Friday, June 6, 2008

Faithfulness of God

God’s Love for Israel

Psalm 105

1Give thanks to the LORD and pray to him.

Tell the nations what he has done.

2Sing to him; sing praises to him.

Tell about all his miracles.

3Be glad that you are his;

let those who seek the LORD be happy.

4Depend on the LORD and his strength;

always go to him for help.

5Remember the miracles he has done;

remember his wonders and his decisions.

6You are descendants of his servant Abraham,

the children of Jacob, his chosen people.

7He is the LORD our God.

His laws are for all the world.

8He will keep his agreement forever;

he will keep his promises always.

9He will keep the agreement he made with Abraham

and the promise he made to Isaac.

10He made it a law for the people of Jacob;

he made it an agreement with Israel to last forever.

11The LORD said, “I will give you the land of Canaan,

and it will belong to you.”

12Then God’s people were few in number.

They were strangers in the land.

13They went from one nation to another,

from one kingdom to another.

14But the LORD did not let anyone hurt them;

he warned kings not to harm them.

15He said, “Don’t touch my chosen people,

and don’t harm my prophets.”

16God ordered a time of hunger in the land,

and he destroyed all the food.

17Then he sent a man ahead of them—

Joseph, who was sold as a slave.

18They put chains around his feet

and an iron ring around his neck.

19Then the time he had spoken of came,

and the LORD’S words proved that Joseph was right.

20The king of Egypt sent for Joseph and freed him;

the ruler of the people set him free.

21He made him the master of his house;

Joseph was in charge of his riches.

22He could order the princes as he wished.

He taught the older men to be wise.

23Then his father Israel came to Egypt;

Jacob lived in Egypt.

24The LORD made his people grow in number,

and he made them stronger than their enemies.

25He caused the Egyptians to hate his people

and to make plans against his servants.

26Then he sent his servant Moses,

and Aaron, whom he had chosen.

27They did many signs among the Egyptians

and worked wonders in Egypt.

28The LORD sent darkness and made the land dark,

but the Egyptians turned against what he said.

29So he changed their water into blood

and made their fish die.

30Then their country was filled with frogs,

even in the bedrooms of their rulers.

31The LORD spoke and flies came,

and gnats were everywhere in the country.

32He made hail fall like rain

and sent lightning through their land.

33He struck down their grapevines and fig trees,

and he destroyed every tree in the country.

34He spoke and grasshoppers came;

the locusts were too many to count.

35They ate all the plants in the land

and everything the earth produced.

36The LORD also killed all the firstborn sons in the land,

the oldest son of each family.

37Then he brought his people out,

and they carried with them silver and gold.

Not one of his people stumbled.

38The Egyptians were glad when they left,

because the Egyptians were afraid of them.

39The LORD covered them with a cloud

and lit up the night with fire.

40When they asked, he brought them quail

and filled them with bread from heaven.

41God split the rock, and water flowed out;

it ran like a river through the desert.

42He remembered his holy promise

to his servant Abraham.

43So God brought his people out with joy,

his chosen ones with singing.

44He gave them lands of other nations,

so they received what others had worked for.

45This was so they would keep his orders

and obey his teachings.

Praise the LORD!

Title: The Holy Bible, New Century Version

The Word of God

Psalm 119: 137-144

137LORD, you do what is right,

and your laws are fair.

138The rules you commanded are right

and completely trustworthy.

139I am so upset I am worn out,

because my enemies have forgotten your words.

140Your promises are proven,

so I, your servant, love them.

141I am unimportant and hated,

but I have not forgotten your orders.

142Your goodness continues forever,

and your teachings are true.

143I have had troubles and misery,

but I love your commands.

144Your rules are always good.

Help me understand so I can live.

Title: The Holy Bible, New Century Version

Praise God Who Helps the Weak

Psalm 146

1Praise the LORD!

My whole being, praise the LORD.

2I will praise the LORD all my life;

I will sing praises to my God as long as I live.

3Do not put your trust in princes

or other people, who cannot save you.

4When people die, they are buried.

Then all of their plans come to an end.

5Happy are those who are helped by the God of Jacob.

Their hope is in the LORD their God.

6He made heaven and earth,

the sea and everything in it.

He remains loyal forever.

7He does what is fair for those who have been wronged.

He gives food to the hungry.

The LORD sets the prisoners free.

8The LORD gives sight to the blind.

The LORD lifts up people who are in trouble.

The LORD loves those who do right.

9The LORD protects the foreigners.

He defends the orphans and widows,

but he blocks the way of the wicked.

10The LORD will be King forever.

Jerusalem, your God is everlasting.

Praise the LORD!

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