the Fourth Week after Easter
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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
July 24 - Historical Order
niv
Psalms 140-145
Chapter 140
Psalm 140[a]
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 Rescue me,(a)
Lord
, from evildoers;
protect me from the violent,(b)
2 who devise evil plans(c) in their hearts
and stir up war(d) every day.
3 They make their tongues as sharp as(e) a serpent's;
the poison of vipers(f) is on their lips.[b]
4 Keep me safe,(g)
Lord
, from the hands of the wicked;(h)
protect me from the violent,
who devise ways to trip my feet.
5 The arrogant have hidden a snare(i) for me;
they have spread out the cords of their net(j)
and have set traps(k) for me along my path.
6 I say to the
Lord
, "You are my God."(l)
Hear,
Lord
, my cry for mercy.(m)
7 Sovereign
Lord
,(n) my strong deliverer,
you shield my head in the day of battle.
8 Do not grant the wicked(o) their desires,
Lord
;
do not let their plans succeed.
9 Those who surround me proudly rear their heads;
may the mischief of their lips engulf them.(p)
10 May burning coals fall on them;
may they be thrown into the fire,(q)
into miry pits, never to rise.
11 May slanderers not be established in the land;
may disaster hunt down the violent.(r)
12 I know that the
Lord
secures justice for the poor(s)
and upholds the cause(t) of the needy.(u)
13 Surely the righteous will praise your name,(v)
and the upright will live(w) in your presence.(x)
Chapter 141
Psalm 141
A psalm of David.
1 I call to you,
Lord
, come quickly(a) to me;
hear me(b) when I call to you.
2 May my prayer be set before you like incense;(c)
may the lifting up of my hands(d) be like the evening sacrifice.(e)
3 Set a guard over my mouth,(f)
Lord
;
keep watch over the door of my lips.(g)
4 Do not let my heart(h) be drawn to what is evil
so that I take part in wicked deeds(i)
along with those who are evildoers;
do not let me eat their delicacies.(j)
5 Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness;
let him rebuke me(k)—that is oil on my head.(l)
My head will not refuse it,
for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.
6 Their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs,(m)
and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.
7 They will say, "As one plows(n) and breaks up the earth,(o)
so our bones have been scattered at the mouth(p) of the grave."
8 But my eyes are fixed(q) on you, Sovereign
Lord
;
in you I take refuge(r)—do not give me over to death.
9 Keep me safe(s) from the traps set by evildoers,(t)
from the snares(u) they have laid for me.
10 Let the wicked fall(v) into their own nets,
while I pass by in safety.(w)
Chapter 142
Psalm 142[a]
A maskil[b] of David. When he was in the cave.(a) A prayer.
1 I cry aloud(b) to the
Lord
;
I lift up my voice to the
Lord
for mercy.(c)
2 I pour out before him my complaint;(d)
before him I tell my trouble.(e)
3 When my spirit grows faint(f) within me,
it is you who watch over my way.
In the path where I walk
people have hidden a snare for me.
4 Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;
no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;(g)
no one cares(h) for my life.
5 I cry to you,
Lord
;
I say, "You are my refuge,(i)
my portion(j) in the land of the living."(k)
6 Listen to my cry,(l)
for I am in desperate need;(m)
rescue me(n) from those who pursue me,
for they are too strong(o) for me.
7 Set me free from my prison,(p)
that I may praise your name.(q)
Then the righteous will gather about me
because of your goodness to me.(r)
Chapter 143
Psalm 143
A psalm of David.
1
Lord
, hear my prayer,(a)
listen to my cry for mercy;(b)
in your faithfulness(c) and righteousness(d)
come to my relief.
2 Do not bring your servant into judgment,
for no one living is righteous(e) before you.
3 The enemy pursues me,
he crushes me to the ground;
he makes me dwell in the darkness(f)
like those long dead.(g)
4 So my spirit grows faint within me;
my heart within me is dismayed.(h)
5 I remember(i) the days of long ago;
I meditate(j) on all your works
and consider what your hands have done.
6 I spread out my hands(k) to you;
I thirst for you like a parched land.[a]
7 Answer me quickly,(l)
Lord
;
my spirit fails.(m)
Do not hide your face(n) from me
or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,(o)
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way(p) I should go,
for to you I entrust my life.(q)
9 Rescue me(r) from my enemies,(s)
Lord
,
for I hide myself in you.
10 Teach me(t) to do your will,
for you are my God;(u)
may your good Spirit
lead(v) me on level ground.(w)
11 For your name's sake,(x)
Lord
, preserve my life;(y)
in your righteousness,(z) bring me out of trouble.
12 In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;(aa)
destroy all my foes,(ab)
for I am your servant.(ac)
Chapter 144
Psalm 144
Of David.
1 Praise be to the
Lord
my Rock,(a)
who trains my hands for war,
my fingers for battle.
2 He is my loving God and my fortress,(b)
my stronghold(c) and my deliverer,
my shield,(d) in whom I take refuge,
who subdues peoples[a](e) under me.
3
Lord
, what are human beings(f) that you care for them,
mere mortals that you think of them?
4 They are like a breath;(g)
their days are like a fleeting shadow.(h)
5 Part your heavens,(i)
Lord
, and come down;(j)
touch the mountains, so that they smoke.(k)
6 Send forth lightning(l) and scatter(m) the enemy;
shoot your arrows(n) and rout them.
7 Reach down your hand from on high;(o)
deliver me and rescue me(p)
from the mighty waters,(q)
from the hands of foreigners(r)
8 whose mouths are full of lies,(s)
whose right hands(t) are deceitful.(u)
9 I will sing a new song(v) to you, my God;
on the ten-stringed lyre(w) I will make music to you,
10 to the One who gives victory to kings,(x)
who delivers his servant David.(y)
From the deadly sword(z)
11 deliver me;
rescue me(aa) from the hands of foreigners(ab)
whose mouths are full of lies,(ac)
whose right hands are deceitful.(ad)
12 Then our sons in their youth
will be like well-nurtured plants,(ae)
and our daughters will be like pillars(af)
carved to adorn a palace.
13 Our barns will be filled(ag)
with every kind of provision.
Our sheep will increase by thousands,
by tens of thousands in our fields;
14
our oxen(ah) will draw heavy loads.[b]
There will be no breaching of walls,(ai)
no going into captivity,
no cry of distress in our streets.(aj)
15 Blessed is the people(ak) of whom this is true;
blessed is the people whose God is the
Lord
.
Chapter 145
Psalm 145[a]
A psalm of praise. Of David.
1 I will exalt you,(a) my God the King;(b)
I will praise your name(c) for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise(d) you
and extol your name(e) for ever and ever.
3 Great(f) is the
Lord
and most worthy of praise;(g)
his greatness no one can fathom.(h)
4 One generation(i) commends your works to another;
they tell(j) of your mighty acts.(k)
5 They speak of the glorious splendor(l) of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.[b](m)
6 They tell(n) of the power of your awesome works—(o)
and I will proclaim(p) your great deeds.(q)
7 They celebrate your abundant goodness(r)
and joyfully sing(s) of your righteousness.(t)
8 The
Lord
is gracious and compassionate,(u)
slow to anger and rich in love.(v)
9 The
Lord
is good(w) to all;
he has compassion(x) on all he has made.
10 All your works praise you,(y)
Lord
;
your faithful people extol(z) you.(aa)
11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom(ab)
and speak of your might,(ac)
12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts(ad)
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.(ae)
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,(af)
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The
Lord
is trustworthy(ag) in all he promises(ah)
and faithful in all he does.[c]
14 The
Lord
upholds(ai) all who fall
and lifts up all(aj) who are bowed down.(ak)
15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food(al) at the proper time.
16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desires(am) of every living thing.
17 The
Lord
is righteous(an) in all his ways
and faithful in all he does.(ao)
18 The
Lord
is near(ap) to all who call on him,(aq)
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desires(ar) of those who fear him;(as)
he hears their cry(at) and saves them.(au)
20 The
Lord
watches over(av) all who love him,(aw)
but all the wicked he will destroy.(ax)
21 My mouth will speak(ay) in praise of the
Lord
.
Let every creature(az) praise his holy name(ba)
for ever and ever.
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