Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today our passages are 1 Chronicles 15:1–16:36; Romans 1:18-32; Psalm 10:1-15; and Proverbs 19:6-7. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.
1 Chronicles 15-16:36 (Contemporary English Version)
1 Chronicles 15
David Gets Ready To Bring the Sacred Chest to Jerusalem
1David had several buildings built in Jerusalem, and he had a tent set up where the sacred chest would be kept. 2He said, "Only Levites will be allowed to carry the chest, because the LORD has chosen them to do that work and to serve him forever." 3Next, David invited everyone to come to Jerusalem and watch the sacred chest being carried to the place he had set up for it. 4He also sent for Aaron's descendants and for the Levites. The Levites that came were: 5Uriel, the leader of the Kohath clan, and one hundred twenty of his relatives; 6Asaiah, the leader of the Merari clan, and two hundred twenty of his relatives; 7Joel, the leader of the Gershon clan, and one hundred thirty of his relatives; 8Shemaiah, the leader of the Elizaphan clan, and two hundred of his relatives; 9Eliel, the leader of the Hebron clan, and eighty of his relatives; and 10Amminadab, the leader of the Uzziel clan, with one hundred twelve of his relatives.
11David called together these six Levites and the two priests, Zadok and Abiathar. 12He said to them, "You are the leaders of the clans in the Levi tribe. You and your relatives must first go through the ceremony to make yourselves clean and acceptable to the LORD. Then you may carry the sacred chest that belongs to the LORD God of Israel and bring it to the place I have prepared for it. 13The first time we tried to bring the chest to Jerusalem, we didn't ask the LORD what he wanted us to do. He was angry at us, because you Levites weren't there to carry the chest."
14The priests and the Levites made themselves clean. They were now ready to carry the sacred chest 15on poles that rested on their shoulders, just as the LORD had told Moses to do.
16David then told the leaders to choose some Levites to sing and play music on small harps, other stringed instruments, and cymbals. 17-21The men chosen to play the cymbals were Heman the son of Joel, his relative Asaph the son of Berechiah, and Ethan the son of Kushaiah from the Merari clan. Some of their assistants played the smaller harps: they were Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah. Others played the larger harps: they were Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Azaziah, and two of the temple guards, Obed-Edom and Jeiel.
22Chenaniah was chosen to be the music director, because he was a skilled musician.
23-24Four Levites were then appointed to guard the sacred chest. They were Berechiah, Elkanah, Obed-Edom, and Jehiah.
Finally, David chose priests to walk in front of the sacred chest and blow trumpets. They were Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer.
11David called together these six Levites and the two priests, Zadok and Abiathar. 12He said to them, "You are the leaders of the clans in the Levi tribe. You and your relatives must first go through the ceremony to make yourselves clean and acceptable to the LORD. Then you may carry the sacred chest that belongs to the LORD God of Israel and bring it to the place I have prepared for it. 13The first time we tried to bring the chest to Jerusalem, we didn't ask the LORD what he wanted us to do. He was angry at us, because you Levites weren't there to carry the chest."
14The priests and the Levites made themselves clean. They were now ready to carry the sacred chest 15on poles that rested on their shoulders, just as the LORD had told Moses to do.
16David then told the leaders to choose some Levites to sing and play music on small harps, other stringed instruments, and cymbals. 17-21The men chosen to play the cymbals were Heman the son of Joel, his relative Asaph the son of Berechiah, and Ethan the son of Kushaiah from the Merari clan. Some of their assistants played the smaller harps: they were Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah. Others played the larger harps: they were Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Azaziah, and two of the temple guards, Obed-Edom and Jeiel.
22Chenaniah was chosen to be the music director, because he was a skilled musician.
23-24Four Levites were then appointed to guard the sacred chest. They were Berechiah, Elkanah, Obed-Edom, and Jehiah.
Finally, David chose priests to walk in front of the sacred chest and blow trumpets. They were Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer.
The Sacred Chest Is Brought to Jerusalem
(2 Samuel 6.12-22)
25David, the leaders of Israel, and the army commanders were very happy as they went to Obed-Edom's house to get the sacred chest. 26God gave the Levites the strength they needed to carry the chest, and so they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. 27David, the Levites, Chenaniah the music director, and all the musicians were wearing linen robes, and David was also wearing a linen cloth. [a] 28While the sacred chest was being carried into Jerusalem, everyone was celebrating by shouting and playing music on horns, trumpets, cymbals, harps, and other stringed instruments. 29Saul's daughter Michal [b] looked out her window and watched the chest being brought into David's City. But when she saw David jumping and dancing in honor of the LORD, she was disgusted.
1 Chronicles 16
1They put the sacred chest inside the tent that David had set up for it, then they offered sacrifices to please the LORD [c] and sacrifices to ask his blessing. [d] 2After David had finished, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD 3and gave every person in the crowd a small loaf of bread, some meat, and a handful of raisins. 4David appointed some of the Levites to serve at the sacred chest; they were to play music and sing praises to the LORD God of Israel. 5Asaph was their leader, and Zechariah was his assistant. Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and another man named Jeiel were appointed to play small harps and stringed instruments. Asaph himself played the cymbals, 6and the two priests Benaiah and Jahaziel were to blow trumpets every day in front of the sacred chest.
David's Song of Praise
(Psalms 105.1-15; 96.1-13; 106.47,48)
7That same day, David instructed Asaph and his relatives for the first time to sing these praises to the LORD: 8Praise the LORD
and pray in his name!
Tell everyone
what he has done.
9Sing praises to the LORD!
Tell about his miracles.
10Celebrate and worship
his holy name
with all your heart.
11Trust the LORD
and his mighty power.
Worship him always.
12Remember his miracles
and all his wonders
and his fair decisions.
13You belong to the family
of Israel, his servant;
you are his chosen ones,
the descendants of Jacob.
14The LORD is our God,
bringing justice
everywhere on earth.
15We must never forget
his agreement and his promises,
not in thousands of years.
16God made an eternal promise
17to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
18when he said, "I'll give you
the land of Canaan."
19At the time there were
only a few of us,
and we were homeless.
20We wandered from nation
to nation,
from one country
to another.
21God did not let anyone
mistreat our people.
Instead he protected us
by punishing rulers
22and telling them,
"Don't touch my chosen leaders
or harm my prophets!"
23Everyone on this earth,
sing praises to the LORD.
Day after day announce,
"The LORD has saved us!"
24Tell every nation on earth,
"The LORD is wonderful
and does marvelous things!
25The LORD is great and deserves
our greatest praise!
He is the only God
worthy of our worship.
26Other nations worship idols,
but the LORD created
the heavens.
27Give honor and praise
to the LORD,
whose power and beauty
fill his holy temple."
28Tell everyone of every nation,
"Praise the glorious power
of the LORD.
29He is wonderful! Praise him
and bring an offering
into his temple.
Worship the LORD,
majestic and holy.
30Everyone on earth, now tremble!"
The world stands firm,
never to be shaken.
31Tell the heavens and the earth
to be glad and celebrate!
And announce to the nations,
"The LORD is King!"
32Command the ocean to roar
with all of its creatures
and the fields to rejoice
with all of their crops.
33Then every tree in the forest
will sing joyful songs
to the LORD.
He is coming to judge
all people on earth.
34Praise the LORD
because he is good to us,
and his love never fails.
35Say to him, "Save us, LORD God!
Bring us back
from among the nations.
Let us celebrate and shout
in praise of your holy name.
36LORD God of Israel,
you deserve to be praised
forever and ever."
After David finished, the people shouted, "Amen! Praise the LORD!"
Footnotes:- 1 Chronicles 15:27 a linen cloth: The Hebrew word is "ephod," which can mean either a piece of clothing like a skirt that went from the waist to the knee or a garment like a vest or jacket that only the priests wore.
- 1 Chronicles 15:29 Michal: One of David's wives.
- 1 Chronicles 16:1 sacrifices to please the LORD: These sacrifices have traditionally been called "whole burnt offerings" because the whole animal was burned on the altar. A main purpose of such sacrifices was to please the LORD with the smell of the sacrifice, and so in the CEV they are often called "sacrifices to please the LORD."
- 1 Chronicles 16:1 sacrifices to ask his blessing: These sacrifices have traditionally been called "peace offerings" or "offerings of well-being." A main purpose was to ask for the LORD's blessing, and so in the CEV they are sometimes called "sacrifices to ask the LORD's blessing."
and pray in his name!
Tell everyone
what he has done.
9Sing praises to the LORD!
Tell about his miracles.
10Celebrate and worship
his holy name
with all your heart.
11Trust the LORD
and his mighty power.
Worship him always.
12Remember his miracles
and all his wonders
and his fair decisions.
13You belong to the family
of Israel, his servant;
you are his chosen ones,
the descendants of Jacob.
14The LORD is our God,
bringing justice
everywhere on earth.
15We must never forget
his agreement and his promises,
not in thousands of years.
16God made an eternal promise
17to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
18when he said, "I'll give you
the land of Canaan."
19At the time there were
only a few of us,
and we were homeless.
20We wandered from nation
to nation,
from one country
to another.
21God did not let anyone
mistreat our people.
Instead he protected us
by punishing rulers
22and telling them,
"Don't touch my chosen leaders
or harm my prophets!"
23Everyone on this earth,
sing praises to the LORD.
Day after day announce,
"The LORD has saved us!"
24Tell every nation on earth,
"The LORD is wonderful
and does marvelous things!
25The LORD is great and deserves
our greatest praise!
He is the only God
worthy of our worship.
26Other nations worship idols,
but the LORD created
the heavens.
27Give honor and praise
to the LORD,
whose power and beauty
fill his holy temple."
28Tell everyone of every nation,
"Praise the glorious power
of the LORD.
29He is wonderful! Praise him
and bring an offering
into his temple.
Worship the LORD,
majestic and holy.
30Everyone on earth, now tremble!"
The world stands firm,
never to be shaken.
31Tell the heavens and the earth
to be glad and celebrate!
And announce to the nations,
"The LORD is King!"
32Command the ocean to roar
with all of its creatures
and the fields to rejoice
with all of their crops.
33Then every tree in the forest
will sing joyful songs
to the LORD.
He is coming to judge
all people on earth.
34Praise the LORD
because he is good to us,
and his love never fails.
35Say to him, "Save us, LORD God!
Bring us back
from among the nations.
Let us celebrate and shout
in praise of your holy name.
36LORD God of Israel,
you deserve to be praised
forever and ever."
After David finished, the people shouted, "Amen! Praise the LORD!"
Footnotes:
- 1 Chronicles 15:27 a linen cloth: The Hebrew word is "ephod," which can mean either a piece of clothing like a skirt that went from the waist to the knee or a garment like a vest or jacket that only the priests wore.
- 1 Chronicles 15:29 Michal: One of David's wives.
- 1 Chronicles 16:1 sacrifices to please the LORD: These sacrifices have traditionally been called "whole burnt offerings" because the whole animal was burned on the altar. A main purpose of such sacrifices was to please the LORD with the smell of the sacrifice, and so in the CEV they are often called "sacrifices to please the LORD."
- 1 Chronicles 16:1 sacrifices to ask his blessing: These sacrifices have traditionally been called "peace offerings" or "offerings of well-being." A main purpose was to ask for the LORD's blessing, and so in the CEV they are sometimes called "sacrifices to ask the LORD's blessing."
Romans 1:18-32 (Contemporary English Version)
Everyone Is Guilty
18From heaven God shows how angry he is with all the wicked and evil things that sinful people do to crush the truth. 19They know everything that can be known about God, because God has shown it all to them. 20God's eternal power and character cannot be seen. But from the beginning of creation, God has shown what these are like by all he has made. That's why those people don't have any excuse. 21They know about God, but they don't honor him or even thank him. Their thoughts are useless, and their stupid minds are in the dark. 22They claim to be wise, but they are fools. 23They don't worship the glorious and eternal God. Instead, they worship idols that are made to look like humans who cannot live forever, and like birds, animals, and reptiles. 24So God let these people go their own way. They did what they wanted to do, and their filthy thoughts made them do shameful things with their bodies. 25They gave up the truth about God for a lie, and they worshiped God's creation instead of God, who will be praised forever. Amen.
26God let them follow their own evil desires. Women no longer wanted to have sex in a natural way, and they did things with each other that were not natural. 27Men behaved in the same way. They stopped wanting to have sex with women and had strong desires for sex with other men. They did shameful things with each other, and what has happened to them is punishment for their foolish deeds.
28Since these people refused even to think about God, he let their useless minds rule over them. That's why they do all sorts of indecent things. 29They are evil, wicked, and greedy, as well as mean in every possible way. They want what others have, and they murder, argue, cheat, and are hard to get along with. They gossip, 30say cruel things about others, and hate God. They are proud, conceited, and boastful, always thinking up new ways to do evil.
These people don't respect their parents. 31They are stupid, unreliable, and don't have any love or pity for others. 32They know God has said that anyone who acts this way deserves to die. But they keep on doing evil things, and they even encourage others to do them.
26God let them follow their own evil desires. Women no longer wanted to have sex in a natural way, and they did things with each other that were not natural. 27Men behaved in the same way. They stopped wanting to have sex with women and had strong desires for sex with other men. They did shameful things with each other, and what has happened to them is punishment for their foolish deeds.
28Since these people refused even to think about God, he let their useless minds rule over them. That's why they do all sorts of indecent things. 29They are evil, wicked, and greedy, as well as mean in every possible way. They want what others have, and they murder, argue, cheat, and are hard to get along with. They gossip, 30say cruel things about others, and hate God. They are proud, conceited, and boastful, always thinking up new ways to do evil.
These people don't respect their parents. 31They are stupid, unreliable, and don't have any love or pity for others. 32They know God has said that anyone who acts this way deserves to die. But they keep on doing evil things, and they even encourage others to do them.
Psalm 10:1-15 (Contemporary English Version)
Psalm 10
A Prayer for Help
1Why are you far away, LORD? Why do you hide yourself
when I am in trouble?
2Proud and brutal people
hunt down the poor.
But let them get caught
by their own evil plans!
3The wicked brag about
their deepest desires.
Those greedy people hate
and curse you, LORD.
4The wicked are too proud
to turn to you
or even think about you.
5They are always successful,
though they can't understand
your teachings,
and they keep sneering
at their enemies.
6In their hearts they say,
"Nothing can hurt us!
We'll always be happy
and free from trouble."
7They curse and tell lies,
and all they talk about
is how to be cruel
or how to do wrong.
8They hide outside villages,
waiting to strike and murder
some innocent victim.
9They are hungry lions
hiding in the bushes,
hoping to catch
some helpless passerby.
They trap the poor in nets
and drag them away.
10They crouch down and wait
to grab a victim.
11They say, "God can't see!
He's got on a blindfold."
12Do something, LORD God,
and use your powerful arm
to help those in need.
13The wicked don't respect you.
In their hearts they say,
"God won't punish us!"
14But you see the trouble
and the distress,
and you will do something.
The poor can count on you,
and so can orphans.
15Now break the arms
of all merciless people.
Punish them for doing wrong
and make them stop.
when I am in trouble?
2Proud and brutal people
hunt down the poor.
But let them get caught
by their own evil plans!
3The wicked brag about
their deepest desires.
Those greedy people hate
and curse you, LORD.
4The wicked are too proud
to turn to you
or even think about you.
5They are always successful,
though they can't understand
your teachings,
and they keep sneering
at their enemies.
6In their hearts they say,
"Nothing can hurt us!
We'll always be happy
and free from trouble."
7They curse and tell lies,
and all they talk about
is how to be cruel
or how to do wrong.
8They hide outside villages,
waiting to strike and murder
some innocent victim.
9They are hungry lions
hiding in the bushes,
hoping to catch
some helpless passerby.
They trap the poor in nets
and drag them away.
10They crouch down and wait
to grab a victim.
11They say, "God can't see!
He's got on a blindfold."
12Do something, LORD God,
and use your powerful arm
to help those in need.
13The wicked don't respect you.
In their hearts they say,
"God won't punish us!"
14But you see the trouble
and the distress,
and you will do something.
The poor can count on you,
and so can orphans.
15Now break the arms
of all merciless people.
Punish them for doing wrong
and make them stop.
Proverbs 19:6-7 (Contemporary English Version)
6Everyone tries to be friends
of those who can help them.
7If you are poor,
your own relatives reject you,
and your friends are worse.
When you really need them,
they are not there. [a]
of those who can help them.
7If you are poor,
your own relatives reject you,
and your friends are worse.
When you really need them,
they are not there. [a]
Thought for the Day
“Then God gave Christ the highest place and honored his name above all others. So at the name of Jesus everyone will bow down, those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. And to the glory of God the Father everyone will openly agree, 'Jesus Christ is Lord!'” -(Philippians 2:9-11 - Contemporary English Version) The time will come when everyone will recognize that Jesus Christ is Lord and experience the peace and joy that this confession inspires. But we don't have to wait. We can recognize his lordship and experience the peace and joy right here and now.
Quote for the Day
English playwright, screenwriter, award-winning novelist and a professional rugby league player, David Storey wrote, “Have confidence that if you have done a little thing well, you can do a bigger thing well too.”
A Joke for Today
A linguistics professor was lecturing to his class one day. "In English," he said, "a double negative forms a positive. In some languages though, such as Russian, a double negative is still a negative."
"However," he pointed out, "there is no language wherein a double positive can form a negative."
A voice from the back of the room piped up, "Yeah. Right."
A Prayer Request
As Christians, we can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Below is the need that we're laying before God today.
That families would read their Bible and attend worship services together.
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