April 21: Psalm 38; Psalm 119:25–48; Daniel 5:1–12; 1 John 5:1–12; Luke 4:38–44 - a podcast by Crossway

Psalm 38 (Listen)

Do Not Forsake Me, O Lord

A Psalm of David, for the memorial offering.

38   O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger,
    nor discipline me in your wrath!
2   For your arrows have sunk into me,
    and your hand has come down on me.


3   There is no soundness in my flesh
    because of your indignation;
  there is no health in my bones
    because of my sin.
4   For my iniquities have gone over my head;
    like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.


5   My wounds stink and fester
    because of my foolishness,
6   I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;
    all the day I go about mourning.
7   For my sides are filled with burning,
    and there is no soundness in my flesh.
8   I am feeble and crushed;
    I groan because of the tumult of my heart.


9   O Lord, all my longing is before you;
    my sighing is not hidden from you.
10   My heart throbs; my strength fails me,
    and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
11   My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague,
    and my nearest kin stand far off.


12   Those who seek my life lay their snares;
    those who seek my hurt speak of ruin
    and meditate treachery all day long.


13   But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear,
    like a mute man who does not open his mouth.
14   I have become like a man who does not hear,
    and in whose mouth are no rebukes.


15   But for you, O LORD, do I wait;
    it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.
16   For I said, “Only let them not rejoice over me,
    who boast against me when my foot slips!”


17   For I am ready to fall,
    and my pain is ever before me.
18   I confess my iniquity;
    I am sorry for my sin.
19   But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty,
    and many are those who hate me wrongfully.
20   Those who render me evil for good
    accuse me because I follow after good.


21   Do not forsake me, O LORD!
    O my God, be not far from me!
22   Make haste to help me,
    O Lord, my salvation!

(ESV)

Psalm 119:25–48 (Listen)

Daleth

25   My soul clings to the dust;
    give me life according to your word!
26   When I told of my ways, you answered me;
    teach me your statutes!
27   Make me understand the way of your precepts,
    and I will meditate on your wondrous works.
28   My soul melts away for sorrow;
    strengthen me according to your word!
29   Put false ways far from me
    and graciously teach me your law!
30   I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
    I set your rules before me.
31   I cling to your testimonies, O LORD;
    let me not be put to shame!
32   I will run in the way of your commandments
    when you enlarge my heart!¹

He

33   Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes;
    and I will keep it to the end.²
34   Give me understanding, that I may keep your law
    and observe it with my whole heart.
35   Lead me in the path of your commandments,
    for I delight in it.
36   Incline my heart to your testimonies,
    and not to selfish gain!
37   Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
    and give me life in your ways.
38   Confirm to your servant your promise,
    that you may be feared.
39   Turn away the reproach that I dread,
    for your rules are good.
40   Behold, I long for your precepts;
    in your righteousness give me life!

Waw

41   Let your steadfast love come to me, O LORD,
    your salvation according to your promise;
42   then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me,
    for I trust in your word.
43   And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
    for my hope is in your rules.
44   I will keep your law continually,
    forever and ever,
45   and I shall walk in a wide place,
    for I have sought your precepts.
46   I will also speak of your testimonies before kings
    and shall not be put to shame,
47   for I find my delight in your commandments,
    which I love.
48   I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love,
    and I will meditate on your statutes.

(ESV)

Daniel 5:1–12 (Listen)

The Handwriting on the Wall

5 King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand.

2 Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father¹ had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. 3 Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

5 Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote. 6 Then the king’s color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together. 7 The king called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king declared² to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” 8 Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation. 9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his color changed, and his lords were perplexed.

10 The queen,³ because of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall, and the queen declared, “O king, live forever! Let not your thoughts alarm you or your color change. 11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods.⁴ In the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, 12 because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.”

(ESV)

1 John 5:1–12 (Listen)

Overcoming the World

5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Testimony Concerning the Son of God

6 This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

(ESV)

Luke 4:38–44 (Listen)

Jesus Heals Many

38 And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. 39 And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.

40 Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. 41 And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

Jesus Preaches in Synagogues

42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, 43 but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” 44 And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.¹

(ESV)