Psalm 9 (NRSV)
Psalm 9
God’s Power and Justice
To the leader: according to Muth-labben. A Psalm of David.
1 I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and exult in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
3 When my enemies turned back,
they stumbled and perished before you.
4 For you have maintained my just cause;
you have sat on the throne giving righteous judgment.
5 You have rebuked the nations, you have destroyed the wicked;
you have blotted out their name forever and ever.
6 The enemies have vanished in everlasting ruins;
their cities you have rooted out;
the very memory of them has perished.
Lord,
The poet is one happy person. He has apparently won the war and he is giving you the credit. He assumes that his enemies are your enemies and that your enemies have been destroyed for their wickedness and that his cause is just. There is within him neither doubt nor uncertainty and he is ecstatic beyond description.
Lord I pray that your cause will forever be my cause and, your mission my mission, and for that reason, should opposition arise, and opposition seems to happen, I pray that my cause will be just and right and good because the mission is yours.
I know the danger of my prayer. I confess to the capacity to be blind to my own mistakes and the temptation to assume that my cause is your cause simply because it is mine. Protect me from that arrogance and forgive me when I stumble into that pride. I remember that Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies. Grant me grace to embody the teaching his instruction
I trust that in all things, in your own time and way, you will prevail. I believe that justice will win and wickedness will be destroyed. I trust that you are with me, leading and correcting as necessary, and that you are taking me with you in your journey to ultimate victory. Help me to forever be faithful and I will be thankful, today and all days.
PERSONAL PRAYERS
Ask God to align your personal purpose in life with God’s.
Ask for grace in the presence of opposition.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen
7 But the Lord sits enthroned forever,
he has established his throne for judgment.
8 He judges the world with righteousness;
he judges the peoples with equity.
9 The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
10 And those who know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O Lord , have not forsaken those who seek you.
11 Sing praises to the Lord , who dwells in Zion.
Declare his deeds among the peoples.
12 For he who avenges blood is mindful of them;
he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.
13 Be gracious to me, O Lord .
See what I suffer from those who hate me;
you are the one who lifts me up from the gates of death,
14 so that I may recount all your praises,
and, in the gates of daughter Zion,
rejoice in your deliverance.
15 The nations have sunk in the pit that they made;
in the net that they hid has their own foot been caught.
16 The Lord has made himself known, he has executed judgment;
the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. Selah
17 The wicked shall depart to Sheol,
all the nations that forget God.
18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten,
nor the hope of the poor perish forever.
19 Rise up, O Lord ! Do not let mortals prevail;
let the nations be judged before you.
20 Put them in fear, O Lord ;
let the nations know that they are only human. Selah
[1]
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Psalm 8
Psalm 8 (NRSV)
1 O Lord , our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
4 what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
mortalsa that you care for them?
5 Yet you have made them a little lower than God,b
and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under their feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord , our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
[1]
Dear Lord,
Tell me, what is a person to do with the responsibility to “have dominion over the works of your hands”? How does stewardship work here?
I cannot slow down the population of human beings.
I cannot slow down the growing international demand for oil and all of its derivatives?
What difference does the difference that I can make really matter as megatons of pollutants are pumped into the atmosphere daily?
If I cut back on the use of the air conditioner in the summer and the furnace in the winter, does it really matter when billions of people are cranking crap into the environment?
I’ve read a page or two about global warming and climate change and I know that my understanding of the issues is rudimentary at best.
So, Lord, this is the best that I can do for now and I ask for your intensified guidance.
I’ll just do the best that I can.
Regardless of the competing technical analyses, I can not see that pumping pollutants into the air and burying garbage under the ground and dumping waste into the oceans are good things. So I’ll do my part to slow it down. I’ll take care of my little corner of the world as well as I can. And I’ll look for the political candidates who seem to care and seem to have the best plan available and they’ll get my votes. I’ll do my best not to leave to our grandchildren “Planet Garbage”.
How simple can this be? It is as simple as I. I’ll do the best I can with my little piece of earth and pray God to forgive me when I’m wrong.
Lord, a change of subject. I visited a lady in hospice care today. The pain medication is wonderful but it pushes her to sleep when she would like to be awake and it is clear that her time is short. And, I received a call from a daughter whose mother has entered hospice care. Her time is also short. Grant to each one the grace that she needs for this final part of the journey. Touch each with your Spirit and grant a glimpse of the heaven that is to come. And help the families as their beloved mothers and grandmothers and aunts and friends are ripped from them.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to help you with your stewardship of your own little part of this world.
Pray for those who need God’s help in special ways.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
a Heb ben adam, lit. son of man
b Or than the divine beings or angels: Heb elohim
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
1 O Lord , our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
4 what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
mortalsa that you care for them?
5 Yet you have made them a little lower than God,b
and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under their feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord , our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
[1]
Dear Lord,
Tell me, what is a person to do with the responsibility to “have dominion over the works of your hands”? How does stewardship work here?
I cannot slow down the population of human beings.
I cannot slow down the growing international demand for oil and all of its derivatives?
What difference does the difference that I can make really matter as megatons of pollutants are pumped into the atmosphere daily?
If I cut back on the use of the air conditioner in the summer and the furnace in the winter, does it really matter when billions of people are cranking crap into the environment?
I’ve read a page or two about global warming and climate change and I know that my understanding of the issues is rudimentary at best.
So, Lord, this is the best that I can do for now and I ask for your intensified guidance.
I’ll just do the best that I can.
Regardless of the competing technical analyses, I can not see that pumping pollutants into the air and burying garbage under the ground and dumping waste into the oceans are good things. So I’ll do my part to slow it down. I’ll take care of my little corner of the world as well as I can. And I’ll look for the political candidates who seem to care and seem to have the best plan available and they’ll get my votes. I’ll do my best not to leave to our grandchildren “Planet Garbage”.
How simple can this be? It is as simple as I. I’ll do the best I can with my little piece of earth and pray God to forgive me when I’m wrong.
God if there is more for me to do, show the way and grant the wisdom and courge to go with you.
Lord, a change of subject. I visited a lady in hospice care today. The pain medication is wonderful but it pushes her to sleep when she would like to be awake and it is clear that her time is short. And, I received a call from a daughter whose mother has entered hospice care. Her time is also short. Grant to each one the grace that she needs for this final part of the journey. Touch each with your Spirit and grant a glimpse of the heaven that is to come. And help the families as their beloved mothers and grandmothers and aunts and friends are ripped from them.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to help you with your stewardship of your own little part of this world.
Pray for those who need God’s help in special ways.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
a Heb ben adam, lit. son of man
b Or than the divine beings or angels: Heb elohim
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Psalm 8
Psalm 8 (NRSV)
1 O Lord , our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
4 what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
mortalsa that you care for them?
5 Yet you have made them a little lower than God,b
and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under their feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord , our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
[1]
Lord,
Who am I? “Mortals”…the son of Adam, the child of humanity, who am I? That is the question. Who am I in the order of the universe?
The poet declares:
Made by God,
A little lower than God,
Crowned with glory and order,
Steward of all creation….
That is who I am, so says the poet.
Within the vastness of the Universe, I am small indeed but you have made me and all like me to be something spectacular; made by God a little lower than God, crowned with glory and honor and steward of creation.
For arrogance that forgets that I have been made by you, forgive me.
For the faithlessness that refuses to accept the grand place and purpose that you have given, forgive me.
For the sloth that refuses to accept the calling to be your steward, forgive me.
Empower me to accept both the place and purpose that you have given in creation and grant wisdom and strength to fulfill that part of the stewardship which has been entrusted to me.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Before God, gratefully affirm your place in God’s order.
Made by God,
A little lower than God,
Crowned with glory and order,
Steward of all creation….
Ask and receive forgiveness for your failures.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In the name of Christ,
Amen
a Heb ben adam, lit. son of man
b Or than the divine beings or angels: Heb elohim
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
1 O Lord , our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
4 what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
mortalsa that you care for them?
5 Yet you have made them a little lower than God,b
and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under their feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord , our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
[1]
Lord,
Who am I? “Mortals”…the son of Adam, the child of humanity, who am I? That is the question. Who am I in the order of the universe?
The poet declares:
Made by God,
A little lower than God,
Crowned with glory and order,
Steward of all creation….
That is who I am, so says the poet.
Within the vastness of the Universe, I am small indeed but you have made me and all like me to be something spectacular; made by God a little lower than God, crowned with glory and honor and steward of creation.
For arrogance that forgets that I have been made by you, forgive me.
For the faithlessness that refuses to accept the grand place and purpose that you have given, forgive me.
For the sloth that refuses to accept the calling to be your steward, forgive me.
Empower me to accept both the place and purpose that you have given in creation and grant wisdom and strength to fulfill that part of the stewardship which has been entrusted to me.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Before God, gratefully affirm your place in God’s order.
Made by God,
A little lower than God,
Crowned with glory and order,
Steward of all creation….
Ask and receive forgiveness for your failures.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In the name of Christ,
Amen
a Heb ben adam, lit. son of man
b Or than the divine beings or angels: Heb elohim
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Psalm 8
Psalm 8 (NRSV)
1 O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.
Lord,
I confess that I don’t quite get it. “Out of the mouths and infants…you have founded a bulwark…to silence the enemy….” Whatever the poet is trying to say is a mystery to me.
So let me tell you about our grandchildren. What miracles they are! How two cells can combine in the womb, divide and sub divide and sub divide again until a person emerges is beyond mystery to me. And that they, at least biologically, continue my life and will do so long after I am with you; Lord, words cannot express the deep deep feelings that swirl within my heart.
Does this cell division that leads to the formation of an “Image of God” human being speak to your glory? It does! Does it “silence the enemy”? Not yet.
Even so Lord, for the birth of children that reminds us of the mystery of life itself, I am grateful. For time with children and grandchildren, thank you. For the future into which they are being thrown, I seek your blessing and grace.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Pray for the grandchildren, for the infants and toddlers of this world, especially those close to you.
Ask God to lead you to the way that you can make this world a little better for them.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
4 what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
mortalsa that you care for them?
5 Yet you have made them a little lower than God,b
and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under their feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
[1]
a Heb ben adam, lit. son of man
b Or than the divine beings or angels: Heb elohim
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989
1 O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.
Lord,
I confess that I don’t quite get it. “Out of the mouths and infants…you have founded a bulwark…to silence the enemy….” Whatever the poet is trying to say is a mystery to me.
So let me tell you about our grandchildren. What miracles they are! How two cells can combine in the womb, divide and sub divide and sub divide again until a person emerges is beyond mystery to me. And that they, at least biologically, continue my life and will do so long after I am with you; Lord, words cannot express the deep deep feelings that swirl within my heart.
Does this cell division that leads to the formation of an “Image of God” human being speak to your glory? It does! Does it “silence the enemy”? Not yet.
Even so Lord, for the birth of children that reminds us of the mystery of life itself, I am grateful. For time with children and grandchildren, thank you. For the future into which they are being thrown, I seek your blessing and grace.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Pray for the grandchildren, for the infants and toddlers of this world, especially those close to you.
Ask God to lead you to the way that you can make this world a little better for them.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
4 what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
mortalsa that you care for them?
5 Yet you have made them a little lower than God,b
and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under their feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
[1]
a Heb ben adam, lit. son of man
b Or than the divine beings or angels: Heb elohim
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989
Friday, June 13, 2008
Psalm 8
Psalm 8 (NRSV)
1 O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Lord God, Maker of Heaven and Earth,
You know the life-long struggle of my soul and I confess it again.
If, indeed, you are Sovereign of all and if, indeed, you love us all with the perfect love revealed in Jesus, then why the incalculable innocent suffering in this world? I mean no disrespect in asking. I do not want to challenge you nor your authority.
The tornado ravages the Boy Scout camp and little boys are killed. For argument’s sake, let’s assume that they are all sinners. At that age, it’s a safe assumption. But did they do anything to deserve the death penalty? You see my struggle. You have always seen my struggle.
So Lord, forgive me if I am wrong, I choose to believe that your character shines through the love of Jesus and that the shape of your love takes the form of a cross. In other words, for whatever reasons, you do not control everything. You did not aim that tornado at the scouts.
Instead, your love shines through the kindness and compassion and love of all who are caring for the victims and for all who are working to prevent such tragedies from happening again. You grieve the tragedies with the rest of us and you are leading us to the time and place where they will never happen again. Why not now, Lord?
So where is the majesty of your name in all of this? I see it in the love of Christ, in the boundless, limitless, indescribable love of Christ. Your majesty is in the glory of your love that some day, in some way, will finally be made real in all of the universe.
Lord you are my Sovereign. I choose you as my Sovereign. I choose to respond to your majestic love by inviting you to shape my heart and soul and mind and behavior. I choose to be in the community of people who choose you as Sovereign of their lives and of our lives together. I choose to make you Sovereign of my life by following Jesus.
O Lord, our Sovereign….
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Tell God how much you love God.
Name the places where you see the majesty of God.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
4 what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
mortalsa that you care for them?
5 Yet you have made them a little lower than God,b
and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under their feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
[1]
a Heb ben adam, lit. son of man
b Or than the divine beings or angels: Heb elohim
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989
1 O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Lord God, Maker of Heaven and Earth,
You know the life-long struggle of my soul and I confess it again.
If, indeed, you are Sovereign of all and if, indeed, you love us all with the perfect love revealed in Jesus, then why the incalculable innocent suffering in this world? I mean no disrespect in asking. I do not want to challenge you nor your authority.
The tornado ravages the Boy Scout camp and little boys are killed. For argument’s sake, let’s assume that they are all sinners. At that age, it’s a safe assumption. But did they do anything to deserve the death penalty? You see my struggle. You have always seen my struggle.
So Lord, forgive me if I am wrong, I choose to believe that your character shines through the love of Jesus and that the shape of your love takes the form of a cross. In other words, for whatever reasons, you do not control everything. You did not aim that tornado at the scouts.
Instead, your love shines through the kindness and compassion and love of all who are caring for the victims and for all who are working to prevent such tragedies from happening again. You grieve the tragedies with the rest of us and you are leading us to the time and place where they will never happen again. Why not now, Lord?
So where is the majesty of your name in all of this? I see it in the love of Christ, in the boundless, limitless, indescribable love of Christ. Your majesty is in the glory of your love that some day, in some way, will finally be made real in all of the universe.
Lord you are my Sovereign. I choose you as my Sovereign. I choose to respond to your majestic love by inviting you to shape my heart and soul and mind and behavior. I choose to be in the community of people who choose you as Sovereign of their lives and of our lives together. I choose to make you Sovereign of my life by following Jesus.
O Lord, our Sovereign….
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Tell God how much you love God.
Name the places where you see the majesty of God.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
4 what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
mortalsa that you care for them?
5 Yet you have made them a little lower than God,b
and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under their feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
[1]
a Heb ben adam, lit. son of man
b Or than the divine beings or angels: Heb elohim
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Psalm 7
Psalm 7 (NRSV)
1 O Lord my God, in you I take refuge;
save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me,
2 or like a lion they will tear me apart;
they will drag me away, with no one to rescue.
3 O Lord my God, if I have done this,
if there is wrong in my hands,
4 if I have repaid my ally with harm
or plundered my foe without cause,
5 then let the enemy pursue and overtake me,
trample my life to the ground,
and lay my soul in the dust. Selah
6 Rise up, O Lord, in your anger;
lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;
awake, O my God;a you have appointed a judgment.
7 Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered around you,
and over it take your seatb on high.
8 The Lord judges the peoples;
judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness
and according to the integrity that is in me.
9 O let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
but establish the righteous,
you who test the minds and hearts,
O righteous God.
10 God is my shield,
who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a righteous judge,
and a God who has indignation every day.
12 If one does not repent, Godc will whet his sword;
he has bent and strung his bow;
13 he has prepared his deadly weapons,
making his arrows fiery shafts.
14 See how they conceive evil,
and are pregnant with mischief,
and bring forth lies.
15 They make a pit, digging it out,
and fall into the hole that they have made.
16 Their mischief returns upon their own heads,
and on their own heads their violence descends.
17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
and sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.
[1]
Lord,
“If one does not repent, God will whet his sword….”
I sometimes forget your hatred for evil. It is just that there is so much of it, it is so common, that it is hard to remember the hard edge of your opposition to it. It is so easy to take it for granted.
So, the evil that you hate, how does it look? How will I know it when I see it?
Wait…. Is it really such a silly question?
How about the reality of millions of Americans without access to health care and countless more around the world without resources for health, is that evil?
Little children caught in the cross-fires of war, that seems evil enough to me!
Millions of women trapped in the sex-trade, many barely into their teens,
Education systems that don’t work,
Parents who refuse to demand education for their children that is adequate to the twenty-first century,
Laziness and sloth – not caring enough about the not-so-far-away neighbor,
Greed and the abuse of workers in the name of sound business practice,
Employees who steal time and material from their employers,
Adultery and everything other thing that damages the families of our world,
Churches that don’t know the difference between nationalism and faithfulness to your Kingdom,
Government that protects the interest of the powerful, who need no protection, rather than the vulnerable; that gleefully advocates the growing gap between rich and poor,
And perhaps people like me who are often too timid to speak up,
Lord, how am I doing?
Am I close to describing the evil that you hate, the evil against which you have taken aim with the weapons of your spirit?
Lord, help me to see, help us all to see.
A slight change of subject: I’m on my way to visit my 18 day old granddaughter. If you would Lord, I pray that you will make this world better for her, for each of my grandchildren, and, even with a tinge of timidity, I ask you to show me my role in the advancement of your Kingdom on Earth.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to help you to distinguish between that which is right and wrong in your own world and to show you your personal responsibility in God’s struggle with evil.
Pray for those who need God’s special help.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say, “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
a Or awake for me
b Cn: Heb return
c Heb he
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989
1 O Lord my God, in you I take refuge;
save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me,
2 or like a lion they will tear me apart;
they will drag me away, with no one to rescue.
3 O Lord my God, if I have done this,
if there is wrong in my hands,
4 if I have repaid my ally with harm
or plundered my foe without cause,
5 then let the enemy pursue and overtake me,
trample my life to the ground,
and lay my soul in the dust. Selah
6 Rise up, O Lord, in your anger;
lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;
awake, O my God;a you have appointed a judgment.
7 Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered around you,
and over it take your seatb on high.
8 The Lord judges the peoples;
judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness
and according to the integrity that is in me.
9 O let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
but establish the righteous,
you who test the minds and hearts,
O righteous God.
10 God is my shield,
who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a righteous judge,
and a God who has indignation every day.
12 If one does not repent, Godc will whet his sword;
he has bent and strung his bow;
13 he has prepared his deadly weapons,
making his arrows fiery shafts.
14 See how they conceive evil,
and are pregnant with mischief,
and bring forth lies.
15 They make a pit, digging it out,
and fall into the hole that they have made.
16 Their mischief returns upon their own heads,
and on their own heads their violence descends.
17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
and sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.
[1]
Lord,
“If one does not repent, God will whet his sword….”
I sometimes forget your hatred for evil. It is just that there is so much of it, it is so common, that it is hard to remember the hard edge of your opposition to it. It is so easy to take it for granted.
So, the evil that you hate, how does it look? How will I know it when I see it?
Wait…. Is it really such a silly question?
How about the reality of millions of Americans without access to health care and countless more around the world without resources for health, is that evil?
Little children caught in the cross-fires of war, that seems evil enough to me!
Millions of women trapped in the sex-trade, many barely into their teens,
Education systems that don’t work,
Parents who refuse to demand education for their children that is adequate to the twenty-first century,
Laziness and sloth – not caring enough about the not-so-far-away neighbor,
Greed and the abuse of workers in the name of sound business practice,
Employees who steal time and material from their employers,
Adultery and everything other thing that damages the families of our world,
Churches that don’t know the difference between nationalism and faithfulness to your Kingdom,
Government that protects the interest of the powerful, who need no protection, rather than the vulnerable; that gleefully advocates the growing gap between rich and poor,
And perhaps people like me who are often too timid to speak up,
Lord, how am I doing?
Am I close to describing the evil that you hate, the evil against which you have taken aim with the weapons of your spirit?
Lord, help me to see, help us all to see.
A slight change of subject: I’m on my way to visit my 18 day old granddaughter. If you would Lord, I pray that you will make this world better for her, for each of my grandchildren, and, even with a tinge of timidity, I ask you to show me my role in the advancement of your Kingdom on Earth.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to help you to distinguish between that which is right and wrong in your own world and to show you your personal responsibility in God’s struggle with evil.
Pray for those who need God’s special help.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say, “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
a Or awake for me
b Cn: Heb return
c Heb he
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Psalm 7
Psalm 7 (NRSV)
Psalm 7
Plea for Help against Persecutors
A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush, a Benjaminite.
1 O Lord my God, in you I take refuge;
save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me,
2 or like a lion they will tear me apart;
they will drag me away, with no one to rescue.
3 O Lord my God, if I have done this,
if there is wrong in my hands,
4 if I have repaid my ally with harm
or plundered my foe without cause,
5 then let the enemy pursue and overtake me,
trample my life to the ground,
and lay my soul in the dust. Selah
6 Rise up, O Lord, in your anger;
lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;
awake, O my God;a you have appointed a judgment.
7 Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered around you,
and over it take your seatb on high.
8 The Lord judges the peoples;
judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness
and according to the integrity that is in me.
Lord,
I’m not a bad person. When I look in the mirror, I see a man who has given his life to ministry within the church and who wants to follow the way of Jesus. I do not intentionally use my friends nor do I abuse those who oppose me. Looking at all the big sins, the really big ones, I think of myself as innocent. Like the poet, I claim my righteousness before you. I really want to say, “Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me.”
HUH OOOO! When I look in the mirror, I see the integrity of my life mostly because the mirror is a little foggy. But when I look at myself in the light of Jesus, I am not sure that I can use the words integrity and righteousness without qualifications.
Lord, I don’t want to swim in the dark pool of guilt and shame. I’m not into self-flagellation. But if honesty in the presence of Christ is your invitation to me, then my imperfections are real. I have sin to confess.
Some may hear my prayer and gloat, “Look at him. He’s a Christian and admits to being imperfect.” Well, Lord, let them look at themselves in the light of Christ and together we’ll understand our need for mutual understanding and pardon.
Today, I stand before you as one who has heard the invitation to receive forgiveness and has accepted it. I stand in a restored, and restoring, bond with you as a follower of Jesus. And while imperfection has never been overcome, my imperfection is very different than it would have been without your intervention in Jesus and I give you thanks.
Lord, a change in subject: Last night, I was called to the hospital and was there when she died – a stroke victim. It happened quickly and for that I am grateful. She did not seem to suffer. Receive her into your eternal presence and, after so many years of physical struggle, make her whole again. For her life and contribution to the family of Christ through the church, thank you. For the faith evident in her family and friends, thank you. For Eternity in that fellowship unbound by time and space and centered in Christ, thank you. Bless those who love her with healing and hope.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Look at yourself in the light of Jesus, admit your imperfections, ask forgiveness and receive it in Christ. Ask God to help you to live as a forgiven person.
Pray for those who need God’s healing help.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank You.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
9 O let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
but establish the righteous,
you who test the minds and hearts,
O righteous God.
10 God is my shield,
who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a righteous judge,
and a God who has indignation every day.
12 If one does not repent, Godc will whet his sword;
he has bent and strung his bow;
13 he has prepared his deadly weapons,
making his arrows fiery shafts.
14 See how they conceive evil,
and are pregnant with mischief,
and bring forth lies.
15 They make a pit, digging it out,
and fall into the hole that they have made.
16 Their mischief returns upon their own heads,
and on their own heads their violence descends.
17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
and sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.
[1]
a Or awake for me
b Cn: Heb return
c Heb he
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989
Psalm 7
Plea for Help against Persecutors
A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush, a Benjaminite.
1 O Lord my God, in you I take refuge;
save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me,
2 or like a lion they will tear me apart;
they will drag me away, with no one to rescue.
3 O Lord my God, if I have done this,
if there is wrong in my hands,
4 if I have repaid my ally with harm
or plundered my foe without cause,
5 then let the enemy pursue and overtake me,
trample my life to the ground,
and lay my soul in the dust. Selah
6 Rise up, O Lord, in your anger;
lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;
awake, O my God;a you have appointed a judgment.
7 Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered around you,
and over it take your seatb on high.
8 The Lord judges the peoples;
judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness
and according to the integrity that is in me.
Lord,
I’m not a bad person. When I look in the mirror, I see a man who has given his life to ministry within the church and who wants to follow the way of Jesus. I do not intentionally use my friends nor do I abuse those who oppose me. Looking at all the big sins, the really big ones, I think of myself as innocent. Like the poet, I claim my righteousness before you. I really want to say, “Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me.”
HUH OOOO! When I look in the mirror, I see the integrity of my life mostly because the mirror is a little foggy. But when I look at myself in the light of Jesus, I am not sure that I can use the words integrity and righteousness without qualifications.
Lord, I don’t want to swim in the dark pool of guilt and shame. I’m not into self-flagellation. But if honesty in the presence of Christ is your invitation to me, then my imperfections are real. I have sin to confess.
Some may hear my prayer and gloat, “Look at him. He’s a Christian and admits to being imperfect.” Well, Lord, let them look at themselves in the light of Christ and together we’ll understand our need for mutual understanding and pardon.
Today, I stand before you as one who has heard the invitation to receive forgiveness and has accepted it. I stand in a restored, and restoring, bond with you as a follower of Jesus. And while imperfection has never been overcome, my imperfection is very different than it would have been without your intervention in Jesus and I give you thanks.
Lord, a change in subject: Last night, I was called to the hospital and was there when she died – a stroke victim. It happened quickly and for that I am grateful. She did not seem to suffer. Receive her into your eternal presence and, after so many years of physical struggle, make her whole again. For her life and contribution to the family of Christ through the church, thank you. For the faith evident in her family and friends, thank you. For Eternity in that fellowship unbound by time and space and centered in Christ, thank you. Bless those who love her with healing and hope.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Look at yourself in the light of Jesus, admit your imperfections, ask forgiveness and receive it in Christ. Ask God to help you to live as a forgiven person.
Pray for those who need God’s healing help.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank You.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
9 O let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
but establish the righteous,
you who test the minds and hearts,
O righteous God.
10 God is my shield,
who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a righteous judge,
and a God who has indignation every day.
12 If one does not repent, Godc will whet his sword;
he has bent and strung his bow;
13 he has prepared his deadly weapons,
making his arrows fiery shafts.
14 See how they conceive evil,
and are pregnant with mischief,
and bring forth lies.
15 They make a pit, digging it out,
and fall into the hole that they have made.
16 Their mischief returns upon their own heads,
and on their own heads their violence descends.
17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
and sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.
[1]
a Or awake for me
b Cn: Heb return
c Heb he
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Psalm 7
Psalm 7 (NRSV)
1 O Lord my God, in you I take refuge;
save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me,
2 or like a lion they will tear me apart;
they will drag me away, with no one to rescue.
Lord,
This is a dangerous world with forces that threaten our very lives. I am grateful to live in a place where personal enemies and competitors are less likely to physically threaten. I walk the streets in relative safety. I prepare to vote without fear of political violence. I engage in theological and moral debate with no fear of being burned or flayed as a heretic. I know that there are places in our world where violence of every kind is used to assure moral and religious uniformity and political acquiescence. There are streets not safe to walk or even to drive. For the safety and security that we have, thank you. Grant us wisdom to protect the institutions that grant the security with freedom that we now enjoy.
Lord, grant your safety to all who live in perpetual danger. Grant the wisdom and courage and resources that are necessary to create safe places where you’re your people may thrive and where the children may grow to become the women and men that you intend in their births.
Yesterday, I visited with ladies whose very lives are being pursued by cancer. Please take care of them. I pray for their healing, both for physical healing and for the healing of soul and spirit that will embolden them to face whatever must be faced with the sure hope of your grace in all things, in all places and in all times.
PERSONAL PRAYERS
Ask for God’s deliverance for those whose lives are being threatened in unfair and unjust ways.
Ask God for help with that which may be a threat to you.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
3 O Lord my God, if I have done this,
if there is wrong in my hands,
4 if I have repaid my ally with harm
or plundered my foe without cause,
5 then let the enemy pursue and overtake me,
trample my life to the ground,
and lay my soul in the dust. Selah
6 Rise up, O Lord , in your anger;
lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;
awake, O my God;a you have appointed a judgment.
7 Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered around you,
and over it take your seatb on high.
8 The Lord judges the peoples;
judge me, O Lord , according to my righteousness
and according to the integrity that is in me.
9 O let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
but establish the righteous,
you who test the minds and hearts,
O righteous God.
10 God is my shield,
who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a righteous judge,
and a God who has indignation every day.
12 If one does not repent, Godc will whet his sword;
he has bent and strung his bow;
13 he has prepared his deadly weapons,
making his arrows fiery shafts.
14 See how they conceive evil,
and are pregnant with mischief,
and bring forth lies.
15 They make a pit, digging it out,
and fall into the hole that they have made.
16 Their mischief returns upon their own heads,
and on their own heads their violence descends.
17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
and sing praise to the name of the Lord , the Most High.
[1]
a Or awake for me
b Cn: Heb return
c Heb he
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
1 O Lord my God, in you I take refuge;
save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me,
2 or like a lion they will tear me apart;
they will drag me away, with no one to rescue.
Lord,
This is a dangerous world with forces that threaten our very lives. I am grateful to live in a place where personal enemies and competitors are less likely to physically threaten. I walk the streets in relative safety. I prepare to vote without fear of political violence. I engage in theological and moral debate with no fear of being burned or flayed as a heretic. I know that there are places in our world where violence of every kind is used to assure moral and religious uniformity and political acquiescence. There are streets not safe to walk or even to drive. For the safety and security that we have, thank you. Grant us wisdom to protect the institutions that grant the security with freedom that we now enjoy.
Lord, grant your safety to all who live in perpetual danger. Grant the wisdom and courage and resources that are necessary to create safe places where you’re your people may thrive and where the children may grow to become the women and men that you intend in their births.
Yesterday, I visited with ladies whose very lives are being pursued by cancer. Please take care of them. I pray for their healing, both for physical healing and for the healing of soul and spirit that will embolden them to face whatever must be faced with the sure hope of your grace in all things, in all places and in all times.
Lord, in you I take refuge. I seek your refuge for those of your people who are in danger.
PERSONAL PRAYERS
Ask for God’s deliverance for those whose lives are being threatened in unfair and unjust ways.
Ask God for help with that which may be a threat to you.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
3 O Lord my God, if I have done this,
if there is wrong in my hands,
4 if I have repaid my ally with harm
or plundered my foe without cause,
5 then let the enemy pursue and overtake me,
trample my life to the ground,
and lay my soul in the dust. Selah
6 Rise up, O Lord , in your anger;
lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;
awake, O my God;a you have appointed a judgment.
7 Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered around you,
and over it take your seatb on high.
8 The Lord judges the peoples;
judge me, O Lord , according to my righteousness
and according to the integrity that is in me.
9 O let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
but establish the righteous,
you who test the minds and hearts,
O righteous God.
10 God is my shield,
who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a righteous judge,
and a God who has indignation every day.
12 If one does not repent, Godc will whet his sword;
he has bent and strung his bow;
13 he has prepared his deadly weapons,
making his arrows fiery shafts.
14 See how they conceive evil,
and are pregnant with mischief,
and bring forth lies.
15 They make a pit, digging it out,
and fall into the hole that they have made.
16 Their mischief returns upon their own heads,
and on their own heads their violence descends.
17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
and sing praise to the name of the Lord , the Most High.
[1]
a Or awake for me
b Cn: Heb return
c Heb he
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Psalm 6
Psalm 6 (NRSV)
1 O Lord , do not rebuke me in your anger,
or discipline me in your wrath.
2 Be gracious to me, O Lord , for I am languishing;
O Lord , heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror.
3 My soul also is struck with terror,
while you, O Lord —how long?
4 Turn, O Lord , save my life;
deliver me for the sake of your steadfast love.
5 For in death there is no remembrance of you;
in Sheol who can give you praise?
6 I am weary with my moaning;
every night I flood my bed with tears;
I drench my couch with my weeping.
7 My eyes waste away because of grief;
they grow weak because of all my foes.
Lord,
I pray for all who are “weary with moaning”, for all who exhausted with the sorrow and pain that never goes away. I pray for all who pray for healing and never seem to experience health. God, let your healing waters flow. Where bodies will not be mended, grant the consolation and power of your Spirit that the soul might be made whole.
Transform our grief and tears into something strong and whole. Turn sorrow into celebration and fear into hope.
Some of our “enemies” are impersonal. We are struck down by illness. We are attacked by economic and political forces that are beyond any single soul’s control. We turn to you for help and comfort. Confront our foes with your own love and grace.
8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil,
for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my supplication;
the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and struck with terror;
they shall turn back, and in a moment be put to shame.
[1]
Lord,
The poet knows that you have heard the sounds of his sorrow. I stand forever amazed that you hear the sighs of silent tears.
A question Lord, What the poet would do with the notion that grown men don’t cry? Not only does the poet weep, but he knows that you honor tears.
“The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord accepts my prayer.” Grant to me that same confidence. Touch my heart and mind with a firm assurance of your love.
Pray that God will give you the grace necessary for your own circumstances.
Pray for others who are in need of healing.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say thank you to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
1 O Lord , do not rebuke me in your anger,
or discipline me in your wrath.
2 Be gracious to me, O Lord , for I am languishing;
O Lord , heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror.
3 My soul also is struck with terror,
while you, O Lord —how long?
4 Turn, O Lord , save my life;
deliver me for the sake of your steadfast love.
5 For in death there is no remembrance of you;
in Sheol who can give you praise?
6 I am weary with my moaning;
every night I flood my bed with tears;
I drench my couch with my weeping.
7 My eyes waste away because of grief;
they grow weak because of all my foes.
Lord,
I pray for all who are “weary with moaning”, for all who exhausted with the sorrow and pain that never goes away. I pray for all who pray for healing and never seem to experience health. God, let your healing waters flow. Where bodies will not be mended, grant the consolation and power of your Spirit that the soul might be made whole.
Transform our grief and tears into something strong and whole. Turn sorrow into celebration and fear into hope.
Some of our “enemies” are impersonal. We are struck down by illness. We are attacked by economic and political forces that are beyond any single soul’s control. We turn to you for help and comfort. Confront our foes with your own love and grace.
8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil,
for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my supplication;
the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and struck with terror;
they shall turn back, and in a moment be put to shame.
[1]
Lord,
The poet knows that you have heard the sounds of his sorrow. I stand forever amazed that you hear the sighs of silent tears.
A question Lord, What the poet would do with the notion that grown men don’t cry? Not only does the poet weep, but he knows that you honor tears.
“The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord accepts my prayer.” Grant to me that same confidence. Touch my heart and mind with a firm assurance of your love.
Pray that God will give you the grace necessary for your own circumstances.
Pray for others who are in need of healing.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say thank you to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Psalm 6
Psalm 6 (NRSV)
Psalm 6
Prayer for Recovery from Grave Illness
To the leader: with stringed instruments; according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David.
1 O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger,
or discipline me in your wrath.
2 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;
O Lord, heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror.
3 My soul also is struck with terror,
while you, O Lord—how long?
Lord,
It seems that the poet is ill, threatened by death, and he is terrified. “My bones are shaking with terror…. My soul is struck with terror.”
This man of unquestioned faith is quaking in fear! Is that allowed? Of course it is. You take each of us exactly as we are in the moment. You do not flinch nor are you squeamish but rather you see clearly the deepest reality of our lives and you receive us exactly as we are.
If he is terrorized, does that mean that he is not completely trusting in you? Yes! If he were completely confident that you would heal him, he would not be fearful for his life. He would quietly and patiently wait for the healing.
Instead he boldly declares his fear, his anemic hope for healing, and he gives that fear to you in prayer. His faith? He dares to pray and plead and hope without resorting to the feigned piety of pretended optimism. He confesses his absolute dependence on you and prays that you are willing to respond.
He knows his own guilt and he prays that you will not hold his sin against him but will instead forgive and heal. He prays that illness is not the result of sinfulness and even if it is, he asks to be made whole.
Today, I’m healthy. Thank you. But there are many in our midst who struggle with cancer and heart disease and mental illness and they are terrified for their lives. Each of us is frightened for their well-being. So, knowing that we have no right to claim anything, knowing our faults and failures,we come to you, exactly as we are, seeking your healing and help.
Psalm 6
Prayer for Recovery from Grave Illness
To the leader: with stringed instruments; according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David.
1 O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger,
or discipline me in your wrath.
2 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;
O Lord, heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror.
3 My soul also is struck with terror,
while you, O Lord—how long?
Lord,
It seems that the poet is ill, threatened by death, and he is terrified. “My bones are shaking with terror…. My soul is struck with terror.”
This man of unquestioned faith is quaking in fear! Is that allowed? Of course it is. You take each of us exactly as we are in the moment. You do not flinch nor are you squeamish but rather you see clearly the deepest reality of our lives and you receive us exactly as we are.
If he is terrorized, does that mean that he is not completely trusting in you? Yes! If he were completely confident that you would heal him, he would not be fearful for his life. He would quietly and patiently wait for the healing.
Instead he boldly declares his fear, his anemic hope for healing, and he gives that fear to you in prayer. His faith? He dares to pray and plead and hope without resorting to the feigned piety of pretended optimism. He confesses his absolute dependence on you and prays that you are willing to respond.
He knows his own guilt and he prays that you will not hold his sin against him but will instead forgive and heal. He prays that illness is not the result of sinfulness and even if it is, he asks to be made whole.
Today, I’m healthy. Thank you. But there are many in our midst who struggle with cancer and heart disease and mental illness and they are terrified for their lives. Each of us is frightened for their well-being. So, knowing that we have no right to claim anything, knowing our faults and failures,we come to you, exactly as we are, seeking your healing and help.
Your Personal Prayer:
Ask God for the healing that you need.
Pray that God will make whole you know to need God’s special grace. Offer their names to God now.
Name 5 things in your life for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen
4 Turn, O Lord, save my life;
deliver me for the sake of your steadfast love.
5 For in death there is no remembrance of you;
in Sheol who can give you praise?
6 I am weary with my moaning;
every night I flood my bed with tears;
I drench my couch with my weeping.
7 My eyes waste away because of grief;
they grow weak because of all my foes.
8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil,
for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my supplication;
the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and struck with terror;
they shall turn back, and in a moment be put to shame.
[1]
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989
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