Category: Psalms

July 20, read through the Bible in a year.

In between Second Corinthians and Galatians we read two Psalms and two chapters of Job.

July 20: Psalm 58, Psalm 59, Job 15, Job 16 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Psalm 58, of David. A short, but intense prayer that God would punish the wicked and judge righteously.

Psalm 59, of David. A prayer for deliverance from Saul and his men seeking to Kill David. It ends up with David singing God’s praises.

Job 15. Eliphaz  gets back at Job, accusing him of folly.

Job 16. Job replies: You pitiless comforters, you call yourself friends.

 

July 18, read through the Bible in a year.

In between Second Corinthians and Galatians we read two Psalms and three chapters of Job.

July 18: Psalm 56, Psalm 57, Job 9, Job 10, Job 11 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Psalm 56, of David. The Psalm is from the time when the Philistines captured him in Gath  It deals with the period between the visit to the tabernacle at Nob and David’s arrival at Adullam. David was alone, desperate, afraid – and had no one left to to trust but  the LORD.

Psalm 57, of David. Charles Spurgeon noted, “There are four of these ‘Destroy not’ psalms, namely, the 57th, 58th, 59th, and 75th. In all of them there is a distinct declaration of the destruction of the wicked and the preservation of the righteous.” It ends with “Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.“

Job 9, Job: There is no mediator, no one is righteous before God, even though I am righteous.

Job 10, Job: I would Plead with God.

Job 11. It was time for  Zophar the Naamathite to speak. He urges urges Job to repent.

July 17, read through the Bible in a year.

In between Second Corinthians and Galatians we read three Psalms and three chapters of Job.

July 17: Psalm 53, Psalm 54, Psalm 55, Job 6, Job 7,  Job 8 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Psalm 53, of David. A short Psalm telling about fools that say “No God”

Psalm 54, of David. A snort prayer with conviction that God is David’s helper.

Psalm 55, of David. When treacherous friends and a multitude of enemies attack David still trusts God.

Job 6. Time for Job to reply: “My Complaint is Just.” And

Job 7. “My Suffering is without Comfort.”

Job 8. Bildad, the Shuhite replied: “Job Should Repent.”

July 3, read through the Bible in a year.

In between first and second Corinthians we read two Psalms and two chapters of Ezra.

July 3: Psalm 51, Psalm 52, Ezra 3, Ezra 4 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Psalm 51, of David, written after Nathan confronted David after his adultery with Bathsheba. This Psalm explains fully, how God would say, after David was pointed out to be both an adulterer and a murderer: “He was a man after God’s own heart”.

Psalm 52, Of David. The Psalm is a contemplation of David, contrasting the final end of evil men with the rewards of the righteous.

Ezra 3. Worship was restored in Jerusalem and the restoration of the Temple began.

Ezra 4. There arouse resistance to building the Temple and the rebuilding of Jerusalem was successfully opposed (for a while).

 

July 2, read through the Bible in a year.

In between first and second Corinthians we read two Psalms and the first two chapters of Ezra.

July 2: Psalm 49, Psalm 50, Ezra 1, Ezra 2 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Psalm 49, of the Sons of Korah. This psalm is more of a teaching Psalm and gives instruction on how to live and hope of salvation “But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, For He shall receive me”

Psalm 50, of Asaph. God says “for every animal of the forest is mine,
    and the cattle on a thousand hills.” and “Sacrifice thank offerings to God,
    fulfill your vows to the Most High,
     and call on me in the day of trouble;
    I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”

Ezra 1 begins with the end of the Babylonian captivity and Cyrus decree to rebuild the Temple.

Ezra 2 lists the captives who returned to Jerusalem.

 

 

June 30, read through the Bible in a year.

In between first and second Corinthians we read three Psalms and two chapters in second Chronicles.

June 30: Psalm 46, Psalm 47, Psalm 48, 2 Chronicles 33, 2 Chronicles 34 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Psalm 46, of the Sons of Korah. “Let us sing the forty-sixth psalm in concert; and then let the devil do his worst.” (Martin Luther)

Psalm 47, of the Sons of Korah. “Sing praises to God, sing praises“.

Psalm 48, of the Sons of Korah. “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised.”

2 Chronicles 33. Manasseh king of Judah became a sorcerer, repented and was restored but eventually died and was replaced  by Amon , who reigned for two years, did evil, was killed and his son Josiah became king.

2 Chronicles 34. When Josiah was king of Judah Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law. With that Josiah restored the temple and the temple worship and the people followed as long as Josiah lived.

 

 

June 12, read through the Bible in a year.

Today, the last day between Romans and 1 Corinthians we are reading two Psalms and two chapters in 1 Chronicles..

June 12: Psalm 43, Psalm 44, 1 Chronicles 15, 1 Chronicles 16 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Psalm 43. This Psalm can very well be a continuation of Psalm 42. Nevrtheless, it is a Psalm of deep depression and yet continuing praise and hope.

Psalm 44, of the sons of Korah. It is a Psalm recounting the great victories God gave the Israelites when they followed God, and the humiliating defeats they suffered when they did not. Yet the psalmist is confident in God and claims they have not forgotten the Lord and ends with an urgent plea for help.

1 Chronicles 15. The Ark is brought to Jerusalem. When David’s wife Michal, daughter of Saul saw David dancing in the street at the joyous occasion, she despised him.

1 Chronicles 16, The Ark was placed in the Tabernacle, and recorded is David’s song of thanksgiving. After that the regular worship resumed.

 

June 11, read through the Bible in a year.

Today, in between Romans and 1 Corinthians we are reading three Psalms and two chapters in 1 Chronicles..

June 11: Psalm 40, Psalm 41, Psalm 42, 1 Chronicles 13, 1 Chronicles 14 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Psalm 40, of David. It speaks of the servant that comes to do God’s will. David attributes this to himself, but it is spiritually a messianic Psalm.

Psalm 41, of David. A prayer for help in sickness and protection from traitors and other enemies.

Psalm 42, A Maskil of the sons of Korah. A very old Psalm, it mentions Elohim many times, but Jehovah only once. It begins “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.” Enjoy!

1 Chronicles 13.The Ark  is brought from Kirjath Jearim.

1 Chronicles 14, David is firmly established at Jerusalem and with his growing army the Philistines are defeated.

June 9, read through the Bible in a year.

Today, in between Romans and 1 Corinthians we are reading two Psalms and two chapters in 1 Chronicles..

June 9: Psalm 38, Psalm 39, 1 Chronicles 8, 1 Chronicles 9 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Psalm 38, of David, a Petition. This is a Psalm of deep despair and remorse. David acknowledges his sin and cries out to God. Yet, in failing health and abandonment by friends and family his hope in God remains steadfast.

Psalm 39, of David. At the  later part of his life David wrote this Psalm to give words of wisdom, knowing the end for him was near. It is sometimes quoted in part in funerals to give comfort when words are hard to find.

1 Chronicles 8 lists the genealogy of king Saul.

1 Chronicles 9 lists the people, the priests, the Levites and the Levite gatekeepers in Jerusalem that had returned after the captivity in Babylon. It continues with other Levite responsibilities and finally gives another part of the genealogy of king Saul.

 

June 8, read through the Bible in a year.

Today, in between Romans and 1 Corinthians we are reading one Psalm and two chapters in 1 Chronicles..

June 8: Psalm 37, 1 Chronicles 6, 1 Chronicles 7 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Psalm 37, of David. With two lines dedicated to each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, this psalm is one of the longer acrostics in the book of Psalms. David wrote it late in life (“ I have been young, and now am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread.“) It is full of promises and praise, and was intended for memorization.

1 Chronicles 6 lists the family tree of Levi, musicians in the house of the Lord, the family tree of Aaron and, since the Levites had no land allocation it lists their dwelling places.

1 Chronicles 7 lists the family tree of Issachar, the family tree of Benjamin, the family tree of Naphtali, the family tree of Manasseh West of Jordan, the family tree of Ephraim and the family tree of Asher.