The Living Bible (180 page)

Psalm
40

I waited patiently for God to help me; then he listened and heard my cry.
²
 He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out from the bog and the mire, and set my feet on a hard, firm path, and steadied me as I walked along.
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 He has given me a new song to sing, of praises to our God. Now many will hear of the glorious things he did for me, and stand in awe before the Lord, and put their trust in him.
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 Many blessings are given to those who trust the Lord and have no confidence in those who are proud or who trust in idols.

    
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 O Lord my God, many and many a time you have done great miracles for us, and we are ever in your thoughts. Who else can do such glorious things? No one else can be compared with you. There isn’t time to tell of all your wonderful deeds.

    
⁶
 It isn’t sacrifices and offerings that you really want from your people. Burnt animals bring no special joy to your heart. But you have accepted the offer of my lifelong service.
*
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 Then I
*
said, “See, I have come, just as all the prophets foretold.
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 And I delight to do your will, my God, for your law is written upon my heart!”

    
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 I have told everyone the good news that you forgive people’s sins.
*
I have not been timid about it, as you well know, O Lord.
¹⁰
 I have not kept this good news hidden in my heart, but have proclaimed your loving-kindness and truth to all the congregation.

    
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 O Lord, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me! My only hope is in your love and faithfulness.
¹²
 Otherwise I perish, for problems far too big for me to solve are piled higher than my head. Meanwhile my sins, too many to count, have all caught up with me, and I am ashamed to look up. My heart quails within me.

    
¹³
 Please, Lord, rescue me! Quick! Come and help me!
^14-15
 Confuse them! Turn them around and send them sprawling—all these who are trying to destroy me. Disgrace these scoffers with their utter failure!

    
¹⁶
 But may the joy of the Lord be given to everyone who loves him and his salvation. May they constantly exclaim, “How great God is!”

    
¹⁷
 I am poor and weak, yet the Lord is thinking about me right now! O my God, you are my helper. You are my Savior; come quickly, and save me. Please don’t delay!

Psalm
41

God blesses those who are kind to the poor. He helps them out of their troubles.
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 He protects them and keeps them alive; he publicly honors them and destroys the power of their enemies.
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 He nurses them when they are sick and soothes their pains and worries.
*

    
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 “O Lord,” I prayed, “be kind and heal me, for I have confessed my sins.”
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 But my enemies say, “May he soon die and be forgotten!”
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 They act so friendly when they come to visit me while I am sick; but all the time they hate me and are glad that I am lying there upon my bed of pain. And when they leave, they laugh and mock.
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 They whisper together about what they will do when I am dead.
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 “It’s fatal, whatever it is,” they say. “He’ll never get out of that bed!”

    
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 Even my best friend has turned against me—a man I completely trusted; how often we ate together.
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 Lord, don’t you desert me! Be gracious, Lord, and make me well again so I can pay them back!
¹¹
 I know you are pleased with me because you haven’t let my enemies triumph over me.
¹²
 You have preserved me because I was honest; you have admitted me forever to your presence.

    
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 Bless the Lord, the God of Israel, who exists from everlasting ages past—and on into everlasting eternity ahead. Amen and amen!

Psalm
42

As the deer pants for water, so I long for you, O God.
²
 I thirst for God, the living God. Where can I find him to come and stand before him?
³
 Day and night I weep for his help, and all the while my enemies taunt me. “Where is this God of yours?” they scoff.

    
^4-5
 Take courage, my soul! Do you remember those times (but how could you ever forget them!) when you led a great procession to the Temple on festival days, singing with joy, praising the Lord? Why then be downcast? Why be discouraged and sad? Hope in God! I shall yet praise him again. Yes, I shall again praise him for his help.
*

    
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 Yet I am standing here depressed and gloomy, but I will meditate upon your kindness to this lovely land where the Jordan River flows and where Mount Hermon and Mount Mizar stand.
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 All your waves and billows have gone over me, and floods of sorrow pour upon me like a thundering cataract.
*

    
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 Yet day by day the Lord also pours out his steadfast love upon me, and through the night I sing his songs and pray to God who gives me life.

    
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 “O God my Rock,” I cry, “why have you forsaken me? Why must I suffer these attacks from my enemies?”
¹⁰
 Their taunts pierce me like a fatal wound; again and again they scoff, “Where is that God of yours?”
¹¹
 But, O my soul, don’t be discouraged. Don’t be upset. Expect God to act! For I know that I shall again have plenty of reason to praise him for all that he will do. He is my help! He is my God!

Psalm
43

O God, defend me from the charges of these merciless, deceitful men.
²
 For you are God, my only place of refuge. Why have you tossed me aside? Why must I mourn at the oppression of my enemies?

    
³
 Oh, send out your light and your truth—let them lead me. Let them lead me to your Temple on your holy mountain, Zion.
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 There I will go to the altar of God, my exceeding joy, and praise him with my harp. O God—my God!
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 O my soul, why be so gloomy and discouraged? Trust in God! I shall again praise him for his wondrous help; he will make me smile again,
*
for he is my God!

Psalm
44

O God, we have heard of the glorious miracles you did in the days of long ago. Our forefathers have told us how you drove the heathen nations from this land and gave it all to us, spreading Israel from one end of the country to the other.
³
 They did not conquer by their own strength and skill, but by your mighty power and because you smiled upon them and favored them.

    
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 You are my King and my God. Decree victories for your people.
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 For it is only by your power and through your name that we tread down our enemies;
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 I do not trust my weapons. They could never save me.
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 Only you can give us the victory over those who hate us.

    
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 My constant boast is God. I can never thank you enough!
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 And yet for a time, O Lord, you have tossed us aside in dishonor and have not helped us in our battles.
¹⁰
 You have actually fought against us and defeated us before our foes. Our enemies have invaded our land and pillaged the countryside.
¹¹
 You have treated us like sheep in a slaughter pen and scattered us among the nations.
¹²
 You sold us for a pittance. You valued us at nothing at all.
¹³
 The neighboring nations mock and laugh at us because of all the evil you have sent.
¹⁴
 You have made the word
Jew
a byword of contempt and shame among the nations, disliked by all.
^15-16
 I am constantly despised, mocked, taunted, and cursed by my vengeful enemies.

    
¹⁷
 And all this has happened, Lord, despite our loyalty to you. We have not violated your covenant.
¹⁸
 Our hearts have not deserted you! We have not left your path by a single step.
¹⁹
 If we had, we could understand your punishing us in the barren wilderness and sending us into darkness and death.
²⁰
 If we had turned away from worshiping our God and were worshiping idols,
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 would God not know it? Yes, he knows the secrets of every heart.
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 But that is not our case. For we are facing death threats constantly because of serving you! We are like sheep awaiting slaughter.

    
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 Waken! Rouse yourself! Don’t sleep, O Lord! Are we cast off forever?
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 Why do you look the other way? Why do you ignore our sorrows and oppression?
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 We lie face downward in the dust.
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 Rise up, O Lord, and come and help us. Save us by your constant love.