Bible Reading Plan

Author: Jon Green

  • James 3

    James 3

    Read James 3

    Taming the Tongue

    3 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

    3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

    7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

    9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

    Two Kinds of Wisdom

    13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

    17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

    Go Deeper

    In this chapter, James begins by giving several analogies to convey the power of the tongue. From a bit in the mouth of a horse (verse 3) to the rudder of a great ship (verse 4), we get the picture of two small things that have great power and are extremely important in guiding the direction of their vessels. Then James tells us in verse 5 “So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.”

    James goes on to explain that the tongue can be used for both good and evil. It has the potential to be both a blessing and a curse. Proverbs 18:21 says “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” How do we make sure that our tongues are being used for good, blessing, and life? How do we steer clear of allowing things to come out of our mouths that are evil, curses, and lead to death?

    Romans 6:13 says “Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.” The Bible commands us to give every single part of our bodies to God to be used as instruments of righteousness! The way that we use our tongues to speak life is by giving the control of it to the Holy Spirit. Keep in mind that both the bridle of the horse and the rudder of the ship can do tremendous good when they are properly controlled.

    James 3:8 says “but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil full of deadly poison.” Scripture explicitly tells us here that it is not within our human capacity to tame the tongue. As believers in Jesus, we should constantly ask ourselves: Who or what is directing the reins of our tongues? Who or what is controlling the rudder? A tongue controlled by the Holy Spirit will consistently speak words filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control (Galatians 5:22-23). If our words are more consistently categorized as criticism, gossip, slander, cruelty, anger, or insincere than we need to heed James’ warning from this passage and hand over the reins.

    Questions

    1. Does your mouth consistently speak words filled with the fruits of the Spirit?
    2. Based on your answer above, who or what is directing the reins of your tongue?
    3. Psalm 141:3 says “Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.” Spend some time praying this as a prayer and asking the Lord to take control of your tongue!

    Keep Digging

    James also compares the tongue to a fire in this passage. For more insight on this metaphor, read this article from GotQuestions.org.

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  • James 2

    James 2

    Editor’s Note

    Happy New Year! The book of James is a perfect book to start off 2024 on the right foot.

    If there is someone in your life that you want to read alongside you, one chapter per day, have them visit biblereadingplan.org and sign up on the home page to receive the devotional straight to their inbox each day. 

    Read James 2

    Favoritism Forbidden

    2 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in.3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

    5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

    8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

    12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

    Faith and Deeds

    14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

    18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

    Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

    20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

    25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

    Go Deeper

    The book of James is all about faith that works. He is saying “if you are going to talk the talk of Christianity, you better walk the walk.” This means that the actions of Christians should match the faith they claim with their words. James begins this chapter talking about the sin of partiality, or favoritism. He says, “My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism” (v. 1). Favoritism can be defined as having unfair love or preferential treatment towards some at the expense of others. It is treating someone based on external factors. 

    James illustrates this in a church meeting with those favoring the rich over the poor (v. 3-4). God is impartial, meaning He shows no favoritism. He sees all people the same and all are held to the same standard. We also know that God does not look at the outward appearance, He looks at the heart. For many of us, there are various reasons why we would treat people differently. This could be their wealth, race, political party, job title, gender, intelligence, etc. When we receive the goodness of God in our heart, we reflect the goodness of God in our lives. This looks like treating people according to their value and worth in God’s eyes, regardless of what they physically look like or what their worldly status is. 

    James continues in this passage asking the question: How do you know if you have real faith? Look at the fruit. James says, “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (v. 17). Our works are the fruit of our faith. Faith without action is a useless faith. Martin Luther once said, “We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone.” We do not have to work for our salvation, we work from our salvation.

    People say what they think, but they do what they truly believe. In Matthew 7, Jesus tells us “By their fruit you will recognize them” (v. 20). This idea is also demonstrated in Matthew 25. Jesus is describing future events to His disciples telling them that He will separate the sheep from the goats. Jesus says about His true disciples, the sheep, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Jesus continues saying, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (v. 40).

    What He is communicating here is that if we ignore those in need, we are essentially ignoring Christ. When we serve those in need, we are serving Christ. The gospel changes the way we live and the way that we radically love others. No, we are not saved by our good deeds, but our good deeds prove we have a saving faith. When Jesus is in our hearts, acts of mercy will flow from us. 

    Questions

    1. When is a time where you have shown favoritism towards some people or someone over others? 
    2. What are the works flowing out of your faith currently? 
    3. What is something that you can do today to put your faith into action?

    A Quote

    “Mercy to the full range of human needs is such an essential mark of being a Christian that it can be used as a test of true faith. Mercy is not optional or an addition to being a Christian. Rather, a life poured out in deeds of mercy is the inevitable sign of true faith.” -Tim Keller

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  • James Introduction + 1

    James Introduction + 1

    James Preview

    The book of James, written by the half-brother of Jesus, is often considered to be one of the most practical and applicable books in all of the New Testament. James is thought to have not been a believer during Jesus’s life and earthly ministry (John 7:5), but came to believe in Jesus after seeing his resurrected body. From there, he converted and became one of the believers of the church in Jerusalem. 

    This book, thought to have been written around 45 AD, is potentially the earliest New Testament book written. It was penned before the Jerusalem Council in 49 AD, which affirmed that the Gospel and salvation were available to both Jews and Gentiles, where James himself gave an impassioned speech.

    Throughout this book, there is a call from James for Christians to live according to the truth that they claim to believe. The idea of a Christian living a misaligned life, where you say one thing and do another, was absurd to James. Over the course of these five chapters, he consistently calls his readers back to the idea of living faithful, holy lives. Pastor and scholar Chuck Swindoll says this about the book:

    “The pages of James are filled with direct commands to pursue a life of holiness. He makes no excuses for those who do not measure up. In the mind of this early church leader, Christians evidence their faith by walking in certain ways and not others.”

    As we read this book as Christians in the 21st century, the call is the same for us today. Oftentimes, even inside the church, there is a tendency for Christians to put on a facade and say all of the “right” things on Sunday mornings, but then live in an inconsistent manner throughout the rest of the week. There is, however, a different way to live–a way where we put legs to what we say we believe and our faith is moving. 

    As we begin this book, take great notes. Highlight the words that seem be repeated or stick out most to you. Commit some of them to memory. Most importantly, ask God to grow your understanding of Him as begin this journey together. 

    Read James 1

    1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

    To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:

    Greetings.

    Trials and Temptations

    2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be matureand complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

    9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. 10 But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.

    12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

    13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

    16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

    Listening and Doing

    19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human angerdoes not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

    22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

    26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

    Go Deeper

    This chapter, like each chapter in the book of James, has several different movements and topics that are discussed. Because of the nature of this book, scholars have considered it to be like a New Testament version of Proverbs and a commentary on the Sermon on the Mount, which Jesus preached in Matthew 5-7. In this chapter, James covers everything from withstanding suffering, resisting temptation, the importance of being slow to speak and become angry, why we should do what the Word of God says, and the importance of caring for widows and orphans. If that feels like a lot to keep up with, you’re not wrong! 

    This chapter could be best summed up by re-reading verse 22: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” The original audience James was writing to had grown up under the Law of the Old Testament. They would have heard the Scriptures and learned them. They would have sat under the teachings of a rabbi. All of the temptations were there for them to go through the religious motions and regurgitate the “right answers” when they needed to. But that is not authentic Christianity.

    Pastor David Guzik of the Enduring Word commentary says this about the point James is making: 

    “It was common in the ancient world for people to hear a teacher. If you followed the teacher and tried to live what he said, you were called a disciple of that teacher. We may say that Jesus is looking for disciples: doers, not mere hearers. Jesus used this same point to conclude His great Sermon on the Mount. He said that the one who heard the word without doing it was like a man who built his house on the sand, but the one who heard God’s word and did it was like a man whose house was built on a rock. The one who both heard and did God’s word could withstand the inevitable storms of life and the judgment of eternity.”

    As we read this today, why are we to live in the way that James calls us to? There is nothing compelling about something fraudulent or inauthentic, but a genuine Christian who lives in a way that’s different and counter-cultural stands out. They’re no longer a consumer or someone going through religious motions, but instead are a person living by faith. As we go about our day to day, let’s do it with a clean slate and the freedom to live as a devoted follower of Jesus. 

    Questions

    1. What stuck out most to you on your first read through this chapter? Why?

    2. If someone were to audit your life today, would they say you are living by faith or going through the motions? Why?

    3. Think about all of the opportunities you will have to interact with others this week. How can you put legs to your faith this week?

    Watch This

    Check out this overview of the book of James from The Bible Project! 

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  • 2023 Year In Review

    2023 Year In Review

    Share the BRP

    Beginning January 1, we’ll be studying the book of James. The new year is a great opportunity to invite your friends, families, and Life Groups to read along with you in 2024. 

    To sign up and receive the BRP daily in your inbox, go to www.biblereadingplan.org and scroll to the bottom of the page! 

    2023 Year in Review

    We continued to cover a lot of ground through the Bible Reading Plan in 2023! If you have followed along with us since January, we have read through 18 complete books this year (plus different Gospel accounts throughout Holy Week as well as the Psalms of Ascent). Here is all that we covered (in order that we read them) this year from January 1-December 31:

    • Proverbs
    • Deuteronomy
    • Galatians
    • Hebrews
    • Holy Week (primarily readings from Mark)
    • Romans
    • 1 Chronicles
    • Nahum
    • Zephaniah
    • Habakkuk
    • Daniel
    • 2 Chronicles
    • Joel
    • Haggai
    • Malachi 
    • John
    • Ezekiel 
    • 1 Corinthians
    • 2 Corinthians
    • The Psalms of Ascent 

    Once again, we were heavily in the Old Testament this year. This year we continued to bounce back and forth between the Old and New Testaments, giving us a clearer picture of how each book (and type of literature) points us to the common thread throughout scripture: God had a plan to redeem a broken world through Jesus. 

    We started off the year with the wisdom of King Solomon in Proverbs. We dove deep into theology through some of Paul’s letters, like Romans and 1 & 2 Corinthians. Throughout the summer we dove into the historical books of 1 & 2 Chronicles, while also reading from the prophets who lived during those days. Our New Testament readings gave us eyewitness accounts of Jesus’s time on earth and helped develop our theology of who Jesus was and why the Gospel is good news for us. We even spent eight weeks (!) reading through Ezekiel, a complex, prophetic book that ultimately reminds us of our need for a savior. 

    Before we look ahead to next year, it’s helpful to pause and reflect on what God taught us this year. Think through (and please answer in the comments!) the following questions:

    1. Which character or story in scripture that we read this year sticks out the most? Why?
    2. What did you learn about God’s Word in 2023 that you didn’t previously know?
    3. If you were to summarize what God taught you this year into a word or phrase, what would it be?
    4. What is your prayer for 2024? What do you hope God teaches you in the upcoming year? 

    As we move into 2024, this is the year that we will complete the Bible! We only have a handful of books left at this point, so we will continue to read a chapter a day. On January 1 we begin reading the book of James, one of the most practical and applicable books in all of the Bible. Written by the half-brother of Jesus, this book will give us tangible ways to live out our faith as we kick-start a new year. 

    Some of you have been reading a chapter a day alongside us since we started in March 2020, while some of you have hopped in along the way. However long you’ve been following along, we hope the BRP has helped you know, understand, and love God’s Word more. If you have found it to be helpful in your own life, share the BRP with a friend and invite them to read alongside you this year!

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  • Psalms of Ascent: Psalm 134

    Psalms of Ascent: Psalm 134

    Read Psalm 134

    A song of ascents.

    1 Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord
        who minister by night in the house of the Lord.
    2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary
        and praise the Lord.

    3 May the Lord bless you from Zion,
        he who is the Maker of heaven and earth.

    Editor’s Note

    Psalms 120-134 are known as the “Psalms of Ascent” or “Pilgrim Songs.” Every year as the Jews traveled uphill towards the city of Jerusalem to participate in one of the three Jewish festivals, these are the songs they would sing. They became a staple of the pilgrimage to Jerusalem back then and now they serve as a helpful template for us as we worship today.

    Go Deeper

    Psalm 134 is the last of the “songs of ascent.” Psalm 134, among the other songs of ascent, were traditionally sung on the road to the great city, Jerusalem. In this psalm, two words stand out because they are used more than once. “Lord” is used five times in the short three verses that make up this chapter. Twice the NIV version instructs us to praise God. The ESV translation uses the word “bless” (instead of praise) three times. But what does it mean to “bless” God, anyway? Can we really add anything to God? 

    In Strong’s Concordance of the Bible, the definition for “bless” reads as follows: “to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit).” When we bless God, our choice to honor God blesses us in return. Every time! We can honor the “Maker of heaven and earth” by praising Him, loving Him, and knowing Him more.  

    What type of person should bless and praise the Lord? Psalm 134:1 calls to all who are servants of the Lord. The world should be clear on whom we serve. To serve God is to praise Him. The psalm doesn’t stop clarifying there. Those who bless the Lord are those who “stand in the Lord’s house at night.” Often, we like to keep our “Jesus time” to the scheduled parts of our day such as morning Bible study, Life Group, or Sunday mornings. This psalm tells us that if we are servants of the one true God, we will be caught standing in front of Him, praising, even when it’s not penciled into our schedule.  

    It is an honor to bless the Lord, to kneel and adore our King, each day. Charles Spurgeon says, “Bless him for permitting you to serve him, fitting you to serve him and accepting your service.” If we need reasons to think about why we should bless the Lord, we can remind ourselves of the gospel. We were slaves to sin headed directly towards eternal death when Christ’s death intervened to make a way for us to be called sons and daughters in His house for eternity. What else would we do but bless Him? And when we live to bless God, our lives are blessed along the way.

    Questions

    1. What are three ways you can “bless the Lord” this week in a way that you typically wouldn’t? 
    2. What about your life indicates you are a servant of the Lord? 
    3. What keeps you from blessing the Lord? 

    Try This

    Today, try paraphrasing this psalm in your own words. Take into consideration the psalmist’s purpose and see how the Lord might speak to you as you reflect over the Word. Here’s an example of a paraphrase below:  

    “What else would you do now that you’ve seen? Yes, pour out your lives to the Lord.  

    You are called to serve the one who has served you first. Not just during work hours, but in the quietness of your home, lift praise to the Lord. 

    His sanctuary is not built with human hands, so raise your hands now, wherever you are, lift your eyes to the Lord. 

    May the Lord of boundless blessings, of all you see and all that you do not see, bestow much upon from the city of the great King.”

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  • Psalms of Ascent: Psalm 133

    Psalms of Ascent: Psalm 133

    Read Psalm 133

    A song of ascents. Of David.

    1 How good and pleasant it is
        when God’s people live together in unity!

    2 It is like precious oil poured on the head,
        running down on the beard,
    running down on Aaron’s beard,
        down on the collar of his robe.
    3 It is as if the dew of Hermon
        were falling on Mount Zion.
    For there the Lord bestows his blessing,
        even life forevermore.

    Editor’s Note

    Psalms 120-134 are known as the “Psalms of Ascent” or “Pilgrim Songs.” Every year as the Jews traveled uphill towards the city of Jerusalem to participate in one of the three Jewish festivals, these are the songs they would sing. They became a staple of the pilgrimage to Jerusalem back then and now they serve as a helpful template for us as we worship today.

    Go Deeper

    Unity seems to be in short supply these days. But God tells us that that unity among believers is not only good and pleasant, but holy (even when unity is not easy to reach). Notice David is describing relationships among believers who are dwelling together. We all know close quarters can test relationships. So, he is talking about believers that will inevitably have to sort out some differences to keep unified. These are the exact situations where we are commanded to each do our personal best to live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18). 

    When we strive for unity, what happens is an abundance of holy blessing. David describes it as oil running down the head, beard, and garment of Aaron. The Enduring Word commentary explains that it was common in these times to anoint one’s head when entering a home, both as a greeting and as a refreshment to the one receiving the oil. Aaron was the high priest and would have been anointed with holy oil so precious it was used only for consecrating his service to God. So, when David describes unity among God’s children as the precious oil that runs upon the head, beard, and garment of Aaron, he is describing a unity of holiness that is a rare and abundant blessing. This blessing is so abundant it is like oil that runs from the top of the head all the way to the ground. Unity is a never-ending source of refreshment—and well worth the work it might take to achieve. 

    Don’t be duped. Satan tries to trick us into thinking our differences should divide us. But division is not inevitable! Jesus prayed in John 17 we would be unified and learn to get along. David knew and described believers dwelling together as good – something that points others to God. We have to recognize and remember, as much as it depends on us, we must pursue unity in order to defeat Satan’s plan of division. As Charles Spurgeon said, “What a sacred thing must brotherly love be when it can be likened to an oil which must never be poured on any man but on the Lord’s high-priest alone.” Unity is sacred, holy, and meant to bless us and point others to Jesus. Unity is worth the work.

    Questions

    1. As far as it depends on you, are you living in unity with all? Is there disunity in any of your relationships?
    2. What do you need to do today to pursue the unity David described in this chapter and Jesus prayed for in John 17?
    3. Spend time in prayer asking God for clear direction on how to move forward seeking unity, fighting against division, and living in a way that points the world to Him. 

    Watch This

    Check out this short Instagram video on unity from JP.

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  • Psalms of Ascent: Psalm 132

    Psalms of Ascent: Psalm 132

    Read Psalm 132

    A song of ascents.

    1 Lord, remember David
        and all his self-denial.

    2 He swore an oath to the Lord,
        he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
    3 “I will not enter my house
        or go to my bed,
    4 I will allow no sleep to my eyes
        or slumber to my eyelids,
    5 till I find a place for the Lord,
        a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

    6 We heard it in Ephrathah,
        we came upon it in the fields of Jaar:
    7 “Let us go to his dwelling place,
        let us worship at his footstool, saying,
    8 ‘Arise, Lord, and come to your resting place,
        you and the ark of your might.
    9 May your priests be clothed with your righteousness;
        may your faithful people sing for joy.’”

    10 For the sake of your servant David,
        do not reject your anointed one.

    11 The Lord swore an oath to David,
        a sure oath he will not revoke:
    “One of your own descendants
        I will place on your throne.
    12 If your sons keep my covenant
        and the statutes I teach them,
    then their sons will sit
        on your throne for ever and ever.”

    13 For the Lord has chosen Zion,
        he has desired it for his dwelling, saying,
    14 “This is my resting place for ever and ever;
        here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it.
    15 I will bless her with abundant provisions;
        her poor I will satisfy with food.
    16 I will clothe her priests with salvation,
        and her faithful people will ever sing for joy.

    17 “Here I will make a horn grow for David
        and set up a lamp for my anointed one.
    18 I will clothe his enemies with shame,
        but his head will be adorned with a radiant crown.”

    Editor’s Note

    Psalms 120-134 are known as the “Psalms of Ascent” or “Pilgrim Songs.” Every year as the Jews traveled uphill towards the city of Jerusalem to participate in one of the three Jewish festivals, these are the songs they would sing. They became a staple of the pilgrimage to Jerusalem back then and now they serve as a helpful template for us as we worship today.

    Go Deeper

    In the Psalms, one might be tempted to assume they all just happen to repeat the same teaching or the same theme. While there are obviously repeated themes throughout the Psalms, each is unique, each was placed there by God for a specific reason, and He teaches us through His Spirit what each and every psalm is there for. 

    In this specific psalm, we see the psalmist reflect back to David, keeping with the theme of reflective praise found throughout the psalms. Many psalms include a reflection back to David or Moses or Abraham, back to the Lord’s goodness in Israel’s past. While reflecting on that, and praising Him for it, the psalmists lift their own spirits as well as those of the readers, cementing them in the fact of God’s proven character throughout history. As we continue, let’s take this same strategy, rejoicing in the goodness of the Lord and believing He will do it again. 

    This psalm is split into two halves, the first half (v. 1-10) talks about David’s oath sworn to the Lord. The second half of the psalm (v. 11-18) talks about the Lord swearing an oath to the Lord. In reading this psalm, two verses stick out for us to reflect on, verses 9 and 16. In verse 9, David asks for the Lord’s priests to be “clothed with your righteousness” and that the faithful people might “sing for joy.” The Lord responds to this specifically in verse 16, saying Zion’s priests will be “clothed with salvation” and her people will “ever sing with joy.” What’s so significant about this is that God didn’t just say this, He backed it up with His actions. 

    In Christ, we are “clothed in salvation” and we have been given reason to “ever sing with joy.” In Romans Paul tells his readers to “clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ,” and in 1 Thessalonians we see Paul call his readers to “Rejoice always!” We see this reality that God promised in Psalm 132 coming to fruition here in the New Testament, and now in our lives, through Jesus Christ. He is the culmination of this oath God made with David! 

    It is God’s consistency that we can see here in Psalm 132, and it is His faithfulness that we can reflect on and expect in the present and future. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 

    Questions

    1. What are some attributes of God you can begin to reflect on throughout your days? Jot down a list of ones you see as you continue through the Bible Reading Plan.
    2. How has God shown these attributes in your life? Can you remember specific times in your life you saw God work? Reflect on those.
    3. Where is another place in Scripture you’ve seen God’s faithfulness on display? If you’re new to reading Scripture, awesome! So glad you’re here! Take a peek at the section below and start there.

    By the Way

    Paul summarizes God’s faithfulness in Romans as well as it has ever been summarized:

    “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

    God didn’t just say He loved us, and wanted to reconcile us to Him, He showed it in Christ.

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  • Psalms of Ascent: Psalm 131

    Psalms of Ascent: Psalm 131

    Read Psalm 131

    A song of ascents. Of David.

    1 My heart is not proud, Lord,
        my eyes are not haughty;
    I do not concern myself with great matters
        or things too wonderful for me.
    2 But I have calmed and quieted myself,
        I am like a weaned child with its mother;
        like a weaned child I am content.

    3 Israel, put your hope in the Lord
        both now and forevermore.

    Editor’s Note

    Psalms 120-134 are known as the “Psalms of Ascent” or “Pilgrim Songs.” Every year as the Jews traveled uphill towards the city of Jerusalem to participate in one of the three Jewish festivals, these are the songs they would sing. They became a staple of the pilgrimage to Jerusalem back then and now they serve as a helpful template for us as we worship today.

    Go Deeper

    As another psalm of Ascent, Psalm 131 prepares us for worship. Before we approach coming into God’s presence, whether to seek out His voice in prayer, sing His praise, or study His Word, it is of utmost importance that we do some self-inspection of our own motives and mindset. Psalm 131 gives us an example of how to prepare our hearts when coming into the Lord’s presence. The author of the psalm is voicing that their mindset should be grounded in humility, which can be defined as a low view of one’s own importance (Oxford).

    God’s Word consistently points to the posture of humility. “To the humble, He gives favor” (Proverbs 3:34). “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12). With how often it is quoted in the Bible, it becomes clear that humility is a crucial part of our walk as a Christian, especially when we see it embedded in the character of Jesus. The word humility is nearly synonymous with our Savior as He took on the ultimate form of humility when “being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8). Adopting the mindset of our Savior will assist us in understanding His Word and allow Him to better speak into our lives. When we approach God with humility, we stand to gain so much more from our encounters with Him. 

    Humility helps us recognize the wide chasm of sin and imperfection that separates us from our Lord, and it reminds us how desperately we need Him! From this perspective, our time with our Lord feels so much more precious, His truth appears much more life-giving and His promises are revealed to be so much more wonderful! 

    Realizing “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) and speaking the truth of Psalm 131 will help us with humility. It’s only after we have spoken these truths into our own souls that our pride and self-sufficiency can shrink so that there is a proper space for God. Only then can God speak into the void, like He did in the beginning of creation, with His clear message, “you are Mine” and “you are loved!”

    Questions

    1. What do you do to prepare your mind and heart when approaching God?
    2. What aspects of the character of God make you stand in awe of Him? Try to remind yourself of this as you meet with Him today.
    3. Are there times when you might think of yourself too highly? If not, maybe discuss with a Life Group member or other Christ follower how they feel they are tempted to think too much of themselves, and seek out if this is true for you as well.

    A Quote

    “Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man he will be what most people call ‘humble’ nowadays: he will not be a sort of greasy, smarmy person, who is always telling you that, of course, he is nobody. Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him. If you do dislike him it will be because you feel a little envious of anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily. He will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all.” 

    C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

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  • Psalms of Ascent: Psalm 130

    Psalms of Ascent: Psalm 130

    Read Psalm 130

    A song of ascents.

    1 Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;
    2     Lord, hear my voice.
    Let your ears be attentive
        to my cry for mercy.

    3 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
        Lord, who could stand?
    4 But with you there is forgiveness,
        so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

    5 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
        and in his word I put my hope.
    6 I wait for the Lord
        more than watchmen wait for the morning,
        more than watchmen wait for the morning.

    7 Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
        for with the Lord is unfailing love
        and with him is full redemption.
    8 He himself will redeem Israel
        from all their sins.

    Editor’s Note

    Psalms 120-134 are known as the “Psalms of Ascent” or “Pilgrim Songs.” Every year as the Jews traveled uphill towards the city of Jerusalem to participate in one of the three Jewish festivals, these are the songs they would sing. They became a staple of the pilgrimage to Jerusalem back then and now they serve as a helpful template for us as we worship today.

    Go Deeper

    We all can relate to crying out for mercy from God. Some cries are from the seemingly unrelenting troubles of this world and some are due to the consequences of our sin. This psalm refers to the latter. Believers in Christ have much to learn and grow from its truths.

    Psalm 130 is known as one of the seven psalms of repentance, similar to David’s Psalms 6, 32 and 51. Though we are unclear the exact circumstances that prompted the writing of it, verse 8 points towards Israel waiting for redemption of their sins. We see repeatedly in the Old Testament that Israel’s lack of faith and trust in God lead them to turn from Him and seek their own answers to their problems. We are no different today. We seek earthly pleasure to hide from pain or control when our life is spinning out. This psalm shows us we serve a God who keeps no record of our sins (v. 3), forgives us (v. 4), and has unfailing love and full redemption for us (v. 7). Through Christ, we see the evidence of this truth fulfilled. Ephesians 1:7 says that in Christ we have redemption and forgiveness of our sins. Ephesians 2:8 tells us that we are saved by God’s grace alone. If believers in Christ simply confess our sin to God, He will forgive us and cleanse us (1 John 1:9). What a loving and forgiving God!

    Another truth addressed in this psalm is found in verses 5 and 6: waiting. The word is repeated 5 times within these 2 verses. Here the Israelites are waiting for God to redeem their sins. Waiting is a reality we all face probably every day. Some waiting is more excruciating: a result from a biopsy, a successful pregnancy after many failed attempts, or a prodigal return to the faith. We cry out to God, waiting for His answer. In verse 5, we are instructed to put our hope in His word in our waiting. God has laid out promises to us throughout Scripture for us to trust in. Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us that if we lay our anxiety and requests before God, His peace will guard us. He sees us in our waiting. 

    Put your trust in the God that has forgiven all of our sins and gives us hope through His Word while we wait. Cry out to Him with whatever you are walking through today.

    Questions

    1. Have you put your trust in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins? If so, thank Him for this truth!
    2. Does your life reflect the reality of His forgiveness? Are you reverently serving Him in response (v. 4)?
    3. What promises of hope do you need to hear from Him today while you wait? Do a word search in Scripture for His truth to you.

    Keep Digging

    For a list of God’s promises to you, read this. It includes our promise of forgiveness and salvation along with many more we can cling to while we wait.

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  • Psalms of Ascent: Psalm 129

    Psalms of Ascent: Psalm 129

    Read Psalm 129

    A song of ascents.

    1 “They have greatly oppressed me from my youth,”
        let Israel say;
    2 “they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,
        but they have not gained the victory over me.
    3 Plowmen have plowed my back
        and made their furrows long.
    4 But the Lord is righteous;
        he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.”

    5 May all who hate Zion
        be turned back in shame.
    6 May they be like grass on the roof,
        which withers before it can grow;
    7 a reaper cannot fill his hands with it,
        nor one who gathers fill his arms.
    8 May those who pass by not say to them,
        “The blessing of the Lord be on you;
        we bless you in the name of the Lord.”

    Editor’s Note

    Psalms 120-134 are known as the “Psalms of Ascent” or “Pilgrim Songs.” Every year as the Jews traveled uphill towards the city of Jerusalem to participate in one of the three Jewish festivals, these are the songs they would sing. They became a staple of the pilgrimage to Jerusalem back then and now they serve as a helpful template for us as we worship today.

    Go Deeper

    Psalm 129 finds our psalmist crying out for help from the Lord, that He might grant His people strength and liberty from their oppressors. Another one of the Songs of Ascent, this is a psalm the Jewish people would sing when traveling to Jerusalem for festivals and sacrifices.

    The plight of this unnamed psalmist might feel familiar. It is easy to look at the injustice around us, sitting in the midst of a sin-ridden world that appears increasingly averse to the Church and her mission. We can feel hopeless at even the best of times. Here, the psalmist models for us the fact that we have permission to cry out to God and ask Him to enact His righteous will in power, and to deliver the weak and the oppressed. 

    It is also easy to read this psalm and to be confused. If there is a New Testament command to love our neighbor, even our enemy, as ourself, how can we pray that our enemies “be put to shame and turned back” (v. 5)? We sit in the midst of a great tension in this and other outcries of the oppressed in the Old Testament. Jesus teaches us to love our enemies and those who persecute us. What this psalm helps us see is that, while we are called to graciously pray for those who persecute us, we cannot sit idly by when we see oppression and injustice. 

    We are to pray earnestly to the Lord that He would shatter oppression wherever it stands, and that in its place He would expand the ground of His kingdom here on the earth (Matthew 6:10). God is in ultimate, sovereign control of all things, but He also wants us, as the psalmist shows us here, to care about what breaks His heart, talk to Him about it, and ask Him to change things like a child would ask his Father. 

    Questions

    1. What in your life is making you cry out to God right now?
    2. How do you participate in advocating for the hurting and oppressed?
    3. How has the Lord cut you “free from the cords of the wicked” (v. 4)? Spend a moment thanking God for how He has delivered you in the past.

    Pray This

    Lord, would you show me what it is to care for the oppressed? Break my heart for what breaks your heart, and give me eyes to see the downcast and the oppressed where I have not before. Would it never be said of me that I turned away when I saw another hurting, but make me instead into an advocate for the oppressed and the wounded. Would your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven? Let the taking of kingdom ground begin in my heart and spread to all those around me. Amen.

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