Daily Bible Reading: Tuesday, September 5, 2023

Psalm 17 (NRSV)

​1Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry;
give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit.
2From you let my vindication come;
let your eyes see the right.
3If you try my heart, if you visit me by night,
if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me;
my mouth does not transgress.
4As for what others do, by the word of your lips
I have avoided the ways of the violent.
5My steps have held fast to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.
6I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me, hear my words.
7Wondrously show your steadfast love,
O savior of those who seek refuge
from their adversaries at your right hand.
8Guard me as the apple of the eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings,
9from the wicked who despoil me,
my deadly enemies who surround me.
10They close their hearts to pity;
with their mouths they speak arrogantly.
11They track me down; now they surround me;
they set their eyes to cast me to the ground.
12They are like a lion eager to tear,
like a young lion lurking in ambush.
13Rise up, O LORD, confront them, overthrow them!
By your sword deliver my life from the wicked,
14from mortals — by your hand, O LORD —
from mortals whose portion in life is in this world.
May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them;
may their children have more than enough;
may they leave something over to their little ones.
15As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.

This God — his way is perfect;  the promise of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

Daily Bible Reading: Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Psalm 18:1-3, 20-32 (NRSV)

​1I love you, O LORD, my strength.
2The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer,
my God, my rock in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,
so I shall be saved from my enemies.
20The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me.
21For I have kept the ways of the LORD,
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22For all his ordinances were before me,
and his statutes I did not put away from me.
23I was blameless before him,
and I kept myself from guilt.
24Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
25With the loyal you show yourself loyal;
with the blameless you show yourself blameless;
26with the pure you show yourself pure;
and with the crooked you show yourself perverse.
27For you deliver a humble people,
but the haughty eyes you bring down.
28It is you who light my lamp;
the LORD, my God, lights up my darkness.
29By you I can crush a troop,
and by my God I can leap over a wall.
30This God — his way is perfect;
the promise of the LORD proves true;
he is a shield for all who take refuge in him.
31For who is God except the LORD?
And who is a rock besides our God? —
32the God who girded me with strength,
and made my way safe.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies; you stretch out your hand,
and your right hand delivers me.

Daily Bible Reading: Friday, August 25, 2023

Psalm 138 (NRSV)

​1I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
2I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness;
for you have exalted your name and your word
above everything.
3On the day I called, you answered me,
you increased my strength of soul.
4All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O LORD,
for they have heard the words of your mouth.
5They shall sing of the ways of the LORD,
for great is the glory of the LORD.
6For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly;
but the haughty he perceives from far away.
7Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies;
you stretch out your hand,
and your right hand delivers me.
8The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.

ELCA's daily Bible readings are chosen from "Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings," prepared by Consultation on the Common Texts, © 2005.
All text is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyrighted, 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches USA, and is used by permission. All rights reserved.