M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
David’s Success
18 When David had finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan was bound to David in close friendship,[a] and loved him as much as he loved himself.(A) 2 Saul kept David with him from that day on and did not let him return to his father’s house.
3 Jonathan made a covenant with David(B) because he loved him as much as himself. 4 Then Jonathan removed the robe he was wearing and gave it to David,(C) along with his military tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt.
5 David marched out with the army and was successful in everything Saul sent him to do. Saul put him in command of the fighting men, which pleased all the people and Saul’s servants as well.
6 As the troops were coming back, when David was returning from killing the Philistine, the women came out from all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul,(D) singing and dancing with tambourines, with shouts of joy, and with three-stringed instruments. 7 As they danced, the women sang:
Saul has killed his thousands,
but David his tens of thousands.(E)
8 Saul was furious and resented this song. “They credited tens of thousands to David,” he complained, “but they only credited me with thousands. What more can he have but the kingdom?” (F) 9 So Saul watched David jealously from that day forward.
Saul Attempts to Kill David
10 The next day an evil spirit sent from God came powerfully on Saul,(G) and he began to rave[b] inside the palace. David was playing the lyre as usual,(H) but Saul was holding a spear,(I) 11 and he threw it, thinking, “I’ll pin David to the wall.”(J) But David got away from him twice.
12 Saul was afraid of David,(K) because the Lord was with David(L) but had left Saul.(M) 13 Therefore, Saul sent David away from him and made him commander over a thousand men. David led the troops(N) 14 and continued to be successful in all his activities because the Lord was with him.(O) 15 When Saul observed that David was very successful, he dreaded him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David(P) because he was leading their troops. 17 Saul told David, “Here is my oldest daughter Merab. I’ll give her to you as a wife(Q) if you will be a warrior for me and fight the Lord’s battles.”(R) But Saul was thinking, “I don’t need to raise a hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”(S)
18 Then David responded, “Who am I,(T) and what is my family or my father’s clan in Israel that I should become the king’s son-in-law?” 19 When it was time to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife.(U)
David’s Marriage to Michal
20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal(V) loved David, and when it was reported to Saul, it pleased him. 21 “I’ll give her to him,” Saul thought. “She’ll be a trap for him, and the hand of the Philistines will be against him.”(W) So Saul said to David a second time, “You can now be my son-in-law.”(X)
22 Saul then ordered his servants, “Speak to David in private and tell him, ‘Look, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Therefore, you should become the king’s son-in-law.’”
23 Saul’s servants reported these words directly to David, but he replied, “Is it trivial in your sight to become the king’s son-in-law? I am a poor commoner.”(Y)
24 The servants reported back to Saul, “These are the words David spoke.”
25 Then Saul replied, “Say this to David: ‘The king desires no other bride-price(Z) except a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.’”(AA) Actually, Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines.(AB)
26 When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived, 27 David and his men went out and killed two hundred[c] Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented them as full payment to the king to become his son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David as his wife.(AC) 28 Saul realized[d] that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved him, 29 and he became even more afraid of David. As a result, Saul was David’s enemy from then on.
30 Every time the Philistine commanders came out to fight,(AD) David was more successful than all of Saul’s officers.(AE) So his name became well known.
Paul’s Commendation of Phoebe
16 I commend to you(A) our sister Phoebe, who is a servant[a] of the church in Cenchreae.(B) 2 So you should welcome her in the Lord(C) in a manner worthy of the saints and assist her in whatever matter she may require your help. For indeed she has been a benefactor of many—and of me also.
Greeting to Roman Christians
3 Give my greetings to Prisca[b] and Aquila,(D) my coworkers in(E) Christ Jesus,(F) 4 who risked their own necks for my life. Not only do I thank them, but so do all the Gentile churches. 5 Greet also the church that meets in their home.(G) Greet my dear friend Epaenetus, who is the first convert[c](H) to Christ from Asia.[d](I) 6 Greet Mary,[e] who has worked very hard for you.[f] 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews[g](J) and fellow prisoners.(K) They are noteworthy in the eyes of the apostles,[h] and they were also in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our coworker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.(L) 11 Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew.[i] Greet those who belong to the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. 12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who have worked hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, who has worked very hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus,(M) chosen in the Lord; also his mother—and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.(N) 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss.(O) All the churches of Christ send you greetings.
Warning against Divisive People
17 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned.(P) Avoid them,(Q) 18 because such people do not serve our Lord Christ(R) but their own appetites.[j](S) They deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting with smooth talk and flattering words.(T)
Paul’s Gracious Conclusion
19 The report of your obedience has reached everyone.(U) Therefore I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise about what is good, and yet innocent about what is evil.(V) 20 The God of peace(W) will soon crush Satan(X) under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.(Y)
21 Timothy,(Z) my coworker, and Lucius,(AA) Jason,(AB) and Sosipater,(AC) my fellow countrymen, greet you.
22 I, Tertius, who wrote this letter,(AD) greet you in the Lord.[k]
23 Gaius,(AE) who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus,(AF) the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus greet you.[l]
Glory to God
25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you(AG) according to my gospel and the proclamation about Jesus Christ,(AH) according to the revelation of the mystery kept silent(AI) for long ages(AJ) 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic Scriptures,(AK) according to the command of the eternal God to advance the obedience of faith(AL) among all the Gentiles— 27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ—to him be the glory forever Amen.
Hope through God’s Mercy
א Aleph
3 I am the man who has seen affliction
under the rod of God’s wrath.
2 He has driven me away and forced me to walk
in darkness instead of light.(A)
3 Yes, he repeatedly turns his hand
against me all day long.
ב Beth
4 He has worn away my flesh and skin;(B)
he has broken my bones.(C)
5 He has laid siege against me,(D)
encircling me with bitterness and hardship.(E)
6 He has made me dwell in darkness
like those who have been dead for ages.(F)
ג Gimel
7 He has walled me in so I cannot get out;(G)
he has weighed me down with chains.
8 Even when I cry out and plead for help,
he blocks out my prayer.(H)
9 He has walled in my ways with blocks of stone;(I)
he has made my paths crooked.(J)
ד Daleth
10 He is[a] a bear waiting in ambush,
a lion in hiding.(K)
11 He forced me off my way and tore me to pieces;
he left me desolate.
12 He strung his bow(L)
and set me as the target for his arrow.
ה He
13 He pierced my kidneys
with shafts from his quiver.(M)
14 I am a laughingstock(N) to all my people,[b]
mocked by their songs(O) all day long.
15 He filled me with bitterness,
satiated me with wormwood.(P)
ו Waw
16 He ground my teeth with gravel(Q)
and made me cower[c] in the dust.
17 I have been deprived[d] of peace;(R)
I have forgotten what prosperity is.
18 Then I thought, “My future[e] is lost,
as well as my hope from the Lord.”
ז Zayin
19 Remember[f] my affliction and my homelessness,(S)
the wormwood and the poison.(T)
20 I continually remember them
and have become depressed.[g](U)
21 Yet I call this to mind,
and therefore I have hope:(V)
ח Cheth
22 Because of the Lord’s faithful love(W)
we do not perish,[h]
for his mercies never end.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness!(X)
24 I say, “The Lord is my portion,(Y)
therefore I will put my hope in him.”
ט Teth
25 The Lord is good to those who wait(Z) for him,
to the person who seeks him.
26 It is good to wait quietly(AA)
for salvation from the Lord.(AB)
27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke(AC)
while he is still young.
י Yod
28 Let him sit alone and be silent,(AD)
for God has disciplined[i] him.
29 Let him put his mouth in the dust(AE)—
perhaps there is still hope.
30 Let him offer his cheek
to the one who would strike him;(AF)
let him be filled with disgrace.
כ Kaph
31 For the Lord
will not reject us forever.
32 Even if he causes suffering,
he will show compassion
according to the abundance of his faithful love.(AG)
33 For he does not enjoy bringing affliction(AH)
or suffering on mankind.
ל Lamed
34 Crushing all the prisoners of the land[j]
beneath one’s feet,
35 denying justice to a man(AI)
in the presence of the Most High,
36 or subverting a person in his lawsuit(AJ)—
the Lord does not approve of these things.
מ Mem
37 Who is there who speaks and it happens,
unless the Lord has ordained it?(AK)
38 Do not both adversity and good
come from the mouth of the Most High?(AL)
39 Why should any living person complain,
any man, because of the punishment for his sins?
נ Nun
40 Let’s examine and probe our ways,
and turn back to the Lord.(AM)
41 Let’s lift up our hearts and our hands(AN)
to God in heaven:
42 “We have sinned and rebelled;
you have not forgiven.(AO)
ס Samek
43 “You have covered yourself in anger and pursued us;
you have killed without compassion.(AP)
44 You have covered yourself with a cloud
so that no prayer can get through.(AQ)
45 You have made us disgusting filth
among the peoples.(AR)
פ Pe
46 “All our enemies
open their mouths against us.(AS)
47 We have experienced panic and pitfall,(AT)
devastation and destruction.”
48 My eyes flow with streams of tears
because of the destruction of my dear people.
ע Ayin
49 My eyes overflow unceasingly,
without end,(AU)
50 until the Lord looks down
from heaven and sees.(AV)
51 My eyes bring me grief
because of the fate of all the women in my city.
צ Tsade
52 For no reason, my enemies[k]
hunted me like a bird.(AW)
53 They smothered my life in[l] a pit(AX)
and threw stones on me.
54 Water flooded over my head,(AY)
and I thought, “I’m going to die!” (AZ)
ק Qoph
55 I called on your name, Lord,
from the depths of the pit.
56 You heard my plea:
Do not ignore my cry for relief.
57 You came near whenever I called you;
you said, “Do not be afraid.”
ר Resh
58 You championed my cause, Lord;(BA)
you redeemed my life.(BB)
59 Lord, you saw the wrong done to me;
judge my case.
60 You saw all their vengefulness,
all their plots against me.(BC)
שׂ Sin / שׁ Shin
61 Lord, you heard their insults,(BD)
all their plots against me.
62 The slander[m] and murmuring of my opponents
attack me all day long.
63 When they sit and when they rise, look,
I am mocked by their songs.(BE)
ת Taw
Psalm 34
The Lord Delivers the Righteous
Concerning David, when he pretended to be insane in the presence of Abimelech,(A) who drove him out, and he departed.
1 I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.(B)
2 I will boast in the Lord;(C)
the humble will hear and be glad.(D)
3 Proclaim the Lord’s greatness with me;(E)
let us exalt his name together.(F)
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and rescued me from all my fears.(G)
5 Those who look to him are[a] radiant with joy;(H)
their faces will never be ashamed.(I)
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him from all his troubles.(J)
7 The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and rescues them.(K)
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good.(L)
How happy is the person who takes refuge in him!(M)
9 You who are his holy ones, fear the Lord,
for those who fear him lack nothing.(N)
10 Young lions[b] lack food and go hungry,(O)
but those who seek the Lord
will not lack any good thing.(P)
11 Come, children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.(Q)
12 Who is someone who desires life,
loving a long life to enjoy what is good?(R)
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from deceitful speech.(S)
14 Turn away from evil and do what is good;(T)
seek peace and pursue it.(U)
15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their cry for help.(V)
16 The face of the Lord is set
against those who do what is evil,(W)
to remove[c] all memory of them from the earth.(X)
17 The righteous[d] cry out, and the Lord hears,
and rescues them from all their troubles.(Y)
18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted;
he saves those crushed in spirit.(Z)
19 One who is righteous has many adversities,
but the Lord rescues him from them all.(AA)
20 He protects all his bones;
not one of them is broken.(AB)
21 Evil brings death to the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be punished.(AC)
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants,
and all who take refuge in him will not be punished.(AD)
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