Today's Scripture & Prayer

Daily Bible Reading & Praying with the Church

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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 Wed, Dec 31

Psalm 90

BOOK IV

Psalms 90–106

Psalm 90

A prayer of Moses the man of God.

1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place(A)
throughout all generations.
2 Before the mountains were born(B)
or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting(C) you are God.(D)

3 You turn people back to dust,
saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”(E)
4 A thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by,
or like a watch in the night.(F)
5 Yet you sweep people away(G) in the sleep of death—
they are like the new grass of the morning:
6 In the morning it springs up new,
but by evening it is dry and withered.(H)

7 We are consumed by your anger
and terrified by your indignation.
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins(I) in the light of your presence.(J)
9 All our days pass away under your wrath;
we finish our years with a moan.(K)
10 Our days may come to seventy years,(L)
or eighty,(M) if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,(N)
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.(O)
11 If only we knew the power of your anger!
Your wrath(P) is as great as the fear that is your due.(Q)
12 Teach us to number our days,(R)
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.(S)

13 Relent, Lord! How long(T) will it be?
Have compassion on your servants.(U)
14 Satisfy(V) us in the morning with your unfailing love,(W)
that we may sing for joy(X) and be glad all our days.(Y)
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
for as many years as we have seen trouble.
16 May your deeds be shown to your servants,
your splendor to their children.(Z)

17 May the favor[a] of the Lord our God rest on us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands.(AA)

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 90:17 Or beauty

Cross references:

  1. Psalm 90:1 : S Dt 33:27; Eph 2:22; Rev 21:3
  2. Psalm 90:2 : S Job 15:7
  3. Psalm 90:2 : Isa 9:6; 57:15
  4. Psalm 90:2 : S Ge 21:33; S Job 10:5; Ps 102:24-27; Pr 8:23-26
  5. Psalm 90:3 : S Ge 2:7; S Job 7:21; 34:15; 1Co 15:47
  6. Psalm 90:4 : S Job 10:5; 2Pe 3:8
  7. Psalm 90:5 : S Ge 19:15
  8. Psalm 90:6 : Isa 40:6-8; Mt 6:30; Jas 1:10
  9. Psalm 90:8 : S Ps 19:12; 2Co 4:2; Eph 5:12
  10. Psalm 90:8 : S Heb 4:13
  11. Psalm 90:9 : Ps 78:33
  12. Psalm 90:10 : Isa 23:15, 17; Jer 25:11
  13. Psalm 90:10 : 2Sa 19:35
  14. Psalm 90:10 : S Job 5:7
  15. Psalm 90:10 : S Job 20:8; S 34:15
  16. Psalm 90:11 : Ps 7:11
  17. Psalm 90:11 : Ps 76:7
  18. Psalm 90:12 : Ps 39:4; 139:16; Pr 16:9; 20:24
  19. Psalm 90:12 : Dt 32:29
  20. Psalm 90:13 : Ps 6:3
  21. Psalm 90:13 : S Dt 32:36
  22. Psalm 90:14 : Ps 103:5; 107:9; 145:16, 19
  23. Psalm 90:14 : S Ps 77:8; 143:8
  24. Psalm 90:14 : S Ps 5:11
  25. Psalm 90:14 : Ps 31:7
  26. Psalm 90:16 : Ps 44:1; Hab 3:2
  27. Psalm 90:17 : Isa 26:12
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Isaiah 65:15-25

15 You will leave your name
for my chosen ones to use in their curses;(A)
the Sovereign Lord will put you to death,
but to his servants he will give another name.(B)
16 Whoever invokes a blessing(C) in the land
will do so by the one true God;(D)
whoever takes an oath in the land
will swear(E) by the one true God.
For the past troubles(F) will be forgotten
and hidden from my eyes.

New Heavens and a New Earth

17 “See, I will create
new heavens and a new earth.(G)
The former things will not be remembered,(H)
nor will they come to mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice(I) forever
in what I will create,
for I will create Jerusalem(J) to be a delight
and its people a joy.
19 I will rejoice(K) over Jerusalem
and take delight(L) in my people;
the sound of weeping and of crying(M)
will be heard in it no more.

20 “Never again will there be in it
an infant(N) who lives but a few days,
or an old man who does not live out his years;(O)
the one who dies at a hundred
will be thought a mere child;
the one who fails to reach[a] a hundred
will be considered accursed.
21 They will build houses(P) and dwell in them;
they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.(Q)
22 No longer will they build houses and others live in them,(R)
or plant and others eat.
For as the days of a tree,(S)
so will be the days(T) of my people;
my chosen(U) ones will long enjoy
the work of their hands.
23 They will not labor in vain,(V)
nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune;(W)
for they will be a people blessed(X) by the Lord,
they and their descendants(Y) with them.
24 Before they call(Z) I will answer;(AA)
while they are still speaking(AB) I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb(AC) will feed together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox,(AD)
and dust will be the serpent’s(AE) food.
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,”(AF)
says the Lord.

Footnotes:

  1. Isaiah 65:20 Or the sinner who reaches

Cross references:

  1. Isaiah 65:15 : S Nu 5:27; S Ps 102:8
  2. Isaiah 65:15 : S Ge 32:28; Rev 2:17
  3. Isaiah 65:16 : S Dt 29:19
  4. Isaiah 65:16 : Ps 31:5; Rev 3:14
  5. Isaiah 65:16 : S Ps 63:11; S Isa 19:18
  6. Isaiah 65:16 : S Job 11:16
  7. Isaiah 65:17 : S Isa 41:22; 66:22; 2Co 5:17; S 2Pe 3:13
  8. Isaiah 65:17 : Isa 43:18; Jer 3:16; S Rev 7:17
  9. Isaiah 65:18 : S Dt 32:43; Ps 98:1-9; S Isa 25:9
  10. Isaiah 65:18 : Rev 21:2
  11. Isaiah 65:19 : S Isa 35:10; S 62:5
  12. Isaiah 65:19 : S Dt 30:9
  13. Isaiah 65:19 : S Isa 25:8; Rev 7:17
  14. Isaiah 65:20 : Isa 11:8
  15. Isaiah 65:20 : Ge 5:1-32; S 15:15; S Ecc 8:13; Zec 8:4
  16. Isaiah 65:21 : S Isa 32:18; S 61:4
  17. Isaiah 65:21 : S 2Ki 19:29; S Isa 37:30; Eze 28:26; Am 9:14
  18. Isaiah 65:22 : S Dt 28:30
  19. Isaiah 65:22 : Ps 1:3; 92:12-14
  20. Isaiah 65:22 : Ps 21:4; 91:16
  21. Isaiah 65:22 : S Isa 14:1
  22. Isaiah 65:23 : S Isa 49:4; 1Co 15:58
  23. Isaiah 65:23 : Dt 28:32, 41; Jer 16:3-4
  24. Isaiah 65:23 : S Ge 12:2; S Dt 28:3-12
  25. Isaiah 65:23 : S Isa 44:3; Ac 2:39
  26. Isaiah 65:24 : S Isa 55:6; Mt 6:8
  27. Isaiah 65:24 : S Job 8:6; S Isa 30:19; S Zec 10:6
  28. Isaiah 65:24 : Da 9:20-23; 10:12
  29. Isaiah 65:25 : Isa 11:6
  30. Isaiah 65:25 : S Job 40:15
  31. Isaiah 65:25 : Ge 3:14; Mic 7:17
  32. Isaiah 65:25 : S Job 5:23; S Isa 2:4
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Revelation 21:1-6

A New Heaven and a New Earth

21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”[a](A) for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,(B) and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City,(C) the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,(D) prepared as a bride(E) beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.(F) They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.(G) 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.(H) There will be no more death’[b](I) or mourning or crying or pain,(J) for the old order of things has passed away.”(K)

5 He who was seated on the throne(L) said, “I am making everything new!”(M) Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”(N)

6 He said to me: “It is done.(O) I am the Alpha and the Omega,(P) the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost(Q) from the spring of the water of life.(R)

Footnotes:

  1. Revelation 21:1 Isaiah 65:17
  2. Revelation 21:4 Isaiah 25:8

Cross references:

  1. Revelation 21:1 : S 2Pe 3:13
  2. Revelation 21:1 : S Rev 6:14
  3. Revelation 21:2 : ver 10; Ne 11:18; Isa 52:1; Rev 11:2; 22:19
  4. Revelation 21:2 : ver 10; Heb 11:10; 12:22; Rev 3:12
  5. Revelation 21:2 : S Rev 19:7
  6. Revelation 21:3 : Ex 25:8; 2Ch 6:18; Eze 48:35; Zec 2:10
  7. Revelation 21:3 : S 2Co 6:16
  8. Revelation 21:4 : S Rev 7:17
  9. Revelation 21:4 : Isa 25:8; 1Co 15:26; Rev 20:14
  10. Revelation 21:4 : Isa 35:10; 65:19
  11. Revelation 21:4 : S 2Co 5:17
  12. Revelation 21:5 : Rev 4:9; 20:11
  13. Revelation 21:5 : ver 4
  14. Revelation 21:5 : Rev 19:9; 22:6
  15. Revelation 21:6 : Rev 16:17
  16. Revelation 21:6 : Rev 1:8; 22:13
  17. Revelation 21:6 : Isa 55:1
  18. Revelation 21:6 : S Jn 4:10
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.