Psalm 84

[1]   How lovely is your dwelling place,  
          O LORD of hosts!  
[2]   My soul longs, indeed it faints  
          for the courts of the LORD;  
     my heart and my flesh sing for joy  
          to the living God.

[3]   Even the sparrow finds a home,  
          and the swallow a nest for herself,  
          where she may lay her young,  
     at your altars, O LORD of hosts,  
          my King and my God.  
[4]   Happy are those who live in your house,  
          ever singing your praise.                        Selah

[5]   Happy are those whose strength is in you,  
          in whose heart are the highways to Zion.  
[6]   As they go through the valley of Baca  
          they make it a place of springs;  
          the early rain also covers it with pools.  
[7]   They go from strength to strength;  
          the God of gods will be seen in Zion.

[8]   O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;  
          give ear, O God of Jacob!                          Selah  
[9]   Behold our shield, O God;  
          look on the face of your anointed.

[10]  For a day in your courts is better  
          than a thousand elsewhere.  
     I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God  
          than live in the tents of wickedness.  
[11]  For the LORD God is a sun and shield;  
          he bestows favor and honor.  
     No good thing does the LORD withhold  
          from those who walk uprightly.  
[12]  O LORD of hosts,  
          happy is everyone who trusts in you.

Psalm 116

[1]   I love the LORD, because he has heard   
         my voice and my supplications.   
[2]   Because he inclined his ear to me,   
         therefore I will call on him as long as I live.   
[3]   The snares of death encompassed me;   
         the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;   
         I suffered distress and anguish.   
[4]   Then I called on the name of the LORD:   
         "O LORD, I pray, save my life!"

[5]   Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;   
         our God is merciful.   
[6]   The LORD protects the simple;   
         when I was brought low, he saved me.   
[7]   Return, O my soul, to your rest,   
         for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.

[8]   For you have delivered my soul from death,   
         my eyes from tears,   
         my feet from stumbling.   
[9]   I walk before the LORD   
         in the land of the living.   
[10]  I kept my faith, even when I said,   
         "I am greatly afflicted";   
[11]  I said in my consternation,   
         "Everyone is a liar."

[12]  What shall I return to the LORD   
         for all his bounty to me?   
[13]   I will lift up the cup of salvation   
         and call on the name of the LORD,   
[14]  I will pay my vows to the LORD   
         in the presence of all his people.   
[15]  Precious in the sight of the LORD   
         is the death of his faithful ones.   
[16]  O LORD, I am your servant;   
         I am your servant, the child of your serving girl.   
         You have loosed my bonds.   
[17]  I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice   
         and call on the name of the LORD.   
[18]  I will pay my vows to the LORD   
         in the presence of all his people,   
[19]  in the courts of the house of the LORD,   
         in your midst, O Jerusalem.   
    Praise the LORD!

1 Peter 2:1-10

[1]Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander. [2]Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation -- [3]if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

[4]Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God's sight, and [5]like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. [6]For it stands in scripture:   
    "See, I am laying in Zion a stone,   
         a cornerstone chosen and precious;   
    and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame."   
[7]To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe, 
    "The stone that the builders rejected   
         has become the very head of the corner,"   
[8]and   
    "A stone that makes them stumble,   
         and a rock that makes them fall."   
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

[9]But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. [10]Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Matthew 19:13-22

[13]Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; [14]but Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs." [15]And he laid his hands on them and went on his way.

[16]Then someone came to him and said, "Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?" [17]And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments." [18]He said to him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; [19]Honor your father and mother; also, You shall love your neighbor as yourself." [20]The young man said to him, "I have kept all these; what do I still lack?" [21]Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." [22]When the young man heard this word, he went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

Psalm 62

[1]   For God alone my soul waits in silence;  
          from him comes my salvation.  
[2]   He alone is my rock and my salvation,  
          my fortress; I shall never be shaken.

[3]   How long will you assail a person,  
          will you batter your victim, all of you,  
          as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence?  
[4]   Their only plan is to bring down a person of prominence.  
          They take pleasure in falsehood;  
     they bless with their mouths,  
          but inwardly they curse.                                          
Selah

[5]   For God alone my soul waits in silence,  
          for my hope is from him.  
[6]   He alone is my rock and my salvation,  
          my fortress; I shall not be shaken.  
[7]   On God rests my deliverance and my honor;  
          my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.

[8]   Trust in him at all times, O people;  
          pour out your heart before him;  
          God is a refuge for us.                                            
      Selah

[9]   Those of low estate are but a breath,  
          those of high estate are a delusion;  
     in the balances they go up;  
          they are together lighter than a breath.  
[10]  Put no confidence in extortion,  
          and set no vain hopes on robbery;  
          if riches increase, do not set your heart on them.

[11]  Once God has spoken;  
          twice have I heard this:  
     that power belongs to God,  
[12]       and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord.  
     For you repay to all  
          according to their work.

Matthew 18:10-14

[10]"Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven.  [12]What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? [13]And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.  [14]So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.

Revelation 21:22-22:5

[21:22]I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. [23]And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. [24]The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. [25]Its gates will never be shut by day -- and there will be no night there. [26]People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. [27]But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.

[22:1]Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb [2]through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. [3]Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; [4]they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. [5]And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

Psalm 65

[1]   Praise is due to you,
          O God, in Zion;
     and to you shall vows be performed,
[2]        O you who answer prayer!
     To you all flesh shall come.
[3]   When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us,
          you forgive our transgressions.
[4]   Happy are those whom you choose and bring near
          to live in your courts.
     We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
          your holy temple.

[5]   By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance,
          O God of our salvation;
     you are the hope of all the ends of the earth
          and of the farthest seas.
[6]   By your strength you established the mountains;
          you are girded with might.
[7]   You silence the roaring of the seas,
          the roaring of their waves,
          the tumult of the peoples.
[8]   Those who live at earth's farthest bounds are awed by your signs;
          you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy.

[9]   You visit the earth and water it,
          you greatly enrich it;
     the river of God is full of water;
          you provide the people with grain,
          for so you have prepared it.
[10]  You water its furrows abundantly,
          settling its ridges,
     softening it with showers,
          and blessing its growth.
[11]  You crown the year with your bounty;
          your wagon tracks overflow with richness.
[12]  The pastures of the wilderness overflow,
          the hills gird themselves with joy,
[13]  the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,
          the valleys deck themselves with grain,
          they shout and sing together for joy.

Revelation 21:1-6

[1]Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. [2]And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. [3]And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

     "See, the home of God is among mortals.  
     He will dwell with them;  
     they will be his peoples,  
     and God himself will be with them;  
[4]   he will wipe every tear from their eyes.  
     Death will be no more;  
     mourning and crying and pain will be no more,  
     for the first things have passed away."

[5]And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true."
[6]Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.

Psalm 85

[1]   LORD, you were favorable to your land;  
          you restored the fortunes of Jacob.  
[2]   You forgave the iniquity of your people;  
          you pardoned all their sin.                              Selah  
[3]   You withdrew all your wrath;  
          you turned from your hot anger.

[4]   Restore us again, O God of our salvation,  
          and put away your indignation toward us.  
[5]   Will you be angry with us forever?  
          Will you prolong your anger to all generations?  
[6]   Will you not revive us again,  
          so that your people may rejoice in you?  
[7]   Show us your steadfast love, O LORD,  
          and grant us your salvation.

[8]   Let me hear what God the LORD will speak,  
          for he will speak peace to his people,  
          to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.  
[9]   Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,  
          that his glory may dwell in our land.

[10]  Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;  
          righteousness and peace will kiss each other.  
[11]  Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,  
          and righteousness will look down from the sky.  
[12]  The LORD will give what is good,  
          and our land will yield its increase.  
[13]  Righteousness will go before him,  
          and will make a path for his steps.

Psalm 130

[1]   Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD.   
[2]       Lord, hear my voice!   
    Let your ears be attentive   
         to the voice of my supplications!

[3]   If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,   
         Lord, who could stand?   
[4]   But there is forgiveness with you,   
         so that you may be revered.

[5]   I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,   
         and in his word I hope;   
[6]   my soul waits for the Lord   
         more than those who watch for the morning,   
         more than those who watch for the morning.

[7]   O Israel, hope in the LORD!   
         For with the LORD there is steadfast love,   
         and with him is great power to redeem.   
[8]   It is he who will redeem Israel   
         from all its iniquities.

 

Nehemiah 6:1-16

[1]Now when it was reported to Sanballat and Tobiah and to Geshem the Arab and to the rest of our enemies that I had built the wall and that there was no gap left in it (though up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), [2]Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, "Come and let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono." But they intended to do me harm.
[3]So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it to come down to you?"
[4]They sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner. [5]In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. [6]In it was written, "It is reported among the nations -- and Geshem also says it -- that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall; and according to this report you wish to become their king. [7]You have also set up prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, 'There is a king in Judah!' And now it will be reported to the king according to these words. So come, therefore, and let us confer together." [8]Then I sent to him, saying, "No such things as you say have been done; you are inventing them out of your own mind" [9]-- for they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done." But now, O God, strengthen my hands.

[10]One day when I went into the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his house, he said, "Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you; indeed, tonight they are coming to kill you."
[11]But I said, "Should a man like me run away? Would a man like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!" [12]Then I perceived and saw that God had not sent him at all, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. [13]He was hired for this purpose, to intimidate me and make me sin by acting in this way, and so they could give me a bad name, in order to taunt me. [14]Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid.

[15]So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. [16]And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem; for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.

Nehemiah 7:73b-8:3, 5-18

[7:73b]When the seventh month came -- the people of Israel being settled in their towns -- [8:1]all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had given to Israel. [2]Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. [3]He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the

law.

[5]And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. [6]Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, "Amen, Amen," lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. [7]Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the law, while the people remained in their places. [8]So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

[9]And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. [10]Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our LORD; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." [11]So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, "Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved." [12]And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.

[13]On the second day the heads of ancestral houses of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, came together to the scribe Ezra in order to study the words of the law. [14]And they found it written in the law, which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the people of Israel should live in booths during the festival of the seventh month, [15]and that they should publish and proclaim in all their towns and in Jerusalem as follows, "Go out to the hills and bring branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, as it is written." [16]So the people went out and brought them, and made booths for themselves, each on the roofs of their houses, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim. [17]And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in them; for from the days of Jeshua son of Nun to that day the people of Israel had not done so. And there was very great rejoicing. [18]And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read from the book of the law of God. They kept the festival seven days; and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.
 

Nehemiah 9:26-38

[26]"Nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against you and cast your law behind their backs and killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you, and they committed great blasphemies. [27]Therefore you gave them into the hands of their enemies, who made them suffer. Then in the time of their suffering they cried out to you and you heard them from heaven, and according to your great mercies you gave them saviors who saved them from the hands of their enemies. [28]But after they had rest, they again did evil before you, and you abandoned them to the hands of their enemies, so that they had dominion over them; yet when they turned and cried to you, you heard from heaven, and many times you rescued them according to your mercies.
[29]And you warned them in order to turn them back to your law. Yet they acted presumptuously and did not obey your commandments, but sinned against your ordinances, by the observance of which a person shall live. They turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck and would not obey. [30]Many years you were patient with them, and warned them by your spirit through your prophets; yet they would not listen. Therefore you handed them over to the peoples of the lands. [31]Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.

[32]"Now therefore, our God -- the great and mighty and awesome God, keeping covenant and steadfast love -- do not treat lightly all the hardship that has come upon us, upon our kings, our officials, our priests, our prophets, our ancestors, and all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria until today. [33]You have been just in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly; [34]our kings, our officials, our priests, and our ancestors have not kept your law or heeded the commandments and the warnings that you gave them. [35]Even in their own kingdom, and in the great goodness you bestowed on them, and in the large and rich land that you set before them, they did not serve you and did not turn from their wicked works. [36]Here we are, slaves to this day -- slaves in the land that you gave to our ancestors to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts. [37]Its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins; they have power also over our bodies and over our livestock at their pleasure, and we are in great distress."

[38]Because of all this we make a firm agreement in writing, and on that sealed document are inscribed the names of our officials, our Levites, and our priests.

Nehemiah 9:6-21

[6] And Ezra said: "You are the LORD, you alone; you have made heaven, the
heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. To all of them you give life, and the host of heaven worships you. [7] You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham; [8] and you found his heart faithful before you, and made with him a covenant to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite; and you have fulfilled your
promise, for you are righteous.

[9] "And you saw the distress of our ancestors in Egypt and heard their cry at the Red Sea. [10] You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants and all the people of his land, for you knew that they acted insolently against our ancestors. You made a name for yourself, which remains to this day. [11] And you divided the sea before them, so that they passed through the sea on dry land, but you threw their pursuers into the depths, like a stone into mighty waters. [12] Moreover, you led them by day with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire, to give them light on the way in which they should go. [13] You came down also upon Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments, [14] and you made known your holy sabbath to them and gave them commandments and statutes and a law through your servant Moses. [15] For their hunger you gave them bread from heaven, and for their thirst you brought water for them out of the rock, and you told them to go in to possess the land that you swore to give them.

[16] "But they and our ancestors acted presumptuously and stiffened their necks and did not obey your commandments; [17] they refused to obey, and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them; but they stiffened their necks and determined to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and you did not forsake them. [18] Even when they had cast an image of a calf for themselves and said, 'This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,' and had committed great blasphemies, [19] you in your great mercies did not forsake them in the wilderness; the pillar of cloud that led them in the way did not leave them by day, nor the pillar of fire by night that gave them light on the way by which they should go. [20] You gave your good spirit to instruct them, and did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and gave them water for their thirst. [21] Forty years you sustained them in the wilderness so that they lacked nothing; their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.

Psalm 51

[1]   Have mercy on me, O God,   
         according to your steadfast love;   
    according to your abundant mercy   
         blot out my transgressions.   
[2]   Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,   
         and cleanse me from my sin.

[3]   For I know my transgressions,   
         and my sin is ever before me.   
[4]   Against you, you alone, have I sinned,   
         and done what is evil in your sight,   
    so that you are justified in your sentence   
         and blameless when you pass judgment.   


[5]   Indeed, I was born guilty,   
         a sinner when my mother conceived me.

[6]   You desire truth in the inward being;   
         therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.   
[7]   Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;   
         wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.   
[8]   Let me hear joy and gladness;   
         let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.   
[9]   Hide your face from my sins,   
         and blot out all my iniquities.

[10]  Create in me a clean heart, O God,   
         and put a new and right spirit within me.   
[11]  Do not cast me away from your presence,   
         and do not take your holy spirit from me.   
[12]  Restore to me the joy of your salvation,   
         and sustain in me a willing spirit.

[13]  Then I will teach transgressors your ways,   
         and sinners will return to you.   
[14]  Deliver me from bloodshed, O God,   
         O God of my salvation,   
         and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.

[15]  O Lord, open my lips,   
         and my mouth will declare your praise.   
[16]  For you have no delight in sacrifice;   
         if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.   
[17]  The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;   
         a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

[18]  Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;   
         rebuild the walls of Jerusalem,   
[19]  then you will delight in right sacrifices,   
         in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;   
         then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Psalm 97

[1]   The LORD is king! Let the earth rejoice;  
          let the many coastlands be glad!  
[2]   Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;  
          righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.  
[3]   Fire goes before him,  
          and consumes his adversaries on every side.  
[4]   His lightnings light up the world;  
          the earth sees and trembles.  
[5]   The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,  
          before the Lord of all the earth.

[6]   The heavens proclaim his righteousness;  
          and all the peoples behold his glory.  
[7]   All worshipers of images are put to shame,  
          those who make their boast in worthless idols;  
          all gods bow down before him.  
[8]   Zion hears and is glad,  
          and the towns of Judah rejoice,  
          because of your judgments, O God.  
[9]   For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth;  
          you are exalted far above all gods.

[10]  The LORD loves those who hate evil;  
          he guards the lives of his faithful;  
          he rescues them from the hand of the wicked.  
[11]  Light dawns for the righteous,  
          and joy for the upright in heart.  
[12]  Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous,  
          and give thanks to his holy name!

Matthew 13:44-52

[44]"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

[45]"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; [46]on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

[47]"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; [48]when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. [49]So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous [50]and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

[51]"Have you understood all this?" They answered, "Yes." [52]And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old."

Psalm 29

[1]   Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings,  

          ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.  

[2]   Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name;  

          worship the LORD in holy splendor.

[3]   The voice of the LORD is over the waters;  

          the God of glory thunders,  

          the LORD, over mighty waters.  

[4]   The voice of the LORD is powerful;  

          the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

[5]   The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;  

          the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.  

[6]   He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,  

          and Sirion like a young wild ox.

[7]   The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.  

[8]   The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;  

          the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

[9]   The voice of the LORD causes the oaks to whirl,  

          and strips the forest bare;  

          and in his temple all say, "Glory!"

[10]  The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;  

          the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.  

[11]  May the LORD give strength to his people!  

          May the LORD bless his people with peace!

Psalm 25

[1]   To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.   
[2]   O my God, in you I trust;   
         do not let me be put to shame;   
         do not let my enemies exult over me.   
[3]   Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;   
         let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

[4]   Make me to know your ways, O LORD;   
         teach me your paths.   
[5]   Lead me in your truth, and teach me,   
         for you are the God of my salvation;   
         for you I wait all day long.

[6]   Be mindful of your mercy, O LORD, and of your steadfast love,   
         for they have been from of old.   
[7]   Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;   
         according to your steadfast love remember me,   
         for your goodness' sake, O LORD!

[8]   Good and upright is the LORD;   
         therefore he instructs sinners in the way.   
[9]   He leads the humble in what is right,   
         and teaches the humble his way.   
[10]  All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness,   
         for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

[11]  For your name's sake, O LORD,   
         pardon my guilt, for it is great.   


[12]  Who are they that fear the LORD?   
         He will teach them the way that they should choose.

[13]  They will abide in prosperity,   
         and their children shall possess the land.   
[14]  The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him,   
         and he makes his covenant known to them.   
[15]  My eyes are ever toward the LORD,   
         for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

[16]  Turn to me and be gracious to me,   
         for I am lonely and afflicted.   
[17]  Relieve the troubles of my heart,   
         and bring me out of my distress.   
[18]  Consider my affliction and my trouble,   
         and forgive all my sins.

[19]  Consider how many are my foes,   
         and with what violent hatred they hate me.   
[20]  O guard my life, and deliver me;   
         do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.   
[21]  May integrity and uprightness preserve me,   
         for I wait for you.

[22]  Redeem Israel, O God,   
         out of all its troubles.