the Fifth Week after Easter
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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
July 22 - Straight Thru the Bible
niv
Psalms 138:4-140:13
Chapter 138
4 May all the kings of the earth(j) praise you,
Lord
,
when they hear what you have decreed.
5 May they sing(k) of the ways of the
Lord
,
for the glory of the
Lord
(l) is great.
6 Though the
Lord
is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;(m)
though lofty, he sees them(n) from afar.
7 Though I walk(o) in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life.(p)
You stretch out your hand(q) against the anger of my foes;(r)
with your right hand(s) you save me.(t)
8 The
Lord
will vindicate(u) me;
your love,
Lord
, endures forever(v)—
do not abandon(w) the works of your hands.(x)
Chapter 139
Psalm 139
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
1 You have searched me,(a)
Lord
,
and you know(b) me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;(c)
you perceive my thoughts(d) from afar.
3 You discern my going out(e) and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.(f)
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you,
Lord
, know it completely.(g)
5 You hem me in(h) behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,(i)
too lofty(j) for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee(k) from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens,(l) you are there;
if I make my bed(m) in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,(n)
your right hand(o) will hold me fast.
11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"
12 even the darkness will not be dark(p) to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being;(q)
you knit me together(r) in my mother's womb.(s)
14 I praise you(t) because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,(u)
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made(v) in the secret place,
when I was woven together(w) in the depths of the earth.(x)
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained(y) for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts,[a](z) God!(aa)
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,(ab)
they would outnumber the grains of sand(ac)—
when I awake,(ad) I am still with you.
19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked!(ae)
Away from me,(af) you who are bloodthirsty!(ag)
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries(ah) misuse your name.(ai)
21 Do I not hate those(aj) who hate you,
Lord
,
and abhor(ak) those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.(al)
23 Search me,(am) God, and know my heart;(an)
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way(ao) in me,
and lead me(ap) in the way everlasting.
Chapter 140
Psalm 140[a]
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 Rescue me,(a)
Lord
, from evildoers;
protect me from the violent,(b)
2 who devise evil plans(c) in their hearts
and stir up war(d) every day.
3 They make their tongues as sharp as(e) a serpent's;
the poison of vipers(f) is on their lips.[b]
4 Keep me safe,(g)
Lord
, from the hands of the wicked;(h)
protect me from the violent,
who devise ways to trip my feet.
5 The arrogant have hidden a snare(i) for me;
they have spread out the cords of their net(j)
and have set traps(k) for me along my path.
6 I say to the
Lord
, "You are my God."(l)
Hear,
Lord
, my cry for mercy.(m)
7 Sovereign
Lord
,(n) my strong deliverer,
you shield my head in the day of battle.
8 Do not grant the wicked(o) their desires,
Lord
;
do not let their plans succeed.
9 Those who surround me proudly rear their heads;
may the mischief of their lips engulf them.(p)
10 May burning coals fall on them;
may they be thrown into the fire,(q)
into miry pits, never to rise.
11 May slanderers not be established in the land;
may disaster hunt down the violent.(r)
12 I know that the
Lord
secures justice for the poor(s)
and upholds the cause(t) of the needy.(u)
13 Surely the righteous will praise your name,(v)
and the upright will live(w) in your presence.(x)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
