Friday, June 14th, 2024
Psalm 66:1–8
1Shout for joy to God, all the earth;
2sing the glory of his name;
give to him glorious praise!
3Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.
4All the earth worships you
and sings praises to you;
they sing praises to your name.”
5Come and see what God has done:
he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
6He turned the sea into dry land;
they passed through the river on foot.
There did we rejoice in him,
7who rules by his might forever,
whose eyes keep watch on the nations—
let not the rebellious exalt themselves.
8Bless our God, O peoples;
let the sound of his praise be heard,
Old Testament Reading Proverbs 14:1–27
1The wisest of women builds her house,
but folly with her own hands tears it down.
2Whoever walks in uprightness fears the Lord,
but he who is devious in his ways despises him.
3By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back,
but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
4Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
5A faithful witness does not lie,
but a false witness breathes out lies.
6A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain,
but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.
7Leave the presence of a fool,
for there you do not meet words of knowledge.
8The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,
but the folly of fools is deceiving.
9Fools mock at the guilt offering,
but the upright enjoy acceptance.
10The heart knows its own bitterness,
and no stranger shares its joy.
11The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.
13Even in laughter the heart may ache,
and the end of joy may be grief.
14The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways,
and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.
15The simple believes everything,
but the prudent gives thought to his steps.
16One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil,
but a fool is reckless and careless.
17A man of quick temper acts foolishly,
and a man of evil devices is hated.
18The simple inherit folly,
but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19The evil bow down before the good,
the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
but the rich has many friends.
21Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner,
but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
22Do they not go astray who devise evil?
Those who devise good meet steadfast love and faithfulness.
23In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk tends only to poverty.
24The crown of the wise is their wealth,
but the folly of fools brings folly.
25A truthful witness saves lives,
but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.
26In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence,
and his children will have a refuge.
27The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
that one may turn away from the snares of death.
New Testament Reading John 15:1–11
1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”