a thread opens
Bow down your ear to me; deliver me speedily: be my strong rock, for a house of defense to save me.
The Vigil
Today’s scroll, one verse at a time — each linked to the last by the cross-references rather than by any model of you. The same vigil for everyone, and a different one tomorrow.
A Prayer of David. Bow down your ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.
from Psalms 31:2
But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinks upon me: you are my help and my deliverer; make no delay, O my God.
from Psalms 86:1
This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
from Psalms 40:17
The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.
from Psalms 34:6
The LORD redeems the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.
from Genesis 48:16
a thread opens
As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
Thus says the LORD, your redeemer, and he that formed you from the womb, I am the LORD that makes all things; that stretches forth the heavens alone; that spreads abroad the earth by myself;
from I Corinthians 8:4
I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.
from Isaiah 44:24 · a strong link
Thus says God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which comes out of it; he that gives breath to the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk in it:
from Isaiah 45:12 · a strong link
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
from Isaiah 42:5
a thread opens
By this we perceive the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;
from I John 3:16
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and to them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin to salvation.
from Titus 2:13
For we have not a high priest which is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
from Hebrews 9:28
a thread opens
But the anointing which you have received of him remains in you, and you need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, you shall remain in him.
For we have not followed cleverly devised myths, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
from I John 2:27
Neither give heed to myths and endless genealogies, which promote controversies, rather than godly building up in faith: so do.
from II Peter 1:16
But refuse profane and old wives' tales, and exercise yourself rather to godliness.
from I Timothy 1:4 · a strong link
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
from I Timothy 4:7
Yes, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
from Titus 2:12
If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied.
from II Timothy 3:12
a thread opens
And God has set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, varieties of tongues.
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
from I Corinthians 12:28 · a strong link
And I will give you pastors according to my heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
from Ephesians 4:11 · a strong link
And I, brothers, could not speak to you as to spiritual, but as to carnal, even as to babes in Christ.
from Jeremiah 3:15
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
from I Corinthians 3:1
That they all may be one; as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, so that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that you have sent me.
from Ephesians 4:13
a thread opens
I know also, my God, that you try the heart, and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy your people, who are present here, to offer willingly to you.
For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conduct in the world, and more abundantly toward you.
from I Chronicles 29:17
Who is a wise man and endowed with understanding among you? let him show by his good conduct his works with meekness of wisdom.
from II Corinthians 1:12
Having your conduct honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
from James 3:13
Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conduct in Christ.
from I Peter 2:12 · a strong link
a thread opens
Clean out therefore the old leaven, so that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us:
The place of the Scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb mute before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
from I Corinthians 5:7
For even to this were you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, so that you should follow his steps:
from Acts 8:32 · a strong link
For whom he did foreknow, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
from I Peter 2:21
That is the whole thread.
Every verse the cross-references reach from Psalms 31:2 along this chain. Today’s own vigil is laid separately.
Each verse follows the one before it along the chain a study Bible draws — a century old, public, and compiled by people arguing about Scripture rather than about how long you stay. Every card says which verse it came from and opens the chapter it belongs to. Today’s vigil is the same for every reader and is worked out from the date alone, so there is no account, no counter, and nothing stored in your browser or ours.
The text is the Lantern Modern Standard. The links are openbible.info’s cross-reference set (CC BY), the same apparatus behind the reader’s Echoes drawer. Read a whole book · Today’s table