1 Chronicles 16

 Translation: ESV

The Ark Placed in a Tent

16 And they brought in the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. 2 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord 3 and distributed to all Israel, both men and women, to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.

4 Then he appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel. 5 Asaph was the chief, and second to him were Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, who were to play harps and lyres; Asaph was to sound the cymbals, 6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God. 7 Then on that day David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the Lord by Asaph and his brothers.

David's Song of Thanks

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8 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;

    make known his deeds among the peoples!

9 Sing to him, sing praises to him;

    tell of all his wondrous works!

10 Glory in his holy name;

    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!

11 Seek the Lord and his strength;

    seek his presence continually!

12 Remember the wondrous works that he has done,

    his miracles and the judgments he uttered,

13 O offspring of Israel his servant,

    children of Jacob, his chosen ones!

14 He is the Lord our God;

    his judgments are in all the earth.

15 Remember his covenant forever,

    the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,

16 the covenant that he made with Abraham,

    his sworn promise to Isaac,

17 which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,

    to Israel as an everlasting covenant,

18 saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan,

    as your portion for an inheritance.”

19 When you were few in number,

    of little account, and sojourners in it,

20 wandering from nation to nation,

    from one kingdom to another people,

21 he allowed no one to oppress them;

    he rebuked kings on their account,

22 saying, “Touch not my anointed ones,

    do my prophets no harm!”

23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth!

    Tell of his salvation from day to day.

24 Declare his glory among the nations,

    his marvelous works among all the peoples!

25 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,

    and he is to be feared above all gods.

26 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,

    but the Lord made the heavens.

27 Splendor and majesty are before him;

    strength and joy are in his place.

28 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,

    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!

29 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;

    bring an offering and come before him!

Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;

30     tremble before him, all the earth;

    yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.

31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice,

    and let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!”

32 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

    let the field exult, and everything in it!

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33 Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy

    before the Lord,

for he comes to judge the earth.

34 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

    for his steadfast love endures forever!

35 Say also:

“Save us, O God of our salvation,

    and gather and deliver us from among the nations,

that we may give thanks to your holy name

    and glory in your praise.

36 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

    from everlasting to everlasting!”

Then all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord.

Worship Before the Ark

37 So David left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister regularly before the ark as each day required, 38 and also Obed-edom and his sixty-eight brothers, while Obed-edom, the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah were to be gatekeepers. 39 And he left Zadok the priest and his brothers the priests before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon 40 to offer burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering regularly morning and evening, to do all that is written in the Law of the Lord that he commanded Israel. 41 With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and expressly named to give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever. 42 Heman and Jeduthun had trumpets and cymbals for the music and instruments for sacred song. The sons of Jeduthun were appointed to the gate.

43 Then all the people departed each to his house, and David went home to bless his household.

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1 Samuel 16

Translation: ESV

David Anointed King

16 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” 2 And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.” 4 Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?” 5 And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him.

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For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.”9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

David in Saul's Service

14 Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him. 15 And Saul's servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.” 17 So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me.” 18 One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.” 19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.” 20 And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul. 21 And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer. 22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight.” 23 And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.

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2 Peter 1

Translation: ESV

Greeting

1 Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Confirm Your Calling and Election

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

12 Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, 14 since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

Christ's Glory and the Prophetic Word

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,

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but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.

19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

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Proverbs 20

Translation: ESV

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Date: March 24 2026
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1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,

    and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

2 The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion;

    whoever provokes him to anger forfeits his life.

3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife,

    but every fool will be quarreling.

4 The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;

    he will seek at harvest and have nothing.

5 The purpose in a man's heart is like deep water,

    but a man of understanding will draw it out.

6 Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love,

    but a faithful man who can find?

7 The righteous who walks in his integrity—

    blessed are his children after him!

8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment

    winnows all evil with his eyes.

9 Who can say, “I have made my heart pure;

    I am clean from my sin”?

10 Unequal weights and unequal measures

    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.

11 Even a child makes himself known by his acts,

    by whether his conduct is pure and upright.

12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye,

    the Lord has made them both.

13 Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty;

    open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.

14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,

    but when he goes away, then he boasts.

15 There is gold and abundance of costly stones,

    but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

16 Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger,

    and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.

17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,

    but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.

18 Plans are established by counsel;

    by wise guidance wage war.

19 Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets;

    therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.

20 If one curses his father or his mother,

    his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.

21 An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning

    will not be blessed in the end.

22 Do not say, “I will repay evil”;

    wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.

23 Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord,

    and false scales are not good.

24 A man's steps are from the Lord;

    how then can man understand his way?

25 It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,”

    and to reflect only after making vows.

26 A wise king winnows the wicked

    and drives the wheel over them.

27 The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord,

    searching all his innermost parts.

28 Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,

    and by steadfast love his throne is upheld.

29 The glory of young men is their strength,

    but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.

30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil;

    strokes make clean the innermost parts.

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1 Peter 3

Translation: ESV

Wives and Husbands

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.

Suffering for Righteousness' Sake

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?

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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.

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James 5

Translation: ESV

Warning to the Rich

5 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. 4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.

Patience in Suffering

7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

The Prayer of Faith

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.

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The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

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Psalm 70 (MT: Psalm 71)

Translation: ESV

Forsake Me Not When My Strength Is Spent

71 In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;

    let me never be put to shame!

2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;

    incline your ear to me, and save me!

3 Be to me a rock of refuge,

    to which I may continually come;

you have given the command to save me,

    for you are my rock and my fortress.

4 Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,

    from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.

5 For you, O Lord, are my hope,

    my trust, O Lord, from my youth.

6 Upon you I have leaned from before my birth;

    you are he who took me from my mother's womb.

My praise is continually of you.

7 I have been as a portent to many,

    but you are my strong refuge.

8 My mouth is filled with your praise,

    and with your glory all the day.

9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age;

    forsake me not when my strength is spent.

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10 For my enemies speak concerning me;

    those who watch for my life consult together

11 and say, “God has forsaken him;

    pursue and seize him,

    for there is none to deliver him.”

12 O God, be not far from me;

    O my God, make haste to help me!

13 May my accusers be put to shame and consumed;

    with scorn and disgrace may they be covered

    who seek my hurt.

14 But I will hope continually

    and will praise you yet more and more.

15 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts,

    of your deeds of salvation all the day,

    for their number is past my knowledge.

16 With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come;

    I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.

17 O God, from my youth you have taught me,

    and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.

18 So even to old age and gray hairs,

    O God, do not forsake me,

until I proclaim your might to another generation,

    your power to all those to come.

19 Your righteousness, O God,

    reaches the high heavens.

You who have done great things,

    O God, who is like you?

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20 You who have made me see many troubles and calamities

    will revive me again;

from the depths of the earth

    you will bring me up again.

21 You will increase my greatness

    and comfort me again.

22 I will also praise you with the harp

    for your faithfulness, O my God;

I will sing praises to you with the lyre,

    O Holy One of Israel.

23 My lips will shout for joy,

    when I sing praises to you;

    my soul also, which you have redeemed.

24 And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,

for they have been put to shame and disappointed

    who sought to do me hurt.

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