Daily Notes

The daily notes in the tabs below will help you as you make your way through the Bible day by day.

They’re based on the Robert Murray M’Cheyne Bible reading schedule, with a slight variation in line with the YouVersion Bible App.

Old Testament - 1

1 Samuel 2 – Ripples and Shadows

Psalm 113 celebrates how the LORD whose glory is above the heavens stoops down to raise the poor from the dust. It deliberately quotes Hannah’s song (v8) as an example of his particular and spectacular grace. Births in the Bible usually denote important moments (though Samson’s nativity highlighted Israel’s lostness), and this Samuel would be the last Judge, eventually anointing God’s chosen king, David. Psalm 113 was traditionally a Passover psalm, sung to praise God for hearing the misery of his people and then redeeming them from slavery. These shadows point us to the nativity of the Son of God, our Redeemer and Passover Lamb, heir of David’s throne over God’s people forever.

O God, your word says, “From the rising of the sun to its setting, let the name of the LORD be praised.” Your care for us is richer and deeper and broader than we can take in, and our lives more woven into your plans that we can know. Help me to praise you as you glorify your name in me.

New Testament and Psalms - 1

Romans 2 – All Under Law

This is one of Paul’s more technical chapters. He’s laying the foundation for Chapter 3 which explains how the gospel is for all humanity. Some are blessed to be born with access to God’s written laws. Sadly, they don’t keep those laws even while they look down on others who don’t have them! And yet, even those without access to God’s written word do still express common moral codes showing how we are all made in God’s image, created as moral creatures with God-given consciences. We are morally equal, all across the globe.

God of all the earth, you know the bias to favouritism in my heart. You know how we see people of other nations, ethnic groups, colour, ages, social and educational backgrounds as ‘different’. Not everyone registers with us as equally urgent for gospel work. Help me to see all people as you do: Precious souls, equally in need of a saviour.

Old Testament - 2

Jeremiah 40 – New Beginnings?

As thousands of Judeans made their miserable march to Babylon in chains, and with Jerusalem and its temple reduced to rubble, there were the beginnings of a new kind of peace in the land. Jeremiah declined the surprisingly gracious offer from the captain of Babylon’s guard (v4), choosing instead to remain in Judah under the newly-appointed governor Gedaliah (v7). This may well be partly because of Gedaliah’s godly family (e.g. see 2 Kings 22:10-12, Jeremiah 36:10), or partly because of the wise policy of serving the Babylonians as Jeremiah wrote to the exiles in Chapter 29. As we read of Judeans returning from neighbouring lands and harvesting “a great amount of wine and summer fruit” (v11-12), things are looking up. Sadly, ungodliness and unbelief are always destructive.

Holy Jesus, you are king and good to provide godly leaders for your churches. Give our church leaders the grace, love, and wisdom that they need; protect them from those who would do them harm.

New Testament and Psalms - 2

Psalms 15 & 16 – Resurrection Life

Naturally speaking, both these psalms are beyond us. Who can dwell with God? We might expect the answer to relate to sacrifices offered, but instead we see ethical demands none of us can meet. Psalm 16 is the king’s delight in God and his holy people, ending in such a joyful perspective on death that it was even beyond King David. Peter (Acts 2:22-32) and Paul (Acts 13:32-38) both apply Psalm 16:10 to the necessary and foretold resurrection of Jesus our Messiah, the only person who could own both these psalms in his own right. As forgiven sinners, in union with Christ, we gladly now own them for ourselves too.

Holy Father, it’s clear to me that I fall short of your moral standards for my life and that naturally I could never approach you. Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, not abandoned to death but now risen and reigning and saving. Forgive me my sins, Lord, and help me to live rightly, delighting in you and your people.

You can download our Daily Notes PDFs using the links below.