Psalm 27-32 ~ Click here to read today's Scripture on Bible Gateway ~ ~ Listen to today's Scripture with The ESV Bible ~ Psalm 27 verse 13 is so beautiful - "Yet I am confident that I will see the LORD's goodness while I am here in the land of the living." Do you have this same confidence?  What are some examples of how you have seen God's goodness here in the land of the living?  What are some examples of how you are sharing God's goodness with others here in the land of the living? Psalm 28 verse 2 stood out to me today - "Listen to my prayer for mercy as I cry out to you for hel ..read more

Psalm 22-26 ~ Click here to read today's Scripture on Bible Gateway ~ ~ Listen to today's Scripture with The ESV Bible ~ Psalm 22 is an amazing Psalm!  This Psalm is the most quoted Psalm in the New Testament.  Re-read this Psalm again and see if you see parallels to Jesus' crucifixion?  There are a lot in this Psalm.   I'll list a few - Psalm 22:1a was quoted by Jesus on the cross - "My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me?"  As we see in Matthew 27:46 - "About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”–which means, “My God ..read more

Psalm 12-17; Psalm 19-21 ~ Click here to read today's Scripture on Bible Gateway ~ ~ Listen to today's Scripture with The ESV Bible ~ Psalm 12 verses 1 & 2 are intriguing verses for me - "Help, O LORD, for the godly are fast disappearing! The faithful have vanished from the earth! Neighbors lie to each other, speaking with flattering lips and insincere hearts." Are there days when you feel like this?   I think there are some days when I do... but not too many.  I guess I sometimes wonder about the state of my heart - or if I've gotten enough sleep the night before :) - when ..read more

1 Kings 2:1-9; 2 Samuel 23:1-7; 1 Kings 2:10-12; 1 Chronicles 29:26-30; Psalm 4-6; Psalm 8-9; Psalm 11 ~ Click here to read today's Scripture on Bible Gateway ~ ~ Listen to today's Scripture with The ESV Bible ~ Dramatic readings in First Kings today!  David's final instructions to Solomon include some strong words about how Joab & Shimei should die.  And later in today's readings, these words come to fruition.  An image is below for David giving his final instructions to Solomon in today's readings: In 1 Kings 2:10 in today's readings, we read this simple verse that concl ..read more

1 Chronicles 29:1-22; 1 Kings 1:1-53 ~ Click here to read today's Scripture on Bible Gateway ~ ~ Listen to today's Scripture with The ESV Bible ~ I love David's prayer of praise to God today in 1 Chronicles 29 verses 10 through 12: "O LORD, the God of our ancestor Israel, may you be praised forever and ever! Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O LORD, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. Riches and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power ..read more

1 Chronicles 26:1-28:21 ~ Click here to read today's Scripture on Bible Gateway ~ ~ Listen to today's Scripture with The ESV Bible ~ It is interesting to read about the various gatekeepers, treasurers, officials, military commanders and leaders in today's First Chronicle readings!  In some ways it is sad to read about how well organized things were - knowing that the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple and the exile to Babylon is coming up.  All of this organization will be destroyed.  Why?  Because of sin.  Sin destroys.  Sin kills.  So sad.  It is ..read more

1 Chronicles 23:1-25:31 ~ Click here to read today's Scripture on Bible Gateway ~ ~ Listen to today's Scripture with The ESV Bible ~ In First Chronicles chapter 24 today we read about the divisions of the priests and the Levites.  It is important to note that the priests and Levites had differing roles.  The priests actually performed the sacrifices whereas the Levites assisted the priests in their duties - including assisting in the sacrifices, playing music, baking goods, and care of the Tabernacle/Temple (to name a few things the Levites did).  Both priests and Levites were ..read more

2 Samuel 24:1-9; 1 Chronicles 21:1-6; 2 Samuel 24:10-17; 1 Chronicles 21:7-17; 2 Samuel 24:18-25; 1 Chronicles 21:18-22:19 ~ Click here to read today's Scripture on Bible Gateway ~ ~ Listen to today's Scripture with The ESV Bible ~ Second Samuel 24 today finishes up with David taking a census, then judgment upon Israel for this sin, and then closing up the book with David building an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.  A few things to point out here.  First, you'll note verse 1 starts out with:  "Once again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel.."  ..read more

2 Samuel 22:1-51; Psalm 18 ~ Click here to read today's Scripture on Bible Gateway ~ ~ Listen to today's Scripture with The ESV Bible ~ Today in Second Samuel chapter 22 we read David’s Song of Praise to God! This is an incredible chapter and certainly reminds us why David composed so many powerful Psalms as well.  In fact, you will notice that this song of praise from David today is, oh, the same as Psalm 18... :)  It is thought that this Song was composed shortly after David's victory over an enemy, but before his sins against Bathsheba and Uriah.  The Song starts off with Da ..read more

2 Samuel 19:31-20:26; Psalm 7; 2 Samuel 21:1-22; 1 Chronicles 20:4-8 ~ Click here to read today's Scripture on Bible Gateway ~ ~ Listen to today's Scripture with The ESV Bible ~ In Second Samuel chapter 20 today we read about the revolt of Sheba from the tribe of Benjamin.  Zondervan's commentary today points out that an important thing to keep in mind here is that tribal jealousy still was brewing over the transfer of the kingship from Benjamin (Saul's tribe) to Judah (David's tribe).  Sheba appeals to the Israelite suspicion that David favored his own tribe over the other tribes ..read more