From the depths of despair, O Lord, I call for your help. Hear my cry, O Lord. Pay attention to my prayer. | Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. |
Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past. Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O Lord. | Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good. |
|
Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. | Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. |
Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment. | Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. |
Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways. | Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. |
But God is my helper. The Lord keeps me alive! | Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me. |
As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person. | As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart. |
You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. | You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. |
So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this! | Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do. |
Go back to Hezekiah, the leader of my people. Tell him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your ancestor David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you, and three days from now you will get out of bed and go to the Temple of the Lord.’ | Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord.’ |
Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins. | Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. |
It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. | So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. |
Therefore, tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: No more delay! I will now do everything I have threatened. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!’ | Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: None of my words will be delayed any longer; whatever I say will be fulfilled, declares the Sovereign Lord.’ |
My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying. | My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. |
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. | A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. |
The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. | The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. |
Loyalty makes a person attractive. It is better to be poor than dishonest. | What a person desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar. |
But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! | If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. |
Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. | Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. |
So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. | So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. |
For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. | For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. |
God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. | Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. |
Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light. | Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. |
But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress. | But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. |
People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart. | A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart. |