March 19: Psalms 75–76; Psalm 23; Psalm 27; Genesis 43:16–34; 1 Corinthians 7:10–24; Mark 5:1–20 - 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 43:16–34(Listen)

16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make ready, for the men are to dine with me at noon.”17 The man did as Joseph told him and brought the men to Joseph’s house.18 And the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph’s house, and they said, “It is because of the money, which was replaced in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may assault us and fall upon us to make us servants and seize our donkeys.”19 So they went up to the steward of Joseph’s house and spoke with him at the door of the house,20 and said, “Oh, my lord, we came down the first time to buy food.21 And when we came to the lodging place we opened our sacks, and there was each man’s money in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. So we have brought it again with us,22 and we have brought other money down with us to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.”23 He replied, “Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.24 And when the man had brought the men into Joseph’s house and given them water, and they had washed their feet, and when he had given their donkeys fodder,25 they prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.

26 When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present that they had with them and bowed down to him to the ground.27 And he inquired about their welfare and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?”28 They said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” And they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves.29 And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you, my son!”30 Then Joseph hurried out, for his compassion grew warm for his brother, and he sought a place to weep. And he entered his chamber and wept there.31 Then he washed his face and came out. And controlling himself he said, “Serve the food.”32 They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth. And the men looked at one another in amazement.34 Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry¹with him.

(ESV)

1 Corinthians 7:10–24(Listen)

10 To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband11 (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife.

12 To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her.13 If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him.14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.15 But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you¹to peace.16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Live as You Are Called

17 Only let each person lead the life²that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches.18 Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision.19 For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.20 Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called.21 Were you a bondservant³when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.)22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ.23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.24 So, brothers,⁴in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.

(ESV)

Mark 5:1–20(Listen)

Jesus Heals a Man with a Demon

5 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes.¹2 And when Jesus²had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit.3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain,4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him.5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones.6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him.7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.”8 For he was saying to him,“Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”9 And Jesus asked him,“What is your name?”He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country.11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside,12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.”13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.

14 The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened.15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed³man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.16 And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs.17 And they began to beg Jesus⁴to depart from their region.18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him.19 And he did not permit him but said to him,“Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

(ESV)