Today's prayer:O LORD, by your hand save me from such men, from men of this world whose reward is in this life

 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 bible teaching: Who is he, this King of glory? The LORD Almighty-- he is the King of glory

 Psalm 24

1

Psalm 24 Of David. A psalm.

1

The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;

2

for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.

3

Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place?

4

He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. ^[1]

5

He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior.

6

Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob. ^[2] Selah

7

Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.

8

Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.

9

Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.

10

Who is he, this King of glory? The LORD Almighty-- he is the King of glory. Selah

Today's bible teaching: Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart

 Psalm 73

1

Psalm 73 A psalm of Asaph.

1

Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.

2

But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.

3

For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4

They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. ^[1]

5

They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills.

6

Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.

7

From their callous hearts comes iniquity ^[2] ; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.

8

They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression.

9

Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth.

10

Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. ^[3]

11

They say, "How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?"

12

This is what the wicked are like-- always carefree, they increase in wealth.

13

Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.

14

All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning.

15

If I had said, "I will speak thus," I would have betrayed your children.

16

When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me

17

till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.

18

Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.

19

How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!

20

As a dream when one awakes, so when you arise, O Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.

21

When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered,

22

I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.

23

Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.

24

You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

25

Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

26

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

27

Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

28

But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

Today's prayer: O LORD, do not forsake me; be not far from me, O my God

 Psalm 38

1

Psalm 38 A psalm of David. A petition.

1

O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.

2

For your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down upon me.

3

Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin.

4

My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.

5

My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly.

6

I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning.

7

My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body.

8

I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart.

9

All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you.

10

My heart pounds, my strength fails me; even the light has gone from my eyes.

11

My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds; my neighbors stay far away.

12

Those who seek my life set their traps, those who would harm me talk of my ruin; all day long they plot deception.

13

I am like a deaf man, who cannot hear, like a mute, who cannot open his mouth;

14

I have become like a man who does not hear, whose mouth can offer no reply.

15

I wait for you, O LORD; you will answer, O Lord my God.

16

For I said, "Do not let them gloat or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips."

17

For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me.

18

I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin.

19

Many are those who are my vigorous enemies; those who hate me without reason are numerous.

20

Those who repay my good with evil slander me when I pursue what is good.

21

O LORD, do not forsake me; be not far from me, O my God.

22

Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Savior.

Today's bible teaching: Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD-- that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.

 Psalm 83

1

Psalm 83 A song. A psalm of Asaph.

1

O God, do not keep silent; be not quiet, O God, be not still.

2

See how your enemies are astir, how your foes rear their heads.

3

With cunning they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish.

4

"Come," they say, "let us destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more."

5

With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you--

6

the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites,

7

Gebal, ^[1] Ammon and Amalek, Philistia, with the people of Tyre.

8

Even Assyria has joined them to lend strength to the descendants of Lot. Selah

9

Do to them as you did to Midian, as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon,

10

who perished at Endor and became like refuse on the ground.

11

Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,

12

who said, "Let us take possession of the pasturelands of God."

13

Make them like tumbleweed, O my God, like chaff before the wind.

14

As fire consumes the forest or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,

15

so pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your storm.

16

Cover their faces with shame so that men will seek your name, O LORD.

17

May they ever be ashamed and dismayed; may they perish in disgrace.

18

Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD-- that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.

Today's bible teaching: Though they plot evil against you and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed

 Psalm 21

1

Psalm 21 For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1

O LORD, the king rejoices in your strength. How great is his joy in the victories you give!

2

You have granted him the desire of his heart and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah

3

You welcomed him with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.

4

He asked you for life, and you gave it to him-- length of days, for ever and ever.

5

Through the victories you gave, his glory is great; you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.

6

Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.

7

For the king trusts in the LORD; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.

8

Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies; your right hand will seize your foes.

9

At the time of your appearing you will make them like a fiery furnace. In his wrath the LORD will swallow them up, and his fire will consume them.

10

You will destroy their descendants from the earth, their posterity from mankind.

11

Though they plot evil against you and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed;

12

for you will make them turn their backs when you aim at them with drawn bow.

13

Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength; we will sing and praise your might.

Today's prayer: Deliver me from my enemies, O God; protect me from those who rise up against me.

 Psalm 59

1

Psalm 59 For the director of music. [To the tune of] "Do Not Destroy." Of David. A miktam. ^[1] When Saul had sent men to watch David's house in order to kill him.

1

Deliver me from my enemies, O God; protect me from those who rise up against me.

2

Deliver me from evildoers and save me from bloodthirsty men.

3

See how they lie in wait for me! Fierce men conspire against me for no offense or sin of mine, O LORD.

4

I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Arise to help me; look on my plight!

5

O LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish all the nations; show no mercy to wicked traitors. Selah

6

They return at evening, snarling like dogs, and prowl about the city.

7

See what they spew from their mouths-- they spew out swords from their lips, and they say, "Who can hear us?"

8

But you, O LORD, laugh at them; you scoff at all those nations.

9

O my Strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress,

10

my loving God. God will go before me and will let me gloat over those who slander me.

11

But do not kill them, O Lord our shield, ^[2] or my people will forget. In your might make them wander about, and bring them down.

12

For the sins of their mouths, for the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride. For the curses and lies they utter,

13

consume them in wrath, consume them till they are no more. Then it will be known to the ends of the earth that God rules over Jacob. Selah

14

They return at evening, snarling like dogs, and prowl about the city.

15

They wander about for food and howl if not satisfied.

16

But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

17

O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.