Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Sin and Repentence

A Prayer for God to Guide

Psalm 25

OF DAVID.

1LORD, I give myself to you;

2my God, I trust you.

Do not let me be disgraced;

do not let my enemies laugh at me.

3No one who trusts you will be disgraced,

but those who sin without excuse will be disgraced.

4LORD, tell me your ways.

Show me how to live.

5Guide me in your truth,

and teach me, my God, my Savior.

I trust you all day long.

6LORD, remember your mercy and love

that you have shown since long ago.

7Do not remember the sins

and wrong things I did when I was young.

But remember to love me always

because you are good, LORD.

8The LORD is good and right;

he points sinners to the right way.

9He shows those who are humble how to do right,

and he teaches them his ways.

10All the LORD’S ways are loving and true

for those who follow the demands of his agreement.

11For the sake of your name, LORD,

forgive my many sins.

12Are there those who respect the LORD?

He will point them to the best way.

13They will enjoy a good life,

and their children will inherit the land.

14The LORD tells his secrets to those who respect him;

he tells them about his agreement.

15My eyes are always looking to the LORD for help.

He will keep me from any traps.

16Turn to me and have mercy on me,

because I am lonely and hurting.

17My troubles have grown larger;

free me from my problems.

18Look at my suffering and troubles,

and take away all my sins.

19Look at how many enemies I have!

See how much they hate me!

20Protect me and save me.

I trust you, so do not let me be disgraced.

21My hope is in you,

so may goodness and honesty guard me.

22God, save Israel from all their troubles!

Title: The Holy Bible, New Century Version

It Is Better to Confess Sin

Psalm 32

A MASKIL OF DAVID.

1Happy is the person

whose sins are forgiven,

whose wrongs are pardoned.

2Happy is the person

whom the LORD does not consider guilty

and in whom there is nothing false.

3When I kept things to myself,

I felt weak deep inside me.

I moaned all day long.

4Day and night you punished me.

My strength was gone as in the summer heat.

Selah

5Then I confessed my sins to you

and didn’t hide my guilt.

I said, “I will confess my sins to the LORD,”

and you forgave my guilt.

Selah

6For this reason, all who obey you

should pray to you while they still can.

When troubles rise like a flood,

they will not reach them.

7You are my hiding place.

You protect me from my troubles

and fill me with songs of salvation.

Selah

8The LORD says, “I will make you wise and show you where to go.

I will guide you and watch over you.

9So don’t be like a horse or donkey,

that doesn’t understand.

They must be led with bits and reins,

or they will not come near you.”

10Wicked people have many troubles,

but the LORD’S love surrounds those who trust him.

11Good people, rejoice and be happy in the LORD.

Sing all you whose hearts are right.

Title: The Holy Bible, New Century Version

A Prayer in Time of Sickness

Psalm 38

A PSALM OF DAVID TO REMEMBER.

1LORD, don’t correct me when you are angry.

Don’t punish me when you are furious.

2Your arrows have wounded me,

and your hand has come down on me.

3My body is sick from your punishment.

Even my bones are not healthy because of my sin.

4My guilt has overwhelmed me;

like a load it weighs me down.

5My sores stink and become infected

because I was foolish.

6I am bent over and bowed down;

I am sad all day long.

7I am burning with fever,

and my whole body is sore.

8I am weak and faint.

I moan from the pain I feel.

9Lord, you know everything I want;

my cries are not hidden from you.

10My heart pounds, and my strength is gone.

I am losing my sight.

11Because of my wounds, my friends and neighbors avoid me,

and my relatives stay far away.

12Some people set traps to kill me.

Those who want to hurt me plan trouble;

all day long they think up lies.

13I am like a deaf man; I cannot hear.

Like a mute, I cannot speak.

14I am like a person who does not hear,

who has no answer to give.

15I trust you, LORD.

You will answer, my Lord and God.

16I said, “Don’t let them laugh at me

or brag when I am defeated.”

17I am about to die,

and I cannot forget my pain.

18I confess my guilt;

I am troubled by my sin.

19My enemies are strong and healthy,

and many hate me for no reason.

20They repay me with evil for the good I did.

They lie about me because I try to do good.

21LORD, don’t leave me;

my God, don’t go away.

22Quickly come and help me,

my Lord and Savior.

Title: The Holy Bible, New Century Version

A Prayer for Forgiveness

Psalm 51

FOR THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC. A PSALM OF DAVID WHEN THE
PROPHET NATHAN CAME TO DAVID AFTER DAVID’S SIN WITH
BATHSHEBA.

1God, be merciful to me

because you are loving.

Because you are always ready to be merciful,

wipe out all my wrongs.

2Wash away all my guilt

and make me clean again.

3I know about my wrongs,

and I can’t forget my sin.

4You are the only one I have sinned against;

I have done what you say is wrong.

You are right when you speak

and fair when you judge.

5I was brought into this world in sin.

In sin my mother gave birth to me.

6You want me to be completely truthful,

so teach me wisdom.

7Take away my sin, and I will be clean.

Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8Make me hear sounds of joy and gladness;

let the bones you crushed be happy again.

9Turn your face from my sins

and wipe out all my guilt.

10Create in me a pure heart, God,

and make my spirit right again.

11Do not send me away from you

or take your Holy Spirit away from me.

12Give me back the joy of your salvation.

Keep me strong by giving me a willing spirit.

13Then I will teach your ways to those who do wrong,

and sinners will turn back to you.

14God, save me from the guilt of murder,

God of my salvation,

and I will sing about your goodness.

15Lord, let me speak

so I may praise you.

16You are not pleased by sacrifices, or I would give them.

You don’t want burnt offerings.

17The sacrifice God wants is a broken spirit.

God, you will not reject a heart that is broken and sorry for sin.

18Do whatever good you wish for Jerusalem.

Rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

19Then you will be pleased with right sacrifices and whole burnt offerings,

and bulls will be offered on your altar.

No comments: