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 Wed, May 28

Psalm 68:1-20

Psalm 68[a]

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

1 May God arise,(A) may his enemies be scattered;(B)
may his foes flee(C) before him.
2 May you blow them away like smoke—(D)
as wax melts(E) before the fire,
may the wicked perish(F) before God.
3 But may the righteous be glad
and rejoice(G) before God;
may they be happy and joyful.

4 Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,(H)
extol him who rides on the clouds[b](I);
rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.(J)
5 A father to the fatherless,(K) a defender of widows,(L)
is God in his holy dwelling.(M)
6 God sets the lonely(N) in families,[c](O)
he leads out the prisoners(P) with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.(Q)

7 When you, God, went out(R) before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness,[d](S)
8 the earth shook,(T) the heavens poured down rain,(U)
before God, the One of Sinai,(V)
before God, the God of Israel.(W)
9 You gave abundant showers,(X) O God;
you refreshed your weary inheritance.
10 Your people settled in it,
and from your bounty,(Y) God, you provided(Z) for the poor.

11 The Lord announces the word,
and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng:(AA)
12 “Kings and armies flee(AB) in haste;
the women at home divide the plunder.(AC)
13 Even while you sleep among the sheep pens,[e](AD)
the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,
its feathers with shining gold.”
14 When the Almighty[f] scattered(AE) the kings in the land,
it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon.(AF)

15 Mount Bashan,(AG) majestic mountain,(AH)
Mount Bashan, rugged mountain,
16 why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain,
at the mountain where God chooses(AI) to reign,
where the Lord himself will dwell forever?(AJ)
17 The chariots(AK) of God are tens of thousands
and thousands of thousands;(AL)
the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.[g]
18 When you ascended(AM) on high,(AN)
you took many captives;(AO)
you received gifts from people,(AP)
even from[h] the rebellious(AQ)—
that you,[i] Lord God, might dwell there.

19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,(AR)
who daily bears our burdens.(AS)
20 Our God is a God who saves;(AT)
from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.(AU)

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 68:1 In Hebrew texts 68:1-35 is numbered 68:2-36.
  2. Psalm 68:4 Or name, / prepare the way for him who rides through the deserts
  3. Psalm 68:6 Or the desolate in a homeland
  4. Psalm 68:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 19 and 32.
  5. Psalm 68:13 Or the campfires; or the saddlebags
  6. Psalm 68:14 Hebrew Shaddai
  7. Psalm 68:17 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lord is among them at Sinai in holiness
  8. Psalm 68:18 Or gifts for people, / even
  9. Psalm 68:18 Or they

Cross references:

  1. Psalm 68:1 : Ps 12:5; 132:8
  2. Psalm 68:1 : Ps 18:14; 89:10; 92:9; 144:6
  3. Psalm 68:1 : Nu 10:35; Isa 17:13; 21:15; 33:3
  4. Psalm 68:2 : S Ps 37:20
  5. Psalm 68:2 : S Ps 22:14
  6. Psalm 68:2 : S Nu 10:35; Ps 9:3; 80:16
  7. Psalm 68:3 : Ps 64:10; 97:12
  8. Psalm 68:4 : S 2Sa 22:50; Ps 7:17; S 30:4; 66:2; 96:2; 100:4; 135:3
  9. Psalm 68:4 : ver 33; S Ex 20:21; S Dt 33:26
  10. Psalm 68:4 : S Ex 6:3; Ps 83:18
  11. Psalm 68:5 : Ps 10:14
  12. Psalm 68:5 : S Ex 22:22; S Dt 10:18
  13. Psalm 68:5 : S Dt 26:15; Jer 25:30
  14. Psalm 68:6 : Ps 25:16
  15. Psalm 68:6 : Ps 113:9
  16. Psalm 68:6 : Ps 79:11; 102:20; 146:7; Isa 61:1; Lk 4:18
  17. Psalm 68:6 : Isa 35:7; 49:10; 58:11
  18. Psalm 68:7 : S Ex 13:21
  19. Psalm 68:7 : Ps 78:40; 106:14
  20. Psalm 68:8 : S 2Sa 22:8
  21. Psalm 68:8 : S Jdg 5:4; 2Sa 21:10; Ecc 11:3
  22. Psalm 68:8 : S Dt 33:2
  23. Psalm 68:8 : S Jdg 5:5
  24. Psalm 68:9 : S Dt 32:2; S Job 36:28; S Eze 34:26
  25. Psalm 68:10 : S Dt 28:12
  26. Psalm 68:10 : Ps 65:9
  27. Psalm 68:11 : Lk 2:13
  28. Psalm 68:12 : Jos 10:16
  29. Psalm 68:12 : S Jdg 5:30
  30. Psalm 68:13 : S Ge 49:14
  31. Psalm 68:14 : 2Sa 22:15
  32. Psalm 68:14 : Jdg 9:48
  33. Psalm 68:15 : ver 22; Nu 21:33; Jer 22:20
  34. Psalm 68:15 : S Ps 36:6
  35. Psalm 68:16 : Dt 12:5; S Ps 2:6; 132:13
  36. Psalm 68:16 : Ps 132:14
  37. Psalm 68:17 : S 2Ki 2:11; Isa 66:15; Hab 3:8
  38. Psalm 68:17 : Da 7:10
  39. Psalm 68:18 : S Ps 47:5
  40. Psalm 68:18 : Ps 7:7
  41. Psalm 68:18 : Jdg 5:12
  42. Psalm 68:18 : Eph 4:8*
  43. Psalm 68:18 : S Nu 17:10
  44. Psalm 68:19 : S Ps 65:5
  45. Psalm 68:19 : Ps 81:6
  46. Psalm 68:20 : S 1Sa 10:19
  47. Psalm 68:20 : Ps 56:13; Jer 45:5; Eze 6:8
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.

2 Kings 2:1-15

Elijah Taken Up to Heaven

2 When the Lord was about to take(A) Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind,(B) Elijah and Elisha(C) were on their way from Gilgal.(D) 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here;(E) the Lord has sent me to Bethel.”

But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.”(F) So they went down to Bethel.

3 The company(G) of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.”

4 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the Lord has sent me to Jericho.(H)”

And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.

5 The company(I) of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.”

6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here;(J) the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.”(K)

And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.”(L) So the two of them walked on.

7 Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his cloak,(M) rolled it up and struck(N) the water with it. The water divided(O) to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry(P) ground.

9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”

“Let me inherit a double(Q) portion of your spirit,”(R) Elisha replied.

10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”

11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire(S) and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven(T) in a whirlwind.(U) 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots(V) and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore(W) it in two.

13 Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the cloak(X) that had fallen from Elijah and struck(Y) the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.

15 The company(Z) of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit(AA) of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.

Cross references:

  1. 2 Kings 2:1 : S Ge 5:24
  2. 2 Kings 2:1 : ver 11; 1Ki 19:11; Isa 5:28; 66:15; Jer 4:13; Na 1:3
  3. 2 Kings 2:1 : S 1Ki 19:16, 21
  4. 2 Kings 2:1 : S Dt 11:30; 2Ki 4:38
  5. 2 Kings 2:2 : ver 6
  6. 2 Kings 2:2 : Ru 1:16
  7. 2 Kings 2:3 : S 1Sa 10:5
  8. 2 Kings 2:4 : Jos 3:16
  9. 2 Kings 2:5 : ver 3
  10. 2 Kings 2:6 : ver 2
  11. 2 Kings 2:6 : Jos 3:15
  12. 2 Kings 2:6 : Ru 1:16
  13. 2 Kings 2:8 : S 1Ki 19:19
  14. 2 Kings 2:8 : ver 14
  15. 2 Kings 2:8 : S Ex 14:21
  16. 2 Kings 2:8 : Ex 14:22, 29
  17. 2 Kings 2:9 : S Dt 21:17
  18. 2 Kings 2:9 : S Nu 11:17
  19. 2 Kings 2:11 : 2Ki 6:17; Ps 68:17; 104:3, 4; Isa 66:15; Hab 3:8; Zec 6:1
  20. 2 Kings 2:11 : S Ge 5:24
  21. 2 Kings 2:11 : S ver 1
  22. 2 Kings 2:12 : 2Ki 6:17; 13:14
  23. 2 Kings 2:12 : S Ge 37:29
  24. 2 Kings 2:14 : S 1Ki 19:19
  25. 2 Kings 2:14 : ver 8
  26. 2 Kings 2:15 : S 1Sa 10:5
  27. 2 Kings 2:15 : S Nu 11:17
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.

Revelation 5

The Scroll and the Lamb

5 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne(A) a scroll with writing on both sides(B) and sealed(C) with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel(D) proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion(E) of the tribe of Judah,(F) the Root of David,(G) has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

6 Then I saw a Lamb,(H) looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures(I) and the elders.(J) The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes,(K) which are the seven spirits[a](L) of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.(M) 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures(N) and the twenty-four elders(O) fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp(P) and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers(Q) of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:(R)

“You are worthy(S) to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood(T) you purchased(U) for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.(V)
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests(W) to serve our God,
and they will reign[b] on the earth.”(X)

11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand.(Y) They encircled the throne and the living creatures(Z) and the elders.(AA) 12 In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb,(AB) who was slain,(AC)
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”(AD)

13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth(AE) and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne(AF) and to the Lamb(AG)
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”(AH)

14 The four living creatures(AI) said, “Amen,”(AJ) and the elders(AK) fell down and worshiped.(AL)

Footnotes:

  1. Revelation 5:6 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
  2. Revelation 5:10 Some manuscripts they reign

Cross references:

  1. Revelation 5:1 : ver 7, 13; Rev 4:2, 9; 6:16
  2. Revelation 5:1 : Eze 2:9, 10
  3. Revelation 5:1 : Isa 29:11; Da 12:4
  4. Revelation 5:2 : Rev 10:1
  5. Revelation 5:5 : Ge 49:9
  6. Revelation 5:5 : S Heb 7:14
  7. Revelation 5:5 : Isa 11:1, 10; Ro 15:12; Rev 22:16
  8. Revelation 5:6 : ver 8, 9, 12, 13; S Jn 1:29
  9. Revelation 5:6 : S Rev 4:6
  10. Revelation 5:6 : S Rev 4:4
  11. Revelation 5:6 : Zec 4:10
  12. Revelation 5:6 : S Rev 1:4
  13. Revelation 5:7 : S ver 1
  14. Revelation 5:8 : S Rev 4:6
  15. Revelation 5:8 : S Rev 4:4
  16. Revelation 5:8 : Rev 14:2; 15:2
  17. Revelation 5:8 : Ps 141:2; Rev 8:3, 4
  18. Revelation 5:9 : Ps 40:3; 98:1; 149:1; Isa 42:10; Rev 14:3, 4
  19. Revelation 5:9 : Rev 4:11
  20. Revelation 5:9 : Heb 9:12
  21. Revelation 5:9 : S 1Co 6:20
  22. Revelation 5:9 : S Rev 13:7
  23. Revelation 5:10 : S 1Pe 2:5
  24. Revelation 5:10 : Rev 3:21; 20:4
  25. Revelation 5:11 : Da 7:10; Heb 12:22; Jude 14
  26. Revelation 5:11 : S Rev 4:6
  27. Revelation 5:11 : S Rev 4:4
  28. Revelation 5:12 : ver 13
  29. Revelation 5:12 : ver 9
  30. Revelation 5:12 : Rev 1:6; 4:11
  31. Revelation 5:13 : ver 3; Php 2:10
  32. Revelation 5:13 : S ver 1, 7
  33. Revelation 5:13 : ver 6; Rev 6:16; 7:10
  34. Revelation 5:13 : 1Ch 29:11; Mal 1:6; 2:2; S Ro 11:36
  35. Revelation 5:14 : S Rev 4:6
  36. Revelation 5:14 : Rev 4:9
  37. Revelation 5:14 : S Rev 4:4
  38. Revelation 5:14 : Rev 4:10
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.