The Bible Story Part 287

O my G.o.d, my soul is cast down within me: Therefore do I remember thee from the land of Jordan, And the Hermons, from the hill Mizar.

Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, And in the night his song shall be with me, Even a prayer unto the G.o.d of my life. {62} I will say unto G.o.d my rock, "Why hast thou forgotten me?"

Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

As with a sword in my bones, mine adversaries reproach me; While they continually say unto me, "Where is thy G.o.d?"

Why art thou cast down, O my soul?

And why art thou disquieted within me?

Hope thou in G.o.d: for I shall yet praise him, Who is the health of my countenance, and my G.o.d.

Judge me, O G.o.d, and plead my cause against an unG.o.dly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.

For thou art the G.o.d of my strength; why hast thou cast me off?

Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

O send out thy light and thy truth; let them lead me: Let them bring me unto thy holy hill, And to thy tabernacles.

Then will I go unto the altar of G.o.d, Unto G.o.d my exceeding joy: And upon the harp will I praise thee, O G.o.d, my G.o.d.

Why art thou cast down, O my soul?

And why art thou disquieted within me?

Hope thou in G.o.d: for I shall yet praise him, Who is the health of my countenance, and my G.o.d.

--_Psalms 42, 43_.

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IN THE DAY OF ADVERSITY

We have heard with our ears, O G.o.d, Our fathers have told us, What work thou didst in their days, In the days of old.

Thou didst drive out the nations with thy hand; But them thou didst plant: Thou didst afflict the peoples; But them thou didst spread abroad.

For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, Neither did their own arm save them; But thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, Because thou wast favorable unto them.

Thou art my King, O G.o.d: Command deliverance for Jacob.

Through thee will we push down our adversaries: Through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.

For I will not trust in my bow, Neither shall my sword save me.

But thou hast saved us from our adversaries, And hast put them to shame that hate us.

In G.o.d have we made our boast all the day long, And we will give thanks unto thy name for ever. {64} But now thou hast cast us off, and brought us to dishonour; And goest not forth with our hosts.

Thou makest us to turn back from the adversary: And they which hate us spoil for themselves.

Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; And hast scattered us among the nations.

Thou sellest thy people for nought, And hast not increased thy wealth by their price.

Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, A scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.

Thou makest us a byword among the nations, A shaking of the head among the peoples.

All the day long is my dishonour before me, And the shame of my face hath covered me, For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; By reason of the enemy and the avenger.

All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, Neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.

Our heart is not turned back, Neither have our steps declined from thy way; That thou hast sore broken us in the place of jackals, And covered us with the shadow of death.

If we have forgotten the name of our G.o.d, Or spread forth our hands to a strange G.o.d; Shall not G.o.d search this out?

For he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. {65} Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord?

Arise, cast us not off for ever.

Wherefore hidest thou thy face, And forgettest our affliction and our oppression?

For our soul is bowed down to the dust: Our belly cleaveth unto the earth.

Rise up for our help, And redeem us for thy lovingkindness' sake.

--_Psalm 44_.

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A MARRIAGE SONG FOR THE WEDDING OF A KING

My heart overfloweth with a goodly matter: I speak the things which I have made touching the king: My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

Thou art fairer than the children of men; Grace is poured into thy lips: Therefore G.o.d hath blessed thee for ever.

Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O mighty one, Thy glory and thy majesty.

And in thy majesty ride on prosperously, Because of truth and meekness and righteousness: And thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.

Thine arrows are sharp; The peoples fall under thee; They are in the heart of the king's enemies.

Thy throne, O G.o.d, is for ever and ever: A sceptre of equity is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness: Therefore G.o.d, thy G.o.d, hath anointed thee With the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and ca.s.sia; Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made thee glad. {67} Kings' daughters are among thy honourable women: Upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.

Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; Forget also thine own people, and thy father's house: So will the king desire thy beauty; For he is thy lord; and reverence thou him.

And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; The rich among the people shall entreat thy favor.

The king's daughter within the palace is all glorious: Her clothing is inwrought with gold.

She shall be led unto the king in broidered work: The virgins her companions that follow her Shall be brought unto thee.

With gladness and rejoicing shall they be led: They shall enter into the king's palace.

Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, Whom thou shalt make princes in all the earth.

I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: Therefore shall the peoples give thee thanks for ever and ever.

--_Psalm 45_.

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G.o.d IS OUR REFUGE

G.o.d is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

Therefore will we not fear, though the earth do change, And though the mountains be moved in the heart of the seas; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.

There is a river, the streams whereof make glad the city of G.o.d, The holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High.

G.o.d is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: G.o.d shall help her, and that right early.

The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved: He uttered his voice, the earth melted.

The Lord of hosts is with us; The G.o.d of Jacob is our refuge.

Come, behold the works of the Lord, What desolations he hath made in the earth.

He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; He burneth the chariots in the fire.

Be still, and know that I am G.o.d: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.

The Lord of hosts is with us; The G.o.d of Jacob is our refuge.

--_Psalm 46_.

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A SONG OF VICTORY

O clap your hands, all ye peoples; Shout unto G.o.d with the voice of triumph.

For the Lord Most High is terrible; He is a great King over all the earth.

He shall subdue the peoples under us, And the nations under our feet.