Today's Readings: July 25

To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Testimony. Of Asaph, a Psalm.

[1] Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
[2] Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,
stir up your might
and come to save us!


[3] Restore us, O God;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!


[4] O LORD God of hosts,
how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
[5] You have fed them with the bread of tears
and given them tears to drink in full measure.
[6] You make us an object of contention for our neighbors,
and our enemies laugh among themselves.


[7] Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!


[8] You brought a vine out of Egypt;
you drove out the nations and planted it.
[9] You cleared the ground for it;
it took deep root and filled the land.
[10] The mountains were covered with its shade,
the mighty cedars with its branches.
[11] It sent out its branches to the sea
and its shoots to the River.
[12] Why then have you broken down its walls,
so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
[13] The boar from the forest ravages it,
and all that move in the field feed on it.


[14] Turn again, O God of hosts!
Look down from heaven, and see;
have regard for this vine,
[15] the stock that your right hand planted,
and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.
[16] They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down;
may they perish at the rebuke of your face!
[17] But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!
[18] Then we shall not turn back from you;
give us life, and we will call upon your name!


[19] Restore us, O LORD God of hosts!
Let your face shine, that we may be saved!

[1] In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and sat before me. [2] And the word of the LORD came to me: [3] “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD, Is it to inquire of me that you come? As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you. [4] Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Let them know the abominations of their fathers, [5] and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: On the day when I chose Israel, I swore to the offspring of the house of Jacob, making myself known to them in the land of Egypt; I swore to them, saying, I am the LORD your God. [6] On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands. [7] And I said to them, ‘Cast away the detestable things your eyes feast on, every one of you, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.’ [8] But they rebelled against me and were not willing to listen to me. None of them cast away the detestable things their eyes feasted on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.

“Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. [9] But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made myself known to them in bringing them out of the land of Egypt. [10] So I led them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. [11] I gave them my statutes and made known to them my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live. [12] Moreover, I gave them my Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them. [13] But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not walk in my statutes but rejected my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live; and my Sabbaths they greatly profaned.

“Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to make a full end of them. [14] But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out. [15] Moreover, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land that I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands, [16] because they rejected my rules and did not walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols. [17] Nevertheless, my eye spared them, and I did not destroy them or make a full end of them in the wilderness.

[18] “And I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor keep their rules, nor defile yourselves with their idols. [19] I am the LORD your God; walk in my statutes, and be careful to obey my rules, [20] and keep my Sabbaths holy that they may be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.’ [21] But the children rebelled against me. They did not walk in my statutes and were not careful to obey my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live; they profaned my Sabbaths.

“Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the wilderness. [22] But I withheld my hand and acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out. [23] Moreover, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them through the countries, [24] because they had not obeyed my rules, but had rejected my statutes and profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes were set on their fathers’ idols. [25] Moreover, I gave them statutes that were not good and rules by which they could not have life, [26] and I defiled them through their very gifts in their offering up all their firstborn, that I might devastate them. I did it that they might know that I am the LORD.

[27] “Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: In this also your fathers blasphemed me, by dealing treacherously with me. [28] For when I had brought them into the land that I swore to give them, then wherever they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices and there they presented the provocation of their offering; there they sent up their pleasing aromas, and there they poured out their drink offerings. [29] (I said to them, ‘What is the high place to which you go?’ So its name is called Bamah to this day.)

[30] “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers and go whoring after their detestable things? [31] When you present your gifts and offer up your children in fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you.

[32] “What is in your mind shall never happen—the thought, ‘Let us be like the nations, like the tribes of the countries, and worship wood and stone.’

[33] “As I live, declares the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out I will be king over you. [34] I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out. [35] And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. [36] As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the Lord GOD. [37] I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. [38] I will purge out the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against me. I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

[39] “As for you, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord GOD: Go serve every one of you his idols, now and hereafter, if you will not listen to me; but my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts and your idols.

[40] “For on my holy mountain, the mountain height of Israel, declares the Lord GOD, there all the house of Israel, all of them, shall serve me in the land. There I will accept them, and there I will require your contributions and the choicest of your gifts, with all your sacred offerings. [41] As a pleasing aroma I will accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered. And I will manifest my holiness among you in the sight of the nations. [42] And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the country that I swore to give to your fathers. [43] And there you shall remember your ways and all your deeds with which you have defiled yourselves, and you shall loathe yourselves for all the evils that you have committed. [44] And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I deal with you for my name’s sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the Lord GOD.”

[45] And the word of the LORD came to me: [46] “Son of man, set your face toward the southland; preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest land in the Negeb. [47] Say to the forest of the Negeb, Hear the word of the LORD: Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree in you and every dry tree. The blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from south to north shall be scorched by it. [48] All flesh shall see that I the LORD have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.” [49] Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! They are saying of me, ‘Is he not a maker of parables?’”

[1] Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire;
he breaks out against all sound judgment.
[2] A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
but only in expressing his opinion.
[3] When wickedness comes, contempt comes also,
and with dishonor comes disgrace.
[4] The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;
the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
[5] It is not good to be partial to the wicked
or to deprive the righteous of justice.
[6] A fool’s lips walk into a fight,
and his mouth invites a beating.
[7] A fool’s mouth is his ruin,
and his lips are a snare to his soul.
[8] The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.
[9] Whoever is slack in his work
is a brother to him who destroys.
[10] The name of the LORD is a strong tower;
the righteous man runs into it and is safe.
[11] A rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
and like a high wall in his imagination.
[12] Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.
[13] If one gives an answer before he hears,
it is his folly and shame.
[14] A man’s spirit will endure sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear?
[15] An intelligent heart acquires knowledge,
and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
[16] A man’s gift makes room for him
and brings him before the great.
[17] The one who states his case first seems right,
until the other comes and examines him.
[18] The lot puts an end to quarrels
and decides between powerful contenders.
[19] A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city,
and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
[20] From the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach is satisfied;
he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.
[21] Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruits.
[22] He who finds a wife finds a good thing
and obtains favor from the LORD.
[23] The poor use entreaties,
but the rich answer roughly.
[24] A man of many companions may come to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

[1] It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. [2] And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.

[3] For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. [4] When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, [5] you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

[6] Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? [7] Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. [8] Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

[9] I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—[10] not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. [11] But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. [12] For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? [13] God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”