Midday Devotion

A Song of Ascents.
¹ I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
² My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
³ He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴ Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
⁵ The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
⁷ The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.
⁸ The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. (ESV)

Of David.
¹ Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!
² Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help!
³ Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, “I am your salvation!”
⁴ Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life! Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me!
⁵ Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away!
⁶ Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them!
⁷ For without cause they hid their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life.
⁸ Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it! And let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it—to his destruction!
⁹ Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD, exulting in his salvation.
¹⁰ All my bones shall say, “O LORD, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?”
¹¹ Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know.
¹² They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft.
¹³ But I, when they were sick— I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest.
¹⁴ I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning.
¹⁵ But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered; they gathered together against me; wretches whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing;
¹⁶ like profane mockers at a feast, they gnash at me with their teeth.
¹⁷ How long, O Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their destruction, my precious life from the lions!
¹⁸ I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you.
¹⁹ Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause.
²⁰ For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit.
²¹ They open wide their mouths against me; they say, “Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!”
²² You have seen, O LORD; be not silent! O Lord, be not far from me!
²³ Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord!
²⁴ Vindicate me, O LORD, my God, according to your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me!
²⁵ Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, our heart’s desire!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”
²⁶ Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether who rejoice at my calamity! Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me!
²⁷ Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, “Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servant!”
²⁸ Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long. (ESV)

²⁴ “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light,
²⁵ and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
²⁶ And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.
²⁷ And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. (ESV)

¹⁰ Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz:
¹¹ “Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.”
¹² But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test.”
¹³ And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also?
¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
¹⁵ He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.
¹⁶ For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted.
¹⁷ The LORD will bring upon you and upon your people and upon your father’s house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah—the king of Assyria!”
¹⁸ In that day the LORD will whistle for the fly that is at the end of the streams of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.
¹⁹ And they will all come and settle in the steep ravines, and in the clefts of the rocks, and on all the thornbushes, and on all the pastures.
²⁰ In that day the Lord will shave with a razor that is hired beyond the River—with the king of Assyria—the head and the hair of the feet, and it will sweep away the beard also.
²¹ In that day a man will keep alive a young cow and two sheep,
²² and because of the abundance of milk that they give, he will eat curds, for everyone who is left in the land will eat curds and honey.
²³ In that day every place where there used to be a thousand vines, worth a thousand shekels of silver, will become briers and thorns.
²⁴ With bow and arrows a man will come there, for all the land will be briers and thorns.
²⁵ And as for all the hills that used to be hoed with a hoe, you will not come there for fear of briers and thorns, but they will become a place where cattle are let loose and where sheep tread.
¹ Then the LORD said to me, “Take a large tablet and write on it in common characters, ‘Belonging to Maher-shalal-hash-baz.’
² And I will get reliable witnesses, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah, to attest for me.”
³ And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the LORD said to me, “Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz;
⁴ for before the boy knows how to cry ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.”
⁵ The LORD spoke to me again:
⁶ “Because this people has refused the waters of Shiloah that flow gently, and rejoice over Rezin and the son of Remaliah,
⁷ therefore, behold, the Lord is bringing up against them the waters of the River, mighty and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory. And it will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks,
⁸ and it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass on, reaching even to the neck, and its outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.” (ESV)

¹ Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives,
² when they see your respectful and pure conduct.
³ Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—
⁴ but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.
⁵ For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands,
⁶ as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.
⁷ Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
⁸ Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
⁹ Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.
¹⁰ For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;
¹¹ let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.
¹² For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
¹³ Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?
¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,
¹⁵ but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
¹⁶ having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
¹⁷ For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
¹⁹ in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,
²⁰ because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.
²¹ Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
²² who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. (ESV)

¹ In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head as he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream and told the sum of the matter.
² Daniel declared, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea.
³ And four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another.
⁴ The first was like a lion and had eagles’ wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it.
⁵ And behold, another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side. It had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, ‘Arise, devour much flesh.’
⁶ After this I looked, and behold, another, like a leopard, with four wings of a bird on its back. And the beast had four heads, and dominion was given to it.
⁷ After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.
⁸ I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.
⁹ “As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire.
¹⁰ A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.
¹¹ “I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire.
¹² As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
¹³ “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.
¹⁴ And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
¹⁵ “As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me.
¹⁶ I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things.
¹⁷ ‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth.
¹⁸ But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’
¹⁹ “Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet,
²⁰ and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions.
²¹ As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them,
²² until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.
²³ “Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces.
²⁴ As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings.
²⁵ He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.
²⁶ But the court shall sit in judgment, and his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed to the end.
²⁷ And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’
²⁸ “Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly alarmed me, and my color changed, but I kept the matter in my heart.”

¹ In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first.
² And I saw in the vision; and when I saw, I was in Susa the citadel, which is in the province of Elam. And I saw in the vision, and I was at the Ulai canal.
³ I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram standing on the bank of the canal. It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last.
⁴ I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward. No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.
⁵ As I was considering, behold, a male goat came from the west across the face of the whole earth, without touching the ground. And the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes.
⁶ He came to the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing on the bank of the canal, and he ran at him in his powerful wrath.
⁷ I saw him come close to the ram, and he was enraged against him and struck the ram and broke his two horns. And the ram had no power to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled on him. And there was no one who could rescue the ram from his power.
⁸ Then the goat became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.
⁹ Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land.
¹⁰ It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them.
¹¹ It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown.
¹² And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper.
¹³ Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?”
¹⁴ And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.” (ESV)

¹² I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.
¹³ I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father.
¹⁴ I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.
¹⁷ And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
¹⁸ Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.
¹⁹ They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.
²⁰ But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.
²¹ I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.
²² Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.
²³ No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.
²⁴ Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father.
²⁵ And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.
²⁶ I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you.
²⁷ But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him. (ESV)

¹³ to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁴ and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁵ but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁶ to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁷ to him who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁸ and killed mighty kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁹ Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever;
²⁰ and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever;
²¹ and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever;
²² a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever.
²³ It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever;
²⁴ and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever;
²⁵ he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever.
²⁶ Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. (ESV)