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, Nov 23

Psalm 118

¹Give thanks to the Lord,^(A) for he is good;^(B)
his love endures forever.^(C)

²Let Israel say:^(D)
“His love endures forever.”^(E)
³Let the house of Aaron say:^(F)
“His love endures forever.”
⁴Let those who fear the Lord^(G) say:
“His love endures forever.”

⁵When hard pressed,^(H) I cried to the Lord;
he brought me into a spacious place.^(I)
⁶The Lord is with me;^(J) I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?^(K)
⁷The Lord is with me; he is my helper.^(L)
I look in triumph on my enemies.^(M)

⁸It is better to take refuge in the Lord^(N)
than to trust in humans.^(O)
⁹It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes.^(P)
¹⁰All the nations surrounded me,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.^(Q)
¹¹They surrounded me^(R) on every side,^(S)
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
¹²They swarmed around me like bees,^(T)
but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;^(U)
in the name of the Lord I cut them down.^(V)
¹³I was pushed back and about to fall,
but the Lord helped me.^(W)
¹⁴The Lord is my strength^(X) and my defense^[a];
he has become my salvation.^(Y)

¹⁵Shouts of joy^(Z) and victory
resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand^(AA) has done mighty things!^(AB)
¹⁶The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;
the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”
¹⁷I will not die^(AC) but live,
and will proclaim^(AD) what the Lord has done.
¹⁸The Lord has chastened^(AE) me severely,
but he has not given me over to death.^(AF)
¹⁹Open for me the gates^(AG) of the righteous;
I will enter^(AH) and give thanks to the Lord.
²⁰This is the gate of the Lord^(AI)
through which the righteous may enter.^(AJ)
²¹I will give you thanks, for you answered me;^(AK)
you have become my salvation.^(AL)

²²The stone^(AM) the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;^(AN)
²³the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous^(AO) in our eyes.
²⁴The Lord has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad.^(AP)

²⁵Lord, save us!^(AQ)
Lord, grant us success!

²⁶Blessed is he who comes^(AR) in the name of the Lord.
From the house of the Lord we bless you.^[b]^(AS)
²⁷The Lord is God,^(AT)
and he has made his light shine^(AU) on us.
With boughs in hand,^(AV) join in the festal procession
up^[c] to the horns of the altar.^(AW)

²⁸You are my God, and I will praise you;
you are my God,^(AX) and I will exalt^(AY) you.

²⁹Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

Footnotes:

Psalm 118:14 Or song
Psalm 118:26 The Hebrew is plural.
Psalm 118:27 Or Bind the festal sacrifice with ropes / and take it

Cross references:

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 145

Psalm 145^[a]

A psalm of praise. Of David.

¹I will exalt you,^(A) my God the King;^(B)
I will praise your name^(C) for ever and ever.
²Every day I will praise^(D) you
and extol your name^(E) for ever and ever.

³Great^(F) is the Lord and most worthy of praise;^(G)
his greatness no one can fathom.^(H)
⁴One generation^(I) commends your works to another;
they tell^(J) of your mighty acts.^(K)
⁵They speak of the glorious splendor^(L) of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.^[b]^(M)
⁶They tell^(N) of the power of your awesome works—^(O)
and I will proclaim^(P) your great deeds.^(Q)
⁷They celebrate your abundant goodness^(R)
and joyfully sing^(S) of your righteousness.^(T)

⁸The Lord is gracious and compassionate,^(U)
slow to anger and rich in love.^(V)

⁹The Lord is good^(W) to all;
he has compassion^(X) on all he has made.
¹⁰All your works praise you,^(Y) Lord;
your faithful people extol^(Z) you.^(AA)
¹¹They tell of the glory of your kingdom^(AB)
and speak of your might,^(AC)
¹²so that all people may know of your mighty acts^(AD)
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.^(AE)
¹³Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,^(AF)
and your dominion endures through all generations.

The Lord is trustworthy^(AG) in all he promises^(AH)
and faithful in all he does.^[c]
¹⁴The Lord upholds^(AI) all who fall
and lifts up all^(AJ) who are bowed down.^(AK)
¹⁵The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food^(AL) at the proper time.
¹⁶You open your hand
and satisfy the desires^(AM) of every living thing.

¹⁷The Lord is righteous^(AN) in all his ways
and faithful in all he does.^(AO)
¹⁸The Lord is near^(AP) to all who call on him,^(AQ)
to all who call on him in truth.
¹⁹He fulfills the desires^(AR) of those who fear him;^(AS)
he hears their cry^(AT) and saves them.^(AU)
²⁰The Lord watches over^(AV) all who love him,^(AW)
but all the wicked he will destroy.^(AX)

²¹My mouth will speak^(AY) in praise of the Lord.
Let every creature^(AZ) praise his holy name^(BA)
for ever and ever.

Footnotes:

Psalm 145:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which (including verse 13b) begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Psalm 145:5 Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac (see also Septuagint); Masoretic Text On the glorious splendor of your majesty / and on your wonderful works I will meditate
Psalm 145:13 One manuscript of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac (see also Septuagint); most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text do not have the last two lines of verse 13.

Cross references:

Psalm 145:1 : Ps 30:1; 34:1
Psalm 145:1 : Ps 2:6; 5:2
Psalm 145:1 : S Ps 54:6
Psalm 145:2 : S Ps 71:6
Psalm 145:2 : Ps 34:1; Isa 25:1; 26:8
Psalm 145:3 : S Ps 95:3
Psalm 145:3 : S 2Sa 22:4; Ps 96:4
Psalm 145:3 : S Job 5:9
Psalm 145:4 : Ps 22:30
Psalm 145:4 : S Dt 11:19
Psalm 145:4 : S Ps 71:16
Psalm 145:5 : Ps 96:6; 148:13
Psalm 145:5 : S Ps 75:1
Psalm 145:6 : Ps 78:4
Psalm 145:6 : S Ps 66:3
Psalm 145:6 : S Dt 32:3
Psalm 145:6 : Ps 75:1; 106:22
Psalm 145:7 : S Ex 18:9; S Ps 27:13
Psalm 145:7 : S Ps 5:11; S 101:1
Psalm 145:7 : S Ps 138:5
Psalm 145:8 : S Ps 86:15; 103:8
Psalm 145:8 : S Ps 86:5
Psalm 145:9 : S 1Ch 16:34; S Ps 136:1; Mt 19:17; Mk 10:18
Psalm 145:9 : Ps 103:13-14
Psalm 145:10 : S Ps 8:6; S 103:22; S 139:14
Psalm 145:10 : Ps 30:4; 148:14; 149:9
Psalm 145:10 : Ps 115:17-18
Psalm 145:11 : ver 12-13; S Ex 15:2; Mt 6:33
Psalm 145:11 : Ps 21:13
Psalm 145:12 : S Ps 75:1; 105:1
Psalm 145:12 : ver 11; Ps 103:19; Isa 2:10, 19, 21
Psalm 145:13 : S Ex 15:18; 1Ti 1:17; 2Pe 1:11; Rev 11:15
Psalm 145:13 : S Dt 7:9; S 1Co 1:9
Psalm 145:13 : S Jos 23:14
Psalm 145:14 : S Ps 37:17
Psalm 145:14 : S 1Sa 2:8; Ps 146:8
Psalm 145:14 : S Ps 38:6
Psalm 145:15 : S Ge 1:30; S Job 28:5; S Ps 37:25; S Mt 6:26
Psalm 145:16 : S Ps 90:14; S 104:28
Psalm 145:17 : S Ex 9:27; S Ezr 9:15
Psalm 145:17 : ver 13
Psalm 145:18 : S Nu 23:21; S Ps 46:1; Php 4:5
Psalm 145:18 : Ps 18:6; 80:18
Psalm 145:19 : S Ps 20:4
Psalm 145:19 : S Job 22:28
Psalm 145:19 : S Ps 31:22; S 40:1
Psalm 145:19 : S 1Sa 10:19; Ps 7:10; 34:18
Psalm 145:20 : S Ps 1:6
Psalm 145:20 : Ps 31:23; 91:14; 97:10
Psalm 145:20 : S Ps 94:23
Psalm 145:21 : Ps 71:8
Psalm 145:21 : Ps 65:2; 150:6
Psalm 145:21 : S Ex 3:15; S Ps 30:4; S 99:3

New International Version (NIV)

Isaiah 19:19-25

¹⁹In that day^(A) there will be an altar^(B) to the Lord in the heart of Egypt,^(C) and a monument^(D) to the Lord at its border. ²⁰It will be a sign and witness^(E) to the Lord Almighty in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior^(F) and defender, and he will rescue^(G) them. ²¹So the Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians, and in that day they will acknowledge^(H) the Lord. They will worship^(I) with sacrifices and grain offerings; they will make vows to the Lord and keep them.^(J) ²²The Lord will strike^(K) Egypt with a plague;^(L) he will strike them and heal them. They will turn^(M) to the Lord, and he will respond to their pleas and heal^(N) them.

²³In that day^(O) there will be a highway^(P) from Egypt to Assyria.^(Q) The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship^(R) together. ²⁴In that day^(S) Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria,^(T) a blessing^[a]^(U) on the earth. ²⁵The Lord Almighty will bless^(V) them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people,^(W) Assyria my handiwork,^(X) and Israel my inheritance.^(Y)”

Footnotes:

Isaiah 19:24 Or Assyria, whose names will be used in blessings (see Gen. 48:20); or Assyria, who will be seen by others as blessed

Cross references:

New International Version (NIV)

Romans 15:5-13

⁵May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind^(A) toward each other that Christ Jesus had, ⁶so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify^(B) the God and Father^(C) of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷Accept one another,^(D) then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. ⁸For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews^[a]^(E) on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises^(F) made to the patriarchs might be confirmed ⁹and, moreover, that the Gentiles^(G) might glorify God^(H) for his mercy. As it is written:

“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles;
I will sing the praises of your name.”^[b]^(I)

¹⁰Again, it says,

“Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”^[c]^(J)

¹¹And again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;
let all the peoples extol him.”^[d]^(K)

¹²And again, Isaiah says,

“The Root of Jesse^(L) will spring up,
one who will arise to rule over the nations;
in him the Gentiles will hope.”^[e]^(M)

¹³May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace^(N) as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.^(O)

Footnotes:

Romans 15:8 Greek circumcision
Romans 15:9 2 Samuel 22:50; Psalm 18:49
Romans 15:10 Deut. 32:43
Romans 15:11 Psalm 117:1
Romans 15:12 Isaiah 11:10 (see Septuagint)

New International Version (NIV)

Luke 19:11-27

The Parable of the Ten Minas^(A)

¹¹While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God^(B) was going to appear at once.^(C) ¹²He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. ¹³So he called ten of his servants^(D) and gave them ten minas.^[a] ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’

¹⁴“But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’

¹⁵“He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.

¹⁶“The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’

¹⁷“‘Well done, my good servant!’^(E) his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’^(F)

¹⁸“The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’

¹⁹“His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’

²⁰“Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. ²¹I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’^(G)

²²“His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words,^(H) you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow?^(I) ²³Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’

²⁴“Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’

²⁵“‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’

²⁶“He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away.^(J) ²⁷But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”

Footnotes:

Luke 19:13 A mina was about three months’ wages.

Cross references:

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 11/23/2025

DAILY READINGS: November 23 - 30

SUNDAY: Morning: Psalm 118; Evening: Psalm 145; Zechariah 9:9-16; 1 Peter 3:13-22; Matthew 21:1-13

MONDAY: Morning: Psalm 106:1-18; Evening: Psalm 106:19-48; Zechariah 10:1-12; Galatians 6:1-10; Luke 18:15-30

TUESDAY: Morning: Psalm [120], 121, 122, 123; Evening: Psalm 124, 125, 126, [127]; Zechariah 11:4-17; 1 Corinthians 3:10-23; Luke 18:31-43

WEDNESDAY: Morning: Psalm 119:145-176; Evening: Psalm 128, 129, 130; Zechariah 12:1-10; Ephesians 1:3-14; Luke 19:1-10

THURSDAY: Morning: Psalm 131, 132, [133]; Evening: Psalm 134, 135; Zechariah 13:1-9; Ephesians 1:15-23; Luke 19:11-27

FRIDAY: Morning: Psalm 140, 142; Evening: Psalm 141, 143:1-11(12); Zechariah 14:1-11; Romans 15:7-13; Luke 19:28-40

SATURDAY: Morning: Psalm 137:1-9, 144; Evening: Psalm 104; Zechariah 14:12-21; Philippians 2:1-11; Luke 19:41-48

SUNDAY: Morning: Psalm 146, 147; Evening: Psalm 111, 112, 113; Isaiah 1:1-9; 2 Peter 3:1-10; Matthew 25:1-13

FOR THE WEEK: Jeremiah 23:1-6; Luke 1:68-79; Colossians 1:11-20; Luke 23:33-43; 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, Nov 23

Psalm 118

Psalm 118

Footnotes:

Cross references:

Psalm 145

Psalm 145[a]

A psalm of praise. Of David.

Footnotes:

Cross references:

Isaiah 19:19-25

Footnotes:

Cross references:

Romans 15:5-13

Footnotes:

Cross references:

Luke 19:11-27

The Parable of the Ten Minas(A)

Footnotes:

Cross references:

Psalm 145^[a]

The Parable of the Ten Minas^(A)