Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Starting today and for the next six
days, we're going to be going through a group
of psalms referred to as the Psalms of Lament.
Today's reading is from Psalms 4 through 6, as
well as Psalms 9 and 10. Psalm 4, inscription
to the chief musician with stringed instruments,
a Psalm of David. Hear me when I call, O God
of my righteousness, you have relieved me in
my distress. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
How long, O you sons of men, will you turn my
glory to shame? How long will you love worthlessness
and seek falsehood? Salah. But know that the
Lord has set apart for himself him who is godly.
The Lord will hear when I call to him. Be angry
and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on
your bed and be still. Salah. Offer the sacrifices
of righteousness and put your trust in the Lord.
There are many who say, Who will show us any
good? Lord, lift up the light of your countenance
upon us. You have put gladness in my heart, more
than in the season that their grain and wine
increased. I will both lie down in peace and
sleep. For you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in
safety. Psalm 5 Inscription To the Chief Musician
With Flutes A Psalm of David Give ear to my words,
O Lord. Consider my meditation. Give heed to
the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for
to you I will pray. My voice you shall hear in
the morning, O Lord. In the morning I will direct
it to you, and I will look up. For you are not
a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, nor shall
evil dwell with you. The boastful shall not stand
in your sight. You hate all workers of iniquity.
You shall destroy those who speak falsehood.
The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful
man. But as for me, I will come into your house
in the multitude of your mercy. In fear of you,
I will worship toward your holy temple. Lead
me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of
my enemies. Make your way straight before my
face. For there is no faithfulness in their mouth.
Their inward part is destruction. Their throat
is an open tomb. They flatter with their tongue.
Pronounce them guilty, O God. Let them fall by
their own counsels. Cast them out in the multitude
of their transgressions, for they have rebelled
against you. But let all those rejoice who put
their trust in you. Let them ever shout for joy,
because you defend them. Let those also who love
your name be joyful in you. For you, O Lord,
will bless the righteous. With favor you will
surround him as with a shield. Psalm 6. Inscription.
To the chief musician, with stringed instruments,
on an eight -stringed harp. A Psalm of David.
O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger, nor chasten
me in your hot displeasure. Have mercy on me,
O Lord, for I am weak. O Lord, heal me, for my
bones are troubled. My soul also is greatly troubled.
But you, O Lord, how long? Return, O Lord, deliver
me. O save me for your mercy's sake. For in death
there is no remembrance of you. In the grave,
who will give you thanks? I am weary with my
groaning. All night I make my bed swim. I drench
my couch with my tears. My eye wastes away because
of grief. It grows old because of all my enemies.
Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.
For the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping.
The Lord has heard my supplication. The Lord
will receive my prayer. Let all my enemies be
ashamed and greatly troubled. Let them turn back
and be ashamed suddenly. Psalm 9. Inscription.
To the chief musician. To the tune of Death of
the Son. A Psalm of David. I will praise you,
O Lord, with my whole heart. I will tell of all
your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice
in you. I will sing praise to your name almost
high. When my enemies turn back, they shall fall
and perish at your presence. For you have maintained
my right and my cause. You sat on the throne
judging in righteousness. You have rebuked the
nations. You have destroyed the wicked. You have
blotted out their name forever and ever. O enemy,
destructions are finished forever, and you have
destroyed cities. Even their memory has perished,
but the Lord shall endure forever. He has prepared
his throne for judgment. He shall judge the world
in righteousness, and he shall administer judgment
for the peoples in uprightness. The Lord also
will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge
in times of trouble. and those who know your
name will put their trust in you. For you, Lord,
have not forsaken those who seek you. Sing praises
to the Lord who dwells in Zion. Declare his deeds
among the people. When he avenges blood, he remembers
them. He does not forget the cry of the humble.
Have mercy on me, O Lord. Consider my trouble
from those who hate me. You who lift me up from
the gates of death, that I may tell of all your
praise. In the gates of the daughter of Zion,
I will rejoice in your salvation. The nations
have sung down in the pit which they made. In
the net which they hid, their own foot is caught.
The Lord is known by the judgment he executes.
The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.
Meditation. Salah. The wicked shall be turned
into hell, and all the nations that forget God.
For the needy shall not always be forgotten.
The expectation of the poor shall not perish
forever. Arise, O Lord, do not let man prevail.
Let the nations be judged in your sight. Put
them in fear, O Lord, that the nations may know
themselves to be but men. Salah Psalm 10 Why
do you stand afar off, O Lord? Why do you hide
in times of trouble? The wicked in his pride
persecutes the poor. Let them be caught in the
plots which they have devised, for the wicked
boasts of his heart's desire. He blesses the
greedy and renounces the Lord. The wicked in
his proud countenance does not seek God. God
is in none of his thoughts. His ways are always
prospering. Your judgments are far above, out
of his sight. As for all his enemies, he sneers
at them. He has said in his heart, I shall not
be moved, I shall never be in adversity. His
mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression.
Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity. He
sits in the lurking places of the villages, in
the secret places he murders the innocent. His
eyes are secretly fixed on the helpless. He lies
in wait secretly, as a lion in his den. He lies
in wait to catch the poor. He catches the poor
when he draws him into his net. So he crouches,
he lies low, that the helpless may fall by his
strength. He has said in his heart, God has forgotten.
He hides his face, he will never see. Arise,
O Lord. O God, lift up your hand. Do not forget
the humble. Why do the wicked renounce God? He
has said in his heart, you will not require an
account. But you have seen, for you observe trouble
and grief, to repay it by your hand. The helpless
commits himself to you. You are the helper of
the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked and
the evil man. Seek out his wickedness until you
find none. The Lord is king forever and ever.
The nations have perished out of his land. Lord,
you have heard the desire of the humble. You
will prepare his heart. You will cause your ear
to hear, to do justice to the fatherless and
the oppressed. that the man of the earth may
oppress no more. 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.