Additional Readings for the June 1st, 2019 Bible Study
Jude 1 : 1 – 25
1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:
2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.
3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.
11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.
17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Psalm 57
“1 Thy mercy, Lord, to me extend,
on thy protection I depend;
And to thy wing for shelter haste,
till this outrageous storm is past.
2 To thy tribunal, Lord, I fly,
thou sov’reign Judge and God most high,
Who wonders hast for me begun,
and wilt not leave thy work undone.
3 From heav’n protect me by thine arm,
and shame all those who seek my harm;
To my relief thy mercy send,
and truth, on which my hopes depend.
4 For I with savage men converse,
like hungry lions wild and fierce,
With men whose teeth are spears, their words
Envenomed darts and two edged swords.
5 Be thou, O God, exalted high;
and, as thy glory fills the sky;
So let it be on earth displayed,:
till thou art here, as there, obeyed.
6 To take me they their net prepared
and had almost my soul ensnared;
but fell themselves, by just decree,
into the pit they made for me.
7 O God, my heart is fixed, ’tis bent,
its thankful tribute to present;
And with my heart my voice I’ll raise
to thee, my God, in songs of praise.
8 Awake, my glory, harp and lute,
no longer let your strings be mute;
And I, my tuneful part to take,
will with the early dawn awake.
9 Thy praises, Lord, I will resound
to all the list’ning nations round:
10 Thy mercy highest heav’n transcends,
thy truth beyond the clouds extends.
11 Be thou, O God, exalted high;
and, as thy glory fills the sky,
So let it be on earth displayed,
till thou art here, as there, obeyed.”
From A New Version of the Psalms of David, Fitted to the Tunes Used in Churches By Nahum Tate and Nicholas Brady, London; Printed by M. Clark: for the Company of Stationers. 1698
“Psalm 57:7-11 By lively faith, David’s prayers and complaints are at once turned into praises. His heart is fixed; it is prepared for every event, being stayed upon God. If by the grace of God we are brought into this even, composed frame of mind, we have great reason to be thankful. Nothing is done to purpose, in religion, unless it is done with the heart. The heart must be fixed for the duty, put in frame for it; fixed in the duty by close attention. Our tongue is our glory, and never more so than when praising God; dull and sleepy devotions will never be acceptable to God. Let us awake early in the morning, to begin the day with God; early in the beginning of a mercy. When God comes toward us with his favours, let us go forth to meet him with our praises. David desired to bring others to join in praising God; and in his psalms, he is still praising God among the people, singing to Him among the nations. Let us seek to have our hearts fixed to praise his boundless mercy and unfailing faithfulness; and to glorify him with body, soul, and spirit, which are his. Let us earnestly pray that the blessings of the gospel may be sent through every land.”
— Matthew Henry Commentary