Today's bible teaching: My help comes from the Lord, hithe Maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    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 prayer: Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me; Fight against those who fight against me.

Psalm 35

A Prayer for Rescue from Enemies

35 1  A Psalm of David. Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me; Fight against those who fight against me. 2  Take hold of shield and buckler, And stand up for my help. 3  Also draw out the spear, And stop those who pursue me. Say to my soul, "I am your salvation." 4  Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor Who seek after my life; Let those be turned back and brought to confusion Who plot my hurt. 5  Let them be like chaff before the wind, And let the angel of the Lord chase them. 6  Let their way be dark and slippery, And let the angel of the Lord pursue them. 7  For without cause they have hidden their net for me in a pit, Which they have dug without cause for my life. 8  Let destruction come upon him unexpectedly, And let his net that he has hidden catch himself; Into that very destruction let him fall. 9  And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; It shall rejoice in His salvation. 10  All my bones shall say, "Lord, who is like You, Delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, Yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?"

11  Fierce witnesses rise up; They ask me things that I do not know. 12  They reward me evil for good, To the sorrow of my soul. 13  But as for me, when they were sick, My clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting; And my prayer would return to my own heart. 14  I paced about as though he were my friend or brother; I bowed down heavily, as one who mourns for his mother. 15  But in my adversity they rejoiced And gathered together; Attackers gathered against me, And I did not know it; They tore at me and did not cease; 16  With ungodly mockers at feasts They gnashed at me with their teeth.

17  Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue me from their destructions, My precious life from the lions. 18  I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people. 19  Let them not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies; Nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause. 20  For they do not speak peace, But they devise deceitful matters Against the quiet ones in the land. 21  They also opened their mouth wide against me, And said, "Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it." 22  This You have seen, O Lord; Do not keep silence. O Lord, do not be far from me. 23  Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication, To my cause, my God and my Lord. 24  Vindicate me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness; And let them not rejoice over me. 25  Let them not say in their hearts, "Ah, so we would have it!" Let them not say, "We have swallowed him up." 26  Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion Who rejoice at my hurt; Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor Who exalt themselves against me. 27  Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, "Let the Lord be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant." 28  And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness And of Your praise all the day long.

Today's bible teaching: In you God our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.

Psalm 22 

Why Have You Forsaken Me?

1To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?2O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.3Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises* of Israel.4In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.5To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.6But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people.7All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;8“He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”9Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts.10On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother’s womb you have been my God.11Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help.12Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me;13they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.14I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast;15my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.16For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet*—17I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me;18they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.19But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid!20Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog!21Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued* me from the horns of the wild oxen!22I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:23You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!24For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.25From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him.26The afflicted* shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever!27All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.28For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.29All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive.30Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;31they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.

Today's prayer: Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea; listen to my cry. Give ear to my prayer-- it does not rise from deceitful lips.

Psalm 17

1

Psalm 17 

A prayer of David.

1

Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea; listen to my cry. Give ear to my prayer-- it does not rise from deceitful lips.

2

May my vindication come from you; may your eyes see what is right.

3

Though you probe my heart and examine me at night, though you test me, you will find nothing; I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.

4

As for the deeds of men-- by the word of your lips I have kept myself from the ways of the violent.

5

My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not slipped.

6

I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer.

7

Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.

8

Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings

9

from the wicked who assail me, from my mortal enemies who surround me.

10

They close up their callous hearts, and their mouths speak with arrogance.

11

They have tracked me down, they now surround me, with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.

12

They are like a lion hungry for prey, like a great lion crouching in cover.

13

Rise up, O LORD, confront them, bring them down; rescue me from the wicked by your sword.

14

O LORD, by your hand save me from such men, from men of this world whose reward is in this life. You still the hunger of those you cherish; their sons have plenty, and they store up wealth for their children.

15

And I--in righteousness I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

Today's prayer: Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me

Psalm 5

Lead Me in Your Righteousness

1To the choirmaster: for the flutes. A Psalm of David. Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my groaning.2Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray.3O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you* and watch.4For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you.5The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.6You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.7But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.8Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.9For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue.10Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you.11But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you.12For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield.

Today's bible teaching: Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord.

Psalm 4

An Evening Prayer of Trust in God

4 1  Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. 2  O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah. 3  But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him. 4  Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. 5  Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord.

6  There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. 7  Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. 8  I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

Today's bible teaching: Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Psalm 8

For the director of music. According to gittith. A psalm of David.

1Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens.2Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.3When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,4what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?*5You have made them* a little lower than the angels* and crowned them* with glory and honor.6You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their* feet:7all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild,8the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.9Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!