Thursday, July 12, 2012

Morning Meditations 7-12-2012




Psalms 23 — ESV
1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.





Psalms 16 — ESV
1 A Miktam of David. Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you."
3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.
4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.
5 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.
6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
7 I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.
8 I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.
10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.
11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.









Proverbs 20 — ESV
1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
2 The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion; whoever provokes him to anger forfeits his life.
3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.
4 The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
5 The purpose in a man's heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?
7 The righteous who walks in his integrity-- blessed are his children after him!
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, "I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin"?
10 Unequal weights and unequal measures are both alike an abomination to the LORD.
11 Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright.
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the LORD has made them both.
13 Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.
14 "Bad, bad," says the buyer, but when he goes away, then he boasts.
15 There is gold and abundance of costly stones, but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.
17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.
18 Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war.
19 Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.
20 If one curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
21 An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end.
22 Do not say, "I will repay evil"; wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.
23 Unequal weights are an abomination to the LORD, and false scales are not good.
24 A man's steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his way?
25 It is a snare to say rashly, "It is holy," and to reflect only after making vows.
26 A wise king winnows the wicked and drives the wheel over them.
27 The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all his innermost parts.
28 Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king, and by steadfast love his throne is upheld.
29 The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.
30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil; strokes make clean the innermost parts.









Isaiah 5 — ESV
1 Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill.
2 He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.
3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard.
4 What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it? When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes?
5 And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.
6 I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and briers and thorns shall grow up; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.
7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry!
8 Woe to those who join house to house, who add field to field, until there is no more room, and you are made to dwell alone in the midst of the land.
9 The LORD of hosts has sworn in my hearing: "Surely many houses shall be desolate, large and beautiful houses, without inhabitant.
10 For ten acres of vineyard shall yield but one bath, and a homer of seed shall yield but an ephah."
11 Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may run after strong drink, who tarry late into the evening as wine inflames them!
12 They have lyre and harp, tambourine and flute and wine at their feasts, but they do not regard the deeds of the LORD, or see the work of his hands.
13 Therefore my people go into exile for lack of knowledge; their honored men go hungry, and their multitude is parched with thirst.
14 Therefore Sheol has enlarged its appetite and opened its mouth beyond measure, and the nobility of Jerusalem and her multitude will go down, her revelers and he who exults in her.
15 Man is humbled, and each one is brought low, and the eyes of the haughty are brought low.
16 But the LORD of hosts is exalted in justice, and the Holy God shows himself holy in righteousness.
17 Then shall the lambs graze as in their pasture, and nomads shall eat among the ruins of the rich.
18 Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of falsehood, who draw sin as with cart ropes,
19 who say: "Let him be quick, let him speed his work that we may see it; let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near, and let it come, that we may know it!"
20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!
22 Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink,
23 who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of his right!
24 Therefore, as the tongue of fire devours the stubble, and as dry grass sinks down in the flame, so their root will be as rottenness, and their blossom go up like dust; for they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts, and have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
25 Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people, and he stretched out his hand against them and struck them, and the mountains quaked; and their corpses were as refuse in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.
26 He will raise a signal for nations far away, and whistle for them from the ends of the earth; and behold, quickly, speedily they come!
27 None is weary, none stumbles, none slumbers or sleeps, not a waistband is loose, not a sandal strap broken;
28 their arrows are sharp, all their bows bent, their horses' hoofs seem like flint, and their wheels like the whirlwind.
29 Their roaring is like a lion, like young lions they roar; they growl and seize their prey; they carry it off, and none can rescue.
30 They will growl over it on that day, like the growling of the sea. And if one looks to the land, behold, darkness and distress; and the light is darkened by its clouds.









Philippians 4 — ESV
1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord.
3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me--practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity.
11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.
12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.
13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
14 Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble.
15 And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only.
16 Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again.
17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.
18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.
19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you.
22 All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household.
23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.









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