Week 2, Monday

Psalm 7

Psalm 7, from the Scottish Psalter.

O Lord my God, in thee do I
my confidence repose:
Save and deliver me from all
my persecuting foes.
Lest that the enemy my soul
should like a Lion tear,
In pieces renting it, while there
is no deliverer.

O Lord my God, if it be so
that I committed this;
If it be so, that in my hands
iniquity there is.
If I rewarded ill to him
that was at peace with me:
(Yea, ev’n the man that without cause
my foe was, I did free.)

Then let the foe pursue, and take
my soul, and my life thrust
Down to the earth, and let him lay
mine honor in the dust.
Rise in thy wrath, Lord, raise thyself,
for my foes raging be:
And to the judgment, which thou hast
commanded, wake for me.

So shall th’assembly of thy folk
about encompass thee:
Thou therefore for their sakes, return
unto thy place on high.
The Lord he shall the people judge:
my judge, Jehovah, be,
After my righteousness, and mine
integrity in me.

O let the wickeds malice end,
but stablish steadfastly
The righteous: for the righteous God
the hearts and reins doth try.
In God, who saves th’upright in heart,
is my defense and stay.
God just men judgeth, God is wroth
with ill men every day.

If he do not return again,
then he his sword will whet;
His bow he hath already bent,
and hath it ready set.
He also hath for him prepar’d
the instruments of death;
Against the persecutors he
his shafts ordained hath.

Behold, he with iniquity
doth travail as in birth;
A mischief he conceived hath,
and falsehood shall bring forth.
He made a pit, and digg’d it deep,
another there to take,
But he is fall’n into the ditch
which he himself did make.

Upon his own head, his mischief
shall be returned home;
His violent dealing also down
on his own pate shall come.
According to his righteousness
the Lord I’ll magnify:
And will sing praise unto the Name
of God, that is most high.

Ezra 8

Ezra, chapter 8.

¹ These are now the chief fathers of them, and the genealogy of them that came up with me from Babel, in the reign of King Artahshashte.

² Of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel: of the sons of David, Hattush:

³ Of the sons of Shecaniah, of the sons of Pharosh, Zechariah, and with him the count of the males, an hundred and fifty.

⁴ Of the sons of Pahath Moab, Elihoenai, the son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males.

⁵ Of the sons of Shechaniah, the son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males.

⁶ And of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males.

⁷ And of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males.

⁸ And of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with him fourscore males.

⁹ Of the sons of Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males.

¹⁰ And of the sons of Shelomith the son of Josiphiah, and with him an hundred and threescore males.

¹¹ And of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with him eight and twenty males.

¹² And of the sons of Azgad, Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and with him an hundred and ten males.

¹³ And of the sons of Adonikam, that were the last, whose names are these: Eliphelet, Jehiel and Shemaiah, and with them three score males.

¹⁴ And of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them seventy males.

¹⁵ And I gathered them to the River that goeth toward Ahava, and there abode we three days: then I viewed the people, and the Priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi.

¹⁶ Therefore sent I to Eliezer, to Ariel, to Shemeiah, and to Elnathan, and to Jarib, and to Elnathan, and to Nathan, and to Zechariah, and to Meshullam the chief, and to Joiarib and to Elnathan, men of understanding,

¹⁷ And I gave them commandment, to Iddo the chiefest at the place of Casiphia, and I told them the words that they should speak to Iddo, and to his brethren the Nethinims at the place of Casiphia, that they should cause the ministers of the house of our God to come unto us.

¹⁸ So by the good hand of our God which was upon us, they brought us a man of understanding of the sons of Mahali the son of Levi the son of Israel, and Sherebiah with his sons and his brethren, even eighteen.

¹⁹ Also Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, with his brethren, and their sons twenty.

²⁰ And of the Nethinims, whom David had set, and the Princes for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty of the Nethinims, which all were named by name.

²¹ And there at the River, by Ahava, I proclaimed a fast, that we might humble ourselves before our God, and seek of him a right way for us, and for our children, and for all our substance.

²² For I was ashamed to require of the King an army and horsemen, to help us against the enemy in the way, because we had spoken to the King, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them that seek him in goodness, but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.

²³ So we fasted, and besought our God for this: and he was entreated of us.

²⁴ Then I separated twelve of the chief of the Priests, Sherebiah, and Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them,

²⁵ And weighed them the silver and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering of the house of our God, which the King and his counselors, and his Princes, and all Israel that were present had offered.

²⁶ And I weighed unto their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and in silver vessel, an hundred talents, and in gold, an hundred talents:

²⁷ And twenty basins of gold, of a thousand drams, and two vessels of shining brass very good, and precious as gold.

²⁸ And I said unto them, Ye are consecrate unto Yahweh, and the vessels are consecrate, and the gold and the silver are freely offered unto Yahweh God of your fathers.

²⁹ Watch ye, and keep them until ye weigh them before the chief Priests and the Levites, and the chief fathers of Israel in Jerusalem in the chambers of the house of Yahweh.

³⁰ So the Priests and the Levites received the weight of the silver and of the gold, and of the vessels to bring them to Jerusalem, unto the house of our God.

³¹ Then we departed from the River of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem, and the hand of our God was upon us, and delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as laid wait by the way.

³² And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days.

³³ And on the fourth day was the silver weighed, and the gold and the vessel in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the Priest, and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas, and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui the Levites,

³⁴ By number and by weight of every one, and all the weight was written at the same time.

³⁵ Also the children of the captivity, which were come out of captivity, offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, and twelve he goats for sin: all was a burnt offering of Yahweh.

³⁶ And they delivered the Kings commission unto the Kings officers, and to the captains beyond the River: and they promoted the people, and the house of God.

Acts 8

Acts, chapter 8.

¹ And Saul consented to his death, and at that time, there was a great persecution against the Church which was at Hierusalem, and they were all scattered abroad through the regions of Judea and of Samaria, except the Apostles.

² Then certain men fearing God, carried Steven amongs them, to be buried, and made great lamentation for him.

³ But Saul made havoc of the Church, and entered into every house, and drew out both men and women, and put them into prison.

⁴ Therefore they that were scattered abroad, went to and fro preaching the word.

⁵ Then came Philip into the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

⁶ And the people gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, with one accord, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

⁷ For unclean spirits crying with a loud voice, came out of many that were possessed of them: and many taken with palsies, and that halted, were healed.

⁸ And there was great joy in that city.

⁹ And there was before in the city a certain man called Simon, which used witchcraft, and bewitched the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was some great man.

¹⁰ To whom they gave heed from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is that great power of God.

¹¹ And they gave heed unto him, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

¹² But as soon as they believed Philip, which preached the things that concerned the kingdom of God, and the Name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized both men and women.

¹³ Then Simon himself believed also and was baptized, and continued with Philip, and wondered, when he saw the signs and great miracles which were done.

¹⁴ Now when the Apostles, which were at Jerusalem, heard say, that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John.

¹⁵ Which when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the holy Ghost.

¹⁶ (For as yet, he was fallen down on none of them, but they were baptized only in the Name of the Lord Jesus.)

¹⁷ Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the holy Ghost.

¹⁸ And when Simon saw, that through laying on of the Apostles hands the holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

¹⁹ Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay the hands, he may receive the holy Ghost.

²⁰ Then said Peter unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou thinkest that the gift of God may be obtained with money.

²¹ Thou hast neither part nor fellowship in this business: for thine heart is not right in the sight of God.

²² Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, that if it be possible, the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

²³ For I see that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

²⁴ Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken, come upon me.

²⁵ So they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Hierusalem, and preached the Gospel in many towns of the Samaritans.

²⁶ Then the Angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the South unto the way that goeth down from Hierusalem unto Gaza, which is waste.

²⁷ And he arose and went on: and behold, a certain Eunuch of Ethiopia, Candaces the Queen of the Ethiopians chief Governor, who had the rule of all her treasure, and came to Hierusalem to worship:

²⁸ And as he returned sitting in his chariot, he read Esaias the Prophet.

²⁹ Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near and join thyself to yonder chariot.

³⁰ And Philip ran thither, and heard him read the Prophet Esaias, and said, But understandest thou what thou readest?

³¹ And he said, How can I, except I had a guide? And he desired Philip, that he would come up and sit with him.

³² Now the place of the Scripture which he read, was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter: and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth.

³³ In his humility his judgment hath been exalted: but who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.

³⁴ Then the Eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee of whom speaketh the Prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?

³⁵ Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

³⁶ And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water, and the Eunuch said, See, here is water: what doeth let me to be baptized?

³⁷ And Philip said unto him, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. Then he answered, and said, I believe that that Jesus Christ is that Son of God.

³⁸ Then he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the Eunuch, and he baptized him.

³⁹ And as soon as they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the Eunuch saw him no more: so he went on his way rejoicing.

⁴⁰ But Philip was found at Azotus, and he walked to and fro preaching in all the cities, till he came to Cesarea.

The Heidelberg Catechism

The Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 2.

Question 3. How do you know your misery?

Out of the Law of God.

Question 4. What does the Law of God require of us?

This Christ teaches us in sum, Matt. 22: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first and great commandment; and the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.—On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Question 5. Can you keep all this perfectly?

No; for I am by nature prone to hate God and my neighbor.

A Christian Directory

From Richard Baxter, A Christian Directory, 1673.

You must be Holy Persons, if you would be Holy Governors of your families. Mens actions follow the bent of their Dispositions. They will do as they are. An enemy of God will not govern a family for God: Nor an enemy of Holiness (nor a stranger to it) set up a holy order in his house, and in a holy manner manage his affairs. I know it is cheaper and easier to the flesh to call others to mortification and holiness of life, than to bring ourselves to it: But yet when it is not a bare command or wish that is necessary; but a course of holy and industrious Government, unholy persons (though some of them may go far) have not the ends and principles which such a work requireth.

1. To this end, be sure that your own souls be entirely subjected unto God, and that you more accurately obey his Laws, than you expect any inferior should obey your commands. If you dare disobey God, why should they fear disobeying you? Can you more severely revenge disobedience; or more bountifully reward obedience, than God can do? Are you Greater and Better than God himself is?

2. Be sure that you lay up your treasure in Heaven, and make the enjoyment of God in Glory, to be the ultimate commanding end, both of the affairs and government of your family, and all things else with which you are entrusted. Devote yourselves and all to God, and do all for him: Do all as passengers to another world, whose business on earth is but to provide for Heaven, and promote their everlasting interest. If thus you are separated unto God you are sanctified: And then you will separate all that you have to his use and service, and this, with his acceptance, will sanctify all.

3. Maintain Gods authority in your family more carefully than your own. Your own is but for his. More sharply rebuke or correct them that wrong and dishonor God, than those that wrong and dishonor yourselves. Remember Elies sad example: Make not a small matter of any of the sins, especially the Great sins, of your children or servants. It is an odious thing to slight Gods cause, and put up all with “It is not well done”, when you are fiercely passionate for the loss of some small commodity of your own. Gods honor must be greatest in your family: and his service must have the preeminence of yours; and sin against him, must be the most intolerable offense.

Let us pray.

Let us pray. A prayer of John Calvin.

Grant, Almighty God, that since we are at this day as guilty before thee as the Israelites of old were, who were so rebellious against thy Prophets, and that as thou hast often tried sweetly to allure us to thyself without any success, and as we have not hitherto ceased, by our continual obstinacy, to provoke thy wrath,—O grant, that being moved at least by the warnings thou givest us, we may prostrate ourselves before thy face, and not wait until thou puttest forth thy hand to destroy us, but, on the contrary, strive to anticipate thy judgment; and that being at the same time surely convinced that thou art ready to be reconciled to us in Christ, we may flee to Him as our Mediator; and that relying on his intercession, we may not doubt but that thou art ready to give us pardon, until having at length put away all sins, we come to that blessed state of glory which has been obtained for us by the blood of thy Son. Amen.

Tonight at your table

Tonight at your table, read Genesis 8 and Matthew 8 with your household.

This week’s question for your table. How do you know your misery?