Easter Week Bible Reading

Sunday (5th April) - Psalm 118 & Matthew 21:1-11

I've written a simple Bible reading plan for us for Easter week, one a day through to Easter Sunday. They are designed to work in the following way: 

1. Read the bible passages (there will be one New Testament passage (or two short ones) and a Psalm).
The plan isn't to trace the whole of Easter week in the gospels but to see Jesus through the lens of Psalm 113-118 (the songs sung at the Passover meal). 
Try to spot connections and fulfillments of the Psalms' themes or promises in Jesus' last week, death and resurrection. 

2. Let those reflections fuel prayers 

• of adoration of Jesus (thanking Him for who He is and what He has done for you)
• and/or of repentance 
• and/or of request for ourselves and others in light of the passages.

Or maybe there will be a verse that leaps out for you? Chew it over and pray it in. 

3. Then, either immediately or at a convenient point in the day, listen to the song, following the lyrics.
Again, I have chosen these because of connections they have with the passages. 

I hope and pray these will encourage us and engage our hearts and minds as we freshly consider Christ this Easter week. 

Matthew 21:1-11

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, ² saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”

⁴ This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

⁵ “Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

⁶ The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. ⁷ They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. ⁸ A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

“Hosanna to the Son of David!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

¹⁰ When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

¹¹ The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”           

Psalm 118

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

² Let Israel say:
“His love endures forever.”
³ Let the house of Aaron say:
“His love endures forever.”
⁴ Let those who fear the Lord say:
“His love endures forever.”

⁵ When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord;
he brought me into a spacious place.
⁶ The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
⁷ The Lord is with me; he is my helper.
I look in triumph on my enemies.

⁸ It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in humans.
⁹ It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes.

¹⁰ All the nations surrounded me,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
¹¹ They surrounded me on every side,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
¹² They swarmed around me like bees,
but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;
in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
¹³ I was pushed back and about to fall,
but the Lord helped me.

¹⁴ The Lord is my strength and my defence;
he has become my salvation.
¹⁵ Shouts of joy and victory
resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!
¹⁶ The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;
the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”

¹⁷ I will not die but live,
and will proclaim what the Lord has done.
¹⁸ The Lord has chastened me severely,
but he has not given me over to death.
¹⁹ Open for me the gates of the righteous;
I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.

²⁰ This is the gate of the Lord
through which the righteous may enter.

²¹ I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation.

²² The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
²³ the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
²⁴ The Lord has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad.

²⁵ Lord, save us! (Hosanna!)
Lord, grant us success!

²⁶ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
From the house of the Lord we bless you.

²⁷ The Lord is God,
and he has made his light shine on us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up to the horns of the altar.

²⁸ You are my God, and I will praise you;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.

²⁹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

I am tangled up in contradiction

I am strangled by my own two hands

I am hunted by the hounds of addiction

Hosanna! I have lied to everyone who trusts me

I have tried to fall when I could stand

I have only loved the ones who loves me

Hosanna,

oh Hosanna

See the long awaited king 

come to set his people free

We cry oh Hosanna, 

come and tear the temple down

Raise it up on holy ground, Hosanna

I have struggled to remove this raiment

Tried to hide every shimmering strand

I contend with these ghosts

And these hosts of bright angels

Hosanna! I have cursed the man that you have made me

As I have nursed the beast that bays for my blood

Oh, I have run from the one who would save me

Save me, Hosanna,

oh Hosanna

See the long awaited king, 

come to set his people free

We cry oh Hosanna, 

come and tear the temple down

Raise it up on holy ground, Hosanna

We cried for blood, we take your life 

It is blood, it is life that you have given.

You have crushed beneath your heel the vile serpent

You have carried to the grave the black stain

You have torn apart the temple's holy curtain

You have beaten death at death's own game

Hosanna, 

oh Hosanna, 

hail the long awaited King

Come to set his people free, 

we cry, oh Hosanna

Won't you tear this temple down, 

raise it up on holy ground

Oh Hosanna, 

I will lift my voice and sing

You have come and washed me clean, Hosanna

(Hosanna - Andrew Peterson)