Through the Bible – Day 197

₁When you are angry, LORD,

please don't punish me

or even correct me.

₂You shot me with your arrows,

and you struck me

with your hand.

₃My body hurts all over

because of your anger.

Even my bones are in pain,

and my sins ₄are so heavy

that I am crushed.

₅Because of my foolishness,

I am covered with sores

that stink and spread.

₆My body is twisted and bent,

and I groan all day long.

₇Fever has my back in flames,

and I hurt all over.

₈I am worn out and weak,

moaning and in distress.

₉You, Lord, know every one

of my deepest desires,

and my noisy groans

are no secret to you.

₁₀My heart is beating fast.

I feel weak all over,

and my eyes are red.

₁₁Because of my sickness,

no friends or neighbours

will come near me.

₁₂All who want me dead

set traps to catch me,

and those who want

to harm and destroy me

plan and plot all day.

₁₃I am not able to hear

or speak a word;

₁₄I am completely deaf

and can't make a sound.

₁₅I trust you, LORD God,

and you will do something.

₁₆I said, “Don't let them laugh

or boast because I slip.”

₁₇I am about to collapse

from constant pain.

₁₈I told you my sins,

and I am sorry for them.

₁₉Many deadly and powerful

enemies hate me,

₂₀and they repay evil for good

because I try to do right.

₂₁You are the LORD God!

Stay nearby

and don't desert me.

₂₂You are the one who saves me.

Please hurry and help.

₁I told myself, “I'll be careful

not to sin by what I say,

and I'll muzzle my mouth

when evil people are near.”

₂I kept completely silent,

but it did no good,

and I suffered even more.

₃I felt a fire burning inside,

and the more I thought,

the more it burnt,

until at last I said:

₄“Please, LORD,

show me my future.

Will I soon be gone?

₅You made my life short,

so brief that the time

means nothing to you.

“Human life is but a breath,

₆and it disappears

like a shadow.

Our struggles are senseless;

we store up more and more,

without ever knowing

who will get it all.

₇“What am I waiting for?

I depend on you, Lord!

₈Save me from my sins.

Don't let fools sneer at me.

₉You treated me like this,

and I kept silent,

not saying a word.

₁₀“Won't you stop punishing me?

You have worn me down.

₁₁You punish us severely

because of our sins.

Like a moth, you destroy

what we treasure most.

We are as frail as a breath.

₁₂“Listen, LORD, to my prayer!

My eyes are flooded with tears,

as I pray to you.

I am merely a stranger

visiting your home

as my ancestors did.

₁₃Stop being angry with me

and let me smile again

before I am dead and gone.”

₁I patiently waited, LORD,

for you to hear my prayer.

You listened ₂and pulled me

from a lonely pit

full of mud and mire.

You let me stand on a rock

with my feet firm,

₃and you gave me a new song,

a song of praise to you.

Many will see this,

and they will honour and trust

you, the LORD God.

₄You bless all of those

who trust you, LORD,

and refuse to worship idols

or follow false gods.

₅You, LORD God, have done

many wonderful things,

and you have planned

marvellous things for us.

No one is like you!

I would never be able to tell

all you have done.

₆Sacrifices and offerings

are not what please you;

gifts and payment for sin

are not what you demand.

But you made me willing

to listen and obey.

₇And so, I said, “I am here

to do what is written

about me in the book,

where it says,

₈‘I enjoy pleasing you.

Your Law is in my heart.’ ”

₉When your people worshipped,

you know I told them,

“Our LORD always helps!”

₁₀When all your people met,

I did not keep silent.

I said, “Our LORD is kind.

He is faithful and caring,

and he saves us.”

₁₁You, LORD, never fail

to have pity on me;

your love and faithfulness

always keep me secure.

₁₂I have more troubles

than I can count.

My sins are all around me,

and I can't find my way.

My sins outnumber

the hairs on my head,

and I feel weak.

₁₃Please show that you care

and come to my rescue.

Hurry and help me!

₁₄Disappoint and confuse

all who want me dead;

turn away and disgrace

all who want to hurt me.

₁₅Embarrass and shame

all those who say,

“Just look at you now!”

₁₆Our LORD, let your worshippers

rejoice and be glad.

They love you for saving them,

so let them always say,

“The LORD is wonderful!”

₁₇I am poor and needy,

but, LORD God,

you care about me,

and you come to my rescue.

Please hurry and help.

₁You, LORD God, bless everyone

who cares for the poor,

and you rescue those people

in times of trouble.

₂You protect them

and keep them alive.

You make them happy here

in this land,

and you don't hand them over

to their enemies.

₃You always heal them

and restore their strength

when they are sick.

₄I prayed, “Have pity, LORD!

Heal me, though I have sinned

against you.”

₅My vicious enemies ask me,

“When will you die

and be forgotten?”

₆When visitors come,

all they ever bring

are worthless words,

and when they leave,

they spread gossip.

₇My enemies whisper about me.

They think the worst,

₈and they say,

“You have some fatal disease!

You'll never get well.”

₉My most trusted friend

has turned against me,

though he ate at my table.

₁₀Have pity, LORD! Heal me,

so I can pay them back.

₁₁Then my enemies

won't defeat me,

and I will know

that you really care.

₁₂You have helped me

because I am innocent,

and you will always

be close to my side.

₁₃You, the LORD God of Israel,

will be praised for ever!

Amen and amen.