Morning
Invitatory Psalm 24
The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,
the world, and those who live in it.
You have founded it on the seas
and established it on the rivers.
Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in your holy place?
Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,
who do not lift up their souls to what is false,
and do not swear deceitfully.
They will receive blessing from the Lord,
and vindication from the God of heir salvation.
Such is the company of those who seek you,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Lift up your heads, O gates!
and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is the King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle.
Who is this King of glory?
the Lord of hosts,
You are the King of glory.
Psalms 147, 148, 149
Daily Lectionary Reading, Ephesians 3:1-12
This is why I, Paul, am a prisoner of Christ for you Gentiles. 2 You’ve heard, of course, about the responsibility to distribute God’s grace, which God gave to me for you, right? 3 God showed me his secret plan (e) in a revelation, as I mentioned briefly before 4 (when you read this, you’ll understand my insight into the secret plan (f) about Christ). 5 Earlier generations didn’t know this hidden plan that God has now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets through the Spirit. 6 This plan is that the Gentiles would be coheirs and parts of the same body, and that they would share with the Jews in the promises of God in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 7 I became a servant of the gospel because of the grace that God showed me through the exercise of his power. 8 God gave his grace to me, the least of all God’s people, to preach the good news about the immeasurable riches of Christ to the Gentiles. 9 God sent me to reveal the secret plan (g) that had been hidden since the beginning of time by God, who created everything. 10 God’s purpose is now to show the rulers and powers in the heavens the many different varieties of his wisdom through the church. 11 This was consistent with the plan he had from the beginning of time that he accomplished through Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In Christ we have bold and confident access to God through faith in him. (h)13 So then, I ask you not to become discouraged by what I’m suffering for you, which is your glory. ___________________________________________ e Or mystery f Or mystery g Or mystery h Or through his faithfulness [Common English Bible]
Prayer for Today: O God, help us to understand that you include many people that I would not have thought to include. Amen.
Evening
Psalms 144
Bless the LORD , my rock,
who taught my hands how to fight,
who taught my fingers how to do battle!
2 God is my loyal one, my fortress,
my place of safety, my rescuer,
my shield, in whom I take refuge,
and the one who subdues
people before me.
3 What are human beings, LORD ,
that you know them at all?
What are human beings
that you even consider them?
4 Humans are like a puff of air;
their days go by like a shadow.
5 LORD , part your skies and come down!
Touch the mountains so they smoke!
6 Flash lightning and scatter the enemy!
Shoot your arrows and defeat them!
7 Stretch out your hand from above!
Rescue me and deliver me
from deep water,
from the power of strangers,
8 whose mouths speak lies,
and whose strong hand is
a strong hand of deception!
9 I will sing a new song to you, God.
I will sing praises to you
on a ten-stringed harp,
10 to you—the one
who gives saving help to rulers,
and who rescues his servant David from the evil sword.
11 Rescue me and deliver me
from the power of strangers,
whose mouths speak lies,
and whose strong hand
is a strong hand of deception,
12 so thatv our sons can grow up fully,
in their youth, like plants;
so that our daughters can be like pillars carved to decorate a palace;
13 so that our barns can be full,
providing all kinds of food;
so that our flocks can be
in the thousands—
even tens of thousands—in our fields;
14 so that our cattle can be loaded
with calves;
so that there won’t be any breach
in the walls,
no exile, no outcries in our streets!
15 The people who have it like this
are truly happy!
The people whose God is the LORD
are truly happy!
[Common English Bible]
Psalm 145
I will lift you up high, my God, the true king.
I will bless your name forever and always.
I will bless you every day.
I will praise your name forever and always.
The LORD is great and so worthy of praise!
God’s greatness can’t be grasped.
One generation will praise your works to the next one,
proclaiming your mighty acts.
They will talk all about the glorious splendor of your majesty;
I will contemplate your wondrous works.
They will speak of the power of your awesome deeds;
I will declare your great accomplishments.
They will rave in celebration of your abundant goodness;
they will shout joyfully about your righteousness:
“The LORD is merciful and compassionate,
very patient, and full of faithful love.
The LORD is good to everyone and everything;
God’s compassion extends to all his handiwork!”
All that you have made gives thanks to you, LORD;
all your faithful ones bless you!
They speak of the glory of your kingdom;
they talk all about your power,
to inform all human beings about God’s power
and the majestic glory of God’s kingdom.
Your kingdom is a kingship that lasts forever;
your rule endures for all generations.
The LORD is trustworthy in all that he says,
faithful in all that he does.
The LORD supports all who fall down,
straightens up all who are bent low.
All eyes look to you, hoping,
and you give them their food right on time,
opening your hand and satisfying the desire of every living thing.
The LORD is righteous in all his ways, faithful in all his deeds.
The LORD is close to everyone who calls out to him,
to all who call out to him sincerely.
God shows favor to those who honor him,
listening to their cries for help and saving them.
The LORD protects all who love him,
but he destroys every wicked person.
My mouth will proclaim the LORD’s praise,
and every living thing will bless God’s holy name forever and always.
[Common English Bible]
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