Home > Reading > Daily Reading – February 15, 2019

1 Samuel 18:1–16 (ESV)

David and Jonathan’s Friendship

18 As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. And David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.

Saul’s Jealousy of David

As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. And the women sang to one another as they celebrated,

“Saul has struck down his thousands,
and David his ten thousands.”

And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?” And Saul eyed David from that day on.

10 The next day a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand. 11 And Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David evaded him twice.

12 Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul. 13 So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David had success in all his undertakings, for the Lord was with him. 15 And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.

Psalm 44 (ESV)

Come to Our Help

44 To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah.

O God, we have heard with our ears,
our fathers have told us,
what deeds you performed in their days,
in the days of old:

you with your own hand drove out the nations,
but them you planted;
you afflicted the peoples,
but them you set free;

for not by their own sword did they win the land,
nor did their own arm save them,
but your right hand and your arm,
and the light of your face,
for you delighted in them.

You are my King, O God;
ordain salvation for Jacob!

Through you we push down our foes;
through your name we tread down those who rise up against us.

For not in my bow do I trust,
nor can my sword save me.

But you have saved us from our foes
and have put to shame those who hate us.

In God we have boasted continually,
and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah

But you have rejected us and disgraced us
and have not gone out with our armies.

10  You have made us turn back from the foe,
and those who hate us have gotten spoil.

11  You have made us like sheep for slaughter
and have scattered us among the nations.

12  You have sold your people for a trifle,
demanding no high price for them.

13  You have made us the taunt of our neighbors,
the derision and scorn of those around us.

14  You have made us a byword among the nations,
a laughingstock among the peoples.

15  All day long my disgrace is before me,
and shame has covered my face

16  at the sound of the taunter and reviler,
at the sight of the enemy and the avenger.

17  All this has come upon us,
though we have not forgotten you,
and we have not been false to your covenant.

18  Our heart has not turned back,
nor have our steps departed from your way;

19  yet you have broken us in the place of jackals
and covered us with the shadow of death.

20  If we had forgotten the name of our God
or spread out our hands to a foreign god,

21  would not God discover this?
For he knows the secrets of the heart.

22  Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.

23  Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord?
Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever!

24  Why do you hide your face?
Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?

25  For our soul is bowed down to the dust;
our belly clings to the ground.

26  Rise up; come to our help!
Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!

Philippians 1:1–11 (ESV)

Greeting

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

In his Acta Augustana, 1518, Luther writes, “One thing should not be concealed from you, that in this disputation nothing is sought but the clear meaning of Scripture.” In a letter to Staupitz dated September 1, 1518, Luther expresses his joy over the fact that the young theologians are filled with zeal for the Holy Scriptures. In a writing, Concerning Freedom of the Sermon, Papal Indulgence, and Grace, June, 1518, we read, “Even though all saintly teachers had maintained this or that, it would mean nothing over against a single statement of Holy Scripture.” (15–16)

–Johann Michael Reu, Luther on the Scriptures

This daily Bible reading guide, Reading the Word of God, was conceived and prepared as a result of the ongoing discussions between representatives of three church bodies: Lutheran Church—Canada (LCC), The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) and the North American Lutheran Church (NALC). The following individuals have represented their church bodies and approved this introduction and the reading guide: LCC: President Robert Bugbee; NALC: Bishop John Bradosky, Revs. Mark Chavez, James Nestingen, and David Wendel; LCMS: Revs. Albert Collver, Joel Lehenbauer, John Pless, and Larry Vogel.

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