Week 52 Bible Reading Plan (December 25th-31st)
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Psalms 127, 130-133
Psalm 127
The Blessing of the Lord
A song of ascents. Of Solomon.
Unless the Lord builds a house,
its builders labor over it in vain;
unless the Lord watches over a city,
the watchman stays alert in vain.
In vain you get up early and stay up late,
working hard to have enough food—
yes, he gives sleep to the one he loves.
Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord,
offspring, a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the sons born in one’s youth.
Happy is the man who has filled his quiver with them.
They will never be put to shame
when they speak with their enemies at the city gate.
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Psalm 130
Awaiting Redemption
A song of ascents.
Out of the depths I call to you, Lord!
Lord, listen to my voice;
let your ears be attentive
to my cry for help.
Lord, if you kept an account of iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness,
so that you may be revered.
I wait for the Lord; I wait
and put my hope in his word.
I wait for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning—
more than watchmen for the morning.
Israel, put your hope in the Lord.
For there is faithful love with the Lord,
and with him is redemption in abundance.
And he will redeem Israel
from all its iniquities.
Psalm 131
A Childlike Spirit
A song of ascents. Of David.
Lord, my heart is not proud;
my eyes are not haughty.
I do not get involved with things
too great or too wondrous for me.
Instead, I have calmed and quieted my soul
like a weaned child with its mother;
my soul is like a weaned child.
Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
both now and forever.
Psalm 132
David and Zion Chosen
A song of ascents.
Lord, remember David
and all the hardships he endured,
and how he swore an oath to the Lord,
making a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
“I will not enter my house
or get into my bed,
I will not allow my eyes to sleep
or my eyelids to slumber
until I find a place for the Lord,
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
We heard of the ark in Ephrathah;
we found it in the fields of Jaar.
Let’s go to his dwelling place;
let’s worship at his footstool.
Rise up, Lord, come to your resting place,
you and your powerful ark.
May your priests be clothed with righteousness,
and may your faithful people shout for joy.
For the sake of your servant David,
do not reject your anointed one.
The Lord swore an oath to David,
a promise he will not abandon:
“I will set one of your offspring
on your throne.
If your sons keep my covenant
and my decrees that I will teach them,
their sons will also sit on your throne forever.”
For the Lord has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his home:
“This is my resting place forever;
I will make my home here
because I have desired it.
I will abundantly bless its food;
I will satisfy its needy with bread.
I will clothe its priests with salvation,
and its faithful people will shout for joy.
There I will make a horn grow for David;
I have prepared a lamp for my anointed one.
I will clothe his enemies with shame,
but the crown he wears will be glorious.”
Psalm 133
Living in Harmony
A song of ascents. Of David.
How delightfully good
when brothers live together in harmony!
It is like fine oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down Aaron’s beard
onto his robes.
It is like the dew of Hermon
falling on the mountains of Zion.
For there the Lord has appointed the blessing—
life forevermore.
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Psalms 135-136
Psalm 135
The Lord Is Great
Hallelujah!
Praise the name of the Lord.
Give praise, you servants of the Lord
who stand in the house of the Lord,
in the courts of the house of our God.
Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
sing praise to his name, for it is delightful.
For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel as his treasured possession.
For I know that the Lord is great;
our Lord is greater than all gods.
The Lord does whatever he pleases
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all the depths.
He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth.
He makes lightning for the rain
and brings the wind from his storehouses.
He struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
both people and animals.
He sent signs and wonders against you, Egypt,
against Pharaoh and all his officials.
He struck down many nations
and slaughtered mighty kings:
Sihon king of the Amorites,
Og king of Bashan,
and all the kings of Canaan.
He gave their land as an inheritance,
an inheritance to his people Israel.
Lord, your name endures forever,
your reputation, Lord,
through all generations.
For the Lord will vindicate his people
and have compassion on his servants.
The idols of the nations are of silver and gold,
made by human hands.
They have mouths but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see.
They have ears but cannot hear;
indeed, there is no breath in their mouths.
Those who make them are just like them,
as are all who trust in them.
House of Israel, bless the Lord!
House of Aaron, bless the Lord!
House of Levi, bless the Lord!
You who revere the Lord, bless the Lord!
Blessed be the Lord from Zion;
he dwells in Jerusalem.
Hallelujah!
Psalm 136
God’s Love Is Eternal
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
His faithful love endures forever.
He alone does great wonders.
His faithful love endures forever.
He made the heavens skillfully.
His faithful love endures forever.
He spread the land on the waters.
His faithful love endures forever.
He made the great lights:
His faithful love endures forever.
the sun to rule by day,
His faithful love endures forever.
the moon and stars to rule by night.
His faithful love endures forever.
He struck the firstborn of the Egyptians
His faithful love endures forever.
and brought Israel out from among them
His faithful love endures forever.
with a strong hand and outstretched arm.
His faithful love endures forever.
He divided the Red Sea
His faithful love endures forever.
and led Israel through,
His faithful love endures forever.
but hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.
His faithful love endures forever.
He led his people in the wilderness.
His faithful love endures forever.
He struck down great kings
His faithful love endures forever.
and slaughtered famous kings—
His faithful love endures forever.
Sihon king of the Amorites
His faithful love endures forever.
and Og king of Bashan—
His faithful love endures forever.
and gave their land as an inheritance,
His faithful love endures forever.
an inheritance to Israel his servant.
His faithful love endures forever.
He remembered us in our humiliation
His faithful love endures forever.
and rescued us from our foes.
His faithful love endures forever.
He gives food to every creature.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven!
His faithful love endures forever.
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Psalms 138-139
Psalm 138
A Thankful Heart
Of David.
I will give you thanks with all my heart;
I will sing your praise before the heavenly beings.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name
for your constant love and truth.
You have exalted your name
and your promise above everything else.
On the day I called, you answered me;
you increased strength within me.
All the kings on earth will give you thanks, Lord,
when they hear what you have promised.
They will sing of the Lord’s ways,
for the Lord’s glory is great.
Though the Lord is exalted,
he takes note of the humble;
but he knows the haughty from a distance.
If I walk into the thick of danger,
you will preserve my life
from the anger of my enemies.
You will extend your hand;
your right hand will save me.
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me.
Lord, your faithful love endures forever;
do not abandon the work of your hands.
Psalm 139
The All-Knowing, Ever-Present God
For the choir director. A psalm of David.
Lord, you have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I stand up;
you understand my thoughts from far away.
You observe my travels and my rest;
you are aware of all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue,
you know all about it, Lord.
You have encircled me;
you have placed your hand on me.
This wondrous knowledge is beyond me.
It is lofty; I am unable to reach it.
Where can I go to escape your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
If I fly on the wings of the dawn
and settle down on the western horizon,
even there your hand will lead me;
your right hand will hold on to me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me,
and the light around me will be night”—
even the darkness is not dark to you.
The night shines like the day;
darkness and light are alike to you.
For it was you who created my inward parts;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I will praise you
because I have been remarkably and wondrously made.
Your works are wondrous,
and I know this very well.
My bones were not hidden from you
when I was made in secret,
when I was formed in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw me when I was formless;
all my days were written in your book and planned
before a single one of them began.
God, how precious your thoughts are to me;
how vast their sum is!
If I counted them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand;
when I wake up, I am still with you.
God, if only you would kill the wicked—
you bloodthirsty men, stay away from me—
who invoke you deceitfully.
Your enemies swear by you falsely.
Lord, don’t I hate those who hate you,
and detest those who rebel against you?
I hate them with extreme hatred;
I consider them my enemies.
Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my concerns.
See if there is any offensive way in me;
lead me in the everlasting way.
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Psalms 142-144
Psalm 142
A Cry of Distress
A Maskil of David. When he was in the cave. A prayer.
I cry aloud to the Lord;
I plead aloud to the Lord for mercy.
I pour out my complaint before him;
I reveal my trouble to him.
Although my spirit is weak within me,
you know my way.
Along this path I travel
they have hidden a trap for me.
Look to the right and see:
no one stands up for me;
there is no refuge for me;
no one cares about me.
I cry to you, Lord;
I say, “You are my shelter,
my portion in the land of the living.”
Listen to my cry,
for I am very weak.
Rescue me from those who pursue me,
for they are too strong for me.
Free me from prison
so that I can praise your name.
The righteous will gather around me
because you deal generously with me.
Psalm 143
A Cry for Help
A psalm of David.
Lord, hear my prayer.
In your faithfulness listen to my plea,
and in your righteousness answer me.
Do not bring your servant into judgment,
for no one alive is righteous in your sight.
For the enemy has pursued me,
crushing me to the ground,
making me live in darkness
like those long dead.
My spirit is weak within me;
my heart is overcome with dismay.
I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all you have done;
I reflect on the work of your hands.
I spread out my hands to you;
I am like parched land before you.Selah
Answer me quickly, Lord;
my spirit fails.
Don’t hide your face from me,
or I will be like those
going down to the Pit.
Let me experience
your faithful love in the morning,
for I trust in you.
Reveal to me the way I should go
because I appeal to you.
Rescue me from my enemies, Lord;
I come to you for protection.
Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God.
May your gracious Spirit
lead me on level ground.
For your name’s sake, Lord,
let me live.
In your righteousness deliver me from trouble,
and in your faithful love destroy my enemies.
Wipe out all those who attack me,
for I am your servant.
Psalm 144
A King’s Prayer
Of David.
Blessed be the Lord, my rock
who trains my hands for battle
and my fingers for warfare.
He is my faithful love and my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer.
He is my shield, and I take refuge in him;
he subdues my people under me.
Lord, what is a human that you care for him,
a son of man that you think of him?
A human is like a breath;
his days are like a passing shadow.
Lord, part your heavens and come down.
Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.
Flash your lightning and scatter the foe;
shoot your arrows and rout them.
Reach down from on high;
rescue me from deep water, and set me free
from the grasp of foreigners
whose mouths speak lies,
whose right hands are deceptive.
God, I will sing a new song to you;
I will play on a ten-stringed harp for you—
the one who gives victory to kings,
who frees his servant David
from the deadly sword.
Set me free and rescue me
from foreigners
whose mouths speak lies,
whose right hands are deceptive.
Then our sons will be like plants
nurtured in their youth,
our daughters, like corner pillars
that are carved in the palace style.
Our storehouses will be full,
supplying all kinds of produce;
our flocks will increase by thousands
and tens of thousands in our open fields.
Our cattle will be well fed.
There will be no breach in the walls,
no going into captivity,
and no cry of lament in our public squares.
Happy are the people with such blessings.
Happy are the people whose God is the Lord.
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Psalms 145-147
Psalm 145
Praising God’s Greatness
A hymn of David.
I exalt you, my God the King,
and bless your name forever and ever.
I will bless you every day;
I will praise your name forever and ever.
The Lord is great and is highly praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.
One generation will declare your works to the next
and will proclaim your mighty acts.
I will speak of your splendor and glorious majesty
and your wondrous works.
They will proclaim the power of your awe-inspiring acts,
and I will declare your greatness.
They will give a testimony of your great goodness
and will joyfully sing of your righteousness.
The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and great in faithful love.
The Lord is good to everyone;
his compassion rests on all he has made.
All you have made will thank you, Lord;
the faithful will bless you.
They will speak of the glory of your kingdom
and will declare your might,
informing all people of your mighty acts
and of the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;
your rule is for all generations.
The Lord is faithful in all his words
and gracious in all his actions.
The Lord helps all who fall;
he raises up all who are oppressed.
All eyes look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
You open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and faithful in all his acts.
The Lord is near all who call out to him,
all who call out to him with integrity.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry for help and saves them.
The Lord guards all those who love him,
but he destroys all the wicked.
My mouth will declare the Lord’s praise;
let every living thing
bless his holy name forever and ever.
Psalm 146
The God of Compassion
Hallelujah!
My soul, praise the Lord.
I will praise the Lord all my life;
I will sing to my God as long as I live.
Do not trust in nobles,
in a son of man, who cannot save.
When his breath leaves him,
he returns to the ground;
on that day his plans die.
Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea and everything in them.
He remains faithful forever,
executing justice for the exploited
and giving food to the hungry.
The Lord frees prisoners.
The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord raises up those who are oppressed.
The Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord protects resident aliens
and helps the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
The Lord reigns forever;
Zion, your God reigns for all generations.
Hallelujah!
Psalm 147
God Restores Jerusalem
Hallelujah!
How good it is to sing to our God,
for praise is pleasant and lovely.
The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem;
he gathers Israel’s exiled people.
He heals the brokenhearted
and bandages their wounds.
He counts the number of the stars;
he gives names to all of them.
Our Lord is great, vast in power;
his understanding is infinite.
The Lord helps the oppressed
but brings the wicked to the ground.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
play the lyre to our God,
who covers the sky with clouds,
prepares rain for the earth,
and causes grass to grow on the hills.
He provides the animals with their food,
and the young ravens what they cry for.
He is not impressed by the strength of a horse;
he does not value the power of a warrior.
The Lord values those who fear him,
those who put their hope in his faithful love.
Exalt the Lord, Jerusalem;
praise your God, Zion!
For he strengthens the bars of your city gates
and blesses your children within you.
He endows your territory with prosperity;
he satisfies you with the finest wheat.
He sends his command throughout the earth;
his word runs swiftly.
He spreads snow like wool;
he scatters frost like ashes;
he throws his hailstones like crumbs.
Who can withstand his cold?
He sends his word and melts them;
he unleashes his winds, and the water flows.
He declares his word to Jacob,
his statutes and judgments to Israel.
He has not done this for every nation;
they do not know his judgments.
Hallelujah!
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Psalms 148-150
Psalm 148
Creation’s Praise of the Lord
Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his heavenly armies.
Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens.
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for he commanded, and they were created.
He set them in position forever and ever;
he gave an order that will never pass away.
Praise the Lord from the earth,
all sea monsters and ocean depths,
lightning and hail, snow and cloud,
stormy wind that executes his command,
mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,
wild animals and all cattle,
creatures that crawl and flying birds,
kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all judges of the earth,
young men as well as young women,
old and young together.
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted.
His majesty covers heaven and earth.
He has raised up a horn for his people,
resulting in praise to all his faithful ones,
to the Israelites, the people close to him.
Hallelujah!
Psalm 149
Praise for God’s Triumph
Hallelujah!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel celebrate its Maker;
let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.
Let them praise his name with dancing
and make music to him with tambourine and lyre.
For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
he adorns the humble with salvation.
Let the faithful celebrate in triumphal glory;
let them shout for joy on their beds.
Let the exaltation of God be in their mouths
and a double-edged sword in their hands,
inflicting vengeance on the nations
and punishment on the peoples,
binding their kings with chains
and their dignitaries with iron shackles,
carrying out the judgment decreed against them.
This honor is for all his faithful people.
Hallelujah!
Psalm 150
Praise the Lord
Hallelujah!
Praise God in his sanctuary.
Praise him in his mighty expanse.
Praise him for his powerful acts;
praise him for his abundant greatness.
Praise him with the blast of a ram’s horn;
praise him with harp and lyre.
Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and flute.
Praise him with resounding cymbals;
praise him with clashing cymbals.
Let everything that breathes praise the Lord.
Hallelujah!
