Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is from the Book of
Psalms, Psalm 8, 19, 29, 32, 65, 68, 103, 108,
and 138. Psalm 8, inscription, to the chief musician,
on the instrument of Gath, a psalm of David.
O Lord, our Lord. How excellent is your name
in all the earth, who have set your glory above
the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and nursing
infants you have ordained strength, because of
your enemies that you may silence the enemy and
the avenger. When I consider your heavens the
work of your fingers, the moon and the stars
which you have ordained, what is man that you
are mindful of him, and the son of man that you
visit him? For you have made him a little lower
than the angels, and you have crowned him with
glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion
over the works of your hands. You have put all
things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, even
the beasts of the field, the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea, that pass through the
path of the seas. O Lord our Lord, how excellent
is your name in all the earth! Psalm 19 Inscription
to the Chief Musician A Psalm of David The heavens
declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows
his handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and
night unto night reveals knowledge. There is
no speech nor language, where their voice is
not heard. Their line has gone out through all
the earth, and their words to the end of the
world. In them he has set a tabernacle for the
sun, which is like a bridegroom coming out of
his chamber, and rejoices like a strong man to
run its race. Its rising is from one end of heaven,
and its circuit to the other end, and there is
nothing hidden from its heat. The law of the
Lord is perfect. Converting the soul. The testimony
of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing
the heart. The commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is
clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the
Lord are true and righteous altogether. More
to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much
fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them your servant is warned, and
in keeping them there is great reward. Who can
understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret
faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous
sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then
I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent
of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart be acceptable
in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.
Psalm 29, Inscription Praise to God in His holiness
and majesty. Give unto the Lord, O mighty ones,
give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto
the Lord the glory due to his name. Worship the
Lord in the beauty of holiness. The voice of
the Lord is over the waters. The God of glory
thunders. The Lord is over many waters. The voice
of the Lord is powerful. The voice of the Lord
is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaks
the cedars. Yes, the Lord splinters the cedars
of Lebanon. He makes them also skip like a calf.
Lebanon and Syrian like a young wild ox. The
voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire.
The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness.
The Lord shakes the wilderness of Kaddish. The
voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth and
strips the forest bare. And in his temple everyone
says glory. The Lord sat enthroned at the flood.
And the Lord sits as king forever. The Lord will
give strength to his people. The Lord will bless
his people with peace. Psalm 32 Inscription A
Psalm of David A Contemplation Blessed is he
whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is
covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord
does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit
there is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones
grew old, through my groaning all the day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me.
My vitality was turned into the drought of summer.
Salah. I acknowledge my sin to you, and my iniquity
I have not hidden. I said, I will confess my
transgressions to the Lord, and you forgive the
iniquity of my sin. Salah. For this cause, everyone
who is godly shall pray to you. In a time when
you may be found, surely in a flood of great
waters, they shall not come near him. You are
my hiding place. You shall preserve me from trouble.
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.
Salah. I will instruct you and teach you in the
way you should go. I will guide you with my eye.
Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which
have no understanding, which must be harnessed
with bit and brittle, else they will not come
near you. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked,
but he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround
him. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.
Psalm 65 Inscription To the Chief Musician A
Psalm of David A Song Praises waiting you, O
God, in Zion, and to you the vow shall be performed.
O you who hear prayer, to you all flesh will
come. Iniquities prevail against me. As for our
transgressions, you will provide atonement for
them. Blessed is the man you choose, and cause
to approach you. that he may dwell in your courts,
we shall be satisfied with the goodness of your
house, of your holy temple. By awesome deeds
in your righteousness you will answer us, O God
of our salvation, you who are the confidence
of all the ends of the earth and of the far -off
seas, who established the mountains by his strength,
being clothed with power, you who still the noise
of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the
tumult of the peoples. They, also who dwell in
the farthest parts, are afraid of your signs.
You make the outings of the morning and evening
rejoice. You visit the earth and water it. You
greatly enrich it. The river of God is full of
water. You provide their grain, for so you have
prepared it. You water its ridges abundantly.
You settle its furrows. You make it soft with
showers. You bless its growth. You crown the
year with your goodness, and your path drip with
abundance. They drop on the pastures of the wilderness,
and the little hills rejoice on every side. The
pastures are clothed with flocks. The valleys
are also covered with grain. They shout for joy.
They also sing. Psalm 68 Inscription To the Chief
Musician A Psalm of David A Song Let God arise,
let His enemies be scattered. Let those also
who hate Him flee from before Him. As smoke is
driven away, so drive them away. As wax melts
before the fire, so let the wicked perish at
the presence of God. But let the righteous be
glad. Let them rejoice before God. Yes, let them
rejoice exceedingly. Sing to God. Sing praises
to his name. Extol him who rides on the clouds.
By his name, Yah. And rejoice before him. A father
of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God
in his holy habitation. God sets the solitary
in families. He brings out those who are bound
into prosperity. But the rebellious dwell in
a dry land. O God, who went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness. Salah.
The earth shook. The heavens also dropped rain
at the presence of God. Sinai itself was moved
at the presence of God, the God of Israel. You,
O God, sent a plentiful rain, whereby you confirmed
your inheritance when it was weary. Your congregation
dwelt in it. You, O God, provided from your goodness
for the poor. The Lord gave the word. Great was
the company of those who proclaimed it. Kings
of armies flee, they flee, and she who remains
at home divides the spoil. Though you lie down
among the sheepfolds, you will be like the wings
of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers
with yellow gold. When the Almighty scattered
kings in it, it was white as snow in Zalmon.
A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan.
A mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan.
Why do you fume with envy, you mountains of many
peaks? This is the mountain which God desires
to dwell in. Yes, the Lord will dwell in it forever.
The chariots of God are twenty thousand. even
thousands of thousands. The Lord is among them,
as in Sinai, in the holy place. You have ascended
on high. You have led captivity captive. You
have received gifts among men, even from the
rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell there.
Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with
benefits, the God of our salvation, Salah. Our
God is the God of salvation, and to God the Lord
belongs escapes from death. But God will wound
the head of his enemies, the hairy scalp of the
one who still goes on in his trespasses. The
Lord said, I will bring back from Bashan, I will
bring them back from the depth of the sea, that
your foot may crush them in blood, and the tongues
of your dogs may have their portion from your
enemies. They have seen your possession, O God,
the possession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.
The singers went before, the players on instruments
followed after. Among them were the maidens playing
timbrels. Bless God and the congregations, the
Lord from the fountain of Israel. There is little
Benjamin, their leader, the princes of Judah
and their company, the princes of Zebulun and
the princes of Naphtali. Your God has commanded
your strength. Strengthen, O God, what you have
done for us. Because of your temple at Jerusalem,
kings will bring presents to you. Rebuke the
beasts of the reeds, the herd of bulls with the
calves of the peoples, till everyone submits
himself with pieces of silver. Scatter the peoples
who delight in war. Envoys will come out of Egypt.
Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands to
God. Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth.
O sing praises to the Lord Salah, to him who
rides on the heaven of heavens, which were of
old. Indeed, he sends out his voice, a mighty
voice. Ascribe strength to God. His excellence
is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds.
O God, you are more awesome than your holy places.
The God of Israel is he who gives strength and
power to his people. Blessed be God. Psalm 103
who satisfies your mouth with good things, so
that your youth is renewed like the eagles. The
Lord executes righteousness and justice for all
who are oppressed. He made known His ways to
Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. The
Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger
and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive
with us, nor will He keep His anger forever.
He has not dwelt with us according to our sins,
nor punished us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is his mercy toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west, so far has
he removed our transgressions from us. As a father
pities his children, so the Lord pities those
who fear him. For he knows our frame, he remembers
that we are dust. As for man, his days are like
grass. As a flower of the field, so he flourishes,
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more. But the mercy
of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting,
on those who fear him, and his righteousness
to children's children, to such as keep his covenant,
and to those who remember his commandments to
do them. The Lord has established his throne
in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Bless
the Lord, you his angels, who excel in strength,
who do his word, heeding the voice of his word.
Bless the Lord, O you his hosts, you ministers
of his, who do his pleasure. Bless the Lord all
his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless
the Lord, O my soul. Psalm 108 Inscription A
song, a psalm of David O God, my heart is steadfast.
I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.
Awake, lute and harp, I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise you, O Lord, among the peoples,
and I will sing praises to you among the nations.
for your mercy is great above the heavens, and
your truth reaches to the clouds. Be exalted,
O God, above the heavens, and your glory above
all the earth, that you, beloved, may be delivered,
save with your right hand, and hear me. God has
spoken in his holiness. I will rejoice, I will
divide Shechem, and measure out the valley of
Sukkot. Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine, Ephraim
also is the helmet of my head, Judah is my lawgiver,
Moab is my washpot, over Edom I will cast my
shoe. Over Philistia I will triumph. Who will
bring me into the strong city? Who will lead
me to Edom? Is it not you, O God, who cast us
off? And you, O God, who did not go out with
our armies? Give us help from trouble, for the
help of man is useless. Through God we will do
valiantly, for it is he who shall tread down
our enemies. Psalm 138 Inscription A Psalm of
David I will praise you with my whole heart.
Before the gods I will sing praises to you. I
will worship toward your holy temple and praise
your name for your loving kindness and your truth,
for you have magnified your word above all your
name. In the day when I cried out, you answered
me and made me bold with strength in my soul.
All the kings of the earth shall praise you,
O Lord, when they hear the words of your mouth.
Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
for great is the glory of the Lord. Though the
Lord is on high, yet he regards the lowly, but
the proud he knows from afar. Though I walk in
the midst of trouble, you will revive me. You
will stretch out your hand against the wrath
of my enemies and your right hand will save me.
The Lord will perfect that which concerns me.
Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake
the works of your hands. I hope you enjoyed today's
reading as much as I did and I look forward to
seeing you again tomorrow to continue on our
journey. God bless you and have a great day.