Today's prayer: Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.

 Psalm 69

1

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.

Today's bible teaching:It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore

 Psalm 133

1

Psalm 133 A song of ascents. Of David.

1

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!

2

It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes.

3

It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.

Boniface Bows To Osimhen After Scoring In The 26th Minute For Galatasaray

Galatasaray are on the brink of Turkish Cup glory after a commanding 5-1 victory over Konyaspor in the semi-final, driven by the brilliance of Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen.

The Nigerian star’s relentless performance at the Türk Telekom Stadium propelled the Lions into the final, keeping their hopes alive for a domestic double.

The match had Galatasaray’s attacking prowess on display, with Osimhen at the heart of their dominance.

The 26-year-old opened the scoring in the 26th minute, powering a header past Konyaspor’s goalkeeper Deniz Ertas.

The early goal set the tone, and Lucas Torreira doubled the lead before halftime, capitalising on the momentum created by Galatasaray’s high press.

After the break, Osimhen turned provider, setting up Roland Sallai for Galatasaray’s third goal, effectively putting one foot in the final.

Despite a brief response from Konyaspor’s Pedrinho, who pulled one back before the hour mark, Galatasaray remained unfazed.

Dries Mertens stepped up, assisting Sallai and Yusuf Demir to seal the 5-1 rout, ensuring a comfortable passage to the final.

This semi-final win follows Galatasaray’s earlier victory over rivals Fenerbahce in the quarter-finals, also powered by Osimhen, underlining their credentials as clear favourites for the cup.

The dynamic partnership between Osimhen and Mertens has been pivotal, with the duo consistently delivering match-defining moments throughout the campaign.

The victory sparked celebrations among fans and players, with social media buzzing post-match.

Osimhen, known for his vibrant online presence, shared his customary victory post on Instagram, drawing reactions from fans and peers.

Among those celebrating his performance was fellow Super Eagles striker Victor Boniface, who took to the comment section to laud his national teammate.

“He too sure,” Boniface wrote, a nod to Osimhen’s growing reputation as a clutch performer in Turkey.

Osimhen’s form has been a major talking point this season, with the forward thriving since his move to Galatasaray.

His contributions in both the Turkish Super Lig and the cup have fueled optimism that the club can secure silverware this term.

Galatasaray now await their opponents in the Turkish Cup final, with Osimhen and company firmly focused on adding another trophy to the club’s storied history.

Pulse sports

Finnish Court Didn’t Approve Simon Ekpa’s Extradition To Nigeria

On Tuesday, some social media users and blog sites made a post claiming that a Finnish court has approved the extradition of Simon Ekpa, the controversial Biafra separatist, from Finland to Nigeria.

The judgment was said to have been delivered at the Päijät-Häme district court in Lahti on April 18, 2025.

The post was widely shared on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and TikTok. The viral post was accompanied by an AI-generated picture showing Ekpa in an attire that appears to be from a prison uniform.

Popular blog sites like Instabloggja and Nigerian Stories published the post.

“Finnish Court Approves Simon Ekpa’s Extradition to Nigeria. Simon Ekpa, the controversial Finnish-Nigerian separatist agitator, will be extradited to Nigeria following a Finnish court ruling on April 18, 2025,” part of the post reads.

Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide, referenced the viral post on Ekpa in a comment published via X on Wednesday.

Daily Times, a national newspaper with about one million followers across social media platforms, also amplified the post about Ekpa’s extradition.

On Wednesday, the newspaper published the picture for its front page for Wednesday’s edition. The picture shows that the viral post on the purported approval of Ekpa’s extradition by a Finnish court was the cover story of the newspaper edition.

Other versions of the viral post have been archived

BACKGROUND

Ekpa was arrested in Finland on November 21, 2024, by law enforcement agents over alleged terrorism.

He was subsequently sent to prison by the district court of Päijät-Häme for “spreading terrorist propaganda on social media”.

Ekpa was said to have committed the crime in 2021 in Lahti municipality.

He is accused of instigating violence and inciting terror in the south-east of Nigeria through his social media pages.

Before his arrest, the controversial Biafra agitator was using his social media platforms, especially on X, to incite violence in the south-east region, especially against security agents and public institutions.

Nigerian authorities have been demanding the extradition of Ekpa, a dual citizen of Finland and Nigeria, for prosecution. However, the effort has not yielded the right result.

Last year, Mikko Laaksonen, the senior detective superintendent at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Finland, disclosed that a Finnish district court fixed May 2025 for the prosecution to file charges against Ekpa.

Subsequently, Laaksonen said Ekpa would remain in custody until his trial since the alleged offence was not bailable.

Recently, Kaarle Gummerus, Ekpa’s new lawyer, said Ekpa will appear in court in June 2025 to face trial.

VERIFICATION

CableCheck conducted online searches on the websites of Yle, a broadcasting organisation in Finland, and the Päijät Häme district court. There was no credible information suggesting that a Finnish court ordered the extradition of Ekpa to Nigeria.

Although Nigerian authorities have indicated their intention to seek Ekpa’s extradition, it remains unclear whether a formal request has been submitted to Finnish authorities or when extradition proceedings might begin in court.

When CableCheck contacted Gummerus via email, he said no court in Finland has taken such a decision.

“I can confirm to you that no decision has been taken in Finland. I have no information on the matter, so no such decision could have been taken,” the lawyer said.

“I wonder who is spreading such information.”

In an email sent to CableCheck, Laaksonen said Finnish NBI is unaware of any court order about the purported extradition of Ekpa.

“NBI has received similar information from different sources. However, NBI is not aware of any decisions regarding extradition that is related to the investigation in question,” Laaksonen said.

VERDICT

The claim that a Finnish court has ordered the extradition of Ekpa to Nigeria is false.

Source : thecable

Today's bible teaching:For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your prosperity.

 Psalm 122

1

Psalm 122 A song of ascents. Of David.

1

I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD."

2

Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem.

3

Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together.

4

That is where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, to praise the name of the LORD according to the statute given to Israel.

5

There the thrones for judgment stand, the thrones of the house of David.

6

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May those who love you be secure.

7

May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels."

8

For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, "Peace be within you."

9

For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your prosperity.

Today's bible teaching: Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God?

 Psalm 77

1

Psalm 77 For the director of music. For Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm.

1

I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me.

2

When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands and my soul refused to be comforted.

3

I remembered you, O God, and I groaned; I mused, and my spirit grew faint. Selah

4

You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak.

5

I thought about the former days, the years of long ago;

6

I remembered my songs in the night. My heart mused and my spirit inquired:

7

"Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again?

8

Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?

9

Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?" Selah

10

Then I thought, "To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High."

11

I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.

12

I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.

13

Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God?

14

You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.

15

With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Selah

16

The waters saw you, O God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed.

17

The clouds poured down water, the skies resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth.

18

Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked.

19

Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen.

20

You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Today's praises: Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name

 Psalm 100

1

Psalm 100 A psalm. For giving thanks.

1

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

2

Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

3

Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his ^[1] ; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

5

For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.