Through the Bible – Day 204

₁Please listen, God,

and answer my prayer!

₂I feel hopeless,

and I cry out to you

from a faraway land.

Lead me to the mighty rock

high above me.

₃You are a strong tower,

where I am safe

from my enemies.

₄Let me live with you for ever

and find protection

under your wings, my God.

₅You heard my promises,

and you have blessed me,

just as you bless everyone

who worships you.

₆Let the king have a long

and healthy life.

₇May he always rule

with you, God, at his side;

may your love and loyalty

watch over him.

₈I will sing your praises

for ever and will always

keep my promises.

₁Only God can save me,

and I calmly wait for him.

₂God alone is the mighty rock

that keeps me safe

and the fortress

where I am secure.

₃I feel like a shaky fence

or a sagging wall.

How long will all of you

attack and assault me?

₄You want to bring me down

from my place of honour.

You love to tell lies,

and when your words are kind,

hatred hides in your heart.

₅Only God gives inward peace,

and I depend on him.

₆God alone is the mighty rock

that keeps me safe,

and he is the fortress

where I feel secure.

₇God saves me and honours me.

He is that mighty rock

where I find safety.

₈Trust God, my friends,

and always tell him

each one of your concerns.

God is our place of safety.

₉We humans are only a breath;

none of us are truly great.

All of us together weigh less

than a puff of air.

₁₀Don't trust in violence

or depend on dishonesty

or rely on great wealth.

₁₁I heard God say two things:

“I am powerful,

₁₂and I am very kind.”

The Lord rewards each of us

according to what we do.

₁You are my God. I worship you.

In my heart, I long for you,

as I would long for a stream

in a scorching desert.

₂I have seen your power

and your glory

in the place of worship.

₃Your love means more

than life to me,

and I praise you.

₄As long as I live,

I will pray to you.

₅I will sing joyful praises

and be filled with excitement

like a guest at a banquet.

₆I think about you

before I go to sleep,

and my thoughts turn to you

during the night.

₇You have helped me,

and I sing happy songs

in the shadow of your wings.

₈I stay close to you,

and your powerful arm

supports me.

₉All who want to kill me

will end up in the ground.

₁₀Swords will run them through,

and wild dogs will eat them.

₁₁Because of you, our God,

the king will celebrate

with your faithful followers,

but liars will be silent.

₁Listen to my concerns, God,

and protect me

from my terrible enemies.

₂Keep me safe from secret plots

of corrupt and evil gangs.

₃Their words cut like swords,

and their cruel remarks

sting like sharp arrows.

₄They fearlessly ambush

and shoot innocent people.

₅They are determined to do evil,

and they tell themselves,

“Let's set traps!

No one can see us.”

₆They make evil plans and say,

“We'll commit a perfect crime.

No one knows our thoughts.”

₇But God will shoot his arrows

and quickly wound them.

₈They will be destroyed

by their own words,

and everyone who sees them

will tremble with fear.

₉They will be afraid and say,

“Look at what God has done

and keep it all in mind.”

₁₀May the LORD bless his people

with peace and happiness

and let them celebrate.