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 Fri, May 1

Psalm 119:137-160

צ Tsadhe

137 You are righteous,(A) Lord,
and your laws are right.(B)
138 The statutes you have laid down are righteous;(C)
they are fully trustworthy.(D)
139 My zeal wears me out,(E)
for my enemies ignore your words.
140 Your promises(F) have been thoroughly tested,(G)
and your servant loves them.(H)
141 Though I am lowly and despised,(I)
I do not forget your precepts.(J)
142 Your righteousness is everlasting
and your law is true.(K)
143 Trouble and distress have come upon me,
but your commands give me delight.(L)
144 Your statutes are always righteous;
give me understanding(M) that I may live.

ק Qoph

145 I call with all my heart;(N) answer me, Lord,
and I will obey your decrees.(O)
146 I call out to you; save me(P)
and I will keep your statutes.
147 I rise before dawn(Q) and cry for help;
I have put my hope in your word.
148 My eyes stay open through the watches of the night,(R)
that I may meditate on your promises.
149 Hear my voice(S) in accordance with your love;(T)
preserve my life,(U) Lord, according to your laws.
150 Those who devise wicked schemes(V) are near,
but they are far from your law.
151 Yet you are near,(W) Lord,
and all your commands are true.(X)
152 Long ago I learned from your statutes(Y)
that you established them to last forever.(Z)

ר Resh

153 Look on my suffering(AA) and deliver me,(AB)
for I have not forgotten(AC) your law.
154 Defend my cause(AD) and redeem me;(AE)
preserve my life(AF) according to your promise.(AG)
155 Salvation is far from the wicked,
for they do not seek out(AH) your decrees.
156 Your compassion, Lord, is great;(AI)
preserve my life(AJ) according to your laws.(AK)
157 Many are the foes who persecute me,(AL)
but I have not turned(AM) from your statutes.
158 I look on the faithless with loathing,(AN)
for they do not obey your word.(AO)
159 See how I love your precepts;
preserve my life,(AP) Lord, in accordance with your love.
160 All your words are true;
all your righteous laws are eternal.(AQ)

Cross references:

  1. Psalm 119:137 : S Ex 9:27; S Ezr 9:15
  2. Psalm 119:137 : S Ne 9:13
  3. Psalm 119:138 : S ver 75; S Ps 19:7
  4. Psalm 119:138 : ver 86
  5. Psalm 119:139 : Ps 69:9; Jn 2:17
  6. Psalm 119:140 : S Jos 23:14
  7. Psalm 119:140 : Ps 12:6
  8. Psalm 119:140 : ver 47
  9. Psalm 119:141 : S Ps 22:6
  10. Psalm 119:141 : ver 61, 134
  11. Psalm 119:142 : ver 151, 160; Ps 19:7
  12. Psalm 119:143 : ver 24,S 47
  13. Psalm 119:144 : S ver 34
  14. Psalm 119:145 : ver 10
  15. Psalm 119:145 : ver 22, 55
  16. Psalm 119:146 : S ver 94
  17. Psalm 119:147 : Ps 5:3; 57:8; 108:2
  18. Psalm 119:148 : S Ps 63:6
  19. Psalm 119:149 : S Ps 27:7
  20. Psalm 119:149 : ver 124
  21. Psalm 119:149 : S ver 40
  22. Psalm 119:150 : S Ps 37:7
  23. Psalm 119:151 : S Ps 34:18; Php 4:5
  24. Psalm 119:151 : S ver 142
  25. Psalm 119:152 : ver 7, 73
  26. Psalm 119:152 : S ver 89; S Ps 111:8; Lk 21:33
  27. Psalm 119:153 : S Ps 13:3
  28. Psalm 119:153 : S Ps 3:7
  29. Psalm 119:153 : S Ps 44:17
  30. Psalm 119:154 : Ps 35:1; Jer 50:34; Mic 7:9
  31. Psalm 119:154 : S 1Sa 24:15
  32. Psalm 119:154 : ver 25
  33. Psalm 119:154 : S ver 41
  34. Psalm 119:155 : ver 94, 118
  35. Psalm 119:156 : S Ne 9:27; Jas 5:11
  36. Psalm 119:156 : ver 25
  37. Psalm 119:156 : ver 149
  38. Psalm 119:157 : S Ps 7:1
  39. Psalm 119:157 : S Ps 44:18
  40. Psalm 119:158 : ver 104; S Ex 32:19
  41. Psalm 119:158 : S ver 136
  42. Psalm 119:159 : ver 25; S Ps 41:2
  43. Psalm 119:160 : S ver 89; S Ps 111:8
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.

Job 23:1-12

Job

23 Then Job replied:

2 “Even today my complaint(A) is bitter;(B)
his hand[a] is heavy in spite of[b] my groaning.(C)
3 If only I knew where to find him;
if only I could go to his dwelling!(D)
4 I would state my case(E) before him
and fill my mouth with arguments.(F)
5 I would find out what he would answer me,(G)
and consider what he would say to me.
6 Would he vigorously oppose me?(H)
No, he would not press charges against me.(I)
7 There the upright(J) can establish their innocence before him,(K)
and there I would be delivered forever from my judge.(L)

8 “But if I go to the east, he is not there;
if I go to the west, I do not find him.
9 When he is at work in the north, I do not see him;
when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.(M)
10 But he knows the way that I take;(N)
when he has tested me,(O) I will come forth as gold.(P)
11 My feet have closely followed his steps;(Q)
I have kept to his way without turning aside.(R)
12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips;(S)
I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.(T)

Footnotes:

  1. Job 23:2 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew / the hand on me
  2. Job 23:2 Or heavy on me in

Cross references:

  1. Job 23:2 : S Job 7:11
  2. Job 23:2 : S 1Sa 1:10; S Job 6:3
  3. Job 23:2 : Ps 6:6; 32:4; Jer 45:3; Eze 21:7
  4. Job 23:3 : Dt 4:29
  5. Job 23:4 : S Job 13:18
  6. Job 23:4 : S Job 9:15
  7. Job 23:5 : S Job 11:5
  8. Job 23:6 : S Job 9:4
  9. Job 23:6 : S Job 6:4
  10. Job 23:7 : S Job 1:1
  11. Job 23:7 : S Ge 3:8; S Job 9:3; 13:3
  12. Job 23:7 : S Job 6:29
  13. Job 23:9 : S Job 9:11
  14. Job 23:10 : Job 1:1; 27:6; 31:6; 36:7; Ps 7:9; 11:5; 34:15; 37:18; 94:11; 119:168; 146:8
  15. Job 23:10 : S Job 7:18; Ps 139:1-3
  16. Job 23:10 : S Job 6:29; S 22:15; S Ps 12:6; 1Pe 1:7
  17. Job 23:11 : Ps 17:5
  18. Job 23:11 : Job 31:7; Ps 40:4; 44:18; 119:51, 59, 157; 125:5; Jer 11:20
  19. Job 23:12 : S Job 6:10
  20. Job 23:12 : S Job 15:11; Mt 4:4; Jn 4:32, 34
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.

John 1:43-51

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip,(A) he said to him, “Follow me.”(B)

44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.(C) 45 Philip found Nathanael(D) and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law,(E) and about whom the prophets also wrote(F)—Jesus of Nazareth,(G) the son of Joseph.”(H)

46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”(I) Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite(J) in whom there is no deceit.”(K)

48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi,(L) you are the Son of God;(M) you are the king of Israel.”(N)

50 Jesus said, “You believe[a] because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you,[b] you[c] will see ‘heaven open,(O) and the angels of God ascending and descending(P) on’[d] the Son of Man.”(Q)

Footnotes:

  1. John 1:50 Or Do you believe … ?
  2. John 1:51 The Greek is plural.
  3. John 1:51 The Greek is plural.
  4. John 1:51 Gen. 28:12

Cross references:

  1. John 1:43 : Mt 10:3; Jn 6:5-7; 12:21, 22; 14:8, 9
  2. John 1:43 : S Mt 4:19
  3. John 1:44 : S Mt 11:21
  4. John 1:45 : Jn 21:2
  5. John 1:45 : S Lk 24:27
  6. John 1:45 : S Lk 24:27
  7. John 1:45 : S Mk 1:24
  8. John 1:45 : Lk 3:23
  9. John 1:46 : Jn 7:41, 42, 52
  10. John 1:47 : Ro 9:4, 6
  11. John 1:47 : Ps 32:2
  12. John 1:49 : ver 38; S Mt 23:7
  13. John 1:49 : ver 34; S Mt 4:3
  14. John 1:49 : S Mt 2:2; 27:42; Jn 12:13
  15. John 1:51 : S Mt 3:16
  16. John 1:51 : Ge 28:12
  17. John 1:51 : S Mt 8:20
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.

Psalm 139

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

1 You have searched me,(A) Lord,
and you know(B) me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;(C)
you perceive my thoughts(D) from afar.
3 You discern my going out(E) and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.(F)
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.(G)
5 You hem me in(H) behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,(I)
too lofty(J) for me to attain.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee(K) from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens,(L) you are there;
if I make my bed(M) in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,(N)
your right hand(O) will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark(P) to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

13 For you created my inmost being;(Q)
you knit me together(R) in my mother’s womb.(S)
14 I praise you(T) because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,(U)
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made(V) in the secret place,
when I was woven together(W) in the depths of the earth.(X)
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained(Y) for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts,[a](Z) God!(AA)
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,(AB)
they would outnumber the grains of sand(AC)—
when I awake,(AD) I am still with you.

19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked!(AE)
Away from me,(AF) you who are bloodthirsty!(AG)
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries(AH) misuse your name.(AI)
21 Do I not hate those(AJ) who hate you, Lord,
and abhor(AK) those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.(AL)
23 Search me,(AM) God, and know my heart;(AN)
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way(AO) in me,
and lead me(AP) in the way everlasting.

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 139:17 Or How amazing are your thoughts concerning me

Cross references:

  1. Psalm 139:1 : S Ps 17:3; Ro 8:27
  2. Psalm 139:1 : Ps 44:21
  3. Psalm 139:2 : 2Ki 19:27
  4. Psalm 139:2 : Ps 94:11; Pr 24:12; Jer 12:3
  5. Psalm 139:3 : 2Ki 19:27
  6. Psalm 139:3 : S Job 31:4
  7. Psalm 139:4 : S Heb 4:13
  8. Psalm 139:5 : S 1Sa 25:16; Ps 32:10; 34:7; 125:2
  9. Psalm 139:6 : S Ps 131:1
  10. Psalm 139:6 : Ro 11:33
  11. Psalm 139:7 : Jer 23:24; Jnh 1:3
  12. Psalm 139:8 : Dt 30:12-15; Am 9:2-3
  13. Psalm 139:8 : Job 17:13
  14. Psalm 139:10 : Ps 23:3
  15. Psalm 139:10 : Ps 108:6; Isa 41:10
  16. Psalm 139:12 : Job 34:22; Da 2:22
  17. Psalm 139:13 : Ps 119:73
  18. Psalm 139:13 : S Job 10:11
  19. Psalm 139:13 : Isa 44:2, 24; 46:3; 49:5; Jer 1:5
  20. Psalm 139:14 : Ps 119:164; 145:10
  21. Psalm 139:14 : S Job 40:19
  22. Psalm 139:15 : Ecc 11:5
  23. Psalm 139:15 : S Job 10:11
  24. Psalm 139:15 : S Ps 63:9
  25. Psalm 139:16 : S Job 33:29; S Ps 90:12
  26. Psalm 139:17 : S Ps 92:5
  27. Psalm 139:17 : S Job 5:9
  28. Psalm 139:18 : Ps 40:5
  29. Psalm 139:18 : S Job 29:18
  30. Psalm 139:18 : S Ps 3:5
  31. Psalm 139:19 : Ps 5:6; Isa 11:4
  32. Psalm 139:19 : S Ps 6:8
  33. Psalm 139:19 : S Ps 59:2
  34. Psalm 139:20 : S Ps 65:7
  35. Psalm 139:20 : S Dt 5:11
  36. Psalm 139:21 : 2Ch 19:2; Ps 31:6; 119:113
  37. Psalm 139:21 : S Ps 26:5
  38. Psalm 139:22 : Mt 5:43
  39. Psalm 139:23 : Job 31:6
  40. Psalm 139:23 : S 1Sa 16:7; S 1Ch 29:17; S Ps 7:9; Pr 17:3; Jer 11:20; S Rev 2:23
  41. Psalm 139:24 : Jer 25:5; 36:3
  42. Psalm 139:24 : Ps 5:8; 23:2; 143:10
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.

John 12:20-26

Jesus Predicts His Death

20 Now there were some Greeks(A) among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida(B) in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

23 Jesus replied, “The hour(C) has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.(D) 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies,(E) it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it(F) for eternal life.(G) 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.(H) My Father will honor the one who serves me.

Cross references:

  1. John 12:20 : Jn 7:35; Ac 11:20
  2. John 12:21 : S Mt 11:21
  3. John 12:23 : S Mt 26:18
  4. John 12:23 : Jn 13:32; 17:1
  5. John 12:24 : 1Co 15:36
  6. John 12:25 : Mt 10:39; Mk 8:35; Lk 14:26; 17:33
  7. John 12:25 : S Mt 25:46
  8. John 12:26 : Jn 14:3; 17:24; 2Co 5:8; Php 1:23; 1Th 4:17
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.