Jun 20 - Psalms 49-54
Psalms
1Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world,2both low and high, rich and poor alike:3My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the utterance from my heart will give understanding.4I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle:5Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me-6those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?7No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him-8the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough-9that he should live on forever and not see decay.10For all can see that wise men die; the foolish and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others.11Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves.12But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish.13This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. Selah14Like sheep they are destined for the grave, and death will feed on them. The upright will rule over them in the morning; their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions.15But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself. Selah16Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases;17for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him.18Though while he lived he counted himself blessed- and men praise you when you prosper-19he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light of life.20A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
1The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets.2From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth.3Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages.4He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people:5"Gather to me my consecrated ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice."6And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for God himself is judge. Selah7"Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you: I am God, your God.8I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.9I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens,10for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.11I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine.12If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it.13Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?14Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High,15and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me."16But to the wicked, God says: "What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips?17You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you.18When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers.19You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit.20You speak continually against your brother and slander your own mother's son.21These things you have done and I kept silent; you thought I was altogether like you. But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face.22"Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue:23He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God."
1Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.2Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.3For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.4Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.5Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.6Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.7Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.8Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.9Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.10Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.11Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.12Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.13Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.14Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.15O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.16You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.18In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.19Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on your altar.
1Why do you boast of evil, you mighty man? Why do you boast all day long, you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?2Your tongue plots destruction; it is like a sharpened razor, you who practice deceit.3You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth. Selah4You love every harmful word, O you deceitful tongue!5Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin: He will snatch you up and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah6The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at him, saying,7"Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!"8But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever.9I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints.
1The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good.2God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.3Everyone has turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.4Will the evildoers never learn- those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on God?5There they were, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to dread. God scattered the bones of those who attacked you; you put them to shame, for God despised them.6Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
1Save me, O God, by your name; vindicate me by your might.2Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth.3Strangers are attacking me; ruthless men seek my life- men without regard for God. Selah4Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.5Let evil recoil on those who slander me; in your faithfulness destroy them.6I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, O LORD, for it is good.7For he has delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.