Through the Bible – Day 218

₁I will sing to you, LORD!

I will celebrate your kindness

and your justice.

₂Please help me learn

to do the right thing,

and I will be honest and fair

in my own kingdom.

₃I refuse to be corrupt

or to take part

in anything crooked,

₄and I won't be dishonest

or deceitful.

₅Anyone who spreads gossip

will be silenced,

and no one who is conceited

will be my friend.

₆I will find trustworthy people

to serve as my advisers,

and only an honest person

will serve as an official.

₇No one who cheats or lies

will have a position

in my royal court.

₈Each morning I will silence

any lawbreakers I find

in the countryside

or in the city of the LORD.

₁I pray to you, LORD!

Please listen.

₂Don't hide from me

in my time of trouble.

Pay attention to my prayer

and quickly give an answer.

₃My days disappear like smoke,

and my bones are burning

as though in a furnace.

₄I am wasting away like grass,

and my appetite is gone.

₅My groaning never stops,

and my bones can be seen

through my skin.

₆I am like a lonely owl

in the desert

₇or a restless sparrow

alone on a roof.

₈My enemies insult me all day,

and they use my name

for a curse word.

₉Instead of food,

I have ashes to eat

and tears to drink,

₁₀because you are furious

and have thrown me aside.

₁₁My life fades like a shadow

at the end of day

and withers like grass.

₁₂Our LORD, you are King for ever

and will always be famous.

₁₃You will show pity to Zion

because the time has come.

₁₄We, your servants,

love each stone in the city,

and we are sad to see them

lying in the dust.

₁₅Our LORD, the nations

will honour you,

and all kings on earth

will praise your glory.

₁₆You will rebuild

the city of Zion.

Your glory will be seen,

₁₇and the prayers of the homeless

will be answered.

₁₈Future generations must also

praise the LORD,

so write this for them:

₁₉“From his holy temple,

the LORD looked down

at the earth.

₂₀He listened to the groans

of prisoners,

and he rescued everyone

who was doomed to die.”

₂₁All Jerusalem should praise

you, our LORD,

₂₂when people from every nation

meet to worship you.

₂₃I should still be strong,

but you, LORD, have made

an old person of me.

₂₄You will live for ever!

Years mean nothing to you.

Don't cut my life in half!

₂₅In the beginning, LORD,

you laid the earth's foundation

and created the heavens.

₂₆They will all disappear

and wear out like clothes.

You change them,

as you would a coat,

but you last for ever.

₂₇You are always the same.

Years cannot change you.

₂₈Every generation of those

who serve you

will live in your presence.

₁With all my heart

I praise the LORD,

and with all that I am

I praise his holy name!

₂With all my heart

I praise the LORD!

I will never forget

how kind he has been.

₃The LORD forgives our sins,

heals us when we are sick,

₄and protects us from death.

His kindness and love

are a crown on our heads.

₅Each day that we live,

he provides for our needs

and gives us the strength

of a young eagle.

₆For all who are ill-treated,

the LORD brings justice.

₇He taught his Law to Moses

and showed all Israel

what he could do.

₈The LORD is merciful!

He is kind and patient,

and his love never fails.

₉The LORD won't always be angry

and point out our sins;

₁₀he doesn't punish us

as our sins deserve.

₁₁How great is God's love for all

who worship him?

Greater than the distance

between heaven and earth!

₁₂How far has the LORD taken

our sins from us?

Further than the distance

from east to west!

₁₃Just as parents are kind

to their children,

the LORD is kind

to all who worship him,

₁₄because he knows

we are made of dust.

₁₅We humans are like grass

or wild flowers

that quickly bloom.

₁₆But a scorching wind blows,

and they quickly wither

to be for ever forgotten.

₁₇The LORD is always kind

to those who worship him,

and he keeps his promises

to their descendants

₁₈who faithfully obey him.

₁₉God has set up his kingdom

in heaven, and he rules

the whole creation.

₂₀All you mighty angels,

who obey God's commands,

come and praise your LORD!

₂₁All you thousands

who serve and obey God,

come and praise your LORD!

₂₂All God's creation

and all that he rules,

come and praise your LORD!

With all my heart

I praise the LORD!