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Psalms 86:1-17
Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.Guard my life, for I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God;have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long.Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in you.You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.Hear my prayer, Lord; listen to my cry for mercy.When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me.Among the gods there is none like you, Lord; no deeds can compare with yours.All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord; they will bring glory to your name.For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead.Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God; ruthless people are trying to kill me— they have no regard for you.But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.Turn to me and have mercy on me; show your strength in behalf of your servant; save me, because I serve you just as my mother did.Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me. (niv)
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Psalms 7:1-17
Lord my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all who pursue me,or they will tear me apart like a lion and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.Lord my God, if I have done this and there is guilt on my hands—if I have repaid my ally with evil or without cause have robbed my foe—then let my enemy pursue and overtake me; let him trample my life to the ground and make me sleep in the dust.Arise, Lord, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies. Awake, my God; decree justice.Let the assembled peoples gather around you, while you sit enthroned over them on high.Let the Lord judge the peoples. Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High.Bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure— you, the righteous God who probes minds and hearts.My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.God is a righteous judge, a God who displays his wrath every day.If he does not relent, he will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow.He has prepared his deadly weapons; he makes ready his flaming arrows.Whoever is pregnant with evil conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment.Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit they have made.The trouble they cause recoils on them; their violence comes down on their own heads.I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High. (niv)
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Psalms 90:1-17
Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.You turn people back to dust, saying,“ Return to dust, you mortals.”A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death— they are like the new grass of the morning:In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered.We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation.You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan.Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.Relent, Lord! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants.Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble.May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children.May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands. (niv)
