Daily Devotions · April 21
Reading for April 21
Read the whole Bible in a year, a few chapters a day.
1 Samuel 24 · Psalm 57–58 · 1 Chronicles 8 · Matthew 8
1 Samuel 24 · Psalm 57–58 · 1 Chronicles 8 · Matthew 8, Berean Standard Bible
1 Samuel 24
After Saul had returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.” 2 So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to look for David and his men in the region of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. 3 Soon Saul came to the sheepfolds along the road, where there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself. And David and his men were hiding in the recesses of the cave. 4 So David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do with him as you wish.’” Then David crept up and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 5 Afterward, David’s conscience was stricken because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe. 6 So he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.” 7 With these words David restrained his men, and he did not let them rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went on his way. 8 After that, David got up, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed facedown in reverence 9 and said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Look, David intends to harm you’? 10 Behold, this day you have seen with your own eyes that the LORD delivered you into my hand in the cave. I was told to kill you, but I spared you and said, ‘I will not lift my hand against my lord, since he is the LORD’s anointed.’ 11 See, my father, look at the corner of your robe in my hand. For I cut it off, but I did not kill you. Know and see that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands. I have not sinned against you, even though you are hunting me down to take my life. 12 May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD take vengeance on you, but my hand will never be against you. 13 As the old proverb says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand will never be against you. 14 Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? 15 May the LORD be our judge and decide between you and me. May He take notice and plead my case and deliver me from your hand.” 16 When David had finished saying these things, Saul called back, “Is that your voice, David my son?” Then Saul wept aloud 17 and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have rewarded me with good, though I have rewarded you with evil. 18 And you have declared this day how you have treated me well, for when the LORD delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me. 19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go away unharmed? May the LORD reward you with good for what you have done for me this day. 20 Now I know for sure that you will be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. 21 So now, swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s house.” 22 So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
Psalm 57
For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David, when he fled from Saul into the cave. Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy, for in You my soul takes refuge. In the shadow of Your wings I will take shelter until the danger has passed. 2 I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills His purpose for me. 3 He reaches down from heaven and saves me; He rebukes those who trample me. Selah God sends forth His loving devotion and His truth. 4 My soul is among the lions; I lie down with ravenous beasts—with men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. 5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; may Your glory cover all the earth. 6 They spread a net for my feet; my soul was despondent. They dug a pit before me, but they themselves have fallen into it! Selah 7 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast. I will sing and make music. 8 Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. 9 I will praise You, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing Your praises among the peoples. 10 For Your loving devotion reaches to the heavens, and Your faithfulness to the clouds. 11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; may Your glory cover all the earth.
Psalm 58
For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David. Do you indeed speak justly, O rulers? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men? 2 No, in your hearts you devise injustice; with your hands you mete out violence on the earth. 3 The wicked are estranged from the womb; the liars go astray from birth. 4 Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like a cobra that shuts its ears, 5 refusing to hear the tune of the charmer who skillfully weaves his spell. 6 O God, shatter their teeth in their mouths; O LORD, tear out the fangs of the lions. 7 May they vanish like water that runs off; when they draw the bow, may their arrows be blunted. 8 Like a slug that dissolves in its slime, like a woman’s stillborn child, may they never see the sun. 9 Before your pots can feel the burning thorns—whether green or dry—He will sweep them away. 10 The righteous will rejoice when they see they are avenged; they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked. 11 Then men will say, “There is surely a reward for the righteous! There is surely a God who judges the earth!”
1 Chronicles 8
Benjamin was the father of Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, Aharah the third, 2 Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth. 3 The sons of Bela: Addar, Gera, Abihud, 4 Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, 5 Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram. 6 These were the descendants of Ehud who were the heads of the families living in Geba and were exiled to Manahath: 7 Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera, who carried them into exile and who was the father of Uzza and Ahihud. 8 Shaharaim had sons in the country of Moab after he had divorced his wives Hushim and Baara. 9 His sons by his wife Hodesh: Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, 10 Jeuz, Sachia, and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of families. 11 He also had sons by Hushim: Abitub and Elpaal. 12 The sons of Elpaal: Eber, Misham, Shemed (who built Ono and Lod with its villages), 13 and Beriah and Shema (who were the heads of families living in Aijalon and who drove out the inhabitants of Gath). 14 Ahio, Shashak, Jeremoth, 15 Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, 16 Michael, Ishpah, and Joha were the sons of Beriah. 17 Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, 18 Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal. 19 Jakim, Zichri, Zabdi, 20 Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, 21 Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath were the sons of Shimei. 22 Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, 23 Abdon, Zichri, Hanan, 24 Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, 25 Iphdeiah, and Penuel were the sons of Shashak. 26 Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, 27 Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zichri were the sons of Jeroham. 28 All these were heads of families, the chiefs according to their genealogies, and they lived in Jerusalem. 29 Jeiel the father of Gibeon lived in Gibeon. His wife’s name was Maacah, 30 and Abdon was his firstborn son, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Nadab, 31 Gedor, Ahio, Zecher, 32 and Mikloth, who was the father of Shimeah. They too lived alongside their relatives in Jerusalem. 33 Ner was the father of Kish, Kish was the father of Saul, and Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal. 34 The son of Jonathan: Merib-baal, and Merib-baal was the father of Micah. 35 The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz. 36 Ahaz was the father of Jehoaddah, Jehoaddah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri, and Zimri was the father of Moza. 37 Moza was the father of Binea. Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son, and Azel his son. 38 Azel had six sons, and these were their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel. 39 The sons of his brother Eshek: Ulam was his firstborn, Jeush second, and Eliphelet third. 40 The sons of Ulam were mighty men of valor, archers, and they had many sons and grandsons—150 in all. All these were the descendants of Benjamin.
Matthew 8
When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. 2 Suddenly a leper came and knelt before Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 3 Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 Then Jesus instructed him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift prescribed by Moses, as a testimony to them.” 5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came and pleaded with Him, 6 “Lord, my servant lies at home, paralyzed and in terrible agony.” 7 “I will go and heal him,” Jesus replied. 8 The centurion answered, “Lord, I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell one to go, and he goes, and another to come, and he comes. I tell my servant to do something, and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those following Him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west to share the banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! As you have believed, so will it be done for you.” And his servant was healed at that very hour. 14 When Jesus arrived at Peter’s house, He saw Peter’s mother-in-law sick in bed with a fever. 15 So He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she got up and began to serve Him. 16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to Jesus, and He drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.” 18 When Jesus saw a large crowd around Him, He gave orders to cross to the other side of the sea. 19 And one of the scribes came to Him and said, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” 20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.” 21 Another of His disciples requested, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus told him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” 23 When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was engulfed by the waves. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” 26 “You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm. 27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey Him!” 28 When Jesus arrived on the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, He was met by two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. 29 “What do You want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have You come here to torture us before the appointed time?” 30 In the distance a large herd of pigs was feeding. 31 So the demons begged Jesus, “If You drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.” 32 “Go!” He told them. So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and died in the waters. 33 Those tending the pigs ran off into the town and reported all this, including the account of the demon-possessed men. 34 Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to leave their region.
Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain.
How to SOAP
Grab a journal and a pen. Read the chapters above and watch for the verse that stops you. Then take it through four steps.
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Scripture
Write out the verse that stood out to you.
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Observation
What is it saying? Who is speaking, and to whom?
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Application
What does it mean for your life today? Be specific.
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Prayer
Talk to God about it. Ask Him to help you live it.
Your SOAP journal
Write your SOAP here. Tap any verse in the reading to add it to Scripture. Your journal saves on this device only, so no one else sees it.
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Why daily devotions?
Devotions are time set aside each day to read God's Word and let Him speak. The point isn't checking off chapters. It's meeting with Him.
Ten or fifteen minutes is enough to start. Pick a time and a place and keep the appointment. Mornings work well for a lot of us, before the phone and the day start talking.
Missed a day? Don't start over. Read today's chapters and keep going.