April 19: Psalm 103; Psalm 111; Psalm 114; Exodus 12:28–39; 1 Corinthians 15:12–28; Mark 16:9–20 - a podcast by Crossway

Psalm 103(Listen)

Bless theLord, O My Soul

Of David.

103   Bless the LORD, O my soul,
    and all that is within me,
    bless his holy name!
2   Bless the LORD, O my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits,
3   who forgives all your iniquity,
    who heals all your diseases,
4   who redeems your life from the pit,
    who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5   who satisfies you with good
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6   The LORD works righteousness
    and justice for all who are oppressed.
7   He made known his ways to Moses,
    his acts to the people of Israel.
8   The LORD is merciful and gracious,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9   He will not always chide,
    nor will he keep his anger forever.
10   He does not deal with us according to our sins,
    nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11   For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12   as far as the east is from the west,
    so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13   As a father shows compassion to his children,
    so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
14   For he knows our frame;¹
    he remembers that we are dust.
15   As for man, his days are like grass;
    he flourishes like a flower of the field;
16   for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
    and its place knows it no more.
17   But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
    and his righteousness to children’s children,
18   to those who keep his covenant
    and remember to do his commandments.
19   The LORD has established his throne in the heavens,
    and his kingdom rules over all.
20   Bless the LORD, O you his angels,
    you mighty ones who do his word,
    obeying the voice of his word!
21   Bless the LORD, all his hosts,
    his ministers, who do his will!
22   Bless the LORD, all his works,
    in all places of his dominion.
  Bless the LORD, O my soul!

(ESV)

Psalm 111(Listen)

Great Are theLord’s Works

111   ¹Praise the LORD!
  I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart,
    in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
2   Great are the works of the LORD,
    studied by all who delight in them.
3   Full of splendor and majesty is his work,
    and his righteousness endures forever.
4   He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;
    the LORD is gracious and merciful.
5   He provides food for those who fear him;
    he remembers his covenant forever.
6   He has shown his people the power of his works,
    in giving them the inheritance of the nations.
7   The works of his hands are faithful and just;
    all his precepts are trustworthy;
8   they are established forever and ever,
    to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
9   He sent redemption to his people;
    he has commanded his covenant forever.
    Holy and awesome is his name!
10   The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
    all those who practice it have a good understanding.
    His praise endures forever!

(ESV)

Psalm 114(Listen)

Tremble at the Presence of the Lord

114   When Israel went out from Egypt,
    the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
2   Judah became his sanctuary,
    Israel his dominion.
3   The sea looked and fled;
    Jordan turned back.
4   The mountains skipped like rams,
    the hills like lambs.
5   What ails you, O sea, that you flee?
    O Jordan, that you turn back?
6   O mountains, that you skip like rams?
    O hills, like lambs?
7   Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
    at the presence of the God of Jacob,
8   who turns the rock into a pool of water,
    the flint into a spring of water.

(ESV)

Exodus 12:28–39(Listen)

28 Then the people of Israel went and did so; as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.

The Tenth Plague: Death of the Firstborn

29 At midnight the LORD struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock.30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians. And there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where someone was not dead.31 Then he summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, “Up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as you have said.32 Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone, and bless me also!”

The Exodus

33 The Egyptians were urgent with the people to send them out of the land in haste. For they said, “We shall all be dead.”34 So the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading bowls being bound up in their cloaks on their shoulders.35 The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing.36 And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.

37 And the people of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children.38 A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very much livestock, both flocks and herds.39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough that they had brought out of Egypt, for it was not leavened, because they were thrust out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves.

(ESV)

1 Corinthians 15:12–28(Listen)

The Resurrection of the Dead

12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised.17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.19 If in Christ we have hope¹in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.27 For “God²has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him.28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

(ESV)

Mark 16:9–20(Listen)

[Some of the earliest manuscripts do not include 16:9–20.]¹

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

9 [[Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.10 She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept.11 But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

Jesus Appears to Two Disciples

12 After these things he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country.13 And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.

The Great Commission

14 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen.15 And he said to them,“Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.]]

(ESV)