Monday, July 5, 2021

The Daily Bible Readings for Tuesday, July 6, 2021

 

The Daily Bible Readings
Tuesday, July 6, 2021
Psalm 21; 2 Samuel 5:11-16; James 5:7-12 (NIV)
with commentaries from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible

Today’s Verse-of-the-Day:
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
After Jesus left the temple, He initiated a conversation with His disciples about what would happen in the future (Matt. 24:3). The future Jesus portrayed didn’t look too bright. He described persecutions, urban devastation, hatred, widespread deception, earthquakes, and famines. He added that terrifying cosmic events would occur (v. 29). Then He described His return.

As you read, visualize what Jesus said about the Second Coming. Notice that some people will mourn upon His return (v. 30). Why would they respond that way? For those who have accepted Jesus as Lord, the response should be joyful expectation. Pray as the apostle John did: “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20).


Today’s Lectionary Readings:
From the Psalter
Psalm 21
The King Trusts in the Lord


1 The king rejoices in your strength, Lord.
     How great is his joy in the victories you give!

2 You have granted him his heart’s desire
     and have not withheld the request of his lips.
3 You came to greet him with rich blessings
     and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.
4 He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—
     length of days, for ever and ever.
5 Through the victories you gave, his glory is great;
     you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.
6 Surely you have granted him unending blessings
     and made him glad with the joy of your presence.
7 For the king trusts in the Lord;
     through the unfailing love of the Most High
     he will not be shaken.

8 Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies;
     your right hand will seize your foes.
9 When you appear for battle,
     you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace.
  The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
     and his fire will consume them.
10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
      their posterity from mankind.
11 Though they plot evil against you
      and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed.
12 You will make them turn their backs
      when you aim at them with drawn bow.

13 Be exalted in your strength, Lord;
      we will sing and praise your might.


Commentary
Verses 1-6:
Happy the people whose king makes God's strength his confidence, and God's salvation his joy; who is pleased with all the advancements of God kingdom, and trusts God to support him in all he does for the service of it. All our blessings are blessings of goodness, and are owing, not to any merit of ours, but only to God's goodness. But when God's blessings come sooner, and prove richer than we imagine; when they are given before we prayed for them, before we were ready for them, nay, when we feared the contrary; then it may be truly said that he prevented, or went before us, with them. Nothing indeed prevented, or went before Christ, but to mankind never was any favor more preventing than our redemption by Christ. Thou hast made him to be a universal, everlasting blessing to the world, in whom the families of the earth are, and shall be blessed; and so thou hast made him exceeding glad with the countenance thou hast given to his undertaking, and to him in the prosecution of it. The Spirit of prophecy rises from what related to the king, to that which is peculiar to Christ; none other is blessed for ever, much less a blessing for ever.

Verses 7-13: The psalmist teaches to look forward with faith, and hope, and prayer upon what God would further do. The success with which God blessed David, was a type of the total overthrow of all Christ's enemies. Those who might have had Christ to rule and save them, but rejected him and fought against him, shall find the remembrance of it a worm that dies not. God makes sinners willing by his grace, receives them to his favor, and delivers them from the wrath to come. May he exalt himself, by his all-powerful grace, in our hearts, destroying all the strong-holds of sin and Satan. How great should be our joy and praise to behold our Brother and Friend upon the throne, and for all the blessings we may expect from him! yet he delights in his exalted state, as enabling him to confer happiness and glory on poor sinners, who are taught to love and trust in him.


From the Historical books of the Old Testament
2 Samuel 5:11-16
Hiram Recognizes David as King


5:11 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. 12 Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

13 After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. 14 These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.

Commentary
David's house was not the worse, nor the less fit to be dedicated to God, for being built by the sons of the stranger. It is prophesied of the gospel church, The sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee, Isaiah 60:10. David's government was rooted and built up. David was established king; so is the Son of David, and all who, through him, are made to our God kings and priests. Never had the nation of Israel appeared so great as it began now to be. Many have the favor and love of God, yet do not perceive it, and so want the comfort of it; but to be exalted to that, and to perceive it, is happiness. David owned it was for his people's sake God had done great things for him; that he might be a blessing to them, and that they might be happy under him.


From the Epistles of the New Testament
James 5:7-12
Suffering and Patience


5:7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

10 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

12 Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.

Commentary
Consider him that waits for a crop of corn; and will not you wait for a crown of glory? If you should be called to wait longer than the husbandman, is not there something more worth waiting for? In every sense the coming of the Lord drew nigh, and all his people's losses, hardships, and sufferings, would be repaid. Men count time long, because they measure it by their own lives; but all time is as nothing to God; it is as a moment. To short-lived creatures a few years seem an age; but Scripture, measuring all things by the existence of God, reckons thousands of years but so many days. God brought about things in Job's case, so as plainly to prove that he is very pitiful and of tender mercy. This did not appear during his troubles, but was seen in the event, and believers now will find a happy end to their trials. Let us serve our God, and bear our trials, as those who believe that the end will crown all. Our eternal happiness is safe if we trust to him: all else is mere vanity, which soon will be done with for ever. The sin of swearing is condemned; but how many make light of common profane swearing! Such swearing expressly throws contempt upon God's name and authority. This sin brings neither gain, nor pleasure, nor reputation, but is showing enmity to God without occasion and without advantage It shows a man to be an enemy to God, however he pretends to call himself by his name, or sometimes joins in acts of worship. But the Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain.



Today’s Lectionary Readings are selected from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, a three-year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year B. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2021, we will be in Year C. The year which ended at Advent 2020 was Year A. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org. The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle, and Gospel lessons are from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Commentaries from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible.

The Morning Prayer for Tuesday, July 6, 2021

 

The Morning Prayer
Tuesday, July 6, 2021


For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship (Romans 8:14–15a, NIV).

Dear Father in heaven, open our hearts to the wonder of being able to call you Father, the wonder of being united with you. You are the source of all life and strength. In you is redemption, and we need to be redeemed before we can live rightly. Take from us the pressures forced on us by the flood of events. Make us completely free as people led by your hand, people who may be joyful because everything will be overcome through the power you grant us in Jesus Christ. Protect us from fear and from all evil. Show more and more clearly your good and wonderful goal for all people on earth, so that in expectation they may find happiness even in all the stress of today. Amen.

Verse of the Day for Tuesday, July 6, 2021

 

Verse of the Day
Tuesday, July 6, 2021


Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
After Jesus left the temple, He initiated a conversation with His disciples about what would happen in the future (Matt. 24:3). The future Jesus portrayed didn’t look too bright. He described persecutions, urban devastation, hatred, widespread deception, earthquakes, and famines. He added that terrifying cosmic events would occur (v. 29). Then He described His return.

As you read, visualize what Jesus said about the Second Coming. Notice that some people will mourn upon His return (v. 30). Why would they respond that way? For those who have accepted Jesus as Lord, the response should be joyful expectation. Pray as the apostle John did: “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20).


Read all of Matthew Chapter 24

Listen to Matthew Chapter 24


Scripture from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.