Daily Archives: December 23, 2023

PSALM 42

Devotion

As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
under the protection of the Mighty One
with shouts of joy and praise
among the festive throng.
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
6 My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon —from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.
8 By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God my Rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?”
10 My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

Psalm 42

My soul is like a thirsty deer

That pants for cooling streams:

I thirst for you, the living God,

I long to hear your healing word,

But you’re not there, it seems.

Both day and night I weep for help;

My foes keep poking fun,

“Where is this God?”  they taunt and jeer,

But O, my soul, you must not fear —

Your vict’ry will be won.

Remember (O, can I forget?)

Those celebration days!

You led the great procession to

The temple, yes, my soul, ‘twas you

That sang with joy and praise.

And now, my soul, why are you sad?

Why downcast and depressed?

Hope still in God, yes, I shall raise

My heart to Him in fervent praise —

His help will give me rest.

Yet at this moment, filled with gloom,

Discouraged, here I stand;

I choose to turn my thoughts to you,

To praise for help and blessings too

On this, your lovely land.

For floods of grief break over me

Like waves upon the shore;

Yet, day by day your steadfast love

Is lavished on me from above;

I could not ask for more.

And, sleepless, through the night I sing

Your songs of love and grace;

I pray to God who gives me life,

Who comes to help me in the strife;

O, show your lovely face.

“O God, my rock,”  I cry to you,

“Why have you left me, why?

Why must I suffer waves of scorn?

I feel forsaken, so forlorn;

O listen to my cry!”

They pierce with taunts like sharpened swords,

They scoff, “Where is this God?”

My soul, take heart and trust in Him

Let not you faith and hope grow dim,

For yet you’ll praise the Lord.

PSALM 45

Devotion, ,

My heart is stirred by a noble theme
as I recite my verses for the king;
my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.
2 You are the most excellent of men
and your lips have been anointed with grace,
since God has blessed you forever.
3 Gird your sword on your side, you mighty one;
clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.
4 In your majesty ride forth victoriously
in the cause of truth, humility and justice;
let your right hand achieve awesome deeds.
5 Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies;
let the nations fall beneath your feet.
6 Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.
8 All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;
from palaces adorned with ivory
the music of the strings makes you glad.
9 Daughters of kings are among your honored women;
at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir.
10 Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention:
Forget your people and your father’s house.
11 Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;
honor him, for he is your lord.
12 The city of Tyre will come with a gift,
people of wealth will seek your favor.
13 All glorious is the princess within her chamber;
her gown is interwoven with gold.
14 In embroidered garments she is led to the king;
her virgin companions follow her—
those brought to be with her.
15 Led in with joy and gladness,
they enter the palace of the king.
16 Your sons will take the place of your fathers;
you will make them princes throughout the land.
17 I will perpetuate your memory through all generations;
therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.

Psalm 45

There rises in my heart a song of joy,

A poem to my king, I will employ

My tongue to sing a song to honour you.

You are the fairest of them all, my Lord;

By God Himself you’re honoured and adored.

Your words are full of grace and they are true.

O Mighty One, take up your armour strong

Humility and truth to you belong:

Defend them, Glorious One, in your great might.

No enemy can stand before your face:

Your sharpened arrows pierce them in disgrace

Removing them forever from your sight.

O God, you rule eternal from your throne,

Your royal sceptre, justice, truth alone;

No evil there, yes, loving only good.

You’re drenched with gladness more than anyone,

The gift of God, the Father to His son:

Your joy has every evil thing withstood.

The fragrance of your garments draws me near

And in your palace, music soothes my ear;

Your beauty, love and peace embraces me.

Your queen, in splendour, stands beside her spouse:

“Fret not, O daughter, for your father’s house –

Your royal husband loves you passionately.”

Submit, then, to His love, O fairest one:

Let all your qualms and fears for aye be gone.

He is your Lord, submit to His embrace.

Your Bride, your princess, waits within her room,

So lovely, robed in splendour for her groom,

With eager longing yearns to see His face.

The festal train moves through the palace gates:

The king, in joyful expectation, waits

To seal their union, never more to part.

Your sons will some day rule the nations too:

The people of the world will honour you;

They’ll lift your name in praise with all their heart.