◀ All Reading Plans / M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan / Family: Deuteronomy 23; Psalms 112–113. Secret: Isaiah 50; Revelation 20. (New Catholic Bible)

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M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

The classic M'Cheyne plan--read the Old Testament, New Testament, and Psalms or Gospels every day.

Duration: 365 days

Deuteronomy 23

Chapter 23

¹A man shall not marry his father’s wife; he is not to dishonor his father’s bed.^[a]

Membership Exclusions. ²No one who has been emasculated by crushing or cutting can enter the assembly of the Lord.^[b] ³No one who is illegitimate^[c] can enter the assembly of the Lord, nor can his descendants to the tenth generation enter the assembly of the Lord. ⁴No Ammonite or Moabite can enter the assembly of the Lord, even their descendants to the tenth generation cannot enter the assembly of the Lord ⁵for they did not greet you with bread and water as you were on your way when you came forth out of Egypt. They hired Balaam, the son of Beor who came from Pethor in Mesopotamia to curse you. ⁶However, the Lord, your God, would not listen to Balaam. The Lord, your God, turned a curse upon you into a blessing, for the Lord, your God, loved you. ⁷Do not establish a treaty of friendship with them as long as you live.

⁸Do not detest an Edomite, for he is your brother. Do not detest an Egyptian, for you lived as a foreigner in his land. ⁹The third generation of children born to them can enter the assembly of the Lord.

¹⁰Camp Sanitation. When you are encamped against your enemies, stay away from everything that is impure. ¹¹If one of your men among you is unclean because of a nocturnal emission, let him move outside of the camp. He is not to enter the camp. ¹²When evening arrives, he is to wash himself with water, and he can come back inside of the camp.

¹³Designate a place outside of the camp where you can go to relieve yourself. ¹⁴You shall have an implement with your equipment so that when you relieve yourself, you can dig a hole and cover over your excrement.

¹⁵The Lord, your God, walks among you in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies up to you, so your camp must be holy, lest he see something unclean among you and turn away from you.

¹⁶Incidental Rules. If a slave has taken refuge from his master with you, you are not to hand him over to his master. ¹⁷Let him live with you wherever he chooses, in whatever town he chooses. You are not to oppress him.

¹⁸No Israelite woman is to become a sacred prostitute, nor is an Israelite man to be a sacred prostitute. ¹⁹You are not to bring the wages of a female prostitute or a male prostitute^[d] into the shrine of the Lord, your God, to pay for any vow. Both of these are abominations to the Lord, your God.

²⁰^[e]Do not charge your brother interest, whether it be on money or food or anything else that could earn interest. ²¹You can charge a foreigner interest, but you cannot charge a brother interest. For this you will be blessed by the Lord, your God, in everything that you undertake in the land that you are entering to possess.

²²If you make a vow to the Lord, your God, do not be lax in paying it off, for the Lord, your God, will certainly require it of you, and you would be guilty of a sin. ²³But if you fail to make a vow, there is no sin. ²⁴Whatever your lips utter, you must do, for you have vowed a freewill offering to the Lord, your God, with your own mouth.

²⁵If you enter your neighbor’s vineyard, you can eat as many grapes as you want, but you are not to put any in a basket. ²⁶If you enter your neighbor’s grain fields, you can pluck the kernels with your hands, but you are not to take a sickle to your neighbor’s standing grain.

Psalm 112-113

Psalm 112^[a]

The Blessings of the Righteous

¹Alleluia.

Blessed^[b] is the man who fears the Lord,
    who greatly delights in his precepts.
²His descendants will be powerful upon the earth;
    the generation of the upright will be blessed.^[c]
³His house will be filled with wealth and riches,^[d]
    and his righteousness will endure forever.
⁴He shines as a light for the upright in the darkness;
    kindness, mercy, and justice are his hallmarks.^[e]
⁵The future bodes well^[f] for him
    who is generous in helping those in need
    and who conducts his affairs with justice.
⁶^[g]He will never be swayed;
    the righteous man will be remembered forever.
⁷He has no fear of bad news,
    for his heart remains steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
⁸Since his heart is tranquil, he will not be afraid,
    and he will witness the downfall of his enemies.
⁹He bestows gifts lavishly on the poor;
    his righteousness will endure forever,
    and his horn^[h] will be exalted in glory.
¹⁰The wicked will be furious when he sees this,
    gnashing his teeth and pining away;
    the desires of the wicked will be fruitless.^[i]

The Egyptian Hallel—Pss 113–118^[j]

Psalm 113^[k]

Praise of the Lord for His Care of the Lowly

¹Alleluia.

Praise, you servants of the Lord,^[l]
    praise the name of the Lord.
²^[m]Blessed be the name of the Lord
    now and forevermore.
³From the rising of the sun to its setting
    the name of the Lord is to be praised.
⁴^[n]High is the Lord over all the nations,
    and supreme over the heavens is his glory.
⁵Who is like the Lord, our God,
    the one who is enthroned on high
and who stoops down to look
⁶    on the heavens and the earth?
⁷^[o]He raises the poor from the dust
    and lifts the needy from the rubbish heap,
⁸seating them with princes,
    with the princes of his people.
⁹He settles the barren woman^[p] in a home
    and makes her the joyful mother of children.
Alleluia.

Footnotes

Psalm 112:1 This psalm provides the same literary characteristics as the preceding one and most likely stems from the same unknown author. By their theme the two chants complete one another. The first celebrates the divine perfections and works, while the second sings of the virtues and deeds of the true righteous person and the happiness he attains.
The ancients believed that the man who faithfully observed the law and was solicitous of his neighbor was assured prosperity, posterity, and renown. In this psalm a sage once again praises the righteous in these terms, but he adds another more mystical religious sentiment. In effect, applying to the righteous the qualities that the preceding psalm attributed to the Lord, he wishes to show that by dint of placing his delight in the will of the Lord, the righteous man ends up resembling him. Hence, the law is not a burden imposed from without, but a power that transforms the heart. To obey is to let oneself be invaded by the sentiments of God: mercy, tenderness, and righteousness. Is there any other source of happiness?
This psalm is also very suitable for describing the Christian ideal, the perfection we must achieve in the steps of the Master and the happiness we will find therein.
Psalm 112:1 Blessed is the man who follows unswervingly God’s will and call. Blessed: see note on Ps 1:1. Fears the Lord: see note on Ps 15:2-5.
Psalm 112:2 The upright man is blessed in his children and brings blessings on them (see Pss 37:26; 127:3-5; 128:3).
Psalm 112:3 Wealth and riches: see Pss 1:3; 128:2. His righteousness: i.e., his happiness, his successes, and his well-being. There is a tacit comparison of the upright person’s righteousness to God’s (they both endure forever: see Ps 111:3b). Some scholars translate the word “righteousness” as “generosity,” claiming that the original meaning of the Hebrew word in a later period of the language also acquired the meaning of “liberality, almsgiving” (see Sir 3:30; 7:10; Mt 6:1f).
Psalm 112:4 The goodness of the righteous man overflows to others. He acts in the same way as God does (see Ps 111:4b). This is brought out more clearly by the older Catholic rendition: “He dawns through the darkness, a light for the upright; / he is gracious and compassionate and righteous.”
Psalm 112:5 Future bodes well: i.e., well-being and prosperity await him (see Ps 34:9-15). Good is also the quality of the righteous man. He is good in that he is generous (see Pss 34:9-11; 37:21). Just as all the Lord’s works are “faithful and right” (see Ps 111:7), so the upright man conducts his affairs with justice.
Psalm 112:6 The righteous man observes the commandments of God that are “established forever and ever” (Ps 111:8); hence “he will never be swayed” (Ps 112:6) and has no fear (v. 7), for his heart is tranquil (v. 8). His trust is in the Lord in spite of bad news, reasons to be afraid, or problems with others (vv. 7-8).
Psalm 112:9 As God’s name is held in holy awe (see Ps 111:9), so the righteous will be held in honor. Paul uses this verse to support the principle that “if you sow generously, you will reap generously as well” (2 Cor 9:6, 9). Horn: here symbolizes dignity.
Psalm 112:10 The only alternative way of life to that of the righteous is bitter, transient, and futile.
Psalm 113:1 The Hallel (“praise”) psalms are found in three separate collections: the “Egyptian Hallel,” also known as the “Little Hallel” (Pss 113–118), the “Great Hallel” (Pss 120–136), and the “Concluding Hallel” (Pss 146–150). The Egyptian Hallel and the Great Hallel (most of which are pilgrimage psalms: Pss 120–134) were sung during the annual feasts (see Lev 23; Num 10:10). The Egyptian Hallel received a special place in the Passover liturgy; by custom Pss 113–114 were recited or sung before the festive meal and Pss 115–118 after it (see Mt 26:30; Mk 14:26). These were probably the last psalms Jesus sang before his Passion. Only the second (Ps 114) speaks directly of the Exodus, but the themes of the others make it an appropriate series to mark the salvation that began in Egypt and would spread to the nations. The concluding Hallel psalms (Pss 146–150) were incorporated into the daily prayers in the synagogue after the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70.
Psalm 113:1 This psalm presents a surprising contrast in the praises of Israel: the acclamation of the glory of the Almighty One attains its summit, and certitude becomes even stronger that God is near to the lowly. His tenderness reaches those whom the powerful of the earth regard as nothing. The God of justice reverses established situations, as both the canticle of Hannah (see 1 Sam 2:4-8) and the Magnificat of Mary (see Lk 1:46-55) attest with equal intensity. In celebrating the salvation of the humiliated poor man and the abandoned woman, Israel keeps alive the hope of a wondrous renewal in the Messianic age (see Pss 76; 87; Isa 49:21; 54:1-8).
In praying this psalm, we are aware that the New Testament provides us with new motives for praising God the Father for the great condescension he manifests toward Zechariah, Mary, and those known as the poor of Yahweh. We can also chant this psalm in honor of the glorified Christ. Exalted by his Father above every earthly power and introduced by him into divine glory (Phil 2:9-11; Heb 2:7-9), Christ shows himself to be incomparable by uniting to his supreme transcendence an astonishing condescension. It was toward the poor and lowly that he stooped during his public ministry, eating and drinking with them (see Mk 2:16), offering them the kingdom of God (see Mt 5:3-12) with its mysteries (see Mk 4:11), and making them the princes of his new people (see Mk 3:13-19). It is on the poor and the weak in the eyes of the world that he continues to confer his spiritual riches and powers (see 1 Cor 1:26-28).
Psalm 113:1 Servants of the Lord: the Lord’s loyal people, together with the priests and the Levites, come together to worship the Lord. These are all those who know “the name of the Lord” (v. 3; see Ps 50:1; Zep 2:11; Mal 1:11). Name: see note on Ps 5:12.
Psalm 113:2 The name of the Lord is to be proclaimed so that every generation may remember what he has done and how he has revealed himself (see Ex 3:16). This praise is to extend in time (forevermore) and in space (from the rising of the sun to its setting, i.e., from the east to the west; see Mal 1:11).
Psalm 113:4 The psalmist calls attention to the contrast: the exalted rule of the Lord and his accommodation to the needs of his people. Over all the nations: and by implication over all their gods (see Pss 95:3; 96:4f; 97:9). Over the heavens: i.e., above all creation.
Psalm 113:7 The Lord does not ally himself with the high and mighty but takes care of the poor and needy by transforming them from outcasts of society (the dust, see Isa 47:1, or rubbish heap, see Lam 4:5) into those who have a position of prominence (with the princes of his people, v. 8; see 1 Sam 2:8; Job 36:7). The afflicted man will be accorded recognition, and the oppressed woman will be given honor.
Psalm 113:9 Barren woman: a barren wife was considered cursed by God and a social outcast, a disappointment to her husband, to other women, and especially to herself (see Gen 16:2; 20:18; 1 Sam 1:6; 2:5; Lk 1:25). The Lord blesses her with children (see Ps 115:14; Isa 48:19; 54:1-3). Alleluia: i.e., “Hallelujah” or “Bless [or praise] the Lord”; it probably was once the first line of Ps 114.

Isaiah 50

Chapter 50

God’s Offer of Salvation Remains

¹    ^[a]Thus says the Lord:
    Where is your mother’s bill of divorce
    by which I repudiated her?
Or which creditor of mine was it
    to whom I sold you?
No, you were sold because of your sins,
    and your mother was repudiated,
    because of your rebellious acts.
²Why was no one there when I came?
    Why did no one answer when I called?
Is my hand too short to redeem?
    Have I no power to deliver?
By my rebuke I can dry up the sea
    and turn the rivers into a desert.
Their fish rot for lack of water
    and die of thirst.
³Did I not clothe the heavens in black
    and cover them with sackcloth?
⁴    ^[b]The Lord God has given me
    the tongue of one who has been well taught
so that I am able to console the weary
    with a message of encouragement.
Morning after morning he opens my ears
    so that I may listen to their concerns.
⁵And I have not rebelled,
    I have not turned away.
⁶I offered my back to those who struck me,
    my cheeks to those who plucked my beard.
I did not shield my face
    from insults and spitting.
⁷The Lord God is my help;
    therefore I have not been disgraced.
Rather, I have set my face like flint,
    knowing that I will not be put to shame.
⁸He who upholds me is near;
    thus, if anyone wishes to oppose me,
    let us confront each other.
Is there anyone who has a case against me?
    Let him come forward.
⁹The Lord God is my defender;
    who then will dare to condemn me?
All of them will wear out like a garment
    the moth will devour them.
¹⁰Who among you fears the Lord
    and obeys his servant’s voice?
Who among you walks in darkness
    without any light?
Let him trust in the name of the Lord
    and rely on his God.
¹¹But all of you kindle a fire
    and arm yourselves with firebrands.
Walk by the light of your fire
    and the firebrands that you have set ablaze.
This is what you will receive from my hand:
    you will lie down in torment.

Revelation 20

Chapter 20

The Dragon.^[a] ¹Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, with the key to the abyss and a great chain in his hand. ²He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and chained him up for a thousand years. ³He threw him into the abyss and locked and sealed it over him, so that he would not again deceive the nations until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released, but only for a short time.

The Reign of the Martyrs: Return and Destruction of Satan.^[b] ⁴Next, I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given the authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for bearing witness to Jesus and the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.^[c]

⁵The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. ⁶Blessed^[d] and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them. They will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

⁷When the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison ⁸and will emerge to lead astray the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—in order to gather them for battle. They are as numerous as the sands of the sea.^[e]

⁹They marched across the breadth of the earth^[f] and laid siege to the camp of the saints and the beloved city. However, fire came down from heaven and devoured them. ¹⁰The devil who had led them astray was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been flung to be tormented day and night forever and ever.

¹¹Preparation for the Judgment.^[g] Then I saw a great white throne, and the one who was seated upon it. The earth and the sky fled so far from his presence that they could no longer be found.

¹²The Resurrection and Judgment.^[h] And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and the scrolls were opened. Then another scroll was opened, the book of life, and the dead were judged according to their deeds, as were recorded in the scrolls.

¹³The sea gave up all the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them. The dead were judged according to their deeds. ¹⁴Then Death and Hades were hurled into the fiery lake. This fiery lake is the second death.^[i] ¹⁵Anyone who was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the fiery lake.

Footnotes

Revelation 20:1 The dragon is enchained for a thousand years in the abyss, the dwelling of the powers of evil (see Rev 9:2). This refers to Satan’s defeat when Jesus died and rose from the dead. The thousand year period means “for a long time.” Satan’s power is limited (as if he is imprisoned for a long time). Yet he still tempts the holy ones on the earth during this period.
Revelation 20:4 While waiting for the History of Salvation to be completed, the witnesses to Christ’s love already reign with Jesus when they take up their crosses and follow Jesus. However, before the final triumph arrives—the great Judgment that one imagines must complete history—evil unleashes a last terrible assault on the Church, as envisaged by Ezekiel (chs. 36–39) and Paul (2 Thes 2). Then will be fulfilled the prophecy of Genesis (3:15) that in advance sketched the profound link of the drama of history and its end: the annihilation of the serpent, the personification of evil.
A reign of a thousand years? This passage has served as the basis of all the millenniarist interpretations, which await the coming of a political kingdom of Christ on earth. Must we at least imagine a first earthly accomplishment of the Kingdom of God before the final and eternal transformation? But the author does not speak of a return of Christ in earthly conditions. He wants to affirm above all that those who have died as witnesses of Jesus are not separated from him while awaiting the full resurrection (vv. 11-13); he also wishes to suggest that from now on believers have access to the tree of life in heaven—of which the figure “one thousand” may be a symbol—hence that they partake in the communion of God. In any case, the thousand-year reign is a symbolic representation, which thus prohibits all speculation. At best it evokes a length of time and a life of the Church beyond persecutions. But we must not forget that for God a thousand years are like one day (see Ps 90:4).
Revelation 20:4 A thousand years: early tradition took this verse literally: after a first real resurrection, that of the martyrs, Christ would return to earth and reign there for a thousand years. The Church has rejected this literal millenniarism.
Revelation 20:6 Blessed: the fifth beatitude (see note on Rev 1:3). The second death: eternal death, or damnation, which cannot be followed by a resurrection.
Revelation 20:8 Ezekiel speaks of “Gog, king of Magog.” Here the two names symbolize the pagan nations gathered together against the Church at the end of the world.
Revelation 20:9 The earth is Palestine; the beloved city is Jerusalem, a symbol of the Church.
Revelation 20:11 The earth and the sky disappear; the first creation is abolished. Human beings alone remain, responsible toward God.
Revelation 20:12 This is a grandiose final sequence. As in Daniel (12:1-7) and Matthew (25:31-36), all human beings appear before the tribunal of God and are judged according to their choices and life commitments. (This principle of judgment according to one’s works is also found in Ps 62:12; Jer 17:10; Rom 2:6; 1 Pet 1:17 and elsewhere.) Everything is laid bare before the Lord—the same idea expressed in the symbol of books in Daniel (7:10). There is another book—that of Life; it contains the names of those who have resolutely chosen Christ in the face of idolatry and are now destined for glory (see Rev 13:8; 17:8). When one knows all that is represented by the concept of the netherworld, the sojourn of death and the power of death personified in the Bible, verse 14 announces the end of the anguish and fear that have weighed heavily on humankind throughout history.
Revelation 20:14 The second death, in which death itself is swallowed up, is the definitive failure, the condemnation from which no resurrection can rescue (Rev 2:11; 20:6; 21:8).

New Catholic Bible (NCB)

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M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

Chapter 23

Footnotes

Psalm 112[a]

The Blessings of the Righteous

The Egyptian Hallel—Pss 113–118[j]

Psalm 113[k]

Praise of the Lord for His Care of the Lowly

Footnotes

Chapter 50

God’s Offer of Salvation Remains

Footnotes

Chapter 20

Footnotes

Psalm 112^[a]

The Egyptian Hallel—Pss 113–118^[j]

Psalm 113^[k]