Today’s Reading: Psalms 32, 86, 102, 103, 122
PSALM 32
Blessed Are the Forgiven
32
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
whose sin is covered.
2
Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3
For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
through my groaning all day long.
4
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up[b] as by the heat of summer. Selah
my strength was dried up[b] as by the heat of summer. Selah
5
I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
6
Therefore let everyone who is godly
offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;
surely in the rush of great waters,
they shall not reach him.
offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;
surely in the rush of great waters,
they shall not reach him.
7
You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah
8
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9
Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
which must be curbed with bit and bridle,
or it will not stay near you.
which must be curbed with bit and bridle,
or it will not stay near you.
10
Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
11
Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
PSALM 86
Great Is Your Steadfast Love
86
Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
for I am poor and needy.
2
Preserve my life, for I am godly;
save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.
save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.
3
Be gracious to me, O Lord,
for to you do I cry all the day.
for to you do I cry all the day.
4
Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
5
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
6
Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
listen to my plea for grace.
listen to my plea for grace.
7
In the day of my trouble I call upon you,
for you answer me.
for you answer me.
8
There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,
nor are there any works like yours.
nor are there any works like yours.
9
All the nations you have made shall come
and worship before you, O Lord,
and shall glorify your name.
and worship before you, O Lord,
and shall glorify your name.
10
For you are great and do wondrous things;
you alone are God.
you alone are God.
11
Teach me your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.
12
I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
and I will glorify your name forever.
13
For great is your steadfast love toward me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
14
O God, insolent men have risen up against me;
a band of ruthless men seeks my life,
and they do not set you before them.
a band of ruthless men seeks my life,
and they do not set you before them.
15
But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
16
Turn to me and be gracious to me;
give your strength to your servant,
and save the son of your maidservant.
give your strength to your servant,
and save the son of your maidservant.
17
Show me a sign of your favor,
that those who hate me may see and be put to shame
because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
that those who hate me may see and be put to shame
because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
PSALM 102
Do Not Hide Your Face from Me
A Prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the Lord.
102
Hear my prayer, O Lord;
let my cry come to you!
let my cry come to you!
2
Do not hide your face from me
in the day of my distress!
Incline your ear to me;
answer me speedily in the day when I call!
in the day of my distress!
Incline your ear to me;
answer me speedily in the day when I call!
3
For my days pass away like smoke,
and my bones burn like a furnace.
and my bones burn like a furnace.
4
My heart is struck down like grass and has withered;
I forget to eat my bread.
I forget to eat my bread.
5
Because of my loud groaning
my bones cling to my flesh.
my bones cling to my flesh.
6
7
I lie awake;
I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.
I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.
8
All the day my enemies taunt me;
those who deride me use my name for a curse.
those who deride me use my name for a curse.
9
For I eat ashes like bread
and mingle tears with my drink,
and mingle tears with my drink,
10
because of your indignation and anger;
for you have taken me up and thrown me down.
for you have taken me up and thrown me down.
11
My days are like an evening shadow;
I wither away like grass.
I wither away like grass.
12
But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever;
you are remembered throughout all generations.
you are remembered throughout all generations.
13
You will arise and have pity on Zion;
it is the time to favor her;
the appointed time has come.
it is the time to favor her;
the appointed time has come.
14
For your servants hold her stones dear
and have pity on her dust.
and have pity on her dust.
15
Nations will fear the name of the Lord,
and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory.
and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory.
16
For the Lord builds up Zion;
he appears in his glory;
he appears in his glory;
17
he regards the prayer of the destitute
and does not despise their prayer.
and does not despise their prayer.
18
Let this be recorded for a generation to come,
so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord:
so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord:
19
that he looked down from his holy height;
from heaven the Lord looked at the earth,
from heaven the Lord looked at the earth,
20
to hear the groans of the prisoners,
to set free those who were doomed to die,
to set free those who were doomed to die,
21
that they may declare in Zion the name of the Lord,
and in Jerusalem his praise,
and in Jerusalem his praise,
22
when peoples gather together,
and kingdoms, to worship the Lord.
and kingdoms, to worship the Lord.
23
He has broken my strength in midcourse;
he has shortened my days.
he has shortened my days.
24
“O my God,” I say, “take me not away
in the midst of my days—
you whose years endure
throughout all generations!”
in the midst of my days—
you whose years endure
throughout all generations!”
25
Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
26
They will perish, but you will remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,
they will all wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,
27
but you are the same, and your years have no end.
28
The children of your servants shall dwell secure;
their offspring shall be established before you.
their offspring shall be established before you.
PSALM 103
Bless the Lord, O My Soul
103
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
2
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
and forget not all his benefits,
3
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who heals all your diseases,
4
who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5
who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6
The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7
He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
his acts to the people of Israel.
8
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9
He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
14
15
As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
16
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
and its place knows it no more.
17
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children's children,
and his righteousness to children's children,
18
to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
and remember to do his commandments.
19
The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.
and his kingdom rules over all.
20
Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
21
Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!
his ministers, who do his will!
22
Bless the Lord, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
PSALM 122
Let Us Go to the House of the Lord
122
I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the Lord!”
“Let us go to the house of the Lord!”
2
Our feet have been standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem!
within your gates, O Jerusalem!
3
Jerusalem— built as a city
that is bound firmly together,
that is bound firmly together,
4
to which the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord,
as was decreed for[a] Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the Lord.
the tribes of the Lord,
as was decreed for[a] Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the Lord.
5
There thrones for judgment were set,
the thrones of the house of David.
the thrones of the house of David.
6
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
“May they be secure who love you!
“May they be secure who love you!
7
Peace be within your walls
and security within your towers!”
and security within your towers!”
8
For my brothers and companions' sake
I will say, “Peace be within you!”
I will say, “Peace be within you!”
9
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek your good.
I will seek your good.
Where have you seen God’s grace in your life today?