Through the Bible – Day 198

Bible text(s)

Psalms 42

(A special psalm for the people of Korah and for the music leader.)

Longing for God

1As a deer gets thirsty

for streams of water,

I truly am thirsty

for you, my God.

2In my heart, I am thirsty

for you, the living God.

When will I see your face?

3Day and night my tears

are my only food,

as everyone keeps asking,

“Where is your God?”

4Sorrow floods my heart,

when I remember

leading the worshippers

to your house.

I can still hear them shout

their joyful praises.

5Why am I discouraged?

Why am I restless?

I trust you!

And I will praise you again

because you help me,

6and you are my God.

I am deeply discouraged

as I think about you

from where the Jordan begins

at Mount Hermon

and from Mount Mizar.

7Your vicious waves

have swept over me

like an angry ocean

or a roaring waterfall.

8Every day, you are kind,

and at night

you give me a song

as my prayer to you,

the living LORD God.

9You are my mighty rock.

Why have you forgotten me?

Why must enemies ill-treat me

and make me sad?

10Even my bones are in pain,

while all day long

my enemies sneer and ask,

“Where is your God?”

11Why am I discouraged?

Why am I restless?

I trust you!

And I will praise you again

because you help me,

and you are my God.

Psalms 43

A prayer in times of trouble

1Show that I am right, God!

Defend me against everyone

who doesn't know you;

rescue me from each

of those deceitful liars.

2I run to you

for protection.

Why have you turned me away?

Why must enemies ill-treat me

and make me sad?

3Send your light and your truth

to guide me.

Let them lead me to your house

on your sacred mountain.

4Then I will worship

at your altar because you

make me joyful.

You are my God,

and I will praise you.

Yes, I will praise you

as I play my harp.

5Why am I discouraged?

Why am I restless?

I trust you!

And I will praise you again

because you help me,

and you are my God.

Psalms 44

(A special psalm for the people of Korah and for the music leader.)

A prayer for help

1Our God, our ancestors told us

what wonders you worked

and we listened carefully.

2You chased off the nations

by causing them trouble

with your powerful arm.

Then you let our ancestors

take over their land.

3Their strength and weapons

were not what won the land

and gave them victory!

You loved them and fought

with your powerful arm

and your shining glory.

4You are my God and King,

and you give victory

to the people of Jacob.

5By your great power,

we knocked our enemies down

and trampled on them.

6I don't depend on my arrows

or my sword to save me.

7But you saved us

from our hateful enemies,

and you put them to shame.

8We boast about you, our God,

and we are always grateful.

9But now you have rejected us;

you don't lead us into battle,

and we look foolish.

10You made us retreat,

and our enemies have taken

everything we own.

11You let us be slaughtered

like sheep,

and you scattered us

among the nations.

12You sold your people

for little or nothing,

and you earned no profit.

13You made us look foolish

to our neighbours,

and people who live nearby

insult us and sneer.

14Foreigners joke about us

and shake their heads.

15I am embarrassed every day,

and I blush with shame.

16But others mock and sneer,

as they watch my enemies

take revenge on me.

17All of this has happened to us,

though we didn't forget you

or break our agreement.

18We always kept you in mind

and followed your teaching.

19But you crushed us,

and you covered us

with deepest darkness

where wild animals live.

20We did not forget you

or lift our hands in prayer

to foreign gods.

21You would have known it

because you discover

every secret thought.

22We face death all day for you.

We are like sheep on their way

to be slaughtered.

23Wake up! Do something, Lord!

Why are you sleeping?

Don't desert us for ever.

24Why do you keep looking away?

Don't forget our sufferings

and all our troubles.

25We are flat on the ground,

holding on to the dust.

26Do something! Help us!

Show how kind you are

and come to our rescue.

Psalms 42:1-44:26CEVOpen in Bible reader

Acts 20

Paul says goodbye to the church leaders of Ephesus

17From Miletus, Paul sent a message for the church leaders at Ephesus to come and meet with him. 18When they got there, he said:

You know everything I did during the time I was with you when I first came to Asia. 19Some of the Jews plotted against me and caused me a lot of sorrow and trouble. But I served the Lord and was humble. 20When I preached in public or taught in your homes, I didn't hold back from telling anything that would help you. 21I told Jews and Gentiles to turn to God and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

22I don't know what will happen to me in Jerusalem, but I must obey God's Spirit and go there. 23In every city I visit, I am told by the Holy Spirit that I will be put in jail and will be in trouble in Jerusalem. 24But I don't care what happens to me, as long as I finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do. And that work is to tell the good news about God's great kindness.

25I have gone from place to place, preaching to you about God's kingdom, but now I know that none of you will ever see me again. 26I tell you today that I am no longer responsible for any of you! 27I have told you everything God wants you to know. 28Look after yourselves and everyone the Holy Spirit has placed in your care. Be like shepherds to God's church. It is the flock that he bought with the blood of his own Son.

29I know that after I am gone, others will come like fierce wolves to attack you. 30Some of your own people will tell lies to win over the Lord's followers. 31Be on your guard! Remember how day and night for three years I kept warning you with tears in my eyes.

32I now place you in God's care. Remember the message about his great kindness! This message can help you and give you what belongs to you as God's people. 33I have never wanted anyone's money or clothes. 34You know how I have worked with my own hands to make a living for myself and my friends. 35By everything I did, I showed how you should work to help everyone who is weak. Remember that our Lord Jesus said, “More blessings come from giving than from receiving.”

36After Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37Everyone cried and hugged and kissed him. 38They were especially sad because Paul had told them, “You will never see me again.”

Then they went with him to the ship.

Acts 20:17-38CEVOpen in Bible reader
Canadian Bible Societyv.4.25.2
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