumbling block that causes your punishment. 31 Throw off all the transgressions you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.(AF) Why should you die, house of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. “So repent and live!
Psalm 62
Trust in God Alone
For the choir director: according to Jeduthun.(A) A Davidic psalm.
1 I am at rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from Him.(B)
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation,(C)
my stronghold; I will never be shaken.(D)
3 How long will you threaten a man?
Will all of you attack[a]
as if he were a leaning wall
or a tottering stone fence?(E)
4 They only plan to bring him down
from his high position.
They take pleasure in lying;
they bless with their mouths,
but they curse inwardly.(F)
5 Rest in God alone, my soul,
for my hope comes from Him.(G)
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation,(H)
my stronghold; I will not be shaken.(I)
7 My salvation and glory depend on God, my strong rock.
My refuge is in God.(J)
8 Trust in Him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts before Him.
God is our refuge.(K)
9 Men are only a vapor;
exalted men, an illusion.
Weighed in the scales, they go up;
together they are less than a vapor.(L)
10 Place no trust in oppression,
or false hope in robbery.
If wealth increases,
pay no attention to it.[b](M)
11 God has spoken once;
I have heard this twice:
strength belongs to God,(N)
12 and faithful love belongs to You, Lord.
For You repay each according to his works.(O)
Psalm 63
Praise God Who Satisfies
A Davidic psalm. When he was in the Wilderness of Judah.(P)
1 God, You are my God; I eagerly seek You.
I thirst for You;
my body faints for You
in a land that is dry, desolate, and without water.(Q)
2 So I gaze on You in the sanctuary
to see Your strength and Your glory.(R)
3 My lips will glorify You
because Your faithful love is better than life.(S)
4 So I will praise You as long as I live;
at Your name, I will lift up my hands.(T)
5 You satisfy me as with rich food;[c](U)
my mouth will praise You with joyful lips.(V)
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