Wednesday, November 02, 2011

I've been re-reading and re-reading and re-reading these two Psalms the past couple weeks.  They've held me up, renewed me, and given me hope and confidence to speak.  Confidence to stand in the presence of my God.  (Psalm 39 and Psalm 69) They remind me that the things that worry me have no eternal consequence, that the things that hurt and pain me have meaning and the Lord hears, and that my God is One who hears, forgives, heals, restores and builds.  I like to speak over myself "You who seek God - may your hearts live."  Seek.

Psalm 39
 1I said, "I will(B) guard my ways,
   that I(C) may not sin with my tongue;
I will(D) guard my mouth with a muzzle,
   so long as the wicked are in my presence."
2I was(E) mute and silent;
   I held my peace to no avail,
and my distress grew worse.
 3My(F) heart became hot within me.
As I mused, the fire burned;
   then I spoke with my tongue:

4"O LORD,(G) make me know my end
   and what is the measure of my days;
   let me know how fleeting I am!
5Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,
   and(H) my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely(I) all mankind stands as a mere breath!
                         Selah

 6Surely a man(J) goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nothing[a] they are in turmoil;
   man(K) heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!
 7"And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?
   (L) My hope is in you.
8Deliver me from all my transgressions.
   (M) Do not make me the scorn of the fool!
9(N) I am mute; I do not open my mouth,
   (O) for it is you who have done it.
10(P) Remove your stroke from me;
   I am spent by the hostility of your hand.
11When you discipline a man
   with(Q) rebukes for sin,
you(R) consume like a(S) moth what is dear to him;
   (T) surely all mankind is a mere breath!
                         Selah
 12(U) "Hear my prayer, O LORD,
   and give ear to my cry;
   hold not your peace at my tears!
For I am(V) a sojourner with you,
   a guest, like all my fathers.
13(W) Look away from me, that I may smile again,
   (X) before I depart and(Y) am no more!"


Psalm 69
 1 Save me, O God,
   for the waters have come up to my neck.
2 I sink in the miry depths,
   where there is no foothold.
I have come into the deep waters;
   the floods engulf me.
3 I am worn out calling for help;
   my throat is parched.
My eyes fail,
   looking for my God.
4 Those who hate me without reason
   outnumber the hairs of my head;
many are my enemies without cause,
   those who seek to destroy me.
I am forced to restore
   what I did not steal.
 5 You, God, know my folly;
   my guilt is not hidden from you.
 6 Lord, the LORD Almighty,
   may those who hope in you
   not be disgraced because of me;
God of Israel,
   may those who seek you
   not be put to shame because of me.
7 For I endure scorn for your sake,
   and shame covers my face.
8 I am a foreigner to my own family,
   a stranger to my own mother’s children;
9 for zeal for your house consumes me,
   and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.
10 When I weep and fast,
   I must endure scorn;
11 when I put on sackcloth,
   people make sport of me.
12 Those who sit at the gate mock me,
   and I am the song of the drunkards.
 13 But I pray to you, LORD,
   in the time of your favor;
in your great love, O God,
   answer me with your sure salvation.
14 Rescue me from the mire,
   do not let me sink;
deliver me from those who hate me,
   from the deep waters.
15 Do not let the floodwaters engulf me
   or the depths swallow me up
   or the pit close its mouth over me.
 16 Answer me, LORD, out of the goodness of your love;
   in your great mercy turn to me.
17 Do not hide your face from your servant;
   answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.
18 Come near and rescue me;
   deliver me because of my foes.
 19 You know how I am scorned, disgraced and shamed;
   all my enemies are before you.
20 Scorn has broken my heart
   and has left me helpless;
I looked for sympathy, but there was none,
   for comforters, but I found none.
21 They put gall in my food
   and gave me vinegar for my thirst.
 22 May the table set before them become a snare;
   may it become retribution and[b] a trap.
23 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
   and their backs be bent forever.
24 Pour out your wrath on them;
   let your fierce anger overtake them.
25 May their place be deserted;
   let there be no one to dwell in their tents.
26 For they persecute those you wound
   and talk about the pain of those you hurt.
27 Charge them with crime upon crime;
   do not let them share in your salvation.
28 May they be blotted out of the book of life
   and not be listed with the righteous.
 29 But as for me, afflicted and in pain—
   may your salvation, God, protect me.
 30 I will praise God’s name in song
   and glorify him with thanksgiving.
31 This will please the LORD more than an ox,
   more than a bull with its horns and hooves.
32 The poor will see and be glad—
   you who seek God, may your hearts live!
33 The LORD hears the needy
   and does not despise his captive people.
 34 Let heaven and earth praise him,
   the seas and all that move in them,
35 for God will save Zion
   and rebuild the cities of Judah.
Then people will settle there and possess it;
 36 the children of his servants will inherit it,
   and those who love his name will dwell there.

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