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, May 10
Psalm 93
Psalm 93
1 The Lord reigns,(A) he is robed in majesty;(B)
the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength;(C)
indeed, the world is established,(D) firm and secure.(E)
2 Your throne was established(F) long ago;
you are from all eternity.(G)
3 The seas(H) have lifted up, Lord,
the seas have lifted up their voice;(I)
the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.(J)
4 Mightier than the thunder(K) of the great waters,
mightier than the breakers(L) of the sea—
the Lord on high is mighty.(M)
Cross references:
- Psalm 93:1 : S 1Ch 16:31; S Ps 97:1
- Psalm 93:1 : S Job 40:10; S Ps 21:5
- Psalm 93:1 : S Ps 65:6
- Psalm 93:1 : Ps 24:2; 78:69; 119:90
- Psalm 93:1 : 1Ch 16:30; Ps 96:10
- Psalm 93:2 : S 2Sa 7:16
- Psalm 93:2 : S Ge 21:33
- Psalm 93:3 : Ps 96:11; 98:7; Isa 5:30; 17:12-13; Jer 6:23
- Psalm 93:3 : S Ps 46:3
- Psalm 93:3 : Job 9:8; Ps 107:25, 29; Isa 51:15; Jer 31:35; Hab 3:10
- Psalm 93:4 : Ps 65:7; Jer 6:23
- Psalm 93:4 : S Ps 18:4; Jnh 1:15
- Psalm 93:4 : S Ne 9:32; S Job 9:4
- Psalm 93:5 : Ps 29:2; 96:9
- Psalm 93:5 : Ps 5:7; 23:6
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Psalm 96
Psalm 96(A)
1 Sing to the Lord(B) a new song;(C)
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Sing to the Lord, praise his name;(D)
proclaim his salvation(E) day after day.
3 Declare his glory(F) among the nations,
his marvelous deeds(G) among all peoples.
4 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;(H)
he is to be feared(I) above all gods.(J)
5 For all the gods of the nations are idols,(K)
but the Lord made the heavens.(L)
6 Splendor and majesty(M) are before him;
strength and glory(N) are in his sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to the Lord,(O) all you families of nations,(P)
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering(Q) and come into his courts.(R)
9 Worship the Lord(S) in the splendor of his[a] holiness;(T)
tremble(U) before him, all the earth.(V)
10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.(W)”
The world is firmly established,(X) it cannot be moved;(Y)
he will judge(Z) the peoples with equity.(AA)
11 Let the heavens rejoice,(AB) let the earth be glad;(AC)
let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
12 Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
let all the trees of the forest(AD) sing for joy.(AE)
13 Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes,
he comes to judge(AF) the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness(AG)
and the peoples in his faithfulness.(AH)
Footnotes:
- Psalm 96:9 Or Lord with the splendor of
Cross references:
- Psalm 96:1 : 96:1-13pp — 1Ch 16:23-33
- Psalm 96:1 : Ps 30:4
- Psalm 96:1 : Ps 33:3; S 40:3; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1; Isa 42:10; S Rev 5:9
- Psalm 96:2 : S Ps 68:4
- Psalm 96:2 : Ps 27:1; 71:15
- Psalm 96:3 : Ps 8:1
- Psalm 96:3 : S Ps 71:17; Rev 15:3
- Psalm 96:4 : S Ps 48:1
- Psalm 96:4 : S Dt 28:58; S 1Ch 16:25; Ps 89:7
- Psalm 96:4 : S Ps 95:3
- Psalm 96:5 : S Lev 19:4
- Psalm 96:5 : S Ge 1:1; S 2Ch 2:12
- Psalm 96:6 : S Ps 21:5
- Psalm 96:6 : Ps 29:1; 89:17
- Psalm 96:7 : Ps 29:1
- Psalm 96:7 : Ps 22:27
- Psalm 96:8 : Ps 45:12; S 51:19; 72:10
- Psalm 96:8 : Ps 65:4; 84:10; 92:13; 100:4
- Psalm 96:9 : Ex 23:25; Jnh 1:9
- Psalm 96:9 : S Ps 93:5
- Psalm 96:9 : S Ex 15:14; Ps 114:7
- Psalm 96:9 : Ps 33:8
- Psalm 96:10 : Ps 97:1
- Psalm 96:10 : Ps 24:2; 78:69; 119:90
- Psalm 96:10 : S Ps 93:1
- Psalm 96:10 : Ps 58:11
- Psalm 96:10 : Ps 67:4; 98:9
- Psalm 96:11 : S Rev 12:12
- Psalm 96:11 : Ps 97:1; Isa 49:13
- Psalm 96:12 : Isa 44:23; 55:12; Eze 17:24
- Psalm 96:12 : Ps 65:13
- Psalm 96:13 : Rev 19:11
- Psalm 96:13 : S Ps 7:11; Ac 17:31
- Psalm 96:13 : Ps 86:11
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Psalm 34
Psalm 34[a][b]
Of David. When he pretended to be insane(A) before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.
1 I will extol the Lord at all times;(B)
his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory(C) in the Lord;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.(D)
3 Glorify the Lord(E) with me;
let us exalt(F) his name together.
4 I sought the Lord,(G) and he answered me;
he delivered(H) me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;(I)
their faces are never covered with shame.(J)
6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.(K)
7 The angel of the Lord(L) encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers(M) them.
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good;(N)
blessed is the one who takes refuge(O) in him.
9 Fear the Lord,(P) you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing.(Q)
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.(R)
11 Come, my children, listen(S) to me;
I will teach you(T) the fear of the Lord.(U)
12 Whoever of you loves life(V)
and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue(W) from evil
and your lips from telling lies.(X)
14 Turn from evil and do good;(Y)
seek peace(Z) and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord(AA) are on the righteous,(AB)
and his ears are attentive(AC) to their cry;
16 but the face of the Lord is against(AD) those who do evil,(AE)
to blot out their name(AF) from the earth.
17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears(AG) them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is close(AH) to the brokenhearted(AI)
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 The righteous person may have many troubles,(AJ)
but the Lord delivers him from them all;(AK)
20 he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.(AL)
21 Evil will slay the wicked;(AM)
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord will rescue(AN) his servants;
no one who takes refuge(AO) in him will be condemned.
Footnotes:
- Psalm 34:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
- Psalm 34:1 In Hebrew texts 34:1-22 is numbered 34:2-23.
Cross references:
- Psalm 34:1 : 1Sa 21:13
- Psalm 34:1 : Ps 71:6; S Eph 5:20; 1Th 5:18
- Psalm 34:2 : Ps 44:8; Jer 9:24; 1Co 1:31
- Psalm 34:2 : Ps 69:32; 107:42; 119:74
- Psalm 34:3 : Ps 63:3; 86:12; Da 4:37; Jn 17:1; Ro 15:6
- Psalm 34:3 : S Ex 15:2
- Psalm 34:4 : S Ex 32:11; Ps 77:2
- Psalm 34:4 : ver 17; Ps 18:43; 22:4; 56:13; 86:13
- Psalm 34:5 : S Ex 34:29
- Psalm 34:5 : Ps 25:3; 44:15; 69:7; 83:16
- Psalm 34:6 : S Ps 25:17
- Psalm 34:7 : S Ge 32:1; S Da 3:28; S Mt 18:10
- Psalm 34:7 : Ps 22:4; 37:40; 41:1; 97:10; Isa 31:5; Ac 12:11
- Psalm 34:8 : Heb 6:5; 1Pe 2:3
- Psalm 34:8 : S Ps 2:12
- Psalm 34:9 : S Dt 6:13; Rev 14:7
- Psalm 34:9 : S Ps 23:1
- Psalm 34:10 : S Ps 23:1
- Psalm 34:11 : Ps 66:16
- Psalm 34:11 : S Ps 32:8
- Psalm 34:11 : S Ps 19:9
- Psalm 34:12 : Ecc 3:13
- Psalm 34:13 : Ps 39:1; 141:3; Pr 13:3; 21:23; Jas 1:26
- Psalm 34:13 : S Ps 12:2; 1Pe 2:22
- Psalm 34:14 : Ps 37:27; Isa 1:17; 3Jn 1:11
- Psalm 34:14 : S Ro 14:19
- Psalm 34:15 : Ps 33:18
- Psalm 34:15 : S Job 23:10; S 36:7
- Psalm 34:15 : Mal 3:16; S Jn 9:31
- Psalm 34:16 : Lev 17:10; Jer 23:30
- Psalm 34:16 : 1Pe 3:10-12*
- Psalm 34:16 : S Ex 17:14; Ps 9:6
- Psalm 34:17 : Ps 145:19
- Psalm 34:18 : Dt 4:7; Ps 119:151; 145:18; Isa 50:8
- Psalm 34:18 : Ps 51:17; 109:16; 147:3; Isa 61:1
- Psalm 34:19 : ver 17; Ps 25:17
- Psalm 34:19 : S Job 5:19; 2Ti 3:11
- Psalm 34:20 : Jn 19:36*
- Psalm 34:21 : Ps 7:9; 9:16; 11:5; 37:20; 73:27; 94:23; 106:43; 112:10; 140:11; Pr 14:32; 24:16
- Psalm 34:22 : S Ex 6:6; S 15:13; Lk 1:68; Rev 14:3
- Psalm 34:22 : Ps 2:12
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Leviticus 25:1-17
The Sabbath Year
25 The Lord said to Moses at Mount Sinai,(A) 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the Lord. 3 For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops.(B) 4 But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of sabbath rest,(C) a sabbath to the Lord. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards.(D) 5 Do not reap what grows of itself(E) or harvest the grapes(F) of your untended vines.(G) The land is to have a year of rest. 6 Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year(H) will be food for you—for yourself, your male and female servants, and the hired worker and temporary resident who live among you, 7 as well as for your livestock and the wild animals(I) in your land. Whatever the land produces may be eaten.
The Year of Jubilee(J)(K)
8 “‘Count off seven sabbath years—seven times seven years—so that the seven sabbath years amount to a period of forty-nine years. 9 Then have the trumpet(L) sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month;(M) on the Day of Atonement(N) sound the trumpet throughout your land. 10 Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty(O) throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee(P) for you; each of you is to return to your family property(Q) and to your own clan. 11 The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee(R) for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the untended vines.(S) 12 For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields.
13 “‘In this Year of Jubilee(T) everyone is to return to their own property.
14 “‘If you sell land to any of your own people or buy land from them, do not take advantage of each other.(U) 15 You are to buy from your own people on the basis of the number of years(V) since the Jubilee. And they are to sell to you on the basis of the number of years left for harvesting crops. 16 When the years are many, you are to increase the price, and when the years are few, you are to decrease the price,(W) because what is really being sold to you is the number of crops. 17 Do not take advantage of each other,(X) but fear your God.(Y) I am the Lord your God.(Z)
Cross references:
- Leviticus 25:1 : Ex 19:11
- Leviticus 25:3 : Ex 23:10
- Leviticus 25:4 : ver 5, 6, 20; Lev 26:35; 2Ch 36:21
- Leviticus 25:4 : Isa 36:16; 37:30
- Leviticus 25:5 : 2Ki 19:29
- Leviticus 25:5 : Ge 40:10; Nu 6:3; 13:20; Dt 23:24; Ne 13:15; Isa 5:2
- Leviticus 25:5 : ver 4, 11
- Leviticus 25:6 : S ver 4
- Leviticus 25:7 : Ex 23:11
- Leviticus 25:8 : 25:8-38Ref — Dt 15:1-11
- Leviticus 25:8 : 25:39-55Ref — Ex 21:2-11; Dt 15:12-18
- Leviticus 25:9 : Lev 23:24; Nu 10:8; Jos 6:4; Jdg 3:27; 7:16; 1Sa 13:3; Isa 27:13; Zec 9:14
- Leviticus 25:9 : S Lev 16:29
- Leviticus 25:9 : S Ex 30:10
- Leviticus 25:10 : Isa 61:1; Jer 34:8, 15, 17; S Lk 4:19
- Leviticus 25:10 : ver 11, 28, 50; Lev 27:17, 21; Nu 36:4; Eze 46:17
- Leviticus 25:10 : ver 27
- Leviticus 25:11 : S ver 10
- Leviticus 25:11 : S ver 5
- Leviticus 25:13 : ver 10
- Leviticus 25:14 : S Lev 19:13; 1Sa 12:3, 4; 1Co 6:8
- Leviticus 25:15 : ver 27; Lev 27:18, 23
- Leviticus 25:16 : ver 27, 51, 52
- Leviticus 25:17 : S Lev 19:13; Job 31:16; Pr 22:22; Jer 7:5, 6; 21:12; 22:3, 15; Zec 7:9-10; 1Th 4:6
- Leviticus 25:17 : S Lev 19:14
- Leviticus 25:17 : S Lev 19:32
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
James 1:2-8
Trials and Temptations
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds,(A) 3 because you know that the testing of your faith(B) produces perseverance.(C) 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature(D) and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God,(E) who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.(F) 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt,(G) because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded(H) and unstable(I) in all they do.
Footnotes:
- James 1:2 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verses 16 and 19; and in 2:1, 5, 14; 3:10, 12; 4:11; 5:7, 9, 10, 12, 19.
Cross references:
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
James 1:16-18
16 Don’t be deceived,(A) my dear brothers and sisters.(B) 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above,(C) coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,(D) who does not change(E) like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth(F) through the word of truth,(G) that we might be a kind of firstfruits(H) of all he created.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Luke 12:13-21
The Parable of the Rich Fool
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”(A)
16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool!(B) This very night your life will be demanded from you.(C) Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’(D)
21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”(E)
Cross references:
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

