Today's praises: Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation

Psalm 95

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Psalm 95

1

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

2

Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.

3

For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods.

4

In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.

5

The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.

6

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;

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for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice,

8

do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, ^[1] as you did that day at Massah ^[2] in the desert,

9

where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did.

10

For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, "They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways."

11

So I declared on oath in my anger, "They shall never enter my rest."

Today's bible teaching: In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them

Psalm 22

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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,

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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 praises: Praise the LORD. I will extol the LORD with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly.

Psalm 111

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Psalm 111 

1

Praise the LORD.  I will extol the LORD with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly.

2

Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them.

3

Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever.

4

He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate.

5

He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.

6

He has shown his people the power of his works, giving them the lands of other nations.

7

The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy.

8

They are steadfast for ever and ever, done in faithfulness and uprightness.

9

He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever-- holy and awesome is his name.

10

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.

1. This psalm is an acrostic poem, the lines of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

Today's bible teaching: For the sake of David your servant, do not reject your anointed one

Psalm 132

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Psalm 132 A song of ascents.

1

O LORD, remember David and all the hardships he endured.

2

He swore an oath to the LORD and made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:

3

"I will not enter my house or go to my bed--

4

I will allow no sleep to my eyes, no slumber to my eyelids,

5

till I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob."

6

We heard it in Ephrathah, we came upon it in the fields of Jaar ^[1] : ^[2]

7

"Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool--

8

arise, O LORD, and come to your resting place, you and the ark of your might.

9

May your priests be clothed with righteousness; may your saints sing for joy."

10

For the sake of David your servant, do not reject your anointed one.

11

The LORD swore an oath to David, a sure oath that he will not revoke: "One of your own descendants I will place on your throne--

12

if your sons keep my covenant and the statutes I teach them, then their sons will sit on your throne for ever and ever."

13

For the LORD has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling:

14

"This is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it--

15

I will bless her with abundant provisions; her poor will I satisfy with food.

16

I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints will ever sing for joy.

17

"Here I will make a horn ^[3] grow for David and set up a lamp for my anointed one.

18

I will clothe his enemies with shame, but the crown on his head will be resplendent."

Today's prayer: May all who hate Zion be turned back in shame.

Psalm 129

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Psalm 129 A song of ascents.

1

They have greatly oppressed me from my youth-- let Israel say--

2

they have greatly oppressed me from my youth, but they have not gained the victory over me.

3

Plowmen have plowed my back and made their furrows long.

4

But the LORD is righteous; he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.

5

May all who hate Zion be turned back in shame.

6

May they be like grass on the roof, which withers before it can grow;

7

with it the reaper cannot fill his hands, nor the one who gathers fill his arms.

8

May those who pass by not say, "The blessing of the LORD be upon you; we bless you in the name of the LORD."

Today's prayer: May you be blessed by the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 115

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Psalm 115

1

Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.

2

Why do the nations say, "Where is their God?"

3

Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.

4

But their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men.

5

They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but they cannot see;

6

they have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but they cannot smell;

7

they have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but they cannot walk; nor can they utter a sound with their throats.

8

Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.

9

O house of Israel, trust in the LORD-- he is their help and shield.

10

O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD-- he is their help and shield.

11

You who fear him, trust in the LORD-- he is their help and shield.

12

The LORD remembers us and will bless us: He will bless the house of Israel, he will bless the house of Aaron,

13

he will bless those who fear the LORD-- small and great alike.

14

May the LORD make you increase, both you and your children.

15

May you be blessed by the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

16

The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth he has given to man.

17

It is not the dead who praise the LORD, those who go down to silence;

18

it is we who extol the LORD, both now and forevermore. Praise the LORD. ^[1]

Today's bible teaching: The LORD hears the needy and does not despise his captive people

Psalm 69

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Psalm 69 For the director of music. To [the tune of] "Lilies." Of David.

1

Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.

2

I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me.

3

I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God.

4

Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me. I am forced to restore what I did not steal.

5

You know my folly, O God; my guilt is not hidden from you.

6

May those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me, O Lord, the LORD Almighty; may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me, O God of Israel.

7

For I endure scorn for your sake, and shame covers my face.

8

I am a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my own mother's sons;

9

for zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.

10

When I weep and fast, I must endure scorn;

11

when I put on sackcloth, people make sport of me.

12

Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of the drunkards.

13

But I pray to you, O LORD, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation.

14

Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink; deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters.

15

Do not let the floodwaters engulf me or the depths swallow me up or the pit close its mouth over me.

16

Answer me, O LORD, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me.

17

Do not hide your face from your servant; answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.

18

Come near and rescue me; redeem me because of my foes.

19

You know how I am scorned, disgraced and shamed; all my enemies are before you.

20

Scorn has broken my heart and has left me helpless; I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found none.

21

They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.

22

May the table set before them become a snare; may it become retribution and ^[1] a trap.

23

May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.

24

Pour out your wrath on them; let your fierce anger overtake them.

25

May their place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in their tents.

26

For they persecute those you wound and talk about the pain of those you hurt.

27

Charge them with crime upon crime; do not let them share in your salvation.

28

May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous.

29

I am in pain and distress; may your salvation, O God, protect me.

30

I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.

31

This will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hoofs.

32

The poor will see and be glad-- you who seek God, may your hearts live!

33

The LORD hears the needy and does not despise his captive people.

34

Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and all that move in them,

35

for God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah. Then people will settle there and possess it;

36

the children of his servants will inherit it, and those who love his name will dwell there.