Week 3, Saturday

Psalm 18:1-15

Psalm 18, part 1, from the Scottish Psalter.

Thee will I love, O Lord, my strength.
My fortress is the Lord,
My rock, and he that doth to me
deliverance afford:
My God, my strength, whom I will trust,
a buckler unto me,
The horn of my salvation,
and my high towr is he.

Upon the Lord, who worthy is
of praises, will I cry:
And then shall I preserved be
safe from mine enemy.
Floods of ill men affrighted me,
deaths pangs about me went.
Hells sorrows me environed:
deaths snares did me prevent.

In my distress I call’d on God,
cry to my God did I:
He from his temple heard my voice,
to his ears came my cry.
Th’earth, as affrighted, then did shake,
trembling upon it seised;
The hills foundations moved were,
because he was displeased.

Up from his nostrils came a smoke,
and from his mouth there came
Devouring fire, and coals by it
were turned into flame.
He also bowed down the heav’ns,
and thence he did descend:
And thickest clouds of darkness did
under his feet attend.

And he upon a cherub rode,
and thereon he did fly:
Yea, on the swift wings of the wind
his flight was from on hy.
He darkness made his secret place:
about him for his tent
Dark waters were, and thickest clouds
of th’airie firmament.

And at the brightness of that light
which was before his eye,
His thick clouds past away, hail-stones
and coals of fire did flye.
The Lord God also in the heav’ns
did thunder in his ire,
And there the highest gave his voice,
hail-stones and coals of fire.

Yea, he his arrows sent abroad,
and them he scattered:
His lightnings also he shot out,
and them discomfited.
The waters channels then were seen,
the worlds foundations vast
At thy rebuke discovered were,
and at thy nostrils blast.

Nehemiah 10

Nehemiah, chapter 10.

¹ Now they that sealed were Nehemiah the Tirshatha the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah,

² Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,

³ Pashur, Amariah, Malchiah,

⁴ Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,

⁵ Harim, Merimoth, Obadiah,

⁶ Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,

⁷ Meshullam, Abijah, Miamin,

⁸ Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these are the Priests.

⁹ And the Levites: Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui, of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel.

¹⁰ And their brethren Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanun,

¹¹ Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah,

¹² Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,

¹³ Hodiah, Bani, Beninu.

¹⁴ The chief of the people were Parosh, Pahath Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,

¹⁵ Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,

¹⁶ Adoniah, Bigvai, Adin,

¹⁷ Ater, Hizkijah, Azzur,

¹⁸ Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,

¹⁹ Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,

²⁰ Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,

²¹ Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua,

²² Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,

²³ Hoshea, Hananiah, Hashub,

²⁴ Hallohesh, Pileha, Shobek,

²⁵ Rehum, Hashabuah, Maaseiah,

²⁶ And Ahijah, Hanan, Anan,

²⁷ Malluch, Harim, Baanah.

²⁸ And the rest of the people, the Priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all that were separated from the people of the lands unto the Law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, all that could understand.

²⁹ The chief of them received it for their brethren, and they came to the curse and to the oath to walk in Gods Law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, to observe and do all the commandments of Yahweh our God, and his judgments and his statutes:

³⁰ And that we would not give our daughters to the people of the land, neither take their daughters for our sons.

³¹ And if the people of the land brought ware on the Sabbath, or any victuals to sell, that we would not take it of them on the Sabbath and on the holy days: and that we would let the seventh year be free, and the debts of every person.

³² And we made statutes for ourselves to give by the year the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God,

³³ For the showbread, and for the daily offering, and for the daily burnt offering, the Sabbaths, the new moons, for the solemn feasts, and for the things that were sanctified, and for the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.

³⁴ We cast also lots for the offering of the wood, even the Priests, the Levites and the people to bring it into the house of our God, by the house of our fathers, yearly at the times appointed, to burn it upon the altar of Yahweh our God, as it is written in the Law,

³⁵ And to bring the firstfruits of our land, and the first of all the fruits of all trees, year by year, into the house of Yahweh,

³⁶ And the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the Law, and the firstborn of our bullocks and of our sheep, to bring it into the house of our God, unto the Priests that minister in the house of our God,

³⁷ And that we should bring the first fruit of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of every tree, of wine and of oil, unto the Priests, to the chambers of the house of our God: and the tithes of our land unto the Levites, that the Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our travail.

³⁸ And the Priest, the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes, and the Levites shall bring up the tenth part of the tithes unto the house of our God, unto the chambers of the treasure house.

³⁹ For the children of Israel, and the children of Levi shall bring up the offerings of the corn, of the wine, and of the oil, unto the chambers: and there shall be the vessels of the Sanctuary, and the Priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers, and we will not forsake the house of our God.

Acts 20

Acts, chapter 20.

¹ Now after the tumult was appeased, Paul called the disciples unto him, and embraced them, and departed to go into Macedonia.

² And when he had gone through those parts, and had exhorted them with many words, he came into Grecia.

³ And having tarried there three months, because the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia.

⁴ And there accompanied him into Asia, Sopater of Berea, and of them of Thessalonica, Aristarchus, and Secundus, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus, and of them of Asia, Tychicus, and Trophimus.

⁵ These went before, and tarried us at Troas.

⁶ And we sailed forth from Philippi, after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days, where we abode seven days.

⁷ And the first day of the week, the disciples being come together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow, and continued the preaching unto midnight.

⁸ And there were many lights in an upper chamber, where they were gathered together.

⁹ And there sate in a window a certain young man, named Eutychus, fallen into a dead sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he overcome with sleep, fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.

¹⁰ But Paul went down, and laid himself upon him, and embraced him, saying, Trouble not yourselves: for his life is in him.

¹¹ Then when Paul was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, having spoken a long while till the dawning of the day, he so departed.

¹² And they brought the boy alive, and they were not a little comforted.

¹³ Then we went before to ship, and sailed unto the city Assos, that we might receive Paul there: for so had he appointed, and would himself go afoot.

¹⁴ Now when he was come unto us to Assos, and we had received him, we came to Mitylenes.

¹⁵ And we sailed thence, and came the next day over against Chios, and the next day we arrived at Samos, and tarried at Trogyllium: the next day we came to Miletum.

¹⁶ For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted to be, if he could possible, at Hierusalem, at the day of Pentecost.

¹⁷ Wherefore from Miletum, he sent to Ephesus, and called the Elders of the Church.

¹⁸ Who when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,

¹⁹ Serving the Lord with all modesty, and with many tears, and temptations, which came unto me by the layings await of the Jews,

²⁰ And how I kept back nothing that was profitable, but have showed you, and taught you openly and throughout every house,

²¹ Witnessing both to the Jews, and to the Grecians the repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

²² And now behold, I go bound in the Spirit unto Hierusalem, and know not what things shall come unto me there,

²³ Save that the holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying, that bonds and afflictions abide me.

²⁴ But I pass not at all, neither is my life dear unto myself, so that I may fulfill my course with joy, and the ministration which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God.

²⁵ And now behold, I know that henceforth ye all, through whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.

²⁶ Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.

²⁷ For I have kept nothing back, but have showed you all the counsel of God.

²⁸ Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, whereof the holy Ghost hath made you Overseers, to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with that his own blood.

²⁹ For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

³⁰ Moreover of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things, to draw disciples after them.

³¹ Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one, both night and day with tears.

³² And now brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build further, and to give you an inheritance, among all them, which are sanctified.

³³ I have coveted no mans silver, nor gold, nor apparel.

³⁴ Yea, ye know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.

³⁵ I have showed you all things, how that so laboring, ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how that he said, It is a blessed thing to give, rather than to receive.

³⁶ And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.

³⁷ Then they wept all abundantly, and fell on Pauls neck, and kissed him,

³⁸ Being chiefly sorry for the words which he spake, That they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship.

The Belgic Confession

The Belgic Confession, Article 3.

OF THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD.

We confess that this Word of God was not sent nor delivered by the will of man, but that holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, as the Apostle Peter saith. And that afterwards God, from a special care which he has for us and our salvation, commanded his servants, the Prophets and Apostles, to commit his revealed Word to writing; and he himself wrote with his own finger the two tables of the law. Therefore we call such writings holy and divine Scriptures.

2 Pier. i. 21; Exod. xxiv. 4; Psa. cii. 19; Hab. ii. 2; 2 Tim. iii. 16; Apoc. i. 11; Exod. xxxi. 18

Let us pray.

Let us pray, in preparation for the Lord’s Day. A prayer of John Calvin.

Grant, Almighty God, that as we are prone to every kind of wickedness, and are so easily led away to imitate it, when there is any excuse for going astray and any opportunity is offered,—O grant, that being strengthened by the help of thy Spirit, we may continue in purity of faith, and that what we have learnt concerning thee, that thou art a Spirit, may so profit us, that we may worship thee in spirit and with a sincere heart, and never turn aside after the corruptions of the world, nor think that we can deceive thee; but may we so devote our souls and bodies to thee, that our life may in every part of it testify, that we are a pure and holy sacrifice to thee in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Tonight at your table

Tonight at your table, read Genesis 21 and Matthew 20 with your household.

Tomorrow is the Lord’s Day.

Tomorrow is the Lord’s Day. Read Genesis 22, Matthew 21, Nehemiah 11 and Acts 21 for yourself, and take your household to the assembly.

This week’s question for your table. Did God create man thus wicked and perverse?