Tag Archives: repentance

05/23/13

Psalm 4 NIV


For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.

 

 

1 Answer me when I call to you,
my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

2 How long will you people turn my glory into shame?
How long will you love delusions and seek false gods[b]?[c]
3 Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself;
the Lord hears when I call to him.

4 Tremble and[d] do not sin;
when you are on your beds,
search your hearts and be silent.
5 Offer the sacrifices of the righteous
and trust in the Lord.

6 Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”
Let the light of your face shine on us.
7 Fill my heart with joy
when their grain and new wine abound.

8 In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, Lord,
make me dwell in safety.

Footnotes:

 

  1. Psalm 4:1 In Hebrew texts 4:1-8 is numbered 4:2-9.

  2. Psalm 4:2 Or seek lies

  3. Psalm 4:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 4.

  4. Psalm 4:4 Or In your anger (see Septuagint)

 

New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

10/26/12

Ezekiel 3 A Watchman On The Wall

Ezekiel 3

 

 

New International Version (NIV)

 

3 And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.

 

3 Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.

 

4 He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them. 5 You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language, but to the people of Israel— 6 not to many peoples of obscure speech and strange language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you.

 

7 But the people of Israel are not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate. 8 But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are. 9 I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.”

 

10 And he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you. 11 Go now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says,’ whether they listen or fail to listen.”

 

12 Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a loud rumbling sound as the glory of the Lord rose from the place where it was standing.[a] 13 It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures brushing against each other and the sound of the wheels beside them, a loud rumbling sound. 14 The Spirit then lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the Lord on me. 15 I came to the exiles who lived at Tel Aviv near the Kebar River. And there, where they were living, I sat among them for seven days—deeply distressed.

 

Ezekiel’s Task as Watchman

 

16 At the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me: 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 18 When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for[b] their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. 19 But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself.

 

20 “Again, when a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before them, they will die. Since you did not warn them, they will die for their sin. The righteous things that person did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. 21 But if you do warn the righteous person not to sin and they do not sin, they will surely live because they took warning, and you will have saved yourself.”

 

22 The hand of the Lord was on me there, and he said to me, “Get up and go out to the plain, and there I will speak to you.” 23 So I got up and went out to the plain. And the glory of the Lord was standing there, like the glory I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown.

24 Then the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet. He spoke to me and said: “Go, shut yourself inside your house. 25 And you, son of man, they will tie with ropes; you will be bound so that you cannot go out among the people. 26 I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be silent and unable to rebuke them, for they are a rebellious people. 27 But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’ Whoever will listen let them listen, and whoever will refuse let them refuse; for they are a rebellious people.

 

Footnotes:

  1. Ezekiel 3:12 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text sound—may the glory of the Lord be praised from his place

  2. Ezekiel 3:18 Or in; also in verses 19 and 20

Charlene’s Source: retrieved from www.biblegateway.com on October 26, 2012

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

10/10/11

Psalm 38 A Miktam of David The King

Do you relate to this Psalm? I certainly do because it speaks to me as if David were here today and aware of the trials I go through. I am so grateful that God’s Holy Spirit inspired David to pen his prayers and petition. Man is unreliable and judgmental, and cannot be depended upon to treat you as a child of  The King. There is too much pharisitical behavior, unneighborliness, and constant control exercised over God’s people.

The Psalmist sees affliction here as a result of sin, and God does allow us to go through trials when we make poor decisions–but we can always be assured that when we ask for forgiveness grace is granted to us. God is our deliverer and our shield.  Man can only do to us what God allows, and as children of the Most High GOD, He is ever faithful to protect us.

 

Psalm 38

New International Version (NIV)

    A Psalm of David. A petition.

 1 LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger
   or discipline me in your wrath.
2 Your arrows have pierced me,
   and your hand has come down on me.
3 Because of your wrath there is no health in my body;
   there is no soundness in my bones because of my sin.
4 My guilt has overwhelmed me
   like a burden too heavy to bear.

 5 My wounds fester and are loathsome
   because of my sinful folly.
6 I am bowed down and brought very low;
   all day long I go about mourning.
7 My back is filled with searing pain;
   there is no health in my body.
8 I am feeble and utterly crushed;
   I groan in anguish of heart.

 9 All my longings lie open before you, Lord;
   my sighing is not hidden from you.
10 My heart pounds, my strength fails me;
   even the light has gone from my eyes.
11 My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds;
   my neighbors stay far away.
12 Those who want to kill me set their traps,
   those who would harm me talk of my ruin;
   all day long they scheme and lie.

 13 I am like the deaf, who cannot hear,
   like the mute, who cannot speak;
14 I have become like one who does not hear,
   whose mouth can offer no reply.
15 LORD, I wait for you;
   you will answer, Lord my God.
16 For I said, “Do not let them gloat
   or exalt themselves over me when my feet slip.”

 17 For I am about to fall,
   and my pain is ever with me.
18 I confess my iniquity;
   I am troubled by my sin.
19 Many have become my enemies without cause[b];
   those who hate me without reason are numerous.
20 Those who repay my good with evil
   lodge accusations against me,
   though I seek only to do what is good.

 21 LORD, do not forsake me;
   do not be far from me, my God.
22 Come quickly to help me,
   my Lord and my Savior.