Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today we're continuing with the Psalms
of Lament, and today's readings are from Psalms
35, 36, 38, 40, and 41. Psalm 35, inscription,
a Psalm of David. Plead my cause, O Lord, with
those who strive with me. Fight against those
who fight against me. Take hold of shield and
buckler, and stand up for my help. Also draw
out the spear and stop those who pursue me. Say
to my soul, I am your salvation. Let those be
put to shame and brought to dishonor, who seek
after my life. Let those be turned back and brought
to confusion, who plot my hurt. Let them be like
chaff before the wind, and let the angel of the
Lord chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery,
and let the angel of the Lord pursue them. Fierce
witnesses rise up. They asked me things that
I do not know. They reward me evil for good,
to the sorrow of my soul. But as for me, when
they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I
humbled myself with fasting, and my prayer would
return to my own heart. I paced about as though
he were my friend or brother. I bowed down heavily,
as one who mourns for his mother. But in my adversity,
they rejoiced. And gathered together, attackers
gathered against me, and I did not know it. They
tore at me and did not cease. With ungodly mockers
at feasts, they gnashed at me with their teeth.
Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue me from
their destructions. My precious life from the
lions. I will give you thanks in the great assembly.
I will praise you among many people. Let them
not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies,
nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without
a cause. For they do not speak peace, but they
devise deceitful matters against the quiet ones
in the land. They also opened their mouth wide
against me and said, Aha, aha, our eyes have
seen it. This you have seen, O Lord, do not keep
silence. O Lord, do not be far from me. Stir
up yourself and awake to my vindication. To my
cause, my God and my Lord. Vindicate me, O Lord
my God, according to your righteousness, and
let them not rejoice over me. Let them not say
in their hearts, Ah, so you would have it. Let
them not say, We have swallowed him up. Let them
be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion, who
rejoice at my hurt. Let them be clothed with
shame and dishonor, who exalt themselves against
me. Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor
my righteous cause. And let them say continually,
Let the Lord be magnified. who has pleasure in
the prosperity of his servant, and my tongue
shall speak of your righteousness and of your
praise all the day long. Psalm 36, Inscription
To the Chief Musician A Psalm of David, the Servant
of the Lord An oracle within my heart concerning
the transgression of the wicked. There is no
fear of God before his eyes, for he flatters
himself in his own eyes when he finds out his
iniquity and when he hates. The words of his
mouth are wickedness and deceit. He has ceased
to be wise and to do good. He devises wickedness
on his bed. He sets himself in a way that is
not good. He does not abhor evil. Your mercy,
O Lord, is in the heavens. Your faithfulness
reaches to the clouds. Your righteousness is
like the great mountains. Your judgments are
a great deep. O Lord, you preserve man and beast.
How precious is your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore
the children of men put their trust under the
shadow of your wings. They are abundantly satisfied
with the fullness of your house, and you give
them drink from the river of your pleasure. For
with you is the fountain of life. In your light
we see light. O continue your lovingkindness
to those who know you, and your righteousness
to the upright in heart. Let not the foot of
pride come against me, and let not the hand of
the wicked drive me away. There the workers of
iniquity have fallen. They have been cast down
and are not able to rise. Psalm 38 inscription
a psalm of david to bring to remembrance oh lord
do not rebuke me in your wrath nor chasing me
in your hot displeasure for your arrows pierce
me deeply and your hand presses me down there
is no soundness in my flesh because of your anger
nor any health in my bones because of my sin
for my iniquities have gone over my head like
a heavy burden they are too heavy for me my wounds
are foul and festering because of my foolishness
I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly. I go
mourning all the day long, for my loins are full
of inflammation, and there is no soundness in
my flesh. I am feeble and severely broken. I
groan because of the turmoil of my heart. Lord,
all my desire is before you, and my sighing is
not hidden from you. My heart pants, my strength
fails me. As for the light of my eyes, it also
has gone from me. My loved ones and my friends
stand aloof from my plague. and my relatives
stand afar off. Those also who seek my life lay
snares for me. Those who seek my hurt speak of
destruction, and plan deception all the day long.
But I, like a deaf man, do not hear, and I am
like a mute who does not open his mouth. Thus
I am like a man who does not hear, and in whose
mouth is no response. For in you, O Lord, I hope,
you will hear, O Lord my God. For I said, Hear
me, lest they rejoice over me, lest when my foot
slips they exalt themselves against me. For I
am ready to fall, and my sorrow is continually
before me. For I will declare my iniquity, I
will be in anguish over my sin. But my enemies
are vigorous and they are strong, and those who
hate me wrongfully have multiplied. Those also
who render evil for good, they are my adversaries,
because I follow what is good. Do not forsake
me, O Lord, O my God, be not far from me. Make
haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation. Psalm
40, Inscription To the Chief Musician, A Psalm
of David I waited patiently for the Lord, and
He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also
brought me up out of the horrible pit, out of
the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and
established my steps. He has put a new song in
my mouth. Praise to our God, many will see it
and fear, and will trust in the Lord. Blessed
is that man who makes the Lord his trust. and
does not respect the proud, nor such as turn
aside to lies. Many, O Lord my God, are your
wonderful works, which you have done, and your
thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to you
in order. If I would declare and speak of them,
they are more than can be numbered. Sacrifice
and offering you did not desire. My ears you
have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering
you did not require. Then I said, Behold, I come.
In the scroll of the book it is written of me.
I delight to do your will, O my God, and your
law is within my heart. I have proclaimed the
good news of righteousness in the great assembly.
Indeed, I do not restrain my lips. O Lord, you
yourself know. I have not hidden your righteousness
within my heart. I have declared your faithfulness
and your salvation. I have not concealed your
lovingkindness and your truth from the great
assembly. Do not withhold your tender mercies
from me, O Lord. Let your loving kindness and
your truth continually preserve me. For innumerable
evils have surrounded me, my iniquities have
overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up.
They are more than the hairs of my head, therefore
my heart fails me. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver
me. O Lord, make haste to help me. Let them be
ashamed and brought to mutual confusion who seek
to destroy my life. Let them be driven backward
and brought to dishonor who wish me evil. Let
them be confounded because of their shame, who
say to me, Aha, aha. Let all those who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you. Let such as love
your salvation say continually, The Lord be magnified.
But I am poor and needy, yet the Lord thinks
upon me. You are my help and my deliverer. Do
not delay, O my God. Psalm 41, Inscription To
the Chief Musician, A Psalm of David Blessed
is he who considers the poor. The Lord will deliver
him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve
him and keep him alive, and he will be blessed
on the earth. You will not deliver him to the
will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen
him on his bed of illness. You will sustain him
on his sickbed. I said, Lord, be merciful to
me. Heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.
My enemies speak evil of me. When will he die
and his name perish? And if he comes to see me,
he speaks lies. His heart gathers iniquity to
itself. When he goes out, he tells it. All who
hate me whisper together against me. Against
me they devise my hurt. An evil disease, they
say, clings to him, and now that he lies down,
he will rise up no more. Even my own familiar
friend, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread,
has lifted up his heel against me. But you, O
Lord, be merciful to me and raise me up, that
I may repay them. By this I know that you are
well pleased with me, because my enemy does not
triumph over me. As for me, you uphold me in
my integrity and set me before your face forever.
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting
to everlasting. Ameen and Ameen. 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.