The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Wednesday September 7, 2022 (NIV)

Song of Solomon 5-8

[ GROOM ]

My bride, my sister, I will come to my garden.
I will gather my myrrh with my spice.
I will eat my honeycomb with my honey.
I will drink my wine with my milk.
Eat, my friends!
Drink and become intoxicated with expressions of love!

The Young Woman Dreams of Marriage with Her Husband

[ BRIDE ]

I sleep, but my mind is awake.
Listen! My beloved is knocking.

[ GROOM ]

Open to me, my true love, my sister,
my dove, my perfect one.
My head is wet with dew,
my hair with the dewdrops of night.

[ BRIDE ]

I have taken off my clothes! Why should I put them on ⌞again⌟?
I have washed my feet! Why should I get them dirty ⌞again⌟?
My beloved put his hand through the keyhole.
My heart throbbed for him.
I got up to open for my beloved.
My hands dripped with myrrh,
and my fingers were drenched with liquid myrrh,
on the handles of the lock.
I opened for my beloved,
but my beloved had turned away. He was gone!
I almost died when he left.
I looked for him, but I did not find him.
I called for him, but he did not answer me.
The watchmen making their rounds in the city found me.
They struck me!
They wounded me!
Those watchmen on the walls took my robe from me!

Young women of Jerusalem, swear to me
that if you find my beloved
you will tell him I am hopelessly lovesick.

[ THE CHORUS OF YOUNG WOMEN ]

Most beautiful of women,
what makes your beloved better than any other beloved?
What makes your beloved better than any other beloved
that you make us swear this way?

[ BRIDE ]

10 My beloved is dazzling yet ruddy.
He stands out among 10,000 men.
11 His head is the finest gold.
His hair is wavy, black as a raven.
12 His eyes are set like doves bathing in milk.
13 His cheeks are like a garden of spices,
a garden that produces scented herbs.
His lips are lilies that drip with myrrh.
14 His hands are disks of gold set with emerald.
His chest is a block of ivory covered with sapphires.
15 His legs are columns of marble set on bases of pure gold.
His form is like Lebanon, choice as the cedars.
16 His mouth is sweet in every way.
Everything about him is desirable!
This is my beloved, and this is my friend, young women of Jerusalem.

[ THE CHORUS OF YOUNG WOMEN ]

Where did your beloved go, most beautiful of women?
Where did your beloved turn?
We will look for him with you.

[ BRIDE ]

My beloved went to his garden,
to the beds of spices,
to graze his flock in the gardens and gather lilies.
I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.
He is the one who grazes his flock among the lilies.

Solomon Desires the Young Woman More Than the Rest of His Wives

[ GROOM ]

You are beautiful, my true love, like Tirzah,
lovely like Jerusalem,
awe-inspiring like those great cities.[a]
Turn your eyes away from me. They enchant me!

Your hair is like a flock of goats moving down from Gilead.
Your teeth are like a flock of sheep,
sheep that come up from the washing.
All of them bear twins, and not one has lost its young.
Your temples behind your veil are like slices of pomegranate.

There are 60 queens, 80 concubines,[b] and countless virgins,
but she is unique, my dove, my perfect one.
Her mother thinks she is unique.
She is pure to the one who gave birth to her.
Her sisters saw her and blessed her.
Queens and concubines saw her and praised her.

The Young Woman’s Home in Shulam

[ THE CHORUS OF YOUNG WOMEN ]

10 Who is this young woman?
She looks like the dawn.
She is beautiful like the moon,
pure like the sun,
awe-inspiring like those heavenly bodies.

[ BRIDE ]

11 I went to the walnut grove
to look at the blossoms in the valley,
to see if the grapevine had budded
and if the pomegranates were in bloom.
12 I did not know that I had become
like the chariots of my noble people.[c]

[ THE CHORUS OF YOUNG WOMEN ]

13 Come back! Come back, young woman from Shulam!
Come back! Come back so that we may look at you!

[ BRIDE ]

Why do you look at me, the young woman from Shulam,
as you look at the dance of Mahanaim?

[ THE CHORUS OF YOUNG WOMEN ]

[d]How beautiful are your feet in their sandals, noble daughter!
The curves of your thighs are like ornaments,
like the work of an artist’s hands.
Your navel is a round bowl.
May it always be filled with spiced wine.
Your waist is a bundle of wheat enclosed in lilies.
Your breasts are like two fawns,
twins of a gazelle.
Your neck is like an ivory tower.
Your eyes are like pools in Heshbon, pools by the gate of Bath Rabbim.
Your nose is like a Lebanese tower facing Damascus.
You hold your head as high as Mount Carmel.
Your dangling curls are royal beauty.
Your flowing locks could hold a king captive.

Solomon Longs for the Young Woman’s Affection

[ GROOM ]

How beautiful and charming you are, my love, with your elegance.
Young woman,
your figure is like a palm tree,
and your breasts are like its clusters.
I thought, “I will climb the palm tree
and take hold of its fruit.”
May your breasts be like clusters on the vine.
May the fragrance of your breath be like apples.
May your mouth taste like the best wine …

[ BRIDE ]

… that goes down smoothly to my beloved
and glides over the lips of those about to sleep.[e]
10 I am my beloved’s, and he longs for me.
11 Come, my beloved.
Let’s go into the field.
Let’s spend the night among the henna flowers.[f]
12 Let’s go to the vineyards early.
Let’s see if the vines have budded,
if the grape blossoms have opened,
if the pomegranates are in bloom.
There I will give you my love.
13 The mandrakes [g] give off a fragrance,
and at our door are all kinds of precious fruits.
I have saved new and old things
for you alone, my beloved.
If only you were my brother,
one who nursed at my mother’s breasts.
If I saw you on the street,
I would kiss you, and no one would look down on me.
I would lead you.
I would bring you into my mother’s house.
(She is the one who was my teacher.)
I would give you some spiced wine to drink,
some juice squeezed from my pomegranates.
His left hand is under my head.
His right hand caresses me.

Young women of Jerusalem, swear to me
that you will not awaken love
or arouse love before its proper time!

The Young Woman’s Love for Her Beloved

[ THE CHORUS OF YOUNG WOMEN ]

Who is this young woman coming from the wilderness
with her arm around her beloved?

[ BRIDE ]

Under the apple tree I woke you up.
There your mother went into labor with you.
There she went into labor
and gave birth to you!
Wear me as a signet ring on your heart,
as a ring on your hand.
Love is as overpowering as death.
Devotion is as unyielding as the grave.
Love’s flames are flames of fire,
flames that come from the Lord.
Raging water cannot extinguish love,
and rivers will never wash it away.
If a man exchanged all his family’s wealth for love,
people would utterly despise him.

The Young Woman with Her Family and Her Beloved

[ THE BROTHERS ]

We have a little sister, and she has no breasts.
What will we do for our sister on the day she becomes engaged?
If she is a wall, we will build a silver barrier around her.
If she is a door, we will barricade her with cedar boards.

[ BRIDE ]

10 I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers.
So he considers me to be one who has found peace.[h]
11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon.
He entrusted that vineyard to caretakers.
Each one was to bring 25 pounds of silver
in exchange for its fruit.
12 My own vineyard is in front of me.
That 25 pounds is yours, Solomon,
and 5 pounds go to those who take care of its fruit.

[ GROOM ]

13 Young woman living in the gardens,
while your friends are listening to your voice,
let me hear….

[ BRIDE ]

14 Come away quickly, my beloved.
Run like a gazelle or a young stag
on the mountains of spices.

Footnotes:

  1. 6:4 Or “awe-inspiring as an army with flags.”
  2. 6:8 A concubine is considered a wife except she has fewer rights under the law.
  3. 6:12 Song of Songs 6:13 in English Bibles is Song of Songs 7:1 in the Hebrew Bible.
  4. 7:1 Song of Songs 7:1–13 in English Bibles is Song of Songs 7:2–14 in the Hebrew Bible.
  5. 7:9 Or “flowing gently over lips and teeth.”
  6. 7:11 Or “in the villages.”
  7. 7:13 Mandrakes   were thought to stimulate sexual desire.
  8. 8:10 In Hebrew there is a play on the words “peace   ” (shalom), “Solomon” (Shlomo), and “the young woman from Shulam” (Shulamith).
GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.

2 Corinthians 9

The Reason to Give to the Christians in Jerusalem

I don’t need to write anything further to you about helping the Christians ⌞in Jerusalem⌟. I know how willing you are to help, and I brag about you to the believers in the province of Macedonia. I tell them, “The people of Greece have been ready ⌞to send their collection⌟ since last year,” and your enthusiasm has moved most of them ⌞to act⌟. I’ve sent my coworkers so that when we brag that you’re ready, we can back it up. Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me, they might find out that you’re not ready after all. This would embarrass us for feeling so confident as much as it would embarrass you. So I thought that I should encourage our coworkers to visit you before I do and make arrangements for this gift that you had already promised to give. Then it will be the blessing it was intended to be, and it won’t be something you’re forced to do.

Remember this: The farmer who plants a few seeds will have a very small harvest. But the farmer who plants because he has received God’s blessings will receive a harvest of God’s blessings in return. Each of you should give whatever you have decided. You shouldn’t be sorry that you gave or feel forced to give, since God loves a cheerful giver. Besides, God will give you his constantly overflowing kindness.[a] Then, when you always have everything you need, you can do more and more good things. Scripture says,

“The person with God’s approval gives freely to the poor.
The things he does with God’s approval continue forever.”

10 God gives seed to the farmer and food to those who need to eat. God will also give you seed and multiply it. In your lives he will increase the things you do that have his approval. 11 God will make you rich enough so that you can always be generous. Your generosity will produce thanksgiving to God because of us. 12 What you do to serve others not only provides for the needs of God’s people, but also produces more and more prayers of thanksgiving to God. 13 You will honor God through this genuine act of service because of your commitment to spread the Good News of Christ and because of your generosity in sharing with them and everyone else. 14 With deep affection they will pray for you because of the extreme kindness that God has shown you. 15 I thank God for his gift that words cannot describe.

Footnotes:

  1. 9:8 Or “grace.”
GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.

Psalm 51

For the choir director; a psalm by David when the prophet Nathan came to him after David’s adultery with Bathsheba.

51 Have pity on me, O God, in keeping with your mercy.
In keeping with your unlimited compassion, wipe out my rebellious acts.
Wash me thoroughly from my guilt,
and cleanse me from my sin.
I admit that I am rebellious.
My sin is always in front of me.
I have sinned against you, especially you.
I have done what you consider evil.
So you hand down justice when you speak,
and you are blameless when you judge.

Indeed, I was born guilty.
I was a sinner when my mother conceived me.
Yet, you desire truth and sincerity.
Deep down inside me you teach me wisdom.
Purify me from sin with hyssop,[a] and I will be clean.[b]
Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear ⌞sounds of⌟ joy and gladness.
Let the bones that you have broken dance.
Hide your face from my sins,
and wipe out all that I have done wrong.

10 Create a clean heart in me, O God,
and renew a faithful spirit within me.
11 Do not force me away from your presence,
and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore the joy of your salvation to me,
and provide me with a spirit of willing obedience.

13 ⌞Then⌟ I will teach your ways to those who are rebellious,
and sinners will return to you.
14 Rescue me from the guilt of murder,
O God, my savior.
Let my tongue sing joyfully about your righteousness!
15 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will tell about your praise.
16 You are not happy with any sacrifice.
Otherwise, I would offer one ⌞to you⌟.
You are not pleased with burnt offerings.
17 The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit.
O God, you do not despise a broken and sorrowful heart.
18 Favor Zion with your goodness.
Rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit—
with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings.
Young bulls will be offered on your altar.

Footnotes:

  1. 51:7 Branches from the hyssop   plant were used in purification rites.
  2. 51:7 Clean   ” refers to anything that Moses’ Teachings say is presentable to God.
GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 22:24-25

24 Do not be a friend of one who has a bad temper,
and never keep company with a hothead,
25 or you will learn his ways
and set a trap for yourself.

GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.