Daily Readings for Thursday, 30 January 2014

Daily Readings for Thursday, 30 January 2014

2 Samuel 7: David’s Prayer

18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 19 And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God; you have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come. May this be instruction for the people,[a] O Lord God!

Footnotes:

a. 2 Samuel 7:19 Meaning of Heb uncertain

24 And you established your people Israel for yourself to be your people forever; and you, O Lord, became their God. 25 And now, O Lord God, as for the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, confirm it forever; do as you have promised. 26 Thus your name will be magnified forever in the saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel’; and the house of your servant David will be established before you. 27 For you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house’; therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. 28 And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant; 29 now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you; for you, O Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.”

Psalm 132: The Eternal Dwelling of God in Zion

A Song of Ascents.

1 O Lord, remember in David’s favor

    all the hardships he endured;

2 how he swore to the Lord

    and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,

3 “I will not enter my house

    or get into my bed;

4 I will not give sleep to my eyes

    or slumber to my eyelids,

5 until I find a place for the Lord,

    a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

11 The Lord swore to David a sure oath

    from which he will not turn back:

“One of the sons of your body

    I will set on your throne.

12 If your sons keep my covenant

    and my decrees that I shall teach them,

their sons also, forevermore,

    shall sit on your throne.”

13 For the Lord has chosen Zion;

    he has desired it for his habitation:

14 “This is my resting place forever;

    here I will reside, for I have desired it.

Mark 4: A Lamp under a Bushel Basket

21 He said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under the bushel basket, or under the bed, and not on the lampstand? 22 For there is nothing hidden, except to be disclosed; nor is anything secret, except to come to light. 23 Let anyone with ears to hear listen!” 24 And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. 25 For to those who have, more will be given; and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.”

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