Through the Bible – Day 214

₁You keep me safe, LORD God.

So when I pray at night,

₂please listen carefully

to each of my concerns.

₃I am deeply troubled

and close to death;

₄I am as good as dead

and completely helpless.

₅I am no better off

than those in the grave,

those you have forgotten

and no longer help.

₆You have put me in the deepest

and darkest grave;

₇your anger rolls over me

like ocean waves.

₈You have made my friends turn

in horror from me.

I am a prisoner

who cannot escape,

₉and I am almost blind

because of my sorrow.

Each day I lift my hands

in prayer to you, LORD.

₁₀Do you work miracles

for the dead?

Do they stand up

and praise you?

₁₁Are your love and loyalty

announced in the world

of the dead?

₁₂Do they know of your miracles

or your saving power

in the dark world below

where all is forgotten?

₁₃Each morning I pray

to you, LORD.

₁₄Why do you reject me?

Why do you turn from me?

₁₅Ever since I was a child,

I have been sick

and close to death.

You have terrified me

and made me helpless.

₁₆Your anger is like a flood!

And I am shattered

by your furious attacks

₁₇that strike each day

and from every side.

₁₈My friends and neighbours

have turned against me

because of you,

and now darkness

is my only companion.

₁Our LORD, I will sing

of your love for ever.

Everyone yet to be born

will hear me praise

your faithfulness.

₂I will tell them, “God's love

can always be trusted,

and his faithfulness lasts

as long as the heavens.”

₃You said, “David, my servant,

is my chosen one,

and this is the agreement

I made with him:

₄David, one of your descendants

will always be king.”

₅Our LORD, let the heavens

now praise your miracles,

and let all your angels

praise your faithfulness.

₆None who live in the heavens

can compare with you.

₇You are the most fearsome

of all who live in heaven;

all the others fear

and greatly honour you.

₈You are LORD God All-Powerful!

No one is as loving

and faithful as you are.

₉You rule the roaring sea

and calm its waves.

₁₀You crushed the monster Rahab,

and with your powerful arm

you scattered your enemies.

₁₁The heavens and the earth

belong to you.

And so does the world

with all its people

because you created them

₁₂and everything else.

Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon

gladly praise you.

₁₃You are strong and mighty!

₁₄Your kingdom is ruled

by justice and fairness

with love and faithfulness

leading the way.

₁₅Our LORD, you bless those

who join in the festival

and walk in the brightness

of your presence.

₁₆We are happy all day

because of you,

and your saving power

brings honour to us.

₁₇Your own glorious power

makes us strong,

and because of your kindness,

our strength increases.

₁₈Our LORD and our King,

the Holy One of Israel,

you are truly our shield.

₁₉In a vision, you once said

to your faithful followers:

“I have helped a mighty hero.

I chose him from my people

and made him famous.

₂₀David, my servant, is the one

I chose to be king,

₂₁and I will always be there

to help and strengthen him.

₂₂“No enemy will outsmart David,

and he won't be defeated

by any hateful people.

₂₃I will strike down and crush

his troublesome enemies.

₂₄He will always be able

to depend on my love,

and I will make him strong

with my own power.

₂₅I will let him rule the lands

across the rivers and seas.

₂₆He will say to me,

‘You are my Father

and my God,

as well as the mighty rock

where I am safe.’

₂₇“I have chosen David

as my firstborn son,

and he will be the ruler

of all kings on earth.

₂₈My love for him will last,

and my agreement with him

will never be broken.

₂₉“One of David's descendants

will always be king,

and his family will rule

until the sky disappears.

₃₀Suppose some of his children

should reject my Law

and refuse my instructions.

₃₁Or suppose they should disobey

all of my teachings.

₃₂Then I will correct

and punish them

because of their sins.

₃₃But I will always love David

and faithfully keep all

of my promises to him.

₃₄“I won't break my agreement

or go back on my word.

₃₅I have sworn once and for all

by my own holy name,

and I won't lie to David.

₃₆His family will always rule.

I will let his kingdom last

as long as the sun ₃₇and moon

appear in the sky.”

₃₈You are now angry, God,

and you have turned your back

on your chosen king.

₃₉You broke off your agreement

with your servant, the king,

and you completely destroyed

his kingdom.

₄₀The walls of his city

have been broken through,

and every fortress

now lies in ruin.

₄₁All who pass by

take what they want,

and nations everywhere

joke about the king.

₄₂You made his enemies powerful

and let them celebrate.

₄₃But you forced him to retreat

because you did not fight

on his side.

₄₄You took his crown

and threw his throne

to the ground.

₄₅You made an old man of him

and put him to shame.

₄₆How much longer, LORD?

Will you hide for ever?

How long will your anger

keep burning like fire?

₄₇Remember, life is short!

Why did you empty our lives

of all meaning?

₄₈No one can escape the power

of death and the grave.

₄₉Our Lord, where is the love

you have always shown

and that you promised

so faithfully to David?

₅₀Remember your servant, Lord!

People make jokes about me,

and I suffer many insults.

₅₁I am your chosen one,

but your enemies chase

and make fun of me.

₅₂Our LORD, we praise you

for ever. Amen and amen.

“Your words

will be proved true,

and in court

you will win your case.”