Judges 7:19-8:12
So Gideon and the hundred who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just set the watch; and they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars that were in their hands. So the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars, holding in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow; and they cried, "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!" Every man stood in his place all around the camp, and all the men in camp ran; they cried out and fled. When they blew the three hundred trumpets, the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow and against all the army; and the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath. And the men of Israel were called out from Naphtali and from Asher and from all Manasseh, and they pursued after the Midianites. Then Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, "Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters against them, as far as Beth-barah, and also the Jordan." So all the men of Ephraim were called out, and they seized the waters as far as Beth-barah, and also the Jordan. They captured the two captains of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb; they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they killed at the wine press of Zeeb, as they pursued the Midianites. They brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon beyond the Jordan. Then the Ephraimites said to him, "What have you done to us, not to call us when you went to fight against the Midianites?" And they upbraided him violently. So he said to them, "What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? God has given into your hands the captains of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb; what have I been able to do in comparison with you?" When he said this, their anger against him subsided. Then Gideon came to the Jordan and crossed over, he and the three hundred who were with him, exhausted and famished. So he said to the people of Succoth, "Please give some loaves of bread to my followers, for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian." But the officials of Succoth said, "Do you already have in your possession the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna, that we should give bread to your army?" Gideon replied, "Well then, when the LORD has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will trample your flesh on the thorns of the wilderness and on briers." From there he went up to Penuel, and made the same request of them; and the people of Penuel answered him as the people of Succoth had answered. So he said to the people of Penuel, "When I come back victorious, I will break down this tower." Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their army, about fifteen thousand men, all who were left of all the army of the people of the east; for one hundred twenty thousand men bearing arms had fallen. So Gideon went up by the caravan route east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and attacked the army; for the army was off its guard. Zebah and Zalmunna fled; and he pursued them and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and threw all the army into a panic.
Acts 3:12-26
When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, "You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him. But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And by faith in his name, his name itself has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you. "And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah appointed for you, that is, Jesus, who must remain in heaven until the time of universal restoration that God announced long ago through his holy prophets. Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you from your own people a prophet like me. You must listen to whatever he tells you. And it will be that everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be utterly rooted out of the people.' And all the prophets, as many as have spoken, from Samuel and those after him, also predicted these days. You are the descendants of the prophets and of the covenant that God gave to your ancestors, saying to Abraham, 'And in your descendants all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you, to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways."
John 1:29-42
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, "Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.' I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel." And John testified, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God." The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, "Look, here is the Lamb of God!" The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?" He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter).
Morning Psalms
Psalm 119: Mem Quomodo dilexi!
97 Oh, how I love your law! all the day long it is in my mind.
98 Your commandment has made me wiser than my enemies, and it is always with me.
99 I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your decrees are my study.
100 I am wiser than the elders, because I observe your commandments.
101 I restrain my feet from every evil way, that I may keep your word.
102 I do not shrink from your judgments, because you yourself have taught me.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste! they are sweeter than honey to my mouth.
104 Through your commandments I gain understanding; therefore I hate every lying way.
Psalm 119: Nun Lucerna pedibus meis
105 Your word is a lantern to my feet and a light upon my path.
106 I have sworn and am determined to keep your righteous judgments.
107 I am deeply troubled; preserve my life, O LORD, according to your word.
108 Accept, O LORD, the willing tribute of my lips, and teach me your judgments.
109 My life is always in my hand, yet I do not forget your law.
110 The wicked have set a trap for me, but I have not strayed from your commandments.
111 Your decrees are my inheritance for ever; truly, they are the joy of my heart.
112 I have applied my heart to fulfill your statutes for ever and to the end.
Psalm 119: Samekh Iniquos odio habui
113 I hate those who have a divided heart, but your law do I love.
114 You are my refuge and shield; my hope is in your word.
115 Away from me, you wicked! I will keep the commandments of my God.
116 Sustain me according to your promise, that I may live, and let me not be disappointed in my hope.
117 Hold me up, and I shall be safe, and my delight shall be ever in your statutes.
118 You spurn all who stray from your statutes; their deceitfulness is in vain.
119 In your sight all the wicked of the earth are but dross; therefore I love your decrees.
120 My flesh trembles with dread of you; I am afraid of your judgments.
Evening Psalms
Psalm 81 Exultate Deo
1 Sing with joy to God our strength and raise a loud shout to the God of Jacob.
2 Raise a song and sound the timbrel, the merry harp, and the lyre.
3 Blow the ram's-horn at the new moon, and at the full moon, the day of our feast.
4 For this is a statute for Israel, a law of the God of Jacob.
5 He laid it as a solemn charge upon Joseph, when he came out of the land of Egypt.
6 I heard an unfamiliar voice saying, "I eased his shoulder from the burden; his hands were set free from bearing the load."
7 You called on me in trouble, and I saved you; I answered you from the secret place of thunder and tested you at the waters of Meribah.
8 Hear, O my people, and I will admonish you: O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9 There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not worship a foreign god.
10 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and said, "Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it."
11 And yet my people did not hear my voice, and Israel would not obey me.
12 So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their hearts, to follow their own devices.
13 Oh, that my people would listen to me! that Israel would walk in my ways!
14 I should soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes.
15 Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him, and their punishment would last for ever.
16 But Israel would I feed with the finest wheat and satisfy him with honey from the rock.
Psalm 82 Deus stetit
1 God takes his stand in the council of heaven; he gives judgment in the midst of the gods:
2 How long will you judge unjustly, and show favor to the wicked?
3 Save the weak and the orphan; defend the humble and needy;
4 Rescue the weak and the poor; deliver them from the power of the wicked.
5 They do not know, neither do they understand; they go about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 Now I say to you, 'You are gods, and all of you children of the Most High;
7 Nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince.'"
8 Arise, O God, and rule the earth, for you shall take all nations for your own.
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