April 22 - Evening
"There he went into a cave and spent the night.
And the word of the Lord came to him:
'What are you doing here, Elijah?'
He replied, 'I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.'
The Lord said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.'
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.' "
- First Kings 19:9-18
'What are you doing here, Elijah?'
He replied, 'I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.'
The Lord said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.'
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.' "
- First Kings 19:9-18
Elijah is Consumed with Self-Pity and Quits the Ministry
Queen Jezebel’s only response is to threaten Elijah with decapitation. Elijah flees to Mt. Sinai to talk to God and feel sorry for himself. God is not impressed with Elijah’s self-pity and sends him back to do three final things in his ministry (1 Kings 19:15-18). Elijah is going to anoint Elisha as his successor and Elisha will finish Elijah's ministry since Elijah is consumed with self-pity and is convinced no one but he himself has been faithful to the Lord. Elisha will finish Elijah's ministry since Elijah has basically quit:
- Anoint Hazael as king over Aram
- Anoint Jehu as King over Israel
- Anoint Elisha to replace him as prophet
Parresia (Gr) – Boldness (Eng) – parresia is Greek word that is made up of pas, meaning “all,” and rhesis, meaning “speech.” In classical Greek parresia referred to “freedom of speech,” and “openness.” Josephus and the New Testament use parresia to identify freedom from the fear that comes from speaking freely. We translate parresia as “boldness” and “confidence.”
I will not let self-pity or hardships distract me from doing what is right.
I will deal with discouragement without quitting and failing to complete the race mark out for me.
Bible Reading Descriptions Here
Personal
Parents
Church
Maturity in understanding and life
Nation
Freedom of Religion
World
China, Taiwan
Someone to Quote
“When all relevant lines of evidence are taken into account, and all the problems squarely faced, I think we must conclude that life owes its inception to a source outside of nature.”
– Dean Kenyon
Something to Ponder
Six Sorcerers or Witches mentioned in Scripture:
- Jannes (Ex.7:11)
- Jambres (Ex.7:11)
- Witch of Endor (1 Sm.28)
- Simon the Sorcerer (Acts 8:9-4)
- Elymas the Sorcerer (Acts 13:6-11)
- Philippian Fortuneteller (Acts 16:16-18)
- Jannes (Ex.7:11)
- Jambres (Ex.7:11)
- Witch of Endor (1 Sm.28)
- Simon the Sorcerer (Acts 8:9-4)
- Elymas the Sorcerer (Acts 13:6-11)
- Philippian Fortuneteller (Acts 16:16-18)
Here’s a Fact
Several ancient Babylonian seals and documents as old as 3500 BC refer to a “tree of life,” a blameless man and woman influenced by a demon, god or serpent. The man ate what he should not have and didn’t get to eat what he could have.
(“Temptation Seal”, “Adam and Eve Seal”)
(“Temptation Seal”, “Adam and Eve Seal”)
Proverb
"Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity, and the rod they wield in fury will be broken."
- Proverbs 22:8
- Proverbs 22:8
Coach’s Corner
Do the forces of darkness and the people who are evil fear your prayers? Do you believe in the influence of your prayers? Live like a believer and believe your prayer life is powerful and effective.
1 Kings 19:15-18
New International Version (NIV)
15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
New International Version (NIV)
15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
2 Kings 8:7-15
New International Version (NIV)
Hazael Murders Ben-Hadad
7 Elisha went to Damascus, and Ben-Hadad king of Aram was ill. When the king was told, “The man of God has come all the way up here,” 8 he said to Hazael, “Take a gift with you and go to meet the man of God. Consult the Lord through him; ask him, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’”
9 Hazael went to meet Elisha, taking with him as a gift forty camel-loads of all the finest wares of Damascus. He went in and stood before him, and said, “Your son Ben-Hadad king of Aram has sent me to ask, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’”
10 Elisha answered, “Go and say to him, ‘You will certainly recover.’ Nevertheless, the Lord has revealed to me that he will in fact die.” 11 He stared at him with a fixed gaze until Hazael was embarrassed. Then the man of God began to weep.
12 “Why is my lord weeping?” asked Hazael.
“Because I know the harm you will do to the Israelites,” he answered. “You will set fire to their fortified places, kill their young men with the sword, dash their little children to the ground, and rip open their pregnant women.”
13 Hazael said, “How could your servant, a mere dog, accomplish such a feat?”
“The Lord has shown me that you will become king of Aram,” answered Elisha.
14 Then Hazael left Elisha and returned to his master. When Ben-Hadad asked, “What did Elisha say to you?” Hazael replied, “He told me that you would certainly recover.” 15 But the next day he took a thick cloth, soaked it in water and spread it over the king’s face, so that he died. Then Hazael succeeded him as king.
New International Version (NIV)
Hazael Murders Ben-Hadad
7 Elisha went to Damascus, and Ben-Hadad king of Aram was ill. When the king was told, “The man of God has come all the way up here,” 8 he said to Hazael, “Take a gift with you and go to meet the man of God. Consult the Lord through him; ask him, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’”
9 Hazael went to meet Elisha, taking with him as a gift forty camel-loads of all the finest wares of Damascus. He went in and stood before him, and said, “Your son Ben-Hadad king of Aram has sent me to ask, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’”
10 Elisha answered, “Go and say to him, ‘You will certainly recover.’ Nevertheless, the Lord has revealed to me that he will in fact die.” 11 He stared at him with a fixed gaze until Hazael was embarrassed. Then the man of God began to weep.
12 “Why is my lord weeping?” asked Hazael.
“Because I know the harm you will do to the Israelites,” he answered. “You will set fire to their fortified places, kill their young men with the sword, dash their little children to the ground, and rip open their pregnant women.”
13 Hazael said, “How could your servant, a mere dog, accomplish such a feat?”
“The Lord has shown me that you will become king of Aram,” answered Elisha.
14 Then Hazael left Elisha and returned to his master. When Ben-Hadad asked, “What did Elisha say to you?” Hazael replied, “He told me that you would certainly recover.” 15 But the next day he took a thick cloth, soaked it in water and spread it over the king’s face, so that he died. Then Hazael succeeded him as king.
2 Samuel 18
New International Version (NIV)
18 David mustered the men who were with him and appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 David sent out his troops, a third under the command of Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. The king told the troops, “I myself will surely march out with you.”
3 But the men said, “You must not go out; if we are forced to flee, they won’t care about us. Even if half of us die, they won’t care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. It would be better now for you to give us support from the city.”
4 The king answered, “I will do whatever seems best to you.”
So the king stood beside the gate while all his men marched out in units of hundreds and of thousands. 5 The king commanded Joab, Abishai and Ittai, “Be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake.” And all the troops heard the king giving orders concerning Absalom to each of the commanders.
6 David’s army marched out of the city to fight Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim. 7 There Israel’s troops were routed by David’s men, and the casualties that day were great—twenty thousand men. 8 The battle spread out over the whole countryside, and the forest swallowed up more men that day than the sword.
9 Now Absalom happened to meet David’s men. He was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s hair got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair, while the mule he was riding kept on going.
10 When one of the men saw what had happened, he told Joab, “I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree.”
11 Joab said to the man who had told him this, “What! You saw him? Why didn’t you strike him to the ground right there? Then I would have had to give you ten shekels of silver and a warrior’s belt.”
12 But the man replied, “Even if a thousand shekels were weighed out into my hands, I would not lay a hand on the king’s son. In our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.’ 13 And if I had put my life in jeopardy—and nothing is hidden from the king—you would have kept your distance from me.”
14 Joab said, “I’m not going to wait like this for you.” So he took three javelins in his hand and plunged them into Absalom’s heart while Absalom was still alive in the oak tree. 15 And ten of Joab’s armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him and killed him.
16 Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and the troops stopped pursuing Israel, for Joab halted them. 17 They took Absalom, threw him into a big pit in the forest and piled up a large heap of rocks over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled to their homes.
18 During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it in the King’s Valley as a monument to himself, for he thought, “I have no son to carry on the memory of my name.” He named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day.
David Mourns
19 Now Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Let me run and take the news to the king that the Lord has vindicated him by delivering him from the hand of his enemies.”
20 “You are not the one to take the news today,” Joab told him. “You may take the news another time, but you must not do so today, because the king’s son is dead.”
21 Then Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed down before Joab and ran off.
22 Ahimaaz son of Zadok again said to Joab, “Come what may, please let me run behind the Cushite.”
But Joab replied, “My son, why do you want to go? You don’t have any news that will bring you a reward.”
23 He said, “Come what may, I want to run.”
So Joab said, “Run!” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.
24 While David was sitting between the inner and outer gates, the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall. As he looked out, he saw a man running alone. 25 The watchman called out to the king and reported it.
The king said, “If he is alone, he must have good news.” And the runner came closer and closer.
26 Then the watchman saw another runner, and he called down to the gatekeeper, “Look, another man running alone!”
The king said, “He must be bringing good news, too.”
27 The watchman said, “It seems to me that the first one runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.”
“He’s a good man,” the king said. “He comes with good news.”
28 Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, “All is well!” He bowed down before the king with his face to the ground and said, “Praise be to the Lord your God! He has delivered up those who lifted their hands against my lord the king.”
29 The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom safe?”
Ahimaaz answered, “I saw great confusion just as Joab was about to send the king’s servant and me, your servant, but I don’t know what it was.”
30 The king said, “Stand aside and wait here.” So he stepped aside and stood there.
31 Then the Cushite arrived and said, “My lord the king, hear the good news! The Lord has vindicated you today by delivering you from the hand of all who rose up against you.”
32 The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom safe?”
The Cushite replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up to harm you be like that young man.”
33 The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!”
New International Version (NIV)
18 David mustered the men who were with him and appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 David sent out his troops, a third under the command of Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. The king told the troops, “I myself will surely march out with you.”
3 But the men said, “You must not go out; if we are forced to flee, they won’t care about us. Even if half of us die, they won’t care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. It would be better now for you to give us support from the city.”
4 The king answered, “I will do whatever seems best to you.”
So the king stood beside the gate while all his men marched out in units of hundreds and of thousands. 5 The king commanded Joab, Abishai and Ittai, “Be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake.” And all the troops heard the king giving orders concerning Absalom to each of the commanders.
6 David’s army marched out of the city to fight Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim. 7 There Israel’s troops were routed by David’s men, and the casualties that day were great—twenty thousand men. 8 The battle spread out over the whole countryside, and the forest swallowed up more men that day than the sword.
9 Now Absalom happened to meet David’s men. He was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s hair got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair, while the mule he was riding kept on going.
10 When one of the men saw what had happened, he told Joab, “I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree.”
11 Joab said to the man who had told him this, “What! You saw him? Why didn’t you strike him to the ground right there? Then I would have had to give you ten shekels of silver and a warrior’s belt.”
12 But the man replied, “Even if a thousand shekels were weighed out into my hands, I would not lay a hand on the king’s son. In our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.’ 13 And if I had put my life in jeopardy—and nothing is hidden from the king—you would have kept your distance from me.”
14 Joab said, “I’m not going to wait like this for you.” So he took three javelins in his hand and plunged them into Absalom’s heart while Absalom was still alive in the oak tree. 15 And ten of Joab’s armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him and killed him.
16 Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and the troops stopped pursuing Israel, for Joab halted them. 17 They took Absalom, threw him into a big pit in the forest and piled up a large heap of rocks over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled to their homes.
18 During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it in the King’s Valley as a monument to himself, for he thought, “I have no son to carry on the memory of my name.” He named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day.
David Mourns
19 Now Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Let me run and take the news to the king that the Lord has vindicated him by delivering him from the hand of his enemies.”
20 “You are not the one to take the news today,” Joab told him. “You may take the news another time, but you must not do so today, because the king’s son is dead.”
21 Then Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed down before Joab and ran off.
22 Ahimaaz son of Zadok again said to Joab, “Come what may, please let me run behind the Cushite.”
But Joab replied, “My son, why do you want to go? You don’t have any news that will bring you a reward.”
23 He said, “Come what may, I want to run.”
So Joab said, “Run!” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.
24 While David was sitting between the inner and outer gates, the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall. As he looked out, he saw a man running alone. 25 The watchman called out to the king and reported it.
The king said, “If he is alone, he must have good news.” And the runner came closer and closer.
26 Then the watchman saw another runner, and he called down to the gatekeeper, “Look, another man running alone!”
The king said, “He must be bringing good news, too.”
27 The watchman said, “It seems to me that the first one runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.”
“He’s a good man,” the king said. “He comes with good news.”
28 Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, “All is well!” He bowed down before the king with his face to the ground and said, “Praise be to the Lord your God! He has delivered up those who lifted their hands against my lord the king.”
29 The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom safe?”
Ahimaaz answered, “I saw great confusion just as Joab was about to send the king’s servant and me, your servant, but I don’t know what it was.”
30 The king said, “Stand aside and wait here.” So he stepped aside and stood there.
31 Then the Cushite arrived and said, “My lord the king, hear the good news! The Lord has vindicated you today by delivering you from the hand of all who rose up against you.”
32 The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom safe?”
The Cushite replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up to harm you be like that young man.”
33 The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!”
Psalm 14
New International Version (NIV)
Psalm 14
For the director of music. Of David.
1
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.
2
The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.
3
All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.
4
Do all these evildoers know nothing?
They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on the Lord.
5
But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous.
6
You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge.
7
Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
____
Psalm 16
New International Version (NIV)
Psalm 16
A miktam of David.
1
Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge.
2
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”
3
I say of the holy people who are in the land, “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
4
Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more. I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods or take up their names on my lips.
5
Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.
6
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.
7
I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.
8
I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure,
10
because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.
11
You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
____
Psalm 19
New International Version (NIV)
Psalm 19
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.
3
They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them.
4
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
5
It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6
It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.
7
The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
8
The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
9
The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.
10
They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.
11
By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
12
But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults.
13
Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression.
14
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
____
Psalm 21
New International Version (NIV)
Psalm 21
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1
The king rejoices in your strength, Lord. How great is his joy in the victories you give!
2
You have granted him his heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of his lips.
3
You came to greet him with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.
4
He asked you for life, and you gave it to him— length of days, for ever and ever.
5
Through the victories you gave, his glory is great; you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.
6
Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.
7
For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.
8
Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies; your right hand will seize your foes.
9
When you appear for battle, you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace. The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath, and his fire will consume them.
10
You will destroy their descendants from the earth, their posterity from mankind.
11
Though they plot evil against you and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed.
12
You will make them turn their backs when you aim at them with drawn bow.
13
Be exalted in your strength, Lord; we will sing and praise your might.
New International Version (NIV)
Psalm 14
For the director of music. Of David.
1
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.
2
The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.
3
All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.
4
Do all these evildoers know nothing?
They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on the Lord.
5
But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous.
6
You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge.
7
Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
____
Psalm 16
New International Version (NIV)
Psalm 16
A miktam of David.
1
Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge.
2
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”
3
I say of the holy people who are in the land, “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
4
Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more. I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods or take up their names on my lips.
5
Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.
6
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.
7
I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.
8
I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure,
10
because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.
11
You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
____
Psalm 19
New International Version (NIV)
Psalm 19
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.
3
They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them.
4
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
5
It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6
It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.
7
The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
8
The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
9
The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.
10
They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.
11
By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
12
But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults.
13
Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression.
14
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
____
Psalm 21
New International Version (NIV)
Psalm 21
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1
The king rejoices in your strength, Lord. How great is his joy in the victories you give!
2
You have granted him his heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of his lips.
3
You came to greet him with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.
4
He asked you for life, and you gave it to him— length of days, for ever and ever.
5
Through the victories you gave, his glory is great; you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.
6
Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.
7
For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.
8
Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies; your right hand will seize your foes.
9
When you appear for battle, you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace. The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath, and his fire will consume them.
10
You will destroy their descendants from the earth, their posterity from mankind.
11
Though they plot evil against you and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed.
12
You will make them turn their backs when you aim at them with drawn bow.
13
Be exalted in your strength, Lord; we will sing and praise your might.