Today's Scripture & Prayer

Daily Bible Reading & Praying with the Church

Scroll Down to
Read Content

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 Tue, Nov 11

Psalm 78

Psalm 78

A maskil[a] of Asaph.

My people, hear my teaching;(A)
listen to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth with a parable;(B)
I will utter hidden things, things from of old—
things we have heard and known,
things our ancestors have told us.(C)
We will not hide them from their descendants;(D)
we will tell the next generation(E)
the praiseworthy deeds(F) of the Lord,
his power, and the wonders(G) he has done.
He decreed statutes(H) for Jacob(I)
and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our ancestors
to teach their children,
so the next generation would know them,
even the children yet to be born,(J)
and they in turn would tell their children.
Then they would put their trust in God
and would not forget(K) his deeds
but would keep his commands.(L)
They would not be like their ancestors(M)
a stubborn(N) and rebellious(O) generation,
whose hearts were not loyal to God,
whose spirits were not faithful to him.

The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows,(P)
turned back on the day of battle;(Q)
10 they did not keep God’s covenant(R)
and refused to live by his law.(S)
11 They forgot what he had done,(T)
the wonders he had shown them.
12 He did miracles(U) in the sight of their ancestors
in the land of Egypt,(V) in the region of Zoan.(W)
13 He divided the sea(X) and led them through;
he made the water stand up like a wall.(Y)
14 He guided them with the cloud by day
and with light from the fire all night.(Z)
15 He split the rocks(AA) in the wilderness
and gave them water as abundant as the seas;
16 he brought streams out of a rocky crag
and made water flow down like rivers.

17 But they continued to sin(AB) against him,
rebelling in the wilderness against the Most High.
18 They willfully put God to the test(AC)
by demanding the food they craved.(AD)
19 They spoke against God;(AE)
they said, “Can God really
spread a table in the wilderness?
20 True, he struck the rock,
and water gushed out,(AF)
streams flowed abundantly,
but can he also give us bread?
Can he supply meat(AG) for his people?”
21 When the Lord heard them, he was furious;
his fire broke out(AH) against Jacob,
and his wrath rose against Israel,
22 for they did not believe in God
or trust(AI) in his deliverance.
23 Yet he gave a command to the skies above
and opened the doors of the heavens;(AJ)
24 he rained down manna(AK) for the people to eat,
he gave them the grain of heaven.
25 Human beings ate the bread of angels;
he sent them all the food they could eat.
26 He let loose the east wind(AL) from the heavens
and by his power made the south wind blow.
27 He rained meat down on them like dust,
birds(AM) like sand on the seashore.
28 He made them come down inside their camp,
all around their tents.
29 They ate till they were gorged—(AN)
he had given them what they craved.
30 But before they turned from what they craved,
even while the food was still in their mouths,(AO)
31 God’s anger rose against them;
he put to death the sturdiest(AP) among them,
cutting down the young men of Israel.

32 In spite of all this, they kept on sinning;(AQ)
in spite of his wonders,(AR) they did not believe.(AS)
33 So he ended their days in futility(AT)
and their years in terror.
34 Whenever God slew them, they would seek(AU) him;
they eagerly turned to him again.
35 They remembered that God was their Rock,(AV)
that God Most High was their Redeemer.(AW)
36 But then they would flatter him with their mouths,(AX)
lying to him with their tongues;
37 their hearts were not loyal(AY) to him,
they were not faithful to his covenant.
38 Yet he was merciful;(AZ)
he forgave(BA) their iniquities(BB)
and did not destroy them.
Time after time he restrained his anger(BC)
and did not stir up his full wrath.
39 He remembered that they were but flesh,(BD)
a passing breeze(BE) that does not return.

40 How often they rebelled(BF) against him in the wilderness(BG)
and grieved him(BH) in the wasteland!
41 Again and again they put God to the test;(BI)
they vexed the Holy One of Israel.(BJ)
42 They did not remember(BK) his power—
the day he redeemed them from the oppressor,(BL)
43 the day he displayed his signs(BM) in Egypt,
his wonders(BN) in the region of Zoan.
44 He turned their river into blood;(BO)
they could not drink from their streams.
45 He sent swarms of flies(BP) that devoured them,
and frogs(BQ) that devastated them.
46 He gave their crops to the grasshopper,(BR)
their produce to the locust.(BS)
47 He destroyed their vines with hail(BT)
and their sycamore-figs with sleet.
48 He gave over their cattle to the hail,
their livestock(BU) to bolts of lightning.
49 He unleashed against them his hot anger,(BV)
his wrath, indignation and hostility—
a band of destroying angels.(BW)
50 He prepared a path for his anger;
he did not spare them from death
but gave them over to the plague.
51 He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt,(BX)
the firstfruits of manhood in the tents of Ham.(BY)
52 But he brought his people out like a flock;(BZ)
he led them like sheep through the wilderness.
53 He guided them safely, so they were unafraid;
but the sea engulfed(CA) their enemies.(CB)
54 And so he brought them to the border of his holy land,
to the hill country his right hand(CC) had taken.
55 He drove out nations(CD) before them
and allotted their lands to them as an inheritance;(CE)
he settled the tribes of Israel in their homes.

56 But they put God to the test
and rebelled against the Most High;
they did not keep his statutes.
57 Like their ancestors(CF) they were disloyal and faithless,
as unreliable as a faulty bow.(CG)
58 They angered him(CH) with their high places;(CI)
they aroused his jealousy with their idols.(CJ)
59 When God heard(CK) them, he was furious;(CL)
he rejected Israel(CM) completely.
60 He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh,(CN)
the tent he had set up among humans.(CO)
61 He sent the ark of his might(CP) into captivity,(CQ)
his splendor into the hands of the enemy.
62 He gave his people over to the sword;(CR)
he was furious with his inheritance.(CS)
63 Fire consumed(CT) their young men,
and their young women had no wedding songs;(CU)
64 their priests were put to the sword,(CV)
and their widows could not weep.

65 Then the Lord awoke as from sleep,(CW)
as a warrior wakes from the stupor of wine.
66 He beat back his enemies;
he put them to everlasting shame.(CX)
67 Then he rejected the tents of Joseph,
he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim;(CY)
68 but he chose the tribe of Judah,(CZ)
Mount Zion,(DA) which he loved.
69 He built his sanctuary(DB) like the heights,
like the earth that he established forever.
70 He chose David(DC) his servant
and took him from the sheep pens;
71 from tending the sheep(DD) he brought him
to be the shepherd(DE) of his people Jacob,
of Israel his inheritance.
72 And David shepherded them with integrity of heart;(DF)
with skillful hands he led them.

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 78:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term

Cross references:

  1. Psalm 78:1 : Isa 51:4; 55:3
  2. Psalm 78:2 : S Ps 49:4; S Mt 13:35*
  3. Psalm 78:3 : S Jdg 6:13
  4. Psalm 78:4 : S Dt 11:19
  5. Psalm 78:4 : S Dt 32:7; S Ps 71:18
  6. Psalm 78:4 : Ps 26:7; 71:17
  7. Psalm 78:4 : S Job 5:9
  8. Psalm 78:5 : Ps 19:7; 81:5
  9. Psalm 78:5 : Ps 147:19
  10. Psalm 78:6 : S Ps 22:31
  11. Psalm 78:7 : S Dt 6:12
  12. Psalm 78:7 : S Dt 5:29
  13. Psalm 78:8 : S 2Ch 30:7
  14. Psalm 78:8 : S Ex 32:9
  15. Psalm 78:8 : S Ex 23:21; S Dt 21:18; Isa 30:9; 65:2
  16. Psalm 78:9 : ver 57; 1Ch 12:2; Hos 7:16
  17. Psalm 78:9 : S Jdg 20:39
  18. Psalm 78:10 : S Jos 7:11; S 2Ki 17:15
  19. Psalm 78:10 : S Ex 16:28; S Jer 11:8
  20. Psalm 78:11 : Ps 106:13
  21. Psalm 78:12 : S Ne 9:17; Ps 106:22
  22. Psalm 78:12 : Ex 11:9
  23. Psalm 78:12 : S Nu 13:22
  24. Psalm 78:13 : S Ex 14:21; Ps 66:6; 136:13
  25. Psalm 78:13 : S Ex 14:22; S 15:8
  26. Psalm 78:14 : Ex 13:21; Ps 105:39
  27. Psalm 78:15 : S Nu 20:11; 1Co 10:4
  28. Psalm 78:17 : ver 32, 40; Dt 9:22; Isa 30:1; 63:10; Heb 3:16
  29. Psalm 78:18 : S Ex 17:2; 1Co 10:9
  30. Psalm 78:18 : S Ex 15:24; Nu 11:4
  31. Psalm 78:19 : Nu 21:5
  32. Psalm 78:20 : S Nu 20:11; S Isa 35:6
  33. Psalm 78:20 : Nu 11:18
  34. Psalm 78:21 : S Nu 11:1
  35. Psalm 78:22 : S Dt 1:32; Heb 3:19
  36. Psalm 78:23 : Ge 7:11; S 2Ki 7:2
  37. Psalm 78:24 : Ex 16:4; Jn 6:31*
  38. Psalm 78:26 : S Nu 11:31
  39. Psalm 78:27 : S Ex 16:13; Nu 11:31
  40. Psalm 78:29 : S Nu 11:20
  41. Psalm 78:30 : S Nu 11:33
  42. Psalm 78:31 : Isa 10:16
  43. Psalm 78:32 : S ver 17
  44. Psalm 78:32 : ver 11
  45. Psalm 78:32 : ver 22
  46. Psalm 78:33 : Nu 14:29, 35
  47. Psalm 78:34 : S Dt 4:29; Hos 5:15
  48. Psalm 78:35 : S Ge 49:24
  49. Psalm 78:35 : S Dt 9:26
  50. Psalm 78:36 : Eze 33:31
  51. Psalm 78:37 : ver 8; Ac 8:21
  52. Psalm 78:38 : S Ex 34:6
  53. Psalm 78:38 : Isa 1:25; 27:9; 48:10; Da 11:35
  54. Psalm 78:38 : Ps 25:11; 85:2
  55. Psalm 78:38 : S Job 9:13; S Isa 30:18
  56. Psalm 78:39 : S Ge 6:3; S Isa 29:5
  57. Psalm 78:39 : S Job 7:7; Jas 4:14
  58. Psalm 78:40 : S Ex 23:21
  59. Psalm 78:40 : Ps 95:8; 106:14
  60. Psalm 78:40 : Eph 4:30
  61. Psalm 78:41 : S Ex 17:2
  62. Psalm 78:41 : S 2Ki 19:22; Ps 71:22; 89:18
  63. Psalm 78:42 : S Jdg 3:7; S Ne 9:17
  64. Psalm 78:42 : S Ps 27:11
  65. Psalm 78:43 : Ex 10:1
  66. Psalm 78:43 : S Ex 3:20
  67. Psalm 78:44 : Ex 7:20-21; Ps 105:29
  68. Psalm 78:45 : Ex 8:24; Ps 105:31
  69. Psalm 78:45 : S Ex 8:2, 6
  70. Psalm 78:46 : Na 3:15
  71. Psalm 78:46 : S Ex 10:13
  72. Psalm 78:47 : Ex 9:23; Ps 105:32; 147:17
  73. Psalm 78:48 : Ex 9:25
  74. Psalm 78:49 : Ex 15:7
  75. Psalm 78:49 : S Ge 19:13; 1Co 10:10
  76. Psalm 78:51 : S Ex 12:12; Ps 135:8
  77. Psalm 78:51 : Ps 105:23; 106:22
  78. Psalm 78:52 : S Job 21:11; S Ps 28:9; 77:20
  79. Psalm 78:53 : S Ex 14:28
  80. Psalm 78:53 : Ex 15:7; Ps 106:10
  81. Psalm 78:54 : Ps 44:3
  82. Psalm 78:55 : Ps 44:2
  83. Psalm 78:55 : S Dt 1:38; S Jos 13:7; Ac 13:19
  84. Psalm 78:57 : S 2Ch 30:7; Eze 20:27
  85. Psalm 78:57 : S ver 9
  86. Psalm 78:58 : S Jdg 2:12
  87. Psalm 78:58 : S Lev 26:30
  88. Psalm 78:58 : Ex 20:4; S Dt 5:8; 32:21
  89. Psalm 78:59 : Ps 55:19
  90. Psalm 78:59 : S Lev 26:28; S Nu 32:14
  91. Psalm 78:59 : S Dt 32:19
  92. Psalm 78:60 : S Jos 18:1
  93. Psalm 78:60 : Eze 8:6
  94. Psalm 78:61 : Ps 132:8
  95. Psalm 78:61 : S 1Sa 4:17
  96. Psalm 78:62 : S Dt 28:25
  97. Psalm 78:62 : S 1Sa 10:1
  98. Psalm 78:63 : S Nu 11:1
  99. Psalm 78:63 : S 1Ki 4:32; Jer 7:34; 16:9; 25:10
  100. Psalm 78:64 : 1Sa 4:17
  101. Psalm 78:65 : Ps 44:23
  102. Psalm 78:66 : 1Sa 5:6
  103. Psalm 78:67 : Jer 7:15; Hos 9:13; 12:1
  104. Psalm 78:68 : S Nu 1:7; Ps 108:8
  105. Psalm 78:68 : S Ex 15:17; S Ps 68:16
  106. Psalm 78:69 : S Ps 15:1
  107. Psalm 78:70 : S 1Sa 16:1
  108. Psalm 78:71 : S Ge 37:2
  109. Psalm 78:71 : S Ps 28:9
  110. Psalm 78:72 : S Ge 17:1
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.

Nehemiah 9:26-38

26 “But they were disobedient and rebelled against you; they turned their backs on your law.(A) They killed(B) your prophets,(C) who had warned them in order to turn them back to you; they committed awful blasphemies.(D) 27 So you delivered them into the hands of their enemies,(E) who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed they cried out to you. From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion(F) you gave them deliverers,(G) who rescued them from the hand of their enemies.

28 “But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight.(H) Then you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion(I) you delivered them(J) time after time.

29 “You warned(K) them in order to turn them back to your law, but they became arrogant(L) and disobeyed your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, of which you said, ‘The person who obeys them will live by them.’(M) Stubbornly they turned their backs(N) on you, became stiff-necked(O) and refused to listen.(P) 30 For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you warned them through your prophets.(Q) Yet they paid no attention, so you gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples.(R) 31 But in your great mercy you did not put an end(S) to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful(T) God.

32 “Now therefore, our God, the great God, mighty(U) and awesome,(V) who keeps his covenant of love,(W) do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes—the hardship(X) that has come on us, on our kings and leaders, on our priests and prophets, on our ancestors and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today. 33 In all that has happened to us, you have remained righteous;(Y) you have acted faithfully, while we acted wickedly.(Z) 34 Our kings,(AA) our leaders, our priests and our ancestors(AB) did not follow your law; they did not pay attention to your commands or the statutes you warned them to keep. 35 Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness(AC) to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave them, they did not serve you(AD) or turn from their evil ways.

36 “But see, we are slaves(AE) today, slaves in the land you gave our ancestors so they could eat its fruit and the other good things it produces. 37 Because of our sins, its abundant harvest goes to the kings you have placed over us. They rule over our bodies and our cattle as they please. We are in great distress.(AF)

The Agreement of the People

38 “In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement,(AG) putting it in writing,(AH) and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it.”[a]

Footnotes:

  1. Nehemiah 9:38 In Hebrew texts this verse (9:38) is numbered 10:1.
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 18:9-20

Threefold Woe Over Babylon’s Fall

“When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her(A) and shared her luxury(B) see the smoke of her burning,(C) they will weep and mourn over her.(D) 10 Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off(E) and cry:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,(F)
you mighty city of Babylon!
In one hour(G) your doom has come!’

11 “The merchants(H) of the earth will weep and mourn(I) over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore(J) 12 cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble;(K) 13 cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves.(L)

14 “They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’ 15 The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her(M) will stand far off,(N) terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn(O) 16 and cry out:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,(P)
dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,
and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!(Q)
17 In one hour(R) such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’(S)

“Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea,(T) will stand far off.(U) 18 When they see the smoke of her burning,(V) they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city(W)?’(X) 19 They will throw dust on their heads,(Y) and with weeping and mourning(Z) cry out:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,(AA)
where all who had ships on the sea
became rich through her wealth!
In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’(AB)

20 “Rejoice over her, you heavens!(AC)
Rejoice, you people of God!
Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
with the judgment she imposed on you.”(AD)

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.

Matthew 15:21-28

The Faith of a Canaanite Woman(A)

21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.(B) 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David,(C) have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”(D)

23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”(E)

25 The woman came and knelt before him.(F) “Lord, help me!” she said.

26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith!(G) Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

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.