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 Sun, Jan 4

Psalm 66-67

Psalm 66

For the director of music. A song. A psalm.

Shout for joy to God, all the earth!(A)
Sing the glory of his name;(B)
make his praise glorious.(C)
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!(D)
So great is your power
that your enemies cringe(E) before you.
All the earth bows down(F) to you;
they sing praise(G) to you,
they sing the praises of your name.”[a]

Come and see what God has done,
his awesome deeds(H) for mankind!
He turned the sea into dry land,(I)
they passed through(J) the waters on foot—
come, let us rejoice(K) in him.
He rules forever(L) by his power,
his eyes watch(M) the nations—
let not the rebellious(N) rise up against him.

Praise(O) our God, all peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;
he has preserved our lives(P)
and kept our feet from slipping.(Q)
10 For you, God, tested(R) us;
you refined us like silver.(S)
11 You brought us into prison(T)
and laid burdens(U) on our backs.
12 You let people ride over our heads;(V)
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance.(W)

13 I will come to your temple with burnt offerings(X)
and fulfill my vows(Y) to you—
14 vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble.
15 I will sacrifice fat animals to you
and an offering of rams;
I will offer bulls and goats.(Z)

16 Come and hear,(AA) all you who fear God;
let me tell(AB) you what he has done for me.
17 I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.
18 If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;(AC)
19 but God has surely listened
and has heard(AD) my prayer.
20 Praise be to God,
who has not rejected(AE) my prayer
or withheld his love from me!

Psalm 67[b]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.

May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine on us—[c](AF)
so that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation(AG) among all nations.(AH)

May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.(AI)
May the nations be glad and sing for joy,(AJ)
for you rule the peoples with equity(AK)
and guide the nations of the earth.(AL)
May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.

The land yields its harvest;(AM)
God, our God, blesses us.(AN)
May God bless us still,
so that all the ends of the earth(AO) will fear him.(AP)

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 66:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 7 and 15.
  2. Psalm 67:1 In Hebrew texts 67:1-7 is numbered 67:2-8.
  3. Psalm 67:1 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 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.

Psalm 145

Psalm 145[a]

A psalm of praise. Of David.

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

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

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

The Lord is good(W) to all;
he has compassion(X) on all he has made.
10 All your works praise you,(Y) Lord;
your faithful people extol(Z) you.(AA)
11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom(AB)
and speak of your might,(AC)
12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts(AD)
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.(AE)
13 Your 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]
14 The Lord upholds(AI) all who fall
and lifts up all(AJ) who are bowed down.(AK)
15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food(AL) at the proper time.
16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desires(AM) of every living thing.

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

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

Footnotes:

  1. 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.
  2. 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
  3. 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:

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

Error: 'Wisdom 7:3-14' not found for the version: New International Version.

Colossians 3:12-17

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves(A) with compassion, kindness, humility,(B) gentleness and patience.(C) 13 Bear with each other(D) and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.(E) 14 And over all these virtues put on love,(F) which binds them all together in perfect unity.(G)

15 Let the peace of Christ(H) rule in your hearts, since as members of one body(I) you were called to peace.(J) And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ(K) dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom(L) through psalms,(M) hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.(N) 17 And whatever you do,(O) whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks(P) to God the Father through him.

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 6:41-47

41 At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph,(A) whose father and mother we know?(B) How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”(C)

43 “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. 44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them,(D) and I will raise them up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’[a](E) Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God;(F) only he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.(G)

Footnotes:

  1. John 6:45 Isaiah 54:13
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.