Night Watch Devotion

A Song of Ascents.
¹ Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!
² O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy!
³ If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
⁴ But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.
⁵ I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;
⁶ my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.
⁷ O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.
⁸ And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. (ESV)

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song.
¹ May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
² that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.
³ Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!
⁴ Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
⁵ Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!
⁶ The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us.
⁷ God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him! (ESV)

¹ Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you.
² For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
³ While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
⁴ But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.
⁵ For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.
⁶ So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.
⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. (ESV)

¹ Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”
² And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden,
³ but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’”
⁴ But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.
⁵ For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
⁶ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
⁷ Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
⁸ And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
⁹ But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”
¹⁰ And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”
¹¹ He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”
¹² The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.”
¹³ Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
¹⁴ The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.
¹⁵ I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
¹⁶ To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”
¹⁷ And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
¹⁸ thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.
¹⁹ By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
²⁰ The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.
²¹ And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.
²² Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—”
²³ therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.
²⁴ He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life. (ESV)

¹ And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home.
² And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them.
³ And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.
⁴ And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.
⁵ And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
⁶ Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts,
⁷ “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
⁸ And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts?
⁹ Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’?
¹⁰ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—
¹¹ “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”
¹² And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
¹³ He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them.
¹⁴ And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
¹⁵ And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.
¹⁶ And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
¹⁷ And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (ESV)

¹ And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
² “Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the people of Israel and say to them, This is the thing that the LORD has commanded.
³ If any one of the house of Israel kills an ox or a lamb or a goat in the camp, or kills it outside the camp,
⁴ and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it as a gift to the LORD in front of the tabernacle of the LORD, bloodguilt shall be imputed to that man. He has shed blood, and that man shall be cut off from among his people.
⁵ This is to the end that the people of Israel may bring their sacrifices that they sacrifice in the open field, that they may bring them to the LORD, to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and sacrifice them as sacrifices of peace offerings to the LORD.
⁶ And the priest shall throw the blood on the altar of the LORD at the entrance of the tent of meeting and burn the fat for a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
⁷ So they shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices to goat demons, after whom they whore. This shall be a statute forever for them throughout their generations.
⁸ “And you shall say to them, Any one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice
⁹ and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it to the LORD, that man shall be cut off from his people.
¹⁰ “If any one of the house of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among them eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people.
¹¹ For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.
¹² Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, No person among you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger who sojourns among you eat blood.
¹³ “Any one also of the people of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who takes in hunting any beast or bird that may be eaten shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth.
¹⁴ For the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.
¹⁵ And every person who eats what dies of itself or what is torn by beasts, whether he is a native or a sojourner, shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening; then he shall be clean.
¹⁶ But if he does not wash them or bathe his flesh, he shall bear his iniquity.”

¹ And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
² “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, I am the LORD your God.
³ You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes.
⁴ You shall follow my rules and keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the LORD your God.
⁵ You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the LORD.
⁶ “None of you shall approach any one of his close relatives to uncover nakedness. I am the LORD.
⁷ You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, which is the nakedness of your mother; she is your mother, you shall not uncover her nakedness.
⁸ You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife; it is your father’s nakedness.
⁹ You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether brought up in the family or in another home.
¹⁰ You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son’s daughter or of your daughter’s daughter, for their nakedness is your own nakedness.
¹¹ You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, brought up in your father’s family, since she is your sister.
¹² You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister; she is your father’s relative.
¹³ You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s relative.
¹⁴ You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother, that is, you shall not approach his wife; she is your aunt.
¹⁵ You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law; she is your son’s wife, you shall not uncover her nakedness.
¹⁶ You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness.
¹⁷ You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and of her daughter, and you shall not take her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter to uncover her nakedness; they are relatives; it is depravity.
¹⁸ And you shall not take a woman as a rival wife to her sister, uncovering her nakedness while her sister is still alive.
¹⁹ “You shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness while she is in her menstrual uncleanness.
²⁰ And you shall not lie sexually with your neighbor’s wife and so make yourself unclean with her.
²¹ You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech, and so profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.
²² You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.
²³ And you shall not lie with any animal and so make yourself unclean with it, neither shall any woman give herself to an animal to lie with it: it is perversion.
²⁴ “Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean,
²⁵ and the land became unclean, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.
²⁶ But you shall keep my statutes and my rules and do none of these abominations, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you
²⁷ (for the people of the land, who were before you, did all of these abominations, so that the land became unclean),
²⁸ lest the land vomit you out when you make it unclean, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.
²⁹ For everyone who does any of these abominations, the persons who do them shall be cut off from among their people.
³⁰ So keep my charge never to practice any of these abominable customs that were practiced before you, and never to make yourselves unclean by them: I am the LORD your God.” (ESV)

¹⁷ And when it was evening, he came with the twelve.
¹⁸ And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.”
¹⁹ They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?”
²⁰ He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me.
²¹ For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”
²² And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.”
²³ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it.
²⁴ And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
²⁵ Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
²⁶ And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
²⁷ And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’
²⁸ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.”
²⁹ Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.”
³⁰ And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”
³¹ But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.
³² And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
³³ And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled.
³⁴ And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.”
³⁵ And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
³⁶ And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
³⁷ And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour?
³⁸ Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
³⁹ And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words.
⁴⁰ And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him.
⁴¹ And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
⁴² Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” (ESV)

⁹ Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also.
¹⁰ For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away.
¹¹ Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach, especially to my neighbors, and an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me.
¹² I have been forgotten like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel.
¹³ For I hear the whispering of many— terror on every side!— as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life.
¹⁴ But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.”
¹⁵ My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!
¹⁶ Make your face shine on your servant; save me in your steadfast love!
¹⁷ O LORD, let me not be put to shame, for I call upon you; let the wicked be put to shame; let them go silently to Sheol.
¹⁸ Let the lying lips be mute, which speak insolently against the righteous in pride and contempt. (ESV)