- From the depths of despair, O Lord,
I call for your help.
Hear my cry, O Lord.
Pay attention to my prayer. - 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. - Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal 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.
- Wash yourselves and be clean!
Get your sins out of my sight.
Give up your evil ways. - But God is my helper.
The Lord keeps me alive! - As a face is reflected in water,
so the heart reflects the real person. - 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.
- So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this!
- 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.’
- 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. - 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. - 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!’
- 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. - A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. - The commandments of the Lord are right,
bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are clear,
giving insight for living. - Loyalty makes a person attractive.
It is better to be poor than dishonest. - But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!
- Let all that I am praise the Lord;
with my whole heart, I will 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.
- 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.
- God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
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.
- 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. - People may be right in their own eyes,
but the Lord examines their heart.
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