Day 120 - Psalm 102-104

Psalm 102

A prayer of an afflicted man. When he is faint and pours out his lament before the LORD.

¹ Hear my prayer, O LORD;
let my cry for help come to you.

² Do not hide your face from me
when I am in distress.
Turn your ear to me;
when I call, answer me quickly.

³ For my days vanish like smoke;
my bones burn like glowing embers.

⁴ My heart is blighted and withered like grass;
I forget to eat my food.

⁵ Because of my loud groaning
I am reduced to skin and bones.

⁶ I am like a desert owl,
like an owl among the ruins.

⁷ I lie awake; I have become
like a bird alone on a roof.

⁸ All day long my enemies taunt me;
those who rail against me use my name as a curse.

⁹ For I eat ashes as my food
and mingle my drink with tears

¹⁰ because of your great wrath,
for you have taken me up and thrown me aside.

¹¹ My days are like the evening shadow;
I wither away like grass.

¹² But you, O LORD, sit enthroned forever;
your renown endures through all generations.

¹³ You will arise and have compassion on Zion,
for it is time to show favor to her;
the appointed time has come.

¹⁴ For her stones are dear to your servants;
her very dust moves them to pity.

¹⁵ The nations will fear the name of the LORD,
all the kings of the earth will revere your glory.

¹⁶ For the LORD will rebuild Zion
and appear in his glory.

¹⁷ He will respond to the prayer of the destitute;
he will not despise their plea.

¹⁸ Let this be written for a future generation,
that a people not yet created may praise the LORD :

¹⁹ "The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high,
from heaven he viewed the earth,

²⁰ to hear the groans of the prisoners
and release those condemned to death."

²¹ So the name of the LORD will be declared in Zion
and his praise in Jerusalem

²² when the peoples and the kingdoms
assemble to worship the LORD.

²³ In the course of my life ^a]">[a] he broke my strength;
he cut short my days.

²⁴ So I said:
"Do not take me away, O my God, in the midst of my days;
your years go on through all generations.

²⁵ In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.

²⁶ They will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
Like clothing you will change them
and they will be discarded.

²⁷ But you remain the same,
and your years will never end.

²⁸ The children of your servants will live in your presence;
their descendants will be established before you."

Psalm 103

Of David.

¹ Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

² Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-

³ who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,

⁴ who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,

⁵ who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

⁶ The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.

⁷ He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:

⁸ The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.

⁹ He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;

¹⁰ he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.

¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;

¹² as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

¹³ As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

¹⁴ for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.

¹⁵ As for man, his days are like grass,
he flourishes like a flower of the field;

¹⁶ the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.

¹⁷ But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD's love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children's children-

¹⁸ with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.

¹⁹ The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.

²⁰ Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.

²¹ Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.

²² Praise the LORD, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the LORD, O my soul.

Psalm 104

¹ Praise the LORD, O my soul.
O LORD my God, you are very great;
you are clothed with splendor and majesty.

² He wraps himself in light as with a garment;
he stretches out the heavens like a tent

³ and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters.
He makes the clouds his chariot
and rides on the wings of the wind.

⁴ He makes winds his messengers, ^b]">[b]
flames of fire his servants.

⁵ He set the earth on its foundations;
it can never be moved.

⁶ You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains.

⁷ But at your rebuke the waters fled,
at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;

⁸ they flowed over the mountains,
they went down into the valleys,
to the place you assigned for them.

⁹ You set a boundary they cannot cross;
never again will they cover the earth.

¹⁰ He makes springs pour water into the ravines;
it flows between the mountains.

¹¹ They give water to all the beasts of the field;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.

¹² The birds of the air nest by the waters;
they sing among the branches.

¹³ He waters the mountains from his upper chambers;
the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work.

¹⁴ He makes grass grow for the cattle,
and plants for man to cultivate—
bringing forth food from the earth:

¹⁵ wine that gladdens the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine,
and bread that sustains his heart.

¹⁶ The trees of the LORD are well watered,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.

¹⁷ There the birds make their nests;
the stork has its home in the pine trees.

¹⁸ The high mountains belong to the wild goats;
the crags are a refuge for the coneys. ^c]">[c]

¹⁹ The moon marks off the seasons,
and the sun knows when to go down.

²⁰ You bring darkness, it becomes night,
and all the beasts of the forest prowl.

²¹ The lions roar for their prey
and seek their food from God.

²² The sun rises, and they steal away;
they return and lie down in their dens.

²³ Then man goes out to his work,
to his labor until evening.

²⁴ How many are your works, O LORD!
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.

²⁵ There is the sea, vast and spacious,
teeming with creatures beyond number—
living things both large and small.

²⁶ There the ships go to and fro,
and the leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.

²⁷ These all look to you
to give them their food at the proper time.

²⁸ When you give it to them,
they gather it up;
when you open your hand,
they are satisfied with good things.

²⁹ When you hide your face,
they are terrified;
when you take away their breath,
they die and return to the dust.

³⁰ When you send your Spirit,
they are created,
and you renew the face of the earth.

³¹ May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD rejoice in his works-

³² he who looks at the earth, and it trembles,
who touches the mountains, and they smoke.

³³ I will sing to the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

³⁴ May my meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the LORD.

³⁵ But may sinners vanish from the earth
and the wicked be no more.
Praise the LORD, O my soul.
Praise the LORD. ^d]">[d]

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 102:23 Or By his power
2. Psalm 104:4 Or angels
3. Psalm 104:18 That is, the hyrax or rock badger
4. Psalm 104:35 Hebrew Hallelu Yah ; in the Septuagint this line stands at the beginning of Psalm 105.

Day 119 - 1 Chronicles 7-10

1 Chronicles 7

Issachar

¹ The sons of Issachar:
Tola, Puah, Jashub and Shimron—four in all.

² The sons of Tola:
Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam and Samuel—heads of their families. During the reign of David, the descendants of Tola listed as fighting men in their genealogy numbered 22,600.

³ The son of Uzzi:
Izrahiah.
The sons of Izrahiah:
Michael, Obadiah, Joel and Isshiah. All five of them were chiefs. ⁴ According to their family genealogy, they had 36,000 men ready for battle, for they had many wives and children.

⁵ The relatives who were fighting men belonging to all the clans of Issachar, as listed in their genealogy, were 87,000 in all.

Benjamin

⁶ Three sons of Benjamin:
Bela, Beker and Jediael.

⁷ The sons of Bela:
Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth and Iri, heads of families—five in all. Their genealogical record listed 22,034 fighting men.

⁸ The sons of Beker:
Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth and Alemeth. All these were the sons of Beker. ⁹ Their genealogical record listed the heads of families and 20,200 fighting men.

¹⁰ The son of Jediael:
Bilhan.
The sons of Bilhan:
Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Kenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish and Ahishahar. ¹¹ All these sons of Jediael were heads of families. There were 17,200 fighting men ready to go out to war.

¹² The Shuppites and Huppites were the descendants of Ir, and the Hushites the descendants of Aher.

Naphtali

¹³ The sons of Naphtali:
Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem ^a]">[a] —the descendants of Bilhah.

Manasseh

¹⁴ The descendants of Manasseh:
Asriel was his descendant through his Aramean concubine. She gave birth to Makir the father of Gilead. ¹⁵ Makir took a wife from among the Huppites and Shuppites. His sister's name was Maacah.
Another descendant was named Zelophehad, who had only daughters.

¹⁶ Makir's wife Maacah gave birth to a son and named him Peresh. His brother was named Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rakem.

¹⁷ The son of Ulam:
Bedan.
These were the sons of Gilead son of Makir, the son of Manasseh. ¹⁸ His sister Hammoleketh gave birth to Ishhod, Abiezer and Mahlah.

¹⁹ The sons of Shemida were:
Ahian, Shechem, Likhi and Aniam.

Ephraim

²⁰ The descendants of Ephraim:
Shuthelah, Bered his son,
Tahath his son, Eleadah his son,
Tahath his son, ²¹ Zabad his son
and Shuthelah his son.
Ezer and Elead were killed by the native-born men of Gath, when they went down to seize their livestock. ²² Their father Ephraim mourned for them many days, and his relatives came to comfort him. ²³ Then he lay with his wife again, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. He named him Beriah, ^b]">[b] because there had been misfortune in his family. ²⁴ His daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth Horon as well as Uzzen Sheerah.

²⁵ Rephah was his son, Resheph his son, ^c]">[c]
Telah his son, Tahan his son,

²⁶ Ladan his son, Ammihud his son,
Elishama his son, ²⁷ Nun his son
and Joshua his son.

²⁸ Their lands and settlements included Bethel and its surrounding villages, Naaran to the east, Gezer and its villages to the west, and Shechem and its villages all the way to Ayyah and its villages. ²⁹ Along the borders of Manasseh were Beth Shan, Taanach, Megiddo and Dor, together with their villages. The descendants of Joseph son of Israel lived in these towns.

Asher

³⁰ The sons of Asher:
Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah. Their sister was Serah.

³¹ The sons of Beriah:
Heber and Malkiel, who was the father of Birzaith.

³² Heber was the father of Japhlet, Shomer and Hotham and of their sister Shua.

³³ The sons of Japhlet:
Pasach, Bimhal and Ashvath.
These were Japhlet's sons.

³⁴ The sons of Shomer:
Ahi, Rohgah, ^d]">[d] Hubbah and Aram.

³⁵ The sons of his brother Helem:
Zophah, Imna, Shelesh and Amal.

³⁶ The sons of Zophah:
Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah, ³⁷ Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran ^e]">[e] and Beera.

³⁸ The sons of Jether:
Jephunneh, Pispah and Ara.

³⁹ The sons of Ulla:
Arah, Hanniel and Rizia.

⁴⁰ All these were descendants of Asher—heads of families, choice men, brave warriors and outstanding leaders. The number of men ready for battle, as listed in their genealogy, was 26,000.

1 Chronicles 8

The Genealogy of Saul the Benjamite

¹ Benjamin was the father of Bela his firstborn,
Ashbel the second son, Aharah the third,

² Nohah the fourth and Rapha the fifth.

³ The sons of Bela were:
Addar, Gera, Abihud, ^f]">[f] ⁴ Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, ⁵ Gera, Shephuphan and Huram.

⁶ These were the descendants of Ehud, who were heads of families of those living in Geba and were deported to Manahath:

⁷ Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera, who deported them and who was the father of Uzza and Ahihud.

⁸ Sons were born to Shaharaim in Moab after he had divorced his wives Hushim and Baara. ⁹ By his wife Hodesh he had Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, ¹⁰ Jeuz, Sakia and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of families. ¹¹ By Hushim he had Abitub and Elpaal.

¹² The sons of Elpaal:
Eber, Misham, Shemed (who built Ono and Lod with its surrounding villages), ¹³ and Beriah and Shema, who were heads of families of those living in Aijalon and who drove out the inhabitants of Gath.

¹⁴ Ahio, Shashak, Jeremoth, ¹⁵ Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, ¹⁶ Michael, Ishpah and Joha were the sons of Beriah.

¹⁷ Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, ¹⁸ Ishmerai, Izliah and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal.

¹⁹ Jakim, Zicri, Zabdi, ²⁰ Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, ²¹ Adaiah, Beraiah and Shimrath were the sons of Shimei.

²² Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, ²³ Abdon, Zicri, Hanan, ²⁴ Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, ²⁵ Iphdeiah and Penuel were the sons of Shashak.

²⁶ Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, ²⁷ Jaareshiah, Elijah and Zicri were the sons of Jeroham.

²⁸ All these were heads of families, chiefs as listed in their genealogy, and they lived in Jerusalem.

²⁹ Jeiel ^g]">[g] the father ^h]">[h] of Gibeon lived in Gibeon.
His wife's name was Maacah, ³⁰ and his firstborn son was Abdon, followed by Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, ^i]">[i] Nadab, ³¹ Gedor, Ahio, Zeker ³² and Mikloth, who was the father of Shimeah. They too lived near their relatives in Jerusalem.

³³ Ner was the father of Kish, Kish the father of Saul, and Saul the father of Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab and Esh-Baal. ^j]">[j]

³⁴ The son of Jonathan:
Merib-Baal, ^k]">[k] who was the father of Micah.

³⁵ The sons of Micah:
Pithon, Melech, Tarea and Ahaz.

³⁶ Ahaz was the father of Jehoaddah, Jehoaddah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth and Zimri, and Zimri was the father of Moza. ³⁷ Moza was the father of Binea; Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son and Azel his son.

³⁸ Azel had six sons, and these were their names:
Azrikam, Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.

³⁹ The sons of his brother Eshek:
Ulam his firstborn, Jeush the second son and Eliphelet the third. ⁴⁰ The sons of Ulam were brave warriors who could handle the bow. They had many sons and grandsons—150 in all.
All these were the descendants of Benjamin.

1 Chronicles 9

¹ All Israel was listed in the genealogies recorded in the book of the kings of Israel.

The People in Jerusalem

The people of Judah were taken captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. ² Now the first to resettle on their own property in their own towns were some Israelites, priests, Levites and temple servants.

³ Those from Judah, from Benjamin, and from Ephraim and Manasseh who lived in Jerusalem were:

⁴ Uthai son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, a descendant of Perez son of Judah.

⁵ Of the Shilonites:
Asaiah the firstborn and his sons.

⁶ Of the Zerahites:
Jeuel.
The people from Judah numbered 690.

⁷ Of the Benjamites:
Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah;

⁸ Ibneiah son of Jeroham; Elah son of Uzzi, the son of Micri; and Meshullam son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah.

⁹ The people from Benjamin, as listed in their genealogy, numbered 956. All these men were heads of their families.

¹⁰ Of the priests:
Jedaiah; Jehoiarib; Jakin;

¹¹ Azariah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the official in charge of the house of God;

¹² Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah; and Maasai son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer.

¹³ The priests, who were heads of families, numbered 1,760. They were able men, responsible for ministering in the house of God.

¹⁴ Of the Levites:
Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, a Merarite; ¹⁵ Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal and Mattaniah son of Mica, the son of Zicri, the son of Asaph; ¹⁶ Obadiah son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; and Berekiah son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.

¹⁷ The gatekeepers:
Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman and their brothers, Shallum their chief ¹⁸ being stationed at the King's Gate on the east, up to the present time. These were the gatekeepers belonging to the camp of the Levites. ¹⁹ Shallum son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his fellow gatekeepers from his family (the Korahites) were responsible for guarding the thresholds of the Tent ^l]">[l] just as their fathers had been responsible for guarding the entrance to the dwelling of the LORD. ²⁰ In earlier times Phinehas son of Eleazar was in charge of the gatekeepers, and the LORD was with him. ²¹ Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was the gatekeeper at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

²² Altogether, those chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds numbered 212. They were registered by genealogy in their villages. The gatekeepers had been assigned to their positions of trust by David and Samuel the seer. ²³ They and their descendants were in charge of guarding the gates of the house of the LORD -the house called the Tent. ²⁴ The gatekeepers were on the four sides: east, west, north and south. ²⁵ Their brothers in their villages had to come from time to time and share their duties for seven-day periods. ²⁶ But the four principal gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the responsibility for the rooms and treasuries in the house of God. ²⁷ They would spend the night stationed around the house of God, because they had to guard it; and they had charge of the key for opening it each morning.

²⁸ Some of them were in charge of the articles used in the temple service; they counted them when they were brought in and when they were taken out. ²⁹ Others were assigned to take care of the furnishings and all the other articles of the sanctuary, as well as the flour and wine, and the oil, incense and spices. ³⁰ But some of the priests took care of mixing the spices. ³¹ A Levite named Mattithiah, the firstborn son of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with the responsibility for baking the offering bread. ³² Some of their Kohathite brothers were in charge of preparing for every Sabbath the bread set out on the table.

³³ Those who were musicians, heads of Levite families, stayed in the rooms of the temple and were exempt from other duties because they were responsible for the work day and night.

³⁴ All these were heads of Levite families, chiefs as listed in their genealogy, and they lived in Jerusalem.

The Genealogy of Saul

³⁵ Jeiel the father ^m]">[m] of Gibeon lived in Gibeon.
His wife's name was Maacah, ³⁶ and his firstborn son was Abdon, followed by Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, ³⁷ Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah and Mikloth. ³⁸ Mikloth was the father of Shimeam. They too lived near their relatives in Jerusalem.

³⁹ Ner was the father of Kish, Kish the father of Saul, and Saul the father of Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab and Esh-Baal. ^n]">[n]

⁴⁰ The son of Jonathan:
Merib-Baal, ^o]">[o] who was the father of Micah.

⁴¹ The sons of Micah:
Pithon, Melech, Tahrea and Ahaz. ^p]">[p]

⁴² Ahaz was the father of Jadah, Jadah ^q]">[q] was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth and Zimri, and Zimri was the father of Moza. ⁴³ Moza was the father of Binea; Rephaiah was his son, Eleasah his son and Azel his son.

⁴⁴ Azel had six sons, and these were their names:
Azrikam, Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.

1 Chronicles 10

Saul Takes His Life

¹ Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa. ² The Philistines pressed hard after Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. ³ The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him.

⁴ Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and abuse me."
But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it. ⁵ When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died. ⁶ So Saul and his three sons died, and all his house died together.

⁷ When all the Israelites in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. And the Philistines came and occupied them.

⁸ The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. ⁹ They stripped him and took his head and his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news among their idols and their people. ¹⁰ They put his armor in the temple of their gods and hung up his head in the temple of Dagon.

¹¹ When all the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard of everything the Philistines had done to Saul, ¹² all their valiant men went and took the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh. Then they buried their bones under the great tree in Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.

¹³ Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance, ¹⁴ and did not inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

Footnotes:

1. 1 Chronicles 7:13 Some Hebrew and Septuagint manuscripts (see also Gen. 46:24 and Num. 26:49 most Hebrew manuscripts Shallum
2. 1 Chronicles 7:23 Beriah sounds like the Hebrew for misfortune .
3. 1 Chronicles 7:25 Some Septuagint manuscripts; Hebrew does not have his son .
4. 1 Chronicles 7:34 Or of his brother Shomer: Rohgah
5. 1 Chronicles 7:37 Possibly a variant of Jether
6. 1 Chronicles 8:3 Or Gera the father of Ehud
7. 1 Chronicles 8:29 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 9:35 Hebrew does not have Jeiel .
8. 1 Chronicles 8:29 Father may mean civic leader or military leader .
9. 1 Chronicles 8:30 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 9:36 Hebrew does not have Ner .
10. 1 Chronicles 8:33 Also known as Ish-Bosheth
11. 1 Chronicles 8:34 Also known as Mephibosheth
12. 1 Chronicles 9:19 That is, the temple; also in verses 21 and 23
13. 1 Chronicles 9:35 Father may mean civic leader or military leader .
14. 1 Chronicles 9:39 Also known as Ish-Bosheth
15. 1 Chronicles 9:40 Also known as Mephibosheth
16. 1 Chronicles 9:41 Vulgate and Syriac (see also Septuagint and 1 Chron. 8:35 Hebrew does not have and Ahaz .
17. 1 Chronicles 9:42 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 1 Chron. 8:36 most Hebrew manuscripts Jarah, Jarah

Day 118 - Psalm 81; Psalm 88; Psalm 92-93

Psalm 81

For the director of music. According to gittith. Of Asaph. ^a]">[a]

¹ Sing for joy to God our strength;
shout aloud to the God of Jacob!

² Begin the music, strike the tambourine,
play the melodious harp and lyre.

³ Sound the ram's horn at the New Moon,
and when the moon is full, on the day of our Feast;

⁴ this is a decree for Israel,
an ordinance of the God of Jacob.

⁵ He established it as a statute for Joseph
when he went out against Egypt,
where we heard a language we did not understand. ^b]">[b]

⁶ He says, "I removed the burden from their shoulders;
their hands were set free from the basket.

⁷ In your distress you called and I rescued you,
I answered you out of a thundercloud;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.
Selah

⁸ "Hear, O my people, and I will warn you—
if you would but listen to me, O Israel!

⁹ You shall have no foreign god among you;
you shall not bow down to an alien god.

¹⁰ I am the LORD your God,
who brought you up out of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.

¹¹ "But my people would not listen to me;
Israel would not submit to me.

¹² So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own devices.

¹³ "If my people would but listen to me,
if Israel would follow my ways,

¹⁴ how quickly would I subdue their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes!

¹⁵ Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him,
and their punishment would last forever.

¹⁶ But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;
with honey from the rock I would satisfy you."

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 81:1 Title: Probably a musical term
2. Psalm 81:5 Or / and we heard a voice we had not known

Psalm 88

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth. A maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.

¹^a]">[a] ^b]">[b]
O LORD, the God who saves me,
day and night I cry out before you.

² May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry.

³ For my soul is full of trouble
and my life draws near the grave. ^c]">[c]

⁴ I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
I am like a man without strength.

⁵ I am set apart with the dead,
like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
who are cut off from your care.

⁶ You have put me in the lowest pit,
in the darkest depths.

⁷ Your wrath lies heavily upon me;
you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
Selah

⁸ You have taken from me my closest friends
and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined and cannot escape;

⁹ my eyes are dim with grief.
I call to you, O LORD, every day;
I spread out my hands to you.

¹⁰ Do you show your wonders to the dead?
Do those who are dead rise up and praise you?
Selah

¹¹ Is your love declared in the grave,
your faithfulness in Destruction ^d]">[d] ?

¹² Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?

¹³ But I cry to you for help, O LORD;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.

¹⁴ Why, O LORD, do you reject me
and hide your face from me?

¹⁵ From my youth I have been afflicted and close to death;
I have suffered your terrors and am in despair.

¹⁶ Your wrath has swept over me;
your terrors have destroyed me.

¹⁷ All day long they surround me like a flood;
they have completely engulfed me.

¹⁸ You have taken my companions and loved ones from me;
the darkness is my closest friend.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 88:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
2. Psalm 88:1 Title: Possibly a tune, "The Suffering of Affliction"
3. Psalm 88:3 Hebrew Sheol
4. Psalm 88:11 Hebrew Abaddon

Psalm 92

A psalm. A song. For the Sabbath day.

¹ It is good to praise the LORD
and make music to your name, O Most High,

² to proclaim your love in the morning
and your faithfulness at night,

³ to the music of the ten-stringed lyre
and the melody of the harp.

⁴ For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD;
I sing for joy at the works of your hands.

⁵ How great are your works, O LORD,
how profound your thoughts!

⁶ The senseless man does not know,
fools do not understand,

⁷ that though the wicked spring up like grass
and all evildoers flourish,
they will be forever destroyed.

⁸ But you, O LORD, are exalted forever.

⁹ For surely your enemies, O LORD,
surely your enemies will perish;
all evildoers will be scattered.

¹⁰ You have exalted my horn ^a]">[a] like that of a wild ox;
fine oils have been poured upon me.

¹¹ My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries;
my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes.

¹² The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;

¹³ planted in the house of the LORD,
they will flourish in the courts of our God.

¹⁴ They will still bear fruit in old age,
they will stay fresh and green,

¹⁵ proclaiming, "The LORD is upright;
he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him."

Psalm 93

¹ The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty;
the LORD is robed in majesty
and is armed with strength.
The world is firmly established;
it cannot be moved.

² Your throne was established long ago;
you are from all eternity.

³ The seas have lifted up, O LORD,
the seas have lifted up their voice;
the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.

⁴ Mightier than the thunder of the great waters,
mightier than the breakers of the sea—
the LORD on high is mighty.

⁵ Your statutes stand firm;
holiness adorns your house
for endless days, O LORD.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 92:10 Horn here symbolizes strength.

Day 117 - 1 Chronicles 6

1 Chronicles 6

Levi

¹ The sons of Levi:
Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

² The sons of Kohath:
Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.

³ The children of Amram:
Aaron, Moses and Miriam.
The sons of Aaron:
Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

⁴ Eleazar was the father of Phinehas,
Phinehas the father of Abishua,

⁵ Abishua the father of Bukki,
Bukki the father of Uzzi,

⁶ Uzzi the father of Zerahiah,
Zerahiah the father of Meraioth,

⁷ Meraioth the father of Amariah,
Amariah the father of Ahitub,

⁸ Ahitub the father of Zadok,
Zadok the father of Ahimaaz,

⁹ Ahimaaz the father of Azariah,
Azariah the father of Johanan,

¹⁰ Johanan the father of Azariah (it was he who served as priest in the temple Solomon built in Jerusalem),

¹¹ Azariah the father of Amariah,
Amariah the father of Ahitub,

¹² Ahitub the father of Zadok,
Zadok the father of Shallum,

¹³ Shallum the father of Hilkiah,
Hilkiah the father of Azariah,

¹⁴ Azariah the father of Seraiah,
and Seraiah the father of Jehozadak.

¹⁵ Jehozadak was deported when the LORD sent Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

¹⁶ The sons of Levi:
Gershon, ^a]">[a] Kohath and Merari.

¹⁷ These are the names of the sons of Gershon:
Libni and Shimei.

¹⁸ The sons of Kohath:
Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.

¹⁹ The sons of Merari:
Mahli and Mushi.
These are the clans of the Levites listed according to their fathers:

²⁰ Of Gershon:
Libni his son, Jehath his son,
Zimmah his son, ²¹ Joah his son,
Iddo his son, Zerah his son
and Jeatherai his son.

²² The descendants of Kohath:
Amminadab his son, Korah his son,
Assir his son, ²³ Elkanah his son,
Ebiasaph his son, Assir his son,

²⁴ Tahath his son, Uriel his son,
Uzziah his son and Shaul his son.

²⁵ The descendants of Elkanah:
Amasai, Ahimoth,

²⁶ Elkanah his son, ^b]">[b] Zophai his son,
Nahath his son, ²⁷ Eliab his son,
Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son
and Samuel his son. ^c]">[c]

²⁸ The sons of Samuel:
Joel ^d]">[d] the firstborn
and Abijah the second son.

²⁹ The descendants of Merari:
Mahli, Libni his son,
Shimei his son, Uzzah his son,

³⁰ Shimea his son, Haggiah his son
and Asaiah his son. The Temple Musicians

³¹ These are the men David put in charge of the music in the house of the LORD after the ark came to rest there. ³² They ministered with music before the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, until Solomon built the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem. They performed their duties according to the regulations laid down for them.

³³ Here are the men who served, together with their sons:
From the Kohathites:
Heman, the musician,
the son of Joel, the son of Samuel,

³⁴ the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham,
the son of Eliel, the son of Toah,

³⁵ the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah,
the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai,

³⁶ the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel,
the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah,

³⁷ the son of Tahath, the son of Assir,
the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah,

³⁸ the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath,
the son of Levi, the son of Israel;

³⁹ and Heman's associate Asaph, who served at his right hand:
Asaph son of Berekiah, the son of Shimea,

⁴⁰ the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, ^e]">[e]
the son of Malkijah, ⁴¹ the son of Ethni,
the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah,

⁴² the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah,
the son of Shimei, ⁴³ the son of Jahath,
the son of Gershon, the son of Levi;

⁴⁴ and from their associates, the Merarites, at his left hand:
Ethan son of Kishi, the son of Abdi,
the son of Malluch, ⁴⁵ the son of Hashabiah,
the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah,

⁴⁶ the son of Amzi, the son of Bani,
the son of Shemer, ⁴⁷ the son of Mahli,
the son of Mushi, the son of Merari,
the son of Levi.

⁴⁸ Their fellow Levites were assigned to all the other duties of the tabernacle, the house of God. ⁴⁹ But Aaron and his descendants were the ones who presented offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense in connection with all that was done in the Most Holy Place, making atonement for Israel, in accordance with all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.

⁵⁰ These were the descendants of Aaron:
Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son,
Abishua his son, ⁵¹ Bukki his son,
Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son,

⁵² Meraioth his son, Amariah his son,
Ahitub his son, ⁵³ Zadok his son
and Ahimaaz his son.

⁵⁴ These were the locations of their settlements allotted as their territory (they were assigned to the descendants of Aaron who were from the Kohathite clan, because the first lot was for them):

⁵⁵ They were given Hebron in Judah with its surrounding pasturelands. ⁵⁶ But the fields and villages around the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh.

⁵⁷ So the descendants of Aaron were given Hebron (a city of refuge), and Libnah, ^f]">[f] Jattir, Eshtemoa, ⁵⁸ Hilen, Debir, ⁵⁹ Ashan, Juttah ^g]">[g] and Beth Shemesh, together with their pasturelands. ⁶⁰ And from the tribe of Benjamin they were given Gibeon, ^h]">[h] Geba, Alemeth and Anathoth, together with their pasturelands.
These towns, which were distributed among the Kohathite clans, were thirteen in all.

⁶¹ The rest of Kohath's descendants were allotted ten towns from the clans of half the tribe of Manasseh.

⁶² The descendants of Gershon, clan by clan, were allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher and Naphtali, and from the part of the tribe of Manasseh that is in Bashan.

⁶³ The descendants of Merari, clan by clan, were allotted twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.

⁶⁴ So the Israelites gave the Levites these towns and their pasturelands. ⁶⁵ From the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin they allotted the previously named towns.

⁶⁶ Some of the Kohathite clans were given as their territory towns from the tribe of Ephraim.

⁶⁷ In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem (a city of refuge), and Gezer, ^i]">[i] ⁶⁸ Jokmeam, Beth Horon, ⁶⁹ Aijalon and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasturelands.

⁷⁰ And from half the tribe of Manasseh the Israelites gave Aner and Bileam, together with their pasturelands, to the rest of the Kohathite clans.

⁷¹ The Gershonites received the following:
From the clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh
they received Golan in Bashan and also Ashtaroth, together with their pasturelands;

⁷² from the tribe of Issachar
they received Kedesh, Daberath, ⁷³ Ramoth and Anem, together with their pasturelands;

⁷⁴ from the tribe of Asher
they received Mashal, Abdon, ⁷⁵ Hukok and Rehob, together with their pasturelands;

⁷⁶ and from the tribe of Naphtali
they received Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon and Kiriathaim, together with their pasturelands.

⁷⁷ The Merarites (the rest of the Levites) received the following:
From the tribe of Zebulun
they received Jokneam, Kartah, ^j]">[j] Rimmono and Tabor, together with their pasturelands;

⁷⁸ from the tribe of Reuben across the Jordan east of Jericho
they received Bezer in the desert, Jahzah, ⁷⁹ Kedemoth and Mephaath, together with their pasturelands;

⁸⁰ and from the tribe of Gad
they received Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim, ⁸¹ Heshbon and Jazer, together with their pasturelands.

Footnotes:

1. 1 Chronicles 6:16 Hebrew Gershom , a variant of Gershon ; also in verses 17, 20, 43, 62 and 71
2. 1 Chronicles 6:26 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts Ahimoth 26 and Elkanah. The sons of Elkanah:
3. 1 Chronicles 6:27 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Samuel 1:19,20 and 1 Chron. 6:33,34 Hebrew does not have and Samuel his son.
4. 1 Chronicles 6:28 Some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac (see also 1 Samuel 8:2 and 1 Chron. 6:33 Hebrew does not have Joel .
5. 1 Chronicles 6:40 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts, one Septuagint manuscript and Syriac Maaseiah
6. 1 Chronicles 6:57 See Joshua 21:13; Hebrew given the cities of refuge: Hebron, Libnah .
7. 1 Chronicles 6:59 Syriac (see also Septuagint and Joshua 21:16 Hebrew does not have Juttah .
8. 1 Chronicles 6:60 See Joshua 21:17; Hebrew does not have Gibeon .
9. 1 Chronicles 6:67 See Joshua 21:21; Hebrew given the cities of refuge: Shechem, Gezer .
10. 1 Chronicles 6:77 See Septuagint and Joshua 21:34; Hebrew does not have Jokneam, Kartah .

Day 116 - Psalm 73; Psalm 77-78

Psalm 73

BOOK III : Psalms 73-89

A psalm of Asaph.

¹Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.

² But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.

³ For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

⁴ They have no struggles;
their bodies are healthy and strong. ^a]">[a]

⁵ They are free from the burdens common to man;
they are not plagued by human ills.

⁶ Therefore pride is their necklace;
they clothe themselves with violence.

⁷ From their callous hearts comes iniquity ^b]">[b] ;
the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.

⁸ They scoff, and speak with malice;
in their arrogance they threaten oppression.

⁹ Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
and their tongues take possession of the earth.

¹⁰ Therefore their people turn to them
and drink up waters in abundance. ^c]">[c]

¹¹ They say, "How can God know?
Does the Most High have knowledge?"

¹² This is what the wicked are like—
always carefree, they increase in wealth.

¹³ Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure;
in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.

¹⁴ All day long I have been plagued;
I have been punished every morning.

¹⁵ If I had said, "I will speak thus,"
I would have betrayed your children.

¹⁶ When I tried to understand all this,
it was oppressive to me

¹⁷ till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their final destiny.

¹⁸ Surely you place them on slippery ground;
you cast them down to ruin.

¹⁹ How suddenly are they destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors!

²⁰ As a dream when one awakes,
so when you arise, O Lord,
you will despise them as fantasies.

²¹ When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,

²² I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.

²³ Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.

²⁴ You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.

²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

²⁷ Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

²⁸ But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 73:4 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text struggles at their death; / their bodies are healthy
2. Psalm 73:7 Syriac (see also Septuagint Hebrew Their eyes bulge with fat
3. Psalm 73:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.

Psalm 77

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm.

¹ I cried out to God for help;
I cried out to God to hear me.

² When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;
at night I stretched out untiring hands
and my soul refused to be comforted.

³ I remembered you, O God, and I groaned;
I mused, and my spirit grew faint.
Selah

⁴ You kept my eyes from closing;
I was too troubled to speak.

⁵ I thought about the former days,
the years of long ago;

⁶ I remembered my songs in the night.
My heart mused and my spirit inquired:

⁷ "Will the Lord reject forever?
Will he never show his favor again?

⁸ Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?

⁹ Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion?"
Selah

¹⁰ Then I thought, "To this I will appeal:
the years of the right hand of the Most High."

¹¹ I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.

¹² I will meditate on all your works
and consider all your mighty deeds.

¹³ Your ways, O God, are holy.
What god is so great as our God?

¹⁴ You are the God who performs miracles;
you display your power among the peoples.

¹⁵ With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.
Selah

¹⁶ The waters saw you, O God,
the waters saw you and writhed;
the very depths were convulsed.

¹⁷ The clouds poured down water,
the skies resounded with thunder;
your arrows flashed back and forth.

¹⁸ Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind,
your lightning lit up the world;
the earth trembled and quaked.

¹⁹ Your path led through the sea,
your way through the mighty waters,
though your footprints were not seen.

²⁰ You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Psalm 78

A maskil of Asaph. ^a]">[a]

¹ O my people, hear my teaching;
listen to the words of my mouth.

² I will open my mouth in parables,
I will utter hidden things, things from of old-

³ what we have heard and known,
what our fathers have told us.

⁴ We will not hide them from their children;
we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD,
his power, and the wonders he has done.

⁵ He decreed statutes for Jacob
and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our forefathers
to teach their children,

⁶ so the next generation would know them,
even the children yet to be born,
and they in turn would tell their children.

⁷ Then they would put their trust in God
and would not forget his deeds
but would keep his commands.

⁸ They would not be like their forefathers—
a stubborn and rebellious generation,
whose hearts were not loyal to God,
whose spirits were not faithful to him.

⁹ The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows,
turned back on the day of battle;

¹⁰ they did not keep God's covenant
and refused to live by his law.

¹¹ They forgot what he had done,
the wonders he had shown them.

¹² He did miracles in the sight of their fathers
in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan.

¹³ He divided the sea and led them through;
he made the water stand firm like a wall.

¹⁴ He guided them with the cloud by day
and with light from the fire all night.

¹⁵ He split the rocks in the desert
and gave them water as abundant as the seas;

¹⁶ he brought streams out of a rocky crag
and made water flow down like rivers.

¹⁷ But they continued to sin against him,
rebelling in the desert against the Most High.

¹⁸ They willfully put God to the test
by demanding the food they craved.

¹⁹ They spoke against God, saying,
"Can God spread a table in the desert?

²⁰ When he struck the rock, water gushed out,
and streams flowed abundantly.
But can he also give us food?
Can he supply meat for his people?"

²¹ When the LORD heard them, he was very angry;
his fire broke out against Jacob,
and his wrath rose against Israel,

²² for they did not believe in God
or trust in his deliverance.

²³ Yet he gave a command to the skies above
and opened the doors of the heavens;

²⁴ he rained down manna for the people to eat,
he gave them the grain of heaven.

²⁵ Men ate the bread of angels;
he sent them all the food they could eat.

²⁶ He let loose the east wind from the heavens
and led forth the south wind by his power.

²⁷ He rained meat down on them like dust,
flying birds like sand on the seashore.

²⁸ He made them come down inside their camp,
all around their tents.

²⁹ They ate till they had more than enough,
for he had given them what they craved.

³⁰ But before they turned from the food they craved,
even while it was still in their mouths,

³¹ God's anger rose against them;
he put to death the sturdiest among them,
cutting down the young men of Israel.

³² In spite of all this, they kept on sinning;
in spite of his wonders, they did not believe.

³³ So he ended their days in futility
and their years in terror.

³⁴ Whenever God slew them, they would seek him;
they eagerly turned to him again.

³⁵ They remembered that God was their Rock,
that God Most High was their Redeemer.

³⁶ But then they would flatter him with their mouths,
lying to him with their tongues;

³⁷ their hearts were not loyal to him,
they were not faithful to his covenant.

³⁸ Yet he was merciful;
he forgave their iniquities
and did not destroy them.
Time after time he restrained his anger
and did not stir up his full wrath.

³⁹ He remembered that they were but flesh,
a passing breeze that does not return.

⁴⁰ How often they rebelled against him in the desert
and grieved him in the wasteland!

⁴¹ Again and again they put God to the test;
they vexed the Holy One of Israel.

⁴² They did not remember his power—
the day he redeemed them from the oppressor,

⁴³ the day he displayed his miraculous signs in Egypt,
his wonders in the region of Zoan.

⁴⁴ He turned their rivers to blood;
they could not drink from their streams.

⁴⁵ He sent swarms of flies that devoured them,
and frogs that devastated them.

⁴⁶ He gave their crops to the grasshopper,
their produce to the locust.

⁴⁷ He destroyed their vines with hail
and their sycamore-figs with sleet.

⁴⁸ He gave over their cattle to the hail,
their livestock to bolts of lightning.

⁴⁹ He unleashed against them his hot anger,
his wrath, indignation and hostility—
a band of destroying angels.

⁵⁰ He prepared a path for his anger;
he did not spare them from death
but gave them over to the plague.

⁵¹ He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt,
the firstfruits of manhood in the tents of Ham.

⁵² But he brought his people out like a flock;
he led them like sheep through the desert.

⁵³ He guided them safely, so they were unafraid;
but the sea engulfed their enemies.

⁵⁴ Thus he brought them to the border of his holy land,
to the hill country his right hand had taken.

⁵⁵ He drove out nations before them
and allotted their lands to them as an inheritance;
he settled the tribes of Israel in their homes.

⁵⁶ But they put God to the test
and rebelled against the Most High;
they did not keep his statutes.

⁵⁷ Like their fathers they were disloyal and faithless,
as unreliable as a faulty bow.

⁵⁸ They angered him with their high places;
they aroused his jealousy with their idols.

⁵⁹ When God heard them, he was very angry;
he rejected Israel completely.

⁶⁰ He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh,
the tent he had set up among men.

⁶¹ He sent the ark of his might into captivity,
his splendor into the hands of the enemy.

⁶² He gave his people over to the sword;
he was very angry with his inheritance.

⁶³ Fire consumed their young men,
and their maidens had no wedding songs;

⁶⁴ their priests were put to the sword,
and their widows could not weep.

⁶⁵ Then the Lord awoke as from sleep,
as a man wakes from the stupor of wine.

⁶⁶ He beat back his enemies;
he put them to everlasting shame.

⁶⁷ Then he rejected the tents of Joseph,
he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim;

⁶⁸ but he chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion, which he loved.

⁶⁹ He built his sanctuary like the heights,
like the earth that he established forever.

⁷⁰ He chose David his servant
and took him from the sheep pens;

⁷¹ from tending the sheep he brought him
to be the shepherd of his people Jacob,
of Israel his inheritance.

⁷² And David shepherded them with integrity of heart;
with skillful hands he led them.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 78:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term