Today's prayer: But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me

Psalm 22

1

Psalm 22 For the director of music. To [the tune of] "The Doe of the Morning." A psalm of David.

1

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?

2

O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.

3

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel. ^[1]

4

In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them.

5

They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.

6

But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.

7

All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads:

8

"He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him."

9

Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother's breast.

10

From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God.

11

Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.

12

Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.

13

Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me.

14

I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me.

15

My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me ^[2] in the dust of death.

16

Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced ^[3] my hands and my feet.

17

I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me.

18

They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.

19

But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.

20

Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs.

21

Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save ^[4] me from the horns of the wild oxen.

22

I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you.

23

You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!

24

For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.

25

From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you ^[5] will I fulfill my vows.

26

The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him-- may your hearts live forever!

27

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him,

28

for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations.

29

All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him-- those who cannot keep themselves alive.

30

Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord.

31

They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn-- for he has done it.

Today's bible teaching: Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers

Psalm 1

1

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.

2

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

3

He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

4

Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

5

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6

For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

Today's praises: Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy

Psalm 47

1

Psalm 47 For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

1

Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.

2

How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!

3

He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet.

4

He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved. Selah

5

God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.

6

Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.

7

For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm ^[1] of praise.

8

God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne.

9

The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings ^[2] of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted.

Today's prayer: Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief

 Psalm 31

1

Psalm 31 For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1

In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness.

2

Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.

3

Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

4

Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge.

5

Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth.

6

I hate those who cling to worthless idols; I trust in the LORD.

7

I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul.

8

You have not handed me over to the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place.

9

Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief.

10

My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, ^[1] and my bones grow weak.

11

Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors; I am a dread to my friends-- those who see me on the street flee from me.

12

I am forgotten by them as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery.

13

For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side; they conspire against me and plot to take my life.

14

But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God."

15

My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.

16

Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.

17

Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I have cried out to you; but let the wicked be put to shame and lie silent in the grave. ^[2]

18

Let their lying lips be silenced, for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous.

19

How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.

20

In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men; in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues.

21

Praise be to the LORD, for he showed his wonderful love to me when I was in a besieged city.

22

In my alarm I said, "I am cut off from your sight!" Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help.

23

Love the LORD, all his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful, but the proud he pays back in full.

24

Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.

Today's bible teaching: The LORD will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life

Psalm 121

1

Psalm 121 A song of ascents.

1

I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from?

2

My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

3

He will not let your foot slip-- he who watches over you will not slumber;

4

indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

5

The LORD watches over you-- the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

6

the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

7

The LORD will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life;

8

the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Today's bible teaching: When God restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Psalm 53

1

Psalm 53 For the director of music. According to mahalath. ^[1] A maskil ^[2] of David.

1

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good.

2

God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.

3

Everyone has turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.

4

Will the evildoers never learn-- those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on God?

5

There they were, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to dread. God scattered the bones of those who attacked you; you put them to shame, for God despised them.

6

Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Today's bible teaching: Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture

Psalm  37

1

Psalm 37 Of David. ^[1]

1

Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong;

2

for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.

3

Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

4

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5

Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:

6

He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

7

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

8

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret--it leads only to evil.

9

For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

10

A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.

11

But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.

12

The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them;

13

but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.

14

The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.

15

But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.

16

Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked;

17

for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.

18

The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, and their inheritance will endure forever.

19

In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

20

But the wicked will perish: The LORD's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields, they will vanish--vanish like smoke.

21

The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously;

22

those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be cut off.

23

If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm;

24

though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

25

I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.

26

They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed.

27

Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.

28

For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;

29

the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.

30

The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just.

31

The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip.

32

The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, seeking their very lives;

33

but the LORD will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned when brought to trial.

34

Wait for the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

35

I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a green tree in its native soil,

36

but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found.

37

Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future ^[2] for the man of peace.

38

But all sinners will be destroyed; the future ^[3] of the wicked will be cut off.

39

The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.

40

The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.