Joshua 4

• 1. When all the people were safely across the river, the LORD said to Joshua,
• 2. "Now choose twelve men, one from each tribe.
• 3. Tell the men to take twelve stones from where the priests are standing in the middle of the Jordan and pile them up at the place where you camp tonight."
• 4. So Joshua called together the twelve men
• 5. and told them, "Go into the middle of the Jordan, in front of the Ark of the LORD your God. Each of you must pick up one stone and carry it out on your shoulder--twelve stones in all, one for each of the twelve tribes.
• 6. We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future, your children will ask, `What do these stones mean to you?'
• 7. Then you can tell them, `They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the LORD's covenant went across.' These stones will stand as a permanent memorial among the people of Israel."
• 8. So the men did as Joshua told them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan River, one for each tribe, just as the LORD had commanded Joshua. They carried them to the place where they camped for the night and constructed the memorial there.
• 9. Joshua also built another memorial of twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, at the place where the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant were standing. The memorial remains there to this day.
• 10. The priests who were carrying the Ark stood in the middle of the river until all of the LORD's instructions, which Moses had given to Joshua, were carried out. Meanwhile, the people hurried across the riverbed.
• 11. And when everyone was on the other side, the priests crossed over with the Ark of the LORD.
• 12. The armed warriors from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh led the Israelites across the Jordan, just as Moses had directed.
• 13. These warriors--about forty thousand strong--were ready for battle, and they crossed over to the plains of Jericho in the LORD's presence.
• 14. That day the LORD made Joshua great in the eyes of all the Israelites, and for the rest of his life they revered him as much as they had revered Moses.
• 15. The LORD had said to Joshua,
• 16. "Command the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant to come up out of the riverbed."
• 17. So Joshua gave the command.
• 18. And as soon as the priests carrying the Ark of the LORD's covenant came up out of the riverbed, the Jordan River flooded its banks as before.
• 19. The people crossed the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month--the month that marked their exodus from Egypt. They camped at Gilgal, east of Jericho.
• 20. It was there at Gilgal that Joshua piled up the twelve stones taken from the Jordan River.
• 21. Then Joshua said to the Israelites, "In the future, your children will ask, `What do these stones mean?'
• 22. Then you can tell them, `This is where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground.'
• 23. For the LORD your God dried up the river right before your eyes, and he kept it dry until you were all across, just as he did at the Red Sea when he dried it up until we had all crossed over.
• 24. He did this so that all the nations of the earth might know the power of the LORD, and that you might fear the LORD your God forever."

Psalms 129

• 1. From my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me--let Israel now say--
• 2. from my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me, but they have never been able to finish me off.
• 3. My back is covered with cuts, as if a farmer had plowed long furrows.
• 4. But the LORD is good; he has cut the cords used by the ungodly to bind me.
• 5. May all who hate Jerusalem be turned back in shameful defeat.
• 6. May they be as useless as grass on a rooftop, turning yellow when only half grown,
• 7. ignored by the harvester, despised by the binder.
• 8. And may those who pass by refuse to give them this blessing: "The LORD's blessings be upon you; we bless you in the LORD's name."

Psalms 130

• 1. From the depths of despair, O LORD, I call for your help.
• 2. Hear my cry, O Lord. Pay attention to my prayer.
• 3. LORD, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive?
• 4. But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you.
• 5. I am counting on the LORD; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word.
• 6. I long for the Lord more than sentries long for the dawn, yes, more than sentries long for the dawn.
• 7. O Israel, hope in the LORD; for with the LORD there is unfailing love and an overflowing supply of salvation.
• 8. He himself will free Israel from every kind of sin.

Psalms 131

• 1. LORD, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don't concern myself with matters too great or awesome for me.
• 2. But I have stilled and quieted myself, just as a small child is quiet with its mother. Yes, like a small child is my soul within me.
• 3. O Israel, put your hope in the LORD--now and always.

Isaiah 64

• 1. Oh, that you would burst from the heavens and come down! How the mountains would quake in your presence!
• 2. As fire causes wood to burn and water to boil, your coming would make the nations tremble. Then your enemies would learn the reason for your fame!
• 3. When you came down long ago, you did awesome things beyond our highest expectations. And oh, how the mountains quaked!
• 4. For since the world began, no ear has heard, and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!
• 5. You welcome those who cheerfully do good, who follow godly ways. But we are not godly. We are constant sinners, so your anger is heavy on us. How can people like us be saved?
• 6. We are all infected and impure with sin. When we proudly display our righteous deeds, we find they are but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall. And our sins, like the wind, sweep us away.
• 7. Yet no one calls on your name or pleads with you for mercy. Therefore, you have turned away from us and turned us over to our sins.
• 8. And yet, LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We are all formed by your hand.
• 9. Oh, don't be so angry with us, LORD. Please don't remember our sins forever. Look at us, we pray, and see that we are all your people.
• 10. Your holy cities are destroyed; even Jerusalem is a desolate wilderness.
• 11. The holy, beautiful Temple where our ancestors praised you has been burned down, and all the things of beauty are destroyed.
• 12. After all this, LORD, must you still refuse to help us? Will you continue to be silent and punish us?

New Living Translation: 183 of 365 days.