Today's Scripture & Prayer

Daily Bible Reading & Praying with the Church

The congregation of Countryside is encouraged to not only read ahead in the texts we will be sharing and studying together during our services, but also to personally read the Scriptures together as a congregation. Here you will find Scripture for the day (a Psalm for each morning (always at least the first Psalm) and night, and selections from the Old Testament, New Testament and Gospels), as well as weekly and daily prayers. Together we read through the New Testament once a year, and the Old Testament every two years. The Scripture selections, and the prayers, are from common sources used by most Christians throughout the world.

The historic church found expression in the same rhythms of worship and devotion that were evident in the early church, and among the Hebrews, God's people, before that. Our hope is that the regular reminder will be of encouragement to us all to join the people of God in reading the Scriptures and praying. Both are meant to go together with our daily prayer and communion service.

Reading for Sun, Jan 11

Psalm 146-147

Psalm 146

¹Praise the Lord.^[a]

Praise the Lord,^(A) my soul.

²I will praise the Lord all my life;^(B)
I will sing praise^(C) to my God as long as I live.^(D)
³Do not put your trust in princes,^(E)
in human beings,^(F) who cannot save.
⁴When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;^(G)
on that very day their plans come to nothing.^(H)
⁵Blessed are those^(I) whose help^(J) is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God.

⁶He is the Maker of heaven^(K) and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
he remains faithful^(L) forever.
⁷He upholds^(M) the cause of the oppressed^(N)
and gives food to the hungry.^(O)
The Lord sets prisoners free,^(P)
⁸the Lord gives sight^(Q) to the blind,^(R)
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,^(S)
the Lord loves the righteous.^(T)
⁹The Lord watches over the foreigner^(U)
and sustains the fatherless^(V) and the widow,^(W)
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

¹⁰The Lord reigns^(X) forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.

Praise the Lord.

Psalm 147

¹Praise the Lord.^[b]

How good it is to sing praises to our God,
how pleasant^(Y) and fitting to praise him!^(Z)

²The Lord builds up Jerusalem;^(AA)
he gathers the exiles^(AB) of Israel.
³He heals the brokenhearted^(AC)
and binds up their wounds.^(AD)
⁴He determines the number of the stars^(AE)
and calls them each by name.
⁵Great is our Lord^(AF) and mighty in power;^(AG)
his understanding has no limit.^(AH)
⁶The Lord sustains the humble^(AI)
but casts the wicked^(AJ) to the ground.

⁷Sing to the Lord^(AK) with grateful praise;^(AL)
make music^(AM) to our God on the harp.^(AN)

⁸He covers the sky with clouds;^(AO)
he supplies the earth with rain^(AP)
and makes grass grow^(AQ) on the hills.
⁹He provides food^(AR) for the cattle
and for the young ravens^(AS) when they call.

¹⁰His pleasure is not in the strength^(AT) of the horse,^(AU)
nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;
¹¹the Lord delights^(AV) in those who fear him,^(AW)
who put their hope^(AX) in his unfailing love.^(AY)

¹²Extol the Lord, Jerusalem;^(AZ)
praise your God, Zion.

¹³He strengthens the bars of your gates^(BA)
and blesses your people^(BB) within you.
¹⁴He grants peace^(BC) to your borders
and satisfies you^(BD) with the finest of wheat.^(BE)

¹⁵He sends his command^(BF) to the earth;
his word runs^(BG) swiftly.
¹⁶He spreads the snow^(BH) like wool
and scatters the frost^(BI) like ashes.
¹⁷He hurls down his hail^(BJ) like pebbles.
Who can withstand his icy blast?
¹⁸He sends his word^(BK) and melts them;
he stirs up his breezes,^(BL) and the waters flow.

¹⁹He has revealed his word^(BM) to Jacob,^(BN)
his laws and decrees^(BO) to Israel.
²⁰He has done this for no other nation;^(BP)
they do not know^(BQ) his laws.^[c]

Praise the Lord.^(BR)

Footnotes:

Psalm 146:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 10
Psalm 147:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 20
Psalm 147:20 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint nation; / he has not made his laws known to them

Cross references:

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 111-113

Psalm 111^[a]

¹Praise the Lord.^[b]

I will extol the Lord^(A) with all my heart^(B)
in the council^(C) of the upright and in the assembly.^(D)

²Great are the works^(E) of the Lord;
they are pondered by all^(F) who delight in them.
³Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
and his righteousness endures^(G) forever.
⁴He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and compassionate.^(H)
⁵He provides food^(I) for those who fear him;^(J)
he remembers his covenant^(K) forever.

⁶He has shown his people the power of his works,^(L)
giving them the lands of other nations.^(M)
⁷The works of his hands^(N) are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy.^(O)
⁸They are established for ever^(P) and ever,
enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.
⁹He provided redemption^(Q) for his people;
he ordained his covenant forever—
holy and awesome^(R) is his name.

¹⁰The fear of the Lord^(S) is the beginning of wisdom;^(T)
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.^(U)
To him belongs eternal praise.^(V)

Psalm 112^[c]

¹Praise the Lord.^[d]^(W)

Blessed are those^(X) who fear the Lord,^(Y)
who find great delight^(Z) in his commands.

²Their children^(AA) will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
³Wealth and riches^(AB) are in their houses,
and their righteousness endures^(AC) forever.
⁴Even in darkness light dawns^(AD) for the upright,
for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.^(AE)
⁵Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,^(AF)
who conduct their affairs with justice.

⁶Surely the righteous will never be shaken;^(AG)
they will be remembered^(AH) forever.
⁷They will have no fear of bad news;
their hearts are steadfast,^(AI) trusting in the Lord.^(AJ)
⁸Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;^(AK)
in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.^(AL)
⁹They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,^(AM)
their righteousness endures^(AN) forever;
their horn^[e] will be lifted^(AO) high in honor.

¹⁰The wicked will see^(AP) and be vexed,
they will gnash their teeth^(AQ) and waste away;^(AR)
the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.^(AS)

Psalm 113

¹Praise the Lord.^[f]^(AT)

Praise the Lord, you his servants;^(AU)
praise the name of the Lord.
²Let the name of the Lord be praised,^(AV)
both now and forevermore.^(AW)
³From the rising of the sun^(AX) to the place where it sets,
the name of the Lord is to be praised.

⁴The Lord is exalted^(AY) over all the nations,
his glory above the heavens.^(AZ)
⁵Who is like the Lord our God,^(BA)
the One who sits enthroned^(BB) on high,^(BC)
⁶who stoops down to look^(BD)
on the heavens and the earth?

⁷He raises the poor^(BE) from the dust
and lifts the needy^(BF) from the ash heap;
⁸he seats them^(BG) with princes,
with the princes of his people.
⁹He settles the childless^(BH) woman in her home
as a happy mother of children.

Praise the Lord.

Footnotes:

Psalm 111:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the lines of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Psalm 111:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah
Psalm 112:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the lines of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Psalm 112:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah
Psalm 112:9 Horn here symbolizes dignity.
Psalm 113:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 9

Cross references:

New International Version (NIV)

Genesis 1:1-2:3

The Beginning

1 In the beginning^(A) God created^(B) the heavens^(C) and the earth.^(D) ²Now the earth was formless^(E) and empty,^(F) darkness was over the surface of the deep,^(G) and the Spirit of God^(H) was hovering^(I) over the waters.

³And God said,^(J) “Let there be light,” and there was light.^(K) ⁴God saw that the light was good,^(L) and he separated the light from the darkness.^(M) ⁵God called^(N) the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.”^(O) And there was evening, and there was morning^(P)—the first day.

⁶And God said,^(Q) “Let there be a vault^(R) between the waters^(S) to separate water from water.” ⁷So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it.^(T) And it was so.^(U) ⁸God called^(V) the vault “sky.”^(W) And there was evening, and there was morning^(X)—the second day.

⁹And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place,^(Y) and let dry ground^(Z) appear.” And it was so.^(AA) ¹⁰God called^(AB) the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters^(AC) he called “seas.”^(AD) And God saw that it was good.^(AE)

¹¹Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation:^(AF) seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.^(AG)” And it was so.^(AH) ¹²The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds^(AI) and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.^(AJ) ¹³And there was evening, and there was morning^(AK)—the third day.

¹⁴And God said, “Let there be lights^(AL) in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night,^(AM) and let them serve as signs^(AN) to mark sacred times,^(AO) and days and years,^(AP) ¹⁵and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so.^(AQ) ¹⁶God made two great lights—the greater light^(AR) to govern^(AS) the day and the lesser light to govern^(AT) the night.^(AU) He also made the stars.^(AV) ¹⁷God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, ¹⁸to govern the day and the night,^(AW) and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good.^(AX) ¹⁹And there was evening, and there was morning^(AY)—the fourth day.

²⁰And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures,^(AZ) and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.”^(BA) ²¹So God created^(BB) the great creatures of the sea^(BC) and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it,^(BD) according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind.^(BE) And God saw that it was good.^(BF) ²²God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.”^(BG) ²³And there was evening, and there was morning^(BH)—the fifth day.

²⁴And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures^(BI) according to their kinds:^(BJ) the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so.^(BK) ²⁵God made the wild animals^(BL) according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds.^(BM) And God saw that it was good.^(BN)

²⁶Then God said, “Let us^(BO) make mankind^(BP) in our image,^(BQ) in our likeness,^(BR) so that they may rule^(BS) over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky,^(BT) over the livestock and all the wild animals,^[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

²⁷So God created^(BU) mankind^(BV) in his own image,^(BW)
in the image of God^(BX) he created them;
male and female^(BY) he created them.^(BZ)

²⁸God blessed them and said to them,^(CA) “Be fruitful and increase in number;^(CB) fill the earth^(CC) and subdue it. Rule over^(CD) the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.^(CE)”

²⁹Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.^(CF) ³⁰And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life^(CG) in it—I give every green plant for food.^(CH)” And it was so.

³¹God saw all that he had made,^(CI) and it was very good.^(CJ) And there was evening, and there was morning^(CK)—the sixth day.

2 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.^(CL)

²By the seventh day^(CM) God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.^(CN) ³Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy,^(CO) because on it he rested^(CP) from all the work of creating^(CQ) that he had done.

Footnotes:

Genesis 1:26 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text (see Syriac); Masoretic Text the earth

Cross references:

New International Version (NIV)

Ephesians 1:3-14

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,^(A) who has blessed us in the heavenly realms^(B) with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴For he chose us^(C) in him before the creation of the world^(D) to be holy and blameless^(E) in his sight. In love^(F) ⁵he^[a] predestined^(G) us for adoption to sonship^[b]^(H) through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure^(I) and will— ⁶to the praise of his glorious grace,^(J) which he has freely given us in the One he loves.^(K) ⁷In him we have redemption^(L) through his blood,^(M) the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches^(N) of God’s grace ⁸that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, ⁹he^[c] made known to us the mystery^(O) of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed^(P) in Christ, ¹⁰to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment^(Q)—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.^(R)

¹¹In him we were also chosen,^[d] having been predestined^(S) according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose^(T) of his will, ¹²in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.^(U) ¹³And you also were included in Christ^(V) when you heard the message of truth,^(W) the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal,^(X) the promised Holy Spirit,^(Y) ¹⁴who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance^(Z) until the redemption^(AA) of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.^(AB)

Footnotes:

Ephesians 1:5 Or sight in love. ⁵He
Ephesians 1:5 The Greek word for adoption to sonship is a legal term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted male heir in Roman culture.
Ephesians 1:9 Or us with all wisdom and understanding. ⁹And he
Ephesians 1:11 Or were made heirs

Cross references:

New International Version (NIV)

John 1:29-34

John Testifies About Jesus

²⁹The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God,^(A) who takes away the sin of the world!^(B) ³⁰This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’^(C) ³¹I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

³²Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.^(D) ³³And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water^(E) told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’^(F) ³⁴I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”^[a]^(G)

Footnotes:

John 1:34 See Isaiah 42:1; many manuscripts is the Son of God.

Cross references:

John 1:29 : ver 36; Ge 22:8; Isa 53:7; 1Pe 1:19; Rev 5:6; 13:8
John 1:29 : S Jn 3:17
John 1:30 : ver 15, 27
John 1:32 : Mt 3:16
John 1:33 : S Mk 1:4
John 1:33 : S Mk 1:8
John 1:34 : ver 49; S Mt 4:3

New International Version (NIV)

For Today's Prayers click here

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Greatest Commandment

"‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these.” [Mark 12:29-31]

Daily Scripture 01-11-2026

DAILY READINGS: January 11-18

SUNDAY: Morning: Psalm 146, 147; Evening: Psalm 111, 112, 113; Isaiah 40:1-11; Hebrews 1:1-12; John 1:1-7,19-20,29-34

MONDAY: Morning: Psalm 1, 2, 3; Evening: Psalm 4, 7; Isaiah 40:12-23; Ephesians 1:1-14; Mark 1:1-13

TUESDAY: Morning: Psalm 5, 6; Evening: Psalm 10, 11; Isaiah 40:25-31; Ephesians 1:15-23; Mark 1:14-28

WEDNESDAY: Morning: Psalm 119:1-24; Evening: Psalm 12, 13, 14; Isaiah 41:1-16; Ephesians 2:1-10; Mark 1:29-45

THURSDAY: Morning: Psalm 18:1-20; Evening: Psalm 18:21-50; Isaiah 41:17-29; Ephesians 2:11-22; Mark 2:1-12

FRIDAY: Morning: Psalm 16, 17; Evening: Psalm 22; Isaiah 42:1-17; Ephesians 3:1-13; Mark 2:13-22

SATURDAY: Morning: Psalm 20, 21:1-14; Evening: Psalm 110:1-7, 116, 117; Isaiah 43:1-13; Ephesians 3:14-21; Mark 2:23-3:6

SUNDAY: Morning: Psalm 148, 149, 150; Evening: Psalm 114, 115; Isaiah 43:14-44:5; Hebrews 6:17-7:10; John 4:27-42

FOR THE WEEK: Psalm 29; Isaiah 42:1-9; Acts 10:34-43; Matthew 3:13-17; Luke 19

Today's Scripture & Prayer

Daily Bible Reading & Praying with the Church

Today's Scripture & Prayer

Daily Bible Reading & Praying with the Church

Reading for Sun, Jan 11

Psalm 146-147

Psalm 146

Psalm 147

Footnotes:

Cross references:

Psalm 111-113

Psalm 111[a]

Psalm 112[c]

Psalm 113

Footnotes:

Cross references:

Genesis 1:1-2:3

The Beginning

Footnotes:

Cross references:

Ephesians 1:3-14

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

Footnotes:

Cross references:

John 1:29-34

John Testifies About Jesus

Footnotes:

Cross references:

Psalm 111^[a]

Psalm 112^[c]