Though you lie down among the sheepfolds, You will be like the wings of a dove covered with silver, And her feathers with yellow gold." When the Almighty scattered kings in it, It was white as snow in Zalmon. A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan; A mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan.

Why do you fume with envy, you mountains of many peaks? This is the mountain which God desires to dwell in; Yes, the LORD will dwell in it forever. The chariots of God are twenty thousand, Even thousands of thousands; The Lord is among them as in Sinai, in the Holy Place. You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive; You have received gifts among men, Even from the rebellious, That the LORD God might dwell there. Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation! Selah

As the mountain of Bashan had many peaks, so does the Christian faith. Our peak is contained as an article of core beliefs, the Nicene Creed, which encompasses those statements of our faith which bring us all together as Christians.

For example, Mt Mansfield is the highest peak in Vermont and is part of the Green Mountain Range. Just to the west, as I look from my chair, is a small series of peaks, names unknown to me but certainly part of the Green Mountain range.

A rough simile for the Christian faith: we are united in that statement of the Nicene Creed but standing or kneeling as the case may be, in individual practices. Many peaks with differing heights, but a common thread uniting us. We Will meet at the Judgment Seat of Christ, fully united in our adoration of our LORD and Savior.

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.(John 14:6) 

Jesus is the mountain of Bashan; He has led captivity captive; He has received gifts (acknowledgment of loyalty)

Reading

Morning Psalm 146, Noon Psalm 119:33-40, Evening Psalm 42

Alternate Reading Plan based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation.

Set your own up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits.

I suggest either setting aside a period of the day to read all, or break the readings up into morning, mid-day, and evening series. Both approaches have their advantages, and both will build an awareness of the Bible as a whole over time.

O God, when You went out before Your people, When You marched through the wilderness, Selah The earth shook; The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God; Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel. You, O God, sent a plentiful rain, Whereby You confirmed Your inheritance, When it was weary. Your congregation dwelt in it; You, O God, provided from Your goodness for the poor. The Lord gave the word; Great was the company of those who proclaimed it: "Kings of armies flee, they flee, And she who remains at home divides the spoil.

What an example of a prayer of acknowledgment of the goodness of the LORD, God, the Almighty. This entire Psalm is a template for our prayers. Each paragraph offers a focus on an aspect of how He provides for His people and how we are to respond to that provision.

Reading

Morning Psalm 145, Noon Psalm 119:25-32, Evening Psalm 41

Alternate Reading Plan based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation.

Set your own up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits.

I suggest either setting aside a period of the day to read all, or break the readings up into morning, mid-day, and evening series. Both approaches have their advantages, and both will build an awareness of the Bible as a whole over time.

But let the righteous be glad; Let them rejoice before God; Yes, let them rejoice exceedingly. Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Extol Him who rides on the clouds, By His name YAH, And rejoice before Him. A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, Is God in His holy habitation. God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; But the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

The Righteous vs the Rebellious. Or the very richness's of His presence vs the arid-ness of His absence.

Look at the activities (involvement) called for in living the life of the Righteous: putting on the robes of gladness and rejoicing in His Presence. Singing His praises to His Name, extolling Him as He rides on the clouds, addressing Him by that holy name YAH as we rejoice.

Who is the LORD, God, the Almighty? He is father to the fatherless; He is the defender of widows and orphans; He brings the slave to prosperity (freedom). All while the rebellious are banished to the most arid of deserts.

Reading

Morning Psalm 144, Noon Psalm 119:17-24, Evening Psalm 40

Alternate Reading Plan based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation.

Set your own up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits.

I suggest either setting aside a period of the day to read all, or break the readings up into morning, mid-day, and evening series. Both approaches have their advantages, and both will build an awareness of the Bible as a whole over time.

You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word. Teach me good judgment and knowledge, For I believe Your commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word. You are good, and do good; Teach me Your statutes.

The proud have forged a lie against me, But I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart. Their heart is as fat as grease, But I delight in Your law.

It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes. The law of Your mouth is better to me Than thousands of coins of gold and silver.

Ish HaElohim recognizes importance of obedience. Not that being obedient buys a First Class ticket into Heaven. It won't, but it does keep us in communion with the Holy Spirit. Does anyone enjoy living in a pig sty? Not really, but we ask a member of the Trinity to live with someone with a foul mouth and lewd morals, defying His instructions to lead a life which is pleasing to the LORD,God, the Almighty? I don't think so!

Reading

Morning Psalm 143, Noon Psalm 119:9-16, Evening Psalm 39

Alternate Reading Plan based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation.

Set your own up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits.

I suggest either setting aside a period of the day to read all, or break the readings up into morning, mid-day, and evening series. Both approaches have their advantages, and both will build an awareness of the Bible as a whole over time.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A Song. Let God arise, Let His enemies be scattered; Let those also who hate Him flee before Him.As smoke is driven away, So drive them away; As wax melts before the fire, So let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

Have you ever left a large candle on the hearth and gone to bed? Well, neither have I but it does not take much imagine to envision the mess that would great you in the morning, especially if it was a stone hearth. Permanent ruin of the hearth is what comes to mind.

The Day is coming when the LORD, God, the Almighty's patience with mankind will be exhausted. The result will be complete and total disaster.

Reading

Morning Psalm 142, Noon Psalm 119:1-8, Evening Psalm 38

Alternate Reading Plan based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation.

Set your own up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits.

I suggest either setting aside a period of the day to read all, or break the readings up into morning, mid-day, and evening series. Both approaches have their advantages, and both will build an awareness of the Bible as a whole over time.

To the Chief Musician. On Stringed Instruments. A Psalm. A Song.

God be merciful to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us, Selah

That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You.

Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy! For You shall judge the people righteously, And govern the nations on earth. Selah

Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. Then the earth shall yield her increase; God, our own God, shall bless us.

God shall bless us, And all he ends of the earth shall fear Him.

“Wherever He leads, I will go” is playing on the radio beside me as I read this precious Psalm. A perfect combination of praise and declaration of fealty. To praise the LORD, God the Almighty is meaningless without obedience. The LORD is not fooled! Sometimes, I was suckered in similar circumstances. Never so with the LORD; I am the only fool as I sit singing His praises during a LORD's Day Worship service. It was/is to my shame and a tribute to His patience with me, a sinner.

Reading

Morning Psalm 141, Noon Psalm 119:169-176, Evening Psalm 37

Alternate Reading Plan based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation.

Set your own up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits.

I suggest either setting aside a period of the day to read all, or break the readings up into morning, mid-day, and evening series. Both approaches have their advantages, and both will build an awareness of the Bible as a whole over time.

Psalm 66:18-20 (Praise as Prayer)

If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear. But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, Nor His mercy from me!

Praise the LORD, God, Almighty that he indeed hears my prayers and supplications. He attends to my prayers and His mercy never fails, it is new every morning.

Reading

Morning Psalm 140, Noon Psalm 119:161-168, Evening Psalm 36

Alternate Reading Plan based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation.

Set your own up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits.

I suggest either setting aside a period of the day to read all, or break the readings up into morning, mid-day, and evening series. Both approaches have their advantages, and both will build an awareness of the Bible as a whole over time.

Come and hear, all you who fear God, And I will declare what He has done for my soul. I cried to Him with my mouth, And He was extolled with my tongue.

Now there's a set of marching orders. David's directions for all who fear the LORD, God, the Almighty, even to this day! Come and hear. We are directed to cry out to Him with our mouths and extol Him with our tongues. Yes, we are to live our faith, but first we are to be vocal. We are called to practice what we preach, not to preach what we practice. The latter opens a search for the scriptures that justify our behavior.

Reading

Morning Psalm 139, Noon Psalm 119:153-160, Evening Psalm 35

Alternate Reading Plan based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation.

Set your own up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits.

I suggest either setting aside a period of the day to read all, or break the readings up into morning, mid-day, and evening series. Both approaches have their advantages, and both will build an awareness of the Bible as a whole over time.

I will go into Your house with burnt offerings; I will pay You my vows, Which my lips have uttered And my mouth has spoken when I was in trouble. I will offer You burnt sacrifices of fat animals, With the sweet aroma of rams; I will offer bulls with goats. Selah

How many times have I been trapped by my own mouth? “I will pay You my vows, Which my lips have uttered And my mouth has spoken when I was in trouble.” So easy to promise anything to the LORD if He will only get me out of trouble one more time. Take a look at Judges 11:30-40 to see what one vow cost Jephthah. Did Jehovah desire the life of his daughter. No! But the LORD still wants our love and loyalty.

Reading

Morning Psalm 138, Noon Psalm 119:145-152, Evening Psalm 34

Alternate Reading Plan based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation.

Set your own up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits.

I suggest either setting aside a period of the day to read all, or break the readings up into morning, mid-day, and evening series. Both approaches have their advantages, and both will build an awareness of the Bible as a whole over time.

Oh, bless our God, you peoples! And make the voice of His praise to be heard, Who keeps our soul among the living, And does not allow our feet to be moved. For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined. You brought us into the net; You laid affliction on our backs. You have caused men to ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water; But You brought us out to rich fulfillment.

Sometimes it's a little hard to understand, this concept of refining by fire, affliction, and testing. But we must accept that you know the finished product and how to achieve it. You keep us among the living to achieve your goals; a people called to advance your Kingdom in the Here and Now.

Reading

Morning Psalm 137, Noon Psalm 119:137-144, Evening Psalm 33

Alternate Reading Plan based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation.

Set your own up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits.

I suggest either setting aside a period of the day to read all, or break the readings up into morning, mid-day, and evening series. Both approaches have their advantages, and both will build an awareness of the Bible as a whole over time.

You are my portion, O LORD; I have said that I would keep Your words. I entreated Your favor with my whole heart; Be merciful to me according to Your word. I thought about my ways, And turned my feet to Your testimonies. I made haste, and did not delay To keep Your commandments.

The cords of the wicked have bound me, But I have not forgotten Your law. At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You, Because of Your righteous judgments. I am a companion of all who fear You, And of those who keep Your precepts. The earth, O LORD, is full of Your mercy; Teach me Your statutes.

Ish HaElohim (My name for the scribe who wrote the 119^th Psalm, the Man of God), lays out his need for the Law of God, basically to bring it continually into his mind, not letting him slip at all.

All I can answer is, “Me, too. Let my vow be that “At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You, Because of Your righteous judgments. I am a companion of all who fear You, And of those who keep Your precepts. The earth, O LORD, is full of Your mercy; Teach me Your statutes.”

Reading

Morning Psalm 136, Noon Psalm 119:129-136, Evening Psalm 32

Alternate Reading Plan based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation.

Set your own up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits.

I suggest either setting aside a period of the day to read all, or break the readings up into morning, mid-day, and evening series. Both approaches have their advantages, and both will build an awareness of the Bible as a whole over time.

Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men. He turned the sea into dry land; They went through the river on foot. There we will rejoice in Him. He rules by His power forever; His eyes observe the nations; Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah

“Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men. He turned the sea into dry land; They went through the river on foot. There we will rejoice in Him.” That is not a “So, what” passage. It references two instances where the power of the Word of the LORD, God, The Almighty was demonstrated in what might be called 'casual power,' See Joshua 3:15-17 for an account of the Word creating dryground, even stated twice in v.17.

I was raised in an Iowa town on the banks of the Mississippi River which flooded from spring to spring. As the flood waters receded, the soil left behind was not dry ground. Deep mud is a more accurate description. Yet we read that the priests carrying the Arc of the Covenant stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; that all Israel crossed over on dry ground.

Israel did not slog through deep mud to cross the Jordan.They walked on a dry, quite wide strip of dry land. Do we need to start reading the Word of the LORD through eyes that are open to the hidden miracles?

Reading

Morning Psalm 135, Noon Psalm 119:121-128, Evening Psalm 31

Alternate Reading Plan based on 7 chapters/day from 7 sections of the Scriptures. My groupings are: Genesis-Joshua, Judges to Esther, Job to Song of Solomon, Psalms breaking 119 into convenient sets, Isaiah to Malachi, Matthew to Acts, Romans to Revelation.

Set your own up in convenient groupings as fits your study habits.

I suggest either setting aside a period of the day to read all, or break the readings up into morning, mid-day, and evening series. Both approaches have their advantages, and both will build an awareness of the Bible as a whole over time.