February 5: Psalms 75–76; Psalm 23; Psalm 27; Genesis 24:28–38; Genesis 24:49–51; Hebrews 12:12–29; John 7:14–36 - a podcast by Crossway

Psalms 75–76(Listen)

God Will Judge with Equity

To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

75   We give thanks to you, O God;
    we give thanks, for your name is near.
  We¹recount your wondrous deeds.
2   “At the set time that I appoint
    I will judge with equity.
3   When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants,
    it is I who keep steady its pillars.Selah
4   I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’
    and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn;
5   do not lift up your horn on high,
    or speak with haughty neck.’”
6   For not from the east or from the west
    and not from the wilderness comes lifting up,
7   but it is God who executes judgment,
    putting down one and lifting up another.
8   For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup
    with foaming wine, well mixed,
  and he pours out from it,
    and all the wicked of the earth
    shall drain it down to the dregs.
9   But I will declare it forever;
    I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
10   All the horns of the wicked I will cut off,
    but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.

Who Can Stand Before You?

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

76   In Judah God is known;
    his name is great in Israel.
2   His abode has been established in Salem,
    his dwelling place in Zion.
3   There he broke the flashing arrows,
    the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war.Selah
4   Glorious are you, more majestic
    than the mountains full of prey.
5   The stouthearted were stripped of their spoil;
    they sank into sleep;
  all the men of war
    were unable to use their hands.
6   At your rebuke, O God of Jacob,
    both rider and horse lay stunned.
7   But you, you are to be feared!
    Who can stand before you
    when once your anger is roused?
8   From the heavens you uttered judgment;
    the earth feared and was still,
9   when God arose to establish judgment,
    to save all the humble of the earth.Selah
10   Surely the wrath of man shall praise you;
    the remnant²of wrath you will put on like a belt.
11   Make your vows to the LORD your God and perform them;
    let all around him bring gifts
    to him who is to be feared,
12   who cuts off the spirit of princes,
    who is to be feared by the kings of the earth.

(ESV)

Psalm 23(Listen)

TheLordIs My Shepherd

A Psalm of David.

23   The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2     He makes me lie down in green pastures.
  He leads me beside still waters.¹
3     He restores my soul.
  He leads me in paths of righteousness²
    for his name’s sake.
4   Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,³
    I will fear no evil,
  for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.
5   You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
  you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
6   Surely⁴goodness and mercy⁵shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
  and I shall dwell⁶in the house of the LORD
    forever.⁷

(ESV)

Psalm 27(Listen)

TheLordIs My Light and My Salvation

Of David.

27   The LORD is my light and my salvation;
    whom shall I fear?
  The LORD is the stronghold¹of my life;
    of whom shall I be afraid?
2   When evildoers assail me
    to eat up my flesh,
  my adversaries and foes,
    it is they who stumble and fall.
3   Though an army encamp against me,
    my heart shall not fear;
  though war arise against me,
    yet²I will be confident.
4   One thing have I asked of the LORD,
    that will I seek after:
  that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
    all the days of my life,
  to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
    and to inquire³in his temple.
5   For he will hide me in his shelter
    in the day of trouble;
  he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
    he will lift me high upon a rock.
6   And now my head shall be lifted up
    above my enemies all around me,
  and I will offer in his tent
    sacrifices with shouts of joy;
  I will sing and make melody to the LORD.
7   Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud;
    be gracious to me and answer me!
8   You have said, “Seek⁴my face.”
  My heart says to you,
    “Your face, LORD, do I seek.”⁵
9     Hide not your face from me.
  Turn not your servant away in anger,
    O you who have been my help.
  Cast me not off; forsake me not,
    O God of my salvation!
10   For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
    but the LORD will take me in.
11   Teach me your way, O LORD,
    and lead me on a level path
    because of my enemies.
12   Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
    for false witnesses have risen against me,
    and they breathe out violence.
13   I believe that I shall look⁶upon the goodness of the LORD
    in the land of the living!
14   Wait for the LORD;
    be strong, and let your heart take courage;
    wait for the LORD!

(ESV)

Genesis 24:28–38(Listen)

28 Then the young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things.

29 Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban ran out toward the man, to the spring.30 As soon as he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and heard the words of Rebekah his sister, “Thus the man spoke to me,” he went to the man. And behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring.31 He said, “Come in, O blessed of the LORD. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.”32 So the man came to the house and unharnessed the camels, and gave straw and fodder to the camels, and there was water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.33 Then food was set before him to eat. But he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.” He said, “Speak on.”

34 So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant.35 The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, camels and donkeys.36 And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old, and to him he has given all that he has.37 My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell,38 but you shall go to my father’s house and to my clan and take a wife for my son.’

(ESV)

Genesis 24:49–51(Listen)

49 Now then, if you are going to show steadfast love and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.”

50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from the LORD; we cannot speak to you bad or good.51 Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has spoken.”

(ESV)

Hebrews 12:12–29(Listen)

12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.

A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken

18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them.20 For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.”21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.”22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering,23 and to the assembly¹of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain.28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,29 for our God is a consuming fire.

(ESV)

John 7:14–36(Listen)

14 About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching.15 The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning,¹when he has never studied?”16 So Jesus answered them,“My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.17 If anyone’s will is to do God’s²will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.18 The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.19 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?”20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?”21 Jesus answered them,“I did one work, and you all marvel at it.22 Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.23 If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well?24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

Can This Be the Christ?

25 Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill?26 And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ?27 But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.”28 So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple,“You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know.29 I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.”30 So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.31 Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?”

Officers Sent to Arrest Jesus

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him.33 Jesus then said,“I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me.34 You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.”35 The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?36 What does he mean by saying,‘You will seek me and you will not find me,’and,‘Where I am you cannot come’?”

(ESV)