Numbers 8

• 1. The LORD said to Moses,
• 2. "Tell Aaron that when he sets up the seven lamps in the lampstand, he is to place them so their light shines forward."
• 3. So Aaron did this. He set up the seven lamps so they reflected their light forward, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
• 4. The entire lampstand, from its base to its decorative blossoms, was made of beaten gold. It was built according to the exact design the LORD had shown Moses.
• 5. Then the LORD said to Moses,
• 6. "Now set the Levites apart from the rest of the people of Israel and make them ceremonially clean.
• 7. Do this by sprinkling them with the water of purification. And have them shave their entire body and wash their clothing. Then they will be ceremonially clean.
• 8. Have them bring a young bull and a grain offering of choice flour mixed with olive oil, along with a second young bull for a sin offering.
• 9. Then assemble the whole community of Israel and present the Levites at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
• 10. When you bring the Levites before the LORD, the people of Israel must lay their hands on them.
• 11. Aaron must present the Levites to the LORD as a special offering from the people of Israel, thus dedicating them to the LORD's service.
• 12. "Next the Levites will lay their hands on the heads of the young bulls and present them to the LORD. One will be for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering, to make atonement for the Levites.
• 13. Then have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons, and present them as a special offering to the LORD.
• 14. In this way, you will set the Levites apart from the rest of the people of Israel, and the Levites will belong to me.
• 15. After this, they may go in and out of the Tabernacle to do their work, because you have purified them and presented them as a special offering.
• 16. "Of all the people of Israel, the Levites are reserved for me. I have claimed them for myself in place of all the firstborn sons of the Israelites; I have taken the Levites as their substitutes.
• 17. For all the firstborn males among the people of Israel are mine, both people and animals. I set them apart for myself on the night I killed all the firstborn sons of the Egyptians.
• 18. Yes, I claim the Levites in place of all the firstborn sons of Israel.
• 19. And of all the Israelites, I have assigned the Levites to Aaron and his sons. They will serve in the Tabernacle on behalf of the Israelites and make atonement for them so no plague will strike them when they approach the sanctuary."
• 20. So Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of Israel dedicated the Levites, carefully following all the LORD's instructions to Moses.
• 21. The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes, and Aaron presented them to the LORD as a special offering. He then performed the rite of atonement over them to purify them.
• 22. From then on the Levites went into the Tabernacle to perform their duties, helping Aaron and his sons. So they carried out all the commands that the LORD gave Moses concerning the Levites.
• 23. The LORD also instructed Moses,
• 24. "This is the rule the Levites must follow: They must begin serving in the Tabernacle at the age of twenty-five,
• 25. and they must retire at the age of fifty.
• 26. After retirement they may assist their fellow Levites by performing guard duty at the Tabernacle, but they may not officiate in the service. This is how you will assign duties to the Levites."

Psalms 44

• 1. O God, we have heard it with our own ears--our ancestors have told us of all you did in other days, in days long ago:
• 2. You drove out the pagan nations and gave all the land to our ancestors; you crushed their enemies, setting our ancestors free.
• 3. They did not conquer the land with their swords; it was not their own strength that gave them victory. It was by your mighty power that they succeeded; it was because you favored them and smiled on them.
• 4. You are my King and my God. You command victories for your people.
• 5. Only by your power can we push back our enemies; only in your name can we trample our foes.
• 6. I do not trust my bow; I do not count on my sword to save me.
• 7. It is you who gives us victory over our enemies; it is you who humbles those who hate us.
• 8. O God, we give glory to you all day long and constantly praise your name.
• 9. But now you have tossed us aside in dishonor. You no longer lead our armies to battle.
• 10. You make us retreat from our enemies and allow them to plunder our land.
• 11. You have treated us like sheep waiting to be slaughtered; you have scattered us among the nations.
• 12. You sold us--your precious people--for a pittance. You valued us at nothing at all.
• 13. You have caused all our neighbors to mock us. We are an object of scorn and derision to the nations around us.
• 14. You have made us the butt of their jokes; we are scorned by the whole world.
• 15. We can't escape the constant humiliation; shame is written across our faces.
• 16. All we hear are the taunts of our mockers. All we see are our vengeful enemies.
• 17. All this has happened despite our loyalty to you. We have not violated your covenant.
• 18. Our hearts have not deserted you. We have not strayed from your path.
• 19. Yet you have crushed us in the desert. You have covered us with darkness and death.
• 20. If we had turned away from worshiping our God or spread our hands in prayer to foreign gods,
• 21. God would surely have known it, for he knows the secrets of every heart.
• 22. For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.
• 23. Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Get up! Do not reject us forever.
• 24. Why do you look the other way? Why do you ignore our suffering and oppression?
• 25. We collapse in the dust, lying face down in the dirt.
• 26. Rise up! Come and help us! Save us because of your unfailing love.

Song of Songs 6

• 1. O rarest of beautiful women, where has your lover gone? We will help you find him.
• 2. He has gone down to his garden, to his spice beds, to graze and to gather the lilies.
• 3. I am my lovers, and my lover is mine. He grazes among the lilies!
• 4. O my beloved, you are as beautiful as the lovely town of Tirzah. Yes, as beautiful as Jerusalem! You are as majestic as an army with banners!
• 5. Look away, for your eyes overcome me! Your hair falls in waves, like a flock of goats frisking down the slopes of Gilead.
• 6. Your teeth are as white as newly washed sheep. They are perfectly matched; not one is missing.
• 7. Your cheeks behind your veil are like pomegranate halves--lovely and delicious.
• 8. There may be sixty wives, all queens, and eighty concubines and unnumbered virgins available to me.
• 9. But I would still choose my dove, my perfect one, the only beloved daughter of her mother! The young women are delighted when they see her; even queens and concubines sing her praises!
• 10. `Who is this, they ask, `arising like the dawn, as fair as the moon, as bright as the sun, as majestic as an army with banners?
• 11. "I went down into the grove of nut trees and out to the valley to see the new growth brought on by spring. I wanted to see whether the grapevines were budding yet, or whether the pomegranates were blossoming.
• 12. Before I realized it, I found myself in my princely bed with my beloved one. "
• 13. Return, return to us, O maid of Shulam. Come back, come back, that we may see you once again. Why do you gaze so intently at this young woman of Shulam, as she moves so gracefully between two lines of dancers?

New Living Translation: 121 of 365 days.