Through the Bible – Day 222

₁I praise you, God!

Don't keep silent.

₂Destructive and deceitful lies

are told about me,

₃and hateful things are said

for no reason.

₄I had pity and prayed

for my enemies,

but their words to me

were harsh and cruel.

₅For being friendly and kind,

they paid me back

with meanness and hatred.

₆My enemies said,

“Find some worthless fools

to accuse him of a crime.

₇Try him and find him guilty!

Consider his prayers a lie.

₈Cut his life short

and let someone else

have his job.

₉Make orphans of his children

and a widow of his wife;

₁₀make his children beg for food

and live in the slums.

₁₁“Let the people he owes

take everything he owns.

Give it all to strangers.

₁₂Don't let anyone be kind to him

or have pity on the children

he leaves behind.

₁₃Bring an end to his family,

and from now on let him be

a forgotten man.

₁₄“Don't let the LORD forgive

the sins of his parents

and his ancestors.

₁₅Don't let the LORD forget

the sins of his family,

or let anyone remember

his family ever lived.

₁₆He was so cruel to the poor,

homeless, and discouraged

that they died young.

₁₇“He cursed others.

Now place a curse on him!

He never wished others well.

Wish only trouble for him!

₁₈He cursed others more often

than he dressed himself.

Let his curses strike him deep,

just as water and olive oil

soak through to our bones.

₁₉Let his curses surround him,

just like the clothes

he wears each day.”

₂₀Those are the cruel things

my enemies wish for me.

Let it all happen to them!

₂₁Be true to your name, LORD God!

Show your great kindness

and rescue me.

₂₂I am poor and helpless,

and I have lost all hope.

₂₃I am fading away

like an evening shadow;

I am tossed aside

like a crawling insect.

₂₄I have gone without eating,

until my knees are weak,

and my body is bony.

₂₅When my enemies see me,

they say cruel things

and shake their heads.

₂₆Please help me, LORD God!

Come and save me

because of your love.

₂₇Let others know that you alone

have saved me.

₂₈I don't care if they curse me,

as long as you bless me.

You will make my enemies fail

when they attack,

and you will make me glad

to be your servant.

₂₉You will cover them with shame,

just as their bodies

are covered with clothes.

₃₀I will sing your praises

and thank you, LORD,

when your people meet.

₃₁You help everyone in need,

and you defend them

when they are on trial.

₁The LORD said to my Lord,

“Sit at my right side,

until I make your enemies

into a footstool for you.”

₂The LORD will let your power

reach out from Zion,

and you will rule

over your enemies.

₃Your glorious power

will be seen on the day

you begin to rule.

You will wear the sacred robes

and shine like the morning sun

in all your strength.

₄The LORD has made a promise

that will never be broken:

“You will be a priest for ever,

just like Melchizedek.”

₅My Lord is at your right side,

and when he gets angry

he will crush

the other kings.

₆He will judge the nations

and crack their skulls,

leaving piles of dead bodies

all over the earth.

₇He will drink from any stream

that he chooses, while winning

victory after victory.

₁Shout praises to the LORD!

With all my heart

I will thank the LORD

when his people meet.

₂The LORD has done

many wonderful things!

Everyone who is pleased

with God's marvellous deeds

will keep them in mind.

₃Everything the LORD does

is glorious and majestic,

and his power to bring justice

will never end.

₄The LORD God is famous

for his wonderful deeds,

and he is kind and merciful.

₅He gives food to his worshippers

and always keeps his agreement

with them.

₆He has shown his mighty power

to his people

and has given them the lands

of other nations.

₇God is always honest and fair,

and his laws can be trusted.

₈They are true and right

and will stand for ever.

₉God rescued his people,

and he will never break

his agreement with them.

He is fearsome and holy.

₁₀Respect and obey the LORD!

This is the first step

to wisdom and good sense.

God will always be respected.

“Although they are not

my people,

I will make them my people.

I will treat with love

those nations

that have never been loved.

₂₆“Once they were told,

‘You are not my people.’

But in that very place

they will be called

children of the living God.”

“The people of Israel

are as many

as the grains of sand

along the beach.

But only a few who are left

will be saved.

₂₈The Lord will be quick

and sure to do on earth

what he has warned

he will do.”

“If the Lord All-Powerful

had not spared some

of our descendants,

we would have been destroyed

like the cities of Sodom

and Gomorrah.”

“Look! I am placing in Zion

a stone to make people

stumble and fall.

But those who have faith

in that one will never

be disappointed.”