August 4: Psalm 2; Judges 14; Jeremiah 30; Hebrews 13:1–19 - a podcast by Crossway

Psalm 2 (Listen)

The Reign of the Lord’s Anointed

2   Why do the nations rage¹
    and the peoples plot in vain?
2   The kings of the earth set themselves,
    and the rulers take counsel together,
    against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying,
3   “Let us burst their bonds apart
    and cast away their cords from us.”


4   He who sits in the heavens laughs;
    the Lord holds them in derision.
5   Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
    and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6   “As for me, I have set my King
    on Zion, my holy hill.”


7   I will tell of the decree:
  The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
    today I have begotten you.
8   Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
    and the ends of the earth your possession.
9   You shall break² them with a rod of iron
    and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”


10   Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
    be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11   Serve the LORD with fear,
    and rejoice with trembling.
12   Kiss the Son,
    lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
    for his wrath is quickly kindled.
  Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

(ESV)

Judges 14 (Listen)

Samson’s Marriage

14 Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw one of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 Then he came up and told his father and mother, “I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah. Now get her for me as my wife.” 3 But his father and mother said to him, “Is there not a woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you must go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes.”

4 His father and mother did not know that it was from the LORD, for he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.

5 Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah, and they came to the vineyards of Timnah. And behold, a young lion came toward him roaring. 6 Then the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and although he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done. 7 Then he went down and talked with the woman, and she was right in Samson’s eyes.

8 After some days he returned to take her. And he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion, and behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey. 9 He scraped it out into his hands and went on, eating as he went. And he came to his father and mother and gave some to them, and they ate. But he did not tell them that he had scraped the honey from the carcass of the lion.

10 His father went down to the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, for so the young men used to do. 11 As soon as the people saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him. 12 And Samson said to them, “Let me now put a riddle to you. If you can tell me what it is, within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes, 13 but if you cannot tell me what it is, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes.” And they said to him, “Put your riddle, that we may hear it.” 14 And he said to them,

  “Out of the eater came something to eat.
  Out of the strong came something sweet.”

And in three days they could not solve the riddle.

15 On the fourth¹ day they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband to tell us what the riddle is, lest we burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you invited us here to impoverish us?” 16 And Samson’s wife wept over him and said, “You only hate me; you do not love me. You have put a riddle to my people, and you have not told me what it is.” And he said to her, “Behold, I have not told my father nor my mother, and shall I tell you?” 17 She wept before him the seven days that their feast lasted, and on the seventh day he told her, because she pressed him hard. Then she told the riddle to her people. 18 And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down,

  “What is sweeter than honey?
  What is stronger than a lion?”

And he said to them,

  “If you had not plowed with my heifer,
  you would not have found out my riddle.”

19 And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty men of the town and took their spoil and gave the garments to those who had told the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father’s house. 20 And Samson’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his best man.

(ESV)

Jeremiah 30 (Listen)

Restoration for Israel and Judah

30 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2 “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you. 3 For behold, days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, says the LORD, and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall take possession of it.”

4 These are the words that the LORD spoke concerning Israel and Judah:

5   “Thus says the LORD:
  We have heard a cry of panic,
    of terror, and no peace.
6   Ask now, and see,
    can a man bear a child?
  Why then do I see every man
    with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor?
    Why has every face turned pale?
7   Alas! That day is so great
    there is none like it;
  it is a time of distress for Jacob;
    yet he shall be saved out of it.

8 “And it shall come to pass in that day, declares the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off your neck, and I will burst your bonds, and foreigners shall no more make a servant of him.¹ 9 But they shall serve the LORD their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.

10   “Then fear not, O Jacob my servant, declares the LORD,
    nor be dismayed, O Israel;
  for behold, I will save you from far away,
    and your offspring from the land of their captivity.
  Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease,
    and none shall make him afraid.
11   For I am with you to save you,
      declares the LORD;
  I will make a full end of all the nations
    among whom I scattered you,
    but of you I will not make a full end.
  I will discipline you in just measure,
    and I will by no means leave you unpunished.


12   “For thus says the LORD:
  Your hurt is incurable,
    and your wound is grievous.
13   There is none to uphold your cause,
    no medicine for your wound,
    no healing for you.
14   All your lovers have forgotten you;
    they care nothing for you;
  for I have dealt you the blow of an enemy,
    the punishment of a merciless foe,
  because your guilt is great,
    because your sins are flagrant.
15   Why do you cry out over your hurt?
    Your pain is incurable.
  Because your guilt is great,
    because your sins are flagrant,
    I have done these things to you.
16   Therefore all who devour you shall be devoured,
    and all your foes, every one of them, shall go into captivity;
  those who plunder you shall be plundered,
    and all who prey on you I will make a prey.
17   For I will restore health to you,
    and your wounds I will heal,
      declares the LORD,
  because they have called you an outcast:
    ‘It is Zion, for whom no one cares!’


18   “Thus says the LORD:
  Behold, I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob
    and have compassion on his dwellings;
  the city shall be rebuilt on its mound,
    and the palace shall stand where it used to be.
19   Out of them shall come songs of thanksgiving,
    and the voices of those who celebrate.
  I will multiply them, and they shall not be few;
    I will make them honored, and they shall not be small.
20   Their children shall be as they were of old,
    and their congregation shall be established before me,
    and I will punish all who oppress them.
21   Their prince shall be one of themselves;
    their ruler shall come out from their midst;
  I will make him draw near, and he shall approach me,
    for who would dare of himself to approach me?
      declares the LORD.
22   And you shall be my people,
    and I will be your God.”


23   Behold the storm of the LORD!
    Wrath has gone forth,
  a whirling tempest;
    it will burst upon the head of the wicked.
24   The fierce anger of the LORD will not turn back
    until he has executed and accomplished
    the intentions of his mind.
  In the latter days you will understand this.

(ESV)

Hebrews 13:1–19 (Listen)

Sacrifices Pleasing to God

13 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 3 Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. 4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. 5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say,

  “The Lord is my helper;
    I will not fear;
  what can man do to me?”

7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tent¹ have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. 15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. 19 I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you the sooner.

(ESV)