Through the Bible – Day 214

Bible text(s)

Psalms 88

(A song and a psalm by the people of Korah for the music leader. To the tune “Mahalath Leannoth”. A special psalm by Heman the Ezrahite.)

A prayer when you can't find the way

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.

Psalms 89

(A special psalm by Ethan the Ezrahite.)

The LORD's agreement with David

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.

Psalms 88:1-89:52CEVOpen in Bible reader

Romans 2

The Jews and the Law

17Some of you call yourselves Jews. You trust in the Law and take pride in God. 18By reading the Scriptures you learn how God wants you to behave, and you discover what is right. 19You are sure that you are a guide for the blind and a light for all who are in the dark. 20And since there is knowledge and truth in God's Law, you think you can instruct fools and teach young people.

21But how can you teach others when you refuse to learn? You preach that it is wrong to steal. But do you steal? 22You say people should be faithful in marriage. But are you faithful? You hate idols, yet you rob their temples. 23You take pride in the Law, but you disobey the Law and bring shame to God. 24It is just as the Scriptures tell us, “You have made foreigners say insulting things about God.”

25Being circumcised is worthwhile, if you obey the Law. But if you don't obey the Law, you are no better off than people who are not circumcised. 26In fact, if they obey the Law, they are as good as anyone who is circumcised. 27So everyone who obeys the Law, but has never been circumcised, will condemn you. Even though you are circumcised and have the Law, you still don't obey its teachings.

28Just because you live like a Jew and are circumcised doesn't make you a real Jew. 29To be a real Jew you must obey the Law. True circumcision is something that happens deep in your heart, not something done to your body. And besides, you should want praise from God and not from humans.

Romans 3

1What good is it to be a Jew? What good is it to be circumcised? 2It is good in a lot of ways! First of all, God's messages were spoken to the Jews. 3It is true that some of them did not believe the message. But does this mean that God cannot be trusted, just because they did not have faith? 4No, indeed! God tells the truth, even if everyone else is a liar. The Scriptures say about God,

“Your words

will be proved true,

and in court

you will win your case.”

5If our evil deeds show how right God is, then what can we say? Is it wrong for God to become angry and punish us? What a foolish thing to ask. 6But the answer is, “No.” Otherwise, how could God judge the world? 7Since your lies bring great honour to God by showing how truthful he is, you may ask why God still says you are a sinner. 8You might as well say, “Let's do something evil, so that something good will come of it!” Some people even claim that we are saying this. But God is fair and will judge them as well.

Romans 2:17-3:8CEVOpen in Bible reader
Canadian Bible Societyv.4.25.3
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