July 2

Today’s Reading is from Psalm 24 to Psalm 28.

Psalm 24

A Psalm of David.

1 The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof,

    the world and those who dwell therein,

2 for he has founded it upon the seas

    and established it upon the rivers.

3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?

    And who shall stand in his holy place?

4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

    who does not lift up his soul to what is false

    and does not swear deceitfully.

5 He will receive blessing from the Lord

    and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,

    who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah

7 Lift up your heads, O gates!

    And be lifted up, O ancient doors,

    that the King of glory may come in.

8 Who is this King of glory?

    The Lord, strong and mighty,

    the Lord, mighty in battle!

9 Lift up your heads, O gates!

    And lift them up, O ancient doors,

    that the King of glory may come in.

10 Who is this King of glory?

    The Lord of hosts,

    he is the King of glory! Selah

Psalm 25

Of David.

1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

2 O my God, in you I trust;

    let me not be put to shame;

    let not my enemies exult over me.

3 Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;

    they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord;

    teach me your paths.

5 Lead me in your truth and teach me,

    for you are the God of my salvation;

    for you I wait all the day long.

6 Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,

    for they have been from of old.

7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;

    according to your steadfast love remember me,

    for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

8 Good and upright is the Lord;

    therefore he instructs sinners in the way.

9 He leads the humble in what is right,

    and teaches the humble his way.

10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,

    for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

11 For your name’s sake, O Lord,

    pardon my guilt, for it is great.

12 Who is the man who fears the Lord?

    Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.

13 His soul shall abide in well-being,

    and his offspring shall inherit the land.

14 The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,

    and he makes known to them his covenant.

15 My eyes are ever toward the Lord,

    for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,

    for I am lonely and afflicted.

17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged;

    bring me out of my distresses.

18 Consider my affliction and my trouble,

    and forgive all my sins.

19 Consider how many are my foes,

    and with what violent hatred they hate me.

20 Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me!

    Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.

21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me,

    for I wait for you.

22 Redeem Israel, O God,

    out of all his troubles.

Psalm 26

Of David.

1 Vindicate me, O Lord,

    for I have walked in my integrity,

    and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.

2 Prove me, O Lord, and try me;

    test my heart and my mind.

3 For your steadfast love is before my eyes,

    and I walk in your faithfulness.

4 I do not sit with men of falsehood,

    nor do I consort with hypocrites.

5 I hate the assembly of evildoers,

    and I will not sit with the wicked.

6 I wash my hands in innocence

    and go around your altar, O Lord,

7 proclaiming thanksgiving aloud,

    and telling all your wondrous deeds.

8 O Lord, I love the habitation of your house

    and the place where your glory dwells.

9 Do not sweep my soul away with sinners,

    nor my life with bloodthirsty men,

10 in whose hands are evil devices,

    and whose right hands are full of bribes.

11 But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;

    redeem me, and be gracious to me.

12 My foot stands on level ground;

    in the great assembly I will bless the Lord.

Psalm 27

Of David.

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation;

    whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life;

    of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When evildoers assail me

    to eat up my flesh,

my adversaries and foes,

    it is they who stumble and fall.

3 Though an army encamp against me,

    my heart shall not fear;

though war arise against me,

    yet I will be confident.

4 One thing have I asked of the Lord,

    that will I seek after:

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord

    all the days of my life,

to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord

    and to inquire in his temple.

5 For he will hide me in his shelter

    in the day of trouble;

he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;

    he will lift me high upon a rock.

6 And now my head shall be lifted up

    above my enemies all around me,

and I will offer in his tent

    sacrifices with shouts of joy;

I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;

    be gracious to me and answer me!

8 You have said, “Seek my face.”

My heart says to you,

    “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”

9     Hide not your face from me.

Turn not your servant away in anger,

    O you who have been my help.

Cast me not off; forsake me not,

    O God of my salvation!

10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,

    but the Lord will take me in.

11 Teach me your way, O Lord,

    and lead me on a level path

    because of my enemies.

12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;

    for false witnesses have risen against me,

    and they breathe out violence.

13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord

    in the land of the living!

14 Wait for the Lord;

    be strong, and let your heart take courage;

    wait for the Lord!

Psalm 28

Of David.

1 To you, O Lord, I call;

    my rock, be not deaf to me,

lest, if you be silent to me,

    I become like those who go down to the pit.

2 Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy,

    when I cry to you for help,

when I lift up my hands

    toward your most holy sanctuary.

3 Do not drag me off with the wicked,

    with the workers of evil,

who speak peace with their neighbors

    while evil is in their hearts.

4 Give to them according to their work

    and according to the evil of their deeds;

give to them according to the work of their hands;

    render them their due reward.

5 Because they do not regard the works of the Lord

    or the work of his hands,

he will tear them down and build them up no more.

6 Blessed be the Lord!

    For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.

7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;

    in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;

my heart exults,

    and with my song I give thanks to him.

8 The Lord is the strength of his people;

    he is the saving refuge of his anointed.

9 Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!

    Be their shepherd and carry them forever.