Bible in a Year · Day 166 of 365
Today’s reading: Psalms 18–20 (3 chapters)
Read the passage below, or open your own Bible and follow along. The text here is the World English Bible, a public-domain translation, printed in full so the day’s reading is all on one page.
About Psalms
The Psalms are the Bible's prayer book, one hundred and fifty songs and poems gathered into five books. They cover more emotional ground than any other part of Scripture: praise, complaint, rage, repentance, trust, and silence. Some were written by David and carry the marks of his life, others come from temple worship or later editors, and many were sung by the congregation rather than read alone. Taken together they teach a person how to speak to God when everything is going well and when it is not. Many of them do not resolve neatly, which is part of their honesty.
What to watch for. Watch how many psalms begin in distress and end in praise, and how many do not. Notice the psalmists addressing God directly rather than talking about him, and let the complaints be as instructive as the thanksgiving.
Psalms 18
1For the Chief Musician. By David the servant of Yahweh, who spoke to Yahweh the words of this song in the day that Yahweh delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said, I love you, Yahweh, my strength. 2Yahweh 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 high tower. 3I call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised; and I am saved from my enemies. 4The cords of death surrounded me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid. 5The cords of Sheol were around me. The snares of death came on me.
6In my distress I called on Yahweh, and cried to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple. My cry before him came into his ears. 7Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken, because he was angry. 8Smoke went out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it. 9He bowed the heavens also, and came down. Thick darkness was under his feet. 10He rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, he soared on the wings of the wind.
11He made darkness his hiding place, his pavilion around him, darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies. 12At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire. 13Yahweh also thundered in the sky. The Most High uttered his voice: hailstones and coals of fire. 14He sent out his arrows, and scattered them; Yes, great lightning bolts, and routed them. 15Then the channels of waters appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, Yahweh, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
16He sent from on high. He took me. He drew me out of many waters. 17He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me. 18They came on me in the day of my calamity, but Yahweh was my support. 19He brought me out also into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me. 20Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands has he recompensed me.
21For I have kept the ways of Yahweh, and have not wickedly departed from my God. 22For all his ordinances were before me. I didn’t put away his statutes from me. 23I was also blameless with him. I kept myself from my iniquity. 24Therefore Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight. 25With the merciful you will show yourself merciful. With the perfect man, you will show yourself perfect.
26With the pure, you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd. 27For you will save the afflicted people, but the haughty eyes you will bring down. 28For you will light my lamp, Yahweh. My God will light up my darkness. 29For by you, I advance through a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall. 30As for God, his way is perfect. Yahweh’s word is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.
31For who is God, except Yahweh? Who is a rock, besides our God, 32the God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect? 33He makes my feet like deer’s feet, and sets me on my high places. 34He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze. 35You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great.
36You have enlarged my steps under me, My feet have not slipped. 37I will pursue my enemies, and overtake them. Neither will I turn again until they are consumed. 38I will strike them through, so that they will not be able to rise. They shall fall under my feet. 39For you have armed me with strength to the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me. 40You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who hate me.
41They cried, but there was no one to save; even to Yahweh, but he didn’t answer them. 42Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind. I cast them out as the mire of the streets. 43You have delivered me from the strivings of the people. You have made me the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known shall serve me. 44As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me. The foreigners shall submit themselves to me. 45The foreigners shall fade away, and shall come trembling out of their close places.
46Yahweh lives; and blessed be my rock. Exalted be the God of my salvation, 47even the God who executes vengeance for me, and subdues peoples under me. 48He rescues me from my enemies. Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me. You deliver me from the violent man. 49Therefore I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations, and will sing praises to your name. 50He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his offspring, forever more.
Psalms 19
1For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. The heavens declare the glory of God. The expanse shows his handiwork. 2Day after day they pour out speech, and night after night they display knowledge. 3There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. 4Their voice has gone out through all the earth, their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, 5which is as a bridegroom coming out of his room, like a strong man rejoicing to run his course.
6His going out is from the end of the heavens, his circuit to its ends; There is nothing hidden from its heat. 7Yahweh’s law is perfect, restoring the soul. Yahweh’s testimony is sure, making wise the simple. 8Yahweh’s precepts are right, rejoicing the heart. Yahweh’s commandment is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9The fear of Yahweh is clean, enduring forever. Yahweh’s ordinances are true, and righteous altogether. 10More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the extract of the honeycomb.
11Moreover by them is your servant warned. In keeping them there is great reward. 12Who can discern his errors? Forgive me from hidden errors. 13Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then I will be upright. I will be blameless and innocent of great transgression. 14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, Yahweh, my rock, and my redeemer.
Psalms 20
1For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. May Yahweh answer you in the day of trouble. May the name of the God of Jacob set you up on high, 2send you help from the sanctuary, grant you support from Zion, 3remember all your offerings, and accept your burned sacrifice. Selah. 4May He grant you your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your counsel. 5We will triumph in your salvation. In the name of our God, we will set up our banners. May Yahweh grant all your requests.
6Now I know that Yahweh saves his anointed. He will answer him from his holy heaven, with the saving strength of his right hand. 7Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we trust the name of Yahweh our God. 8They are bowed down and fallen, but we rise up, and stand upright. 9Save, Yahweh! Let the King answer us when we call!
Next · Day 167: Psalms 21–23 →
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), a public-domain translation. Day numbering follows the calendar year; you can start at Day 1 on any date.
