Exodus 34:1-17
The LORD said to Moses, "Cut two tablets of stone like the former ones, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets, which you broke. Be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai and present yourself there to me, on the top of the mountain. No one shall come up with you, and do not let anyone be seen throughout all the mountain; and do not let flocks or herds graze in front of that mountain." So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the former ones; and he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tablets of stone. The LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name, "The LORD." The LORD passed before him, and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, yet by no means clearing the guilty, but visiting the iniquity of the parents upon the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation." And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped. He said, "If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, I pray, let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance." He said: I hereby make a covenant. Before all your people I will perform marvels, such as have not been performed in all the earth or in any nation; and all the people among whom you live shall see the work of the LORD; for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you. Observe what I command you today. See, I will drive out before you the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Take care not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you are going, or it will become a snare among you. You shall tear down their altars, break their pillars, and cut down their sacred poles (for you shall worship no other god, because the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God). You shall not make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to their gods, someone among them will invite you, and you will eat of the sacrifice. And you will take wives from among their daughters for your sons, and their daughters who prostitute themselves to their gods will make your sons also prostitute themselves to their gods. You shall not make cast idols.
1 Thessalonians 2:13-20
We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God's word, which is also at work in you believers. For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you suffered the same things from your own compatriots as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out; they displease God and oppose everyone by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. Thus they have constantly been filling up the measure of their sins; but God's wrath has overtaken them at last. As for us, brothers and sisters, when, for a short time, we were made orphans by being separated from you-- in person, not in heart-- we longed with great eagerness to see you face to face. For we wanted to come to you-- certainly I, Paul, wanted to again and again-- but Satan blocked our way. For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? Yes, you are our glory and joy!
Matthew 5:21-26
"You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, 'You shall not murder' and 'whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, 'You fool,' you will be liable to the hell of fire. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.
Morning Psalms
Psalm 50
1 The LORD, the God of gods, has spoken; he has called the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, perfect in its beauty, God reveals himself in glory.
3 Our God will come and will not keep silence; before him there is a consuming flame, and round about him a raging storm.
4 He calls the heavens and the earth from above to witness the judgment of his people.
5 Gather before me my loyal followers, those who have made a covenant with me and sealed it with sacrifice.
6 Let the heavens declare the rightness of his cause; for God himself is judge.
7 Hear, O my people, and I will speak: "O Israel, I will bear witness against you; for I am God, your God.
8 I do not accuse you because of your sacrifices; your offerings are always before me.
9 I will take no bull-calf from your stalls, nor he-goats out of your pens;
10 For all the beasts of the forest are mine, the herds in their thousands upon the hills.
11 I know every bird in the sky, and the creatures of the fields are in my sight.
12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the whole world is mine and all that is in it.
13 Do you think I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving and make good your vows to the Most High.
15 Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall honor me."
16 But to the wicked God says: "Why do you recite my statutes, and take my covenant upon your lips;
17 Since you refuse discipline, and toss my words behind your back?
18 When you see a thief, you make him your friend, and you cast in your lot with adulterers.
19 You have loosed your lips for evil, and harnessed your tongue to a lie.
20 You are always speaking evil of your brother and slandering your own mother's son.
21 These things you have done, and I kept still, and you thought that I am like you."
22 I have made my accusation; I have put my case in order before your eyes.
23 Consider this well, you who forget God, lest I rend you and there be none to deliver you.
24 Whoever offers me the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me; but to those who keep in my way will I show the salvation of God."
Evening Psalms
Psalm 59
1 Rescue me from my enemies, O God; protect me from those who rise up against me.
2 Rescue me from evildoers and save me from those who thirst for my blood.
3 See how they lie in wait for my life, how the mighty gather together against me; not for any offense or fault of mine, O LORD.
4 Not because of any guilt of mine they run and prepare themselves for battle.
5 Rouse yourself, come to my side, and see; for you, LORD God of hosts, are Israel's God.
6 Awake, and punish all the ungodly; show no mercy to those who are faithless and evil.
7 They go to and fro in the evening; they snarl like dogs and run about the city.
8 Behold, they boast with their mouths, and taunts are on their lips; "For who, they say, will hear us?"
9 But you, O LORD, you laugh at them; you laugh all the ungodly to scorn.
10 My eyes are fixed on you, O my Strength; for you, O God, are my stronghold.
11 My merciful God comes to meet me; God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.
12 Slay them, O God, lest my people forget; send them reeling by your might and put them down, O Lord our shield.
13 For the sins of their mouths, for the words of their lips, for the cursing and lies that they utter, let them be caught in their pride.
14 Make an end of them in your wrath; make an end of them, and they shall be no more.
15 Let everyone know that God rules in Jacob, and to the ends of the earth.
16 They go to and fro in the evening; they snarl like dogs and run about the city.
17 They forage for food, and if they are not filled, they howl.
18 For my part, I will sing of your strength; I will celebrate your love in the morning;
19 For you have become my stronghold, a refuge in the day of my trouble.
20 To you, O my Strength, will I sing; for you, O God, are my stronghold and my merciful God.
Psalm 60
1 O God, you have cast us off and broken us; you have been angry; oh, take us back to you again.
2 You have shaken the earth and split it open; repair the cracks in it, for it totters.
3 You have made your people know hardship; you have given us wine that makes us stagger.
4 You have set up a banner for those who fear you, to be a refuge from the power of the bow.
5 Save us by your right hand and answer us, that those who are dear to you may be delivered.
6 God spoke from his holy place and said: "I will exult and parcel out Shechem; I will divide the valley of Succoth.
7 Gilead is mine and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet and Judah my scepter.
8 Moab is my wash-basin, on Edom I throw down my sandal to claim it, and over Philistia will I shout in triumph."
9 Who will lead me into the strong city? who will bring me to Edom?
10 Have you not cast us off, O God? you no longer go out, O God, with our armies.
11 Grant us your help against the enemy, for vain is the help of man.
12 With God we will do valiant deeds, and he shall tread our enemies under foot.
