Day 30: Matthew 13:1-17 & Psalm 30 - Why Did Jesus Tell Parables?

Today's reading: Matthew 13:1-17 & Psalm 30

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Why Did Jesus Tell Parables?

"To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand." - Matt. 13:11-13

Today, we read one of Jesus' most famous parables, the Parable of the Sower, or the Parable of the Four Soils. Tomorrow, we will look at this parable more closely as Jesus gives His disciples the explanation. But before Jesus explains this parable to His disciples, He first explains to them why He tells everything to the crowds in parables.

Jesus' teaching is perhaps most famous for His use of parables. You have probably heard Bible teachers claim that Jesus told parables to the crowds so that they could better understand Hs teaching. He used illustrations from their everyday life, so they could have relevant illustrations to make the meaning of His message clear.

This sounds nice, but the problem is that it's the opposite of the effect Jesus' parables actually had for people. More importantly, it's the opposite of the reason Jesus Himself gave for His use of parables. Jesus told His disciples that they alone were "given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven." The crowds were not given this knowledge, and so everything was presented to them in parables.

When Jesus teaches the crowds the moral law of God, He makes His meaning very plain and clear. He does not hide God's holy standard in the dark or keep people wondering what God requires. Just re-read chapter 5 of Matthew in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus doesn't use parables in His teaching of the law. But He does use them when He teaches about the nature of the kingdom or of salvation.

Why?

Very simply, Jesus' use of parables is a judgment against the Jews for their rejection of Him as Messiah.

The Jewish leaders - the scribes, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the teachers of the law - were experts in the word of God and the ways of God. They should've been well studied and prepared for Jesus' arrival. They should've recognized the signs of His earthly ministry, which were all exactly as foretold in Isaiah and elsewhere. But their pride, their pretense, and their hunger for power and control all kept them from seeing what should have been plain. The mass of people had followed the teachings of these false teachers and were led astray into ignorance and spiritual blindness.

So Jesus chose a few and called them to follow Him, giving them salvation and the secrets of the kingdom. But for the rest, Jesus says, "from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away." The Lord has mercy on whom He has mercy and He hardens whom he hardens (Rom. 9:18). He saves those He chooses to save and gives the rest what they deserve. It's sobering and humbling, but it's clearly true and is exactly what Jesus tells His disciples here.

If you are saved, and you have been given the privilege of knowing the secrets of the kingdom of God, then praise God for His grace to you! For you are blessed far beyond what you deserve and it is grace alone that has been the source of your blessing.

Prayer Based on Psalm 30:

I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up    and have not let my foes rejoice over me.

O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
    and you have healed me.

O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;    you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,
    and give thanks to his holy name.

For his anger is but for a moment,
  and his favor is for a lifetime.

Weeping may tarry for the night,

    but joy comes with the morning.

As for me, I said in my prosperity,

    “I shall never be moved.”

By your favor, O Lord,    you made my mountain stand strong;you hid your face;    I was dismayed.

To you, O Lord, I cry,

    and to the Lord I plead for mercy:“What profit is there in my death,    if I go down to the pit?Will the dust praise you?    Will it tell of your faithfulness?

Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me!    O Lord, be my helper!”

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;    you have loosed my sackcloth    and clothed me with gladness,that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.

    O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

Day 29: Matthew 12:33-50 & Psalm 29 - What Kind of Heart Bears Good Fruit?

Today's Reading: Matthew 12:33-50 & Psalm 29

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What Kind of Heart Bears Good Fruit?

"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil." - Matthew 12:33-35, ESV

A good, sound, healthy tree will bear good fruit for years, abundant and high-quality fruitfulness. If you have a tree putting forth bad fruit consistently, you don't blame the fruit, you look to the roots of the tree, the quality of the soil or the nature of the plant itself. In other words, you look deeper than the superficial level. 

Jesus said that a good heart, a heart full of good treasure, will allow a person to bring forth good in his or her life. If we have sinful or unfruitful patterns in our lives, we need to look more deeply. So, what kind of heart bears good fruit?

1. A heart with a good treasure is a heart that bears good fruit (v. 35). It wasn't Sigmund Freud who invented the "Freudian slip." Jesus said that we "will give account for every careless word." Why? Because our words reflect the treasure in our hearts. What do we treasure, deep inside: Money? Control? Praise from people? Pleasure? or Jesus? the Kingdom? God's attributes and His ways? It will show in our words.  

2. A believing heart and not a skeptical heart will bear good fruit (vv. 38-42). The scribes and Pharisees demanded a sign. Jesus answered in two ways: pointing them to the coming sign of the resurrection, but also condemning them for demanding a sign in the first place. He said that sign-seeking represents a heart of spiritual adultery (v. 39). Why? Because skepticism is a form of faithlessness, of betrayal. A skeptical heart is always demanding that God prove Himself, rather than trusting Him in those times when we don't understand or can't see what He is doing. 

3. A heart filled with the Holy Spirit, and not just cleansed of sinful habits, will bear good fruit (vv. 43-45). If we concentrate on ridding our hearts and lives of all the bad stuff, we will end up empty, with nothing to live for, nothing filling the treasure chest in our hearts. As nature abhors a vacuum, so the spiritual world will not allow a human heart to stand empty. You will give yourself to something or someone in your deepest core. There will always be an answer to: Who is your master? Who fills your heart? Will it truly be Christ or sin?

4. A heart that delights to do the will of God will bear good fruit (vv. 46-50). This is the kind of heart Jesus had, not just doing right to check off a list of requirements or get something good, but pleasing His Heavenly Father in all He did because of love, a delight to do the will of God.  

So, who can give us this kind of heart? Only God! God has the power to change us from the inside out. If all you have is the desire to have this kind of heart, know that the desire itself comes from God. So, you can know "that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6)."     

Prayer Based on Psalm 26:

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
    worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.

Heavenly Father, You are indeed full of glory and strength. You are radiant and splendid, holding all things together by Your power and might. You are awesome and majestic, reigning as King and doing all Your holy will. No one can compare with You. No one can approach You. No one can match You in any of Your attributes - not Your wisdom, not Your power, not Your holiness, not Your love. 

The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
    the God of glory thunders,
    the Lord, over many waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
    the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
    the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,
    and Sirion like a young wild ox.
The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
    the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth
    and strips the forests bare,
    and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

Father, Your voice is powerful indeed. You speak and by Your word all things are ordered and sustained, created or undone, established or overthrown, filled with joy or brought down into sorrow. Only Your voice can accomplish such great and mighty things. I need Your voice to speak peace, righteousness, faithfulness and fruitfulness in my soul, to my heart. Jesus is Your voice and I need Him more than I could ever express or know. 

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
    the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
May the Lord give strength to his people!
    May the Lord bless his people with peace!

O Lord, not for me alone, but I pray that You would give strength and peace to all of Your people - strength to overcome the enemy and all of his deceptions and peace to guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Hear my prayer, Father, in the matchless name of Jesus, Amen!

Day 28: Matthew 12:15-32 & Psalm 28 - What is the Unpardonable Sin?

Today's Bible Reading: Matthew 12:15-32 & Psalm 28

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What is the Unpardonable Sin?

Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. - Matthew 12:31-32

The idea that we might commit a sin that could never be forgiven is terrifying, isn't it? In today's passage, Jesus warns against such a sin, "blasphemy against the Spirit" which "will not be forgiven." So what is this sin which "will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come"? 

To understand, it's much more helpful to look at the context than at the verse themselves. In the context, what were the Pharisees guilty of doing? They had said of Jesus, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” Thus, they were attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to the devil. 

But why did they do this and what did it mean? The reason the Pharisees committed this sin was their hardened unbelief and refusal to follow Jesus, despite clear evidence that He was the Son of God, the long-awaited Messiah.

If someone has a hardened heart of unbelief and will not acknowledge Jesus, despite clear evidence compelling them to do so, they are cut off from the grace of God and without hope, with is this life or in the life to come. Now, a person may seem to be in this state for a season and then later repent and trust in Christ. In that case, they were never really in this state; they only seemed to be.

So, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is persistent, hard-hearted unbelief. It is the condition of the person who never repents and never trusts Jesus, who refuses salvation for their whole lives. This person has no hope. 

Anyone who asks if they might have committed this sin and is concerned about possibly having said something or done something that might be this sin is showing by their concern that they are not guilty of the unpardonable sin. Those who are guilty of this sin never care, never question and never express concern or regret. So if you trust Jesus and you sincerely desire His salvation and forgiveness, you may have it always, freely and fully!

Prayer Based on Psalm 28:

To you, O Lord, I call;
    my rock, be not deaf to me,
lest, if you be silent to me,
    I become like those who go down to the pit.
Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy,
    when I cry to you for help,
when I lift up my hands
    toward your most holy sanctuary.

Heavenly Father, You are my rock and my salvation. You are the One I desperately need and cannot live without. I need You to hear my prayers and I need to hear truth from You. I need Your mercy and Your help. Lord, I desire to worship You and glorify You as You deserve, but my distracted mind and my sinful heart keep leading me astray from my proper focus on You. Save me and draw me back to You. 

Do not drag me off with the wicked,
    with the workers of evil,
who speak peace with their neighbors
    while evil is in their hearts.
Give to them according to their work
    and according to the evil of their deeds;
give to them according to the work of their hands;
    render them their due reward.

Father, when I look around me in this world, I see so much wickedness and do much evil. People exploit, oppress and hate one another. Powerful wicked men, like ISIS and the dictators of North Korea and Eritrea and elsewhere powerfully oppress and violently persecute Your people. Bring them down from their wicked positions of power. End their oppression of Your people, O Lord!  

Because they do not regard the works of the Lord
    or the work of his hands,
he will tear them down and build them up no more.
Blessed be the Lord!
    For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.

The Lord is my strength and my shield;
    in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
    and with my song I give thanks to him.

You are not only my strength and my my shield, but You are the strength and shield of all those who trust in You. You come to our rescue and help us. I give You thanks for Your mercy and Your help, given in times of need. Be the strength of Your people. Be their hope in dark times of sorrow and loss. Save and shelter Your people.  

The Lord is the strength of his people;
    he is the saving refuge of his anointed.

Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!

    Be their shepherd and carry them forever.

 In Jesus' precious name I pray these things for Your glory and honor, Amen! 

Day 27: Matthew 12:1-14 & Psalm 27 - What Honors God on the Sabbath?

Today's reading: Matthew 12:1-14 & Psalm 27

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What Honors God on the Sabbath?

And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.” - Matthew 12:7-8, ESV

When God finished creating the world, He rested. By doing so, He created the Sabbath day on the seventh day. When God gave the Ten Commandments to His people at Mount Sinai, He included "Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy" at #4. Jesus never openly announced the repeal of the Sabbath commandment, though the day of the week and the fundamental nature of the day were transformed by His resurrection - transformed, but not repealed. 

Each resurrection appearance of Jesus to His disciples happened on a Sunday, the first day of the week, the same day as the Resurrection itself. From the beginning, the church gathered for worship early in the morning on the first day of the week, not the seventh day. And by the time John wrote Revelation, the church was already referring to the first day of the week as "The Lord's Day." (Rev. 1:10) This expression is the same as "the Day of the Lord," which is the coming day of Christ's triumphant return. So, instead of looking back at the end of the week to the completion of creation, Christians look forward on the first day of the week to the new creation, begun in the resurrected body of Jesus.

So, given all of that background, what is happening in today's passage in Matthew? Jesus seems to be directly and intentionally confronting the religious leaders over the Sabbath. Why? Well, to put it simply: the religious leaders had taken a blessing and turned it into a curse. 

More specifically, Jesus is showing that acts of necessity (eating) and mercy (healing) are very proper for the holy Sabbath day of rest. It is good to do good for others, even and especially on the Sabbath. And the necessary things can always be done, on whatever day. God's intent in commanding His people to rest was to call them to the blessing of focusing on Him and quieting their lives. He never intended to punish merciful acts of kindness or bind His people from doing necessary things. 

Some Christians in history have had a harsh and kill-joy approach to Sundays. They almost made it sinful to laugh, have fun, enjoy life or celebrate on the Lord's Day. That's not in keeping with Jesus' approach. Jesus brings freedom, joy, salvation and healing. Honoring His day should not be focused on boredom, melancholy and restriction.

On the other hand, that's not the problem the church has today. Today, most Christians see little-to-no difference between the Lord's Day and any other day of the week. We refuse to give up our busy lives and our worldly priorities, not to do what is restful, merciful of necessary, but just to keep running the rat race. God calls us to rest and worship Him on Sundays, celebrating Jesus' victory over death and enjoying the rest and salvation He has given.

Prayer Based on Psalm 27:

Like Psalm 25, this is one of my favorite Psalms to pray to the Lord word-for-word, line-by-line.

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
    of whom shall I be afraid?

Lord, You are my light and my salvation. I have no reason to fear anyone of anything because You have saved me and You have made me Your own forever. You are the stronghold of my life. I know I am safe in You and in You alone. 

When evildoers assail me
    to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
    it is they who stumble and fall.

Though an army encamp against me,

    my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
    yet I will be confident.

Just because I am safe in You, Lord, doesn't mean I won't face vicious attack from my enemies. My enemies are restless and intent on my destruction. But when Satan and my flesh and the world attack me, they may succeed in tripping me up in the moment, but they are the ones who will be destroyed. You will fully and finally deliver me by Your grace from their attacks and their taunts. 

One thing have I asked of the Lord,
    that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
    and to inquire in his temple.

For he will hide me in his shelter

    in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
    he will lift me high upon a rock.

Lord, I have one deepest heart desire - to know You, to be with You, to see You face-to-face one day, to be Yours forever free from sin and sorrow. Lord, hide my soul in You. Lord, be my shelter and my refuge when temptations are strong and when doubts arise. Establish me firmly upon Christ, my Rock. 

And now my head shall be lifted up
    above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
    sacrifices with shouts of joy;

I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

Father, I know that in the midst of persistent attack, You lift up my head. You keep me from sinking. And so I thank You. I praise You. I sing and delight in You! Praise God from whom all blessings flow! 

Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
    be gracious to me and answer me!
You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you,
    “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”
    Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
    O you who have been my help.

Cast me not off; forsake me not,

    O God of my salvation!
For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
    but the Lord will take me in.

Teach me your way, O Lord,
    and lead me on a level path
    because of my enemies.
Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
    for false witnesses have risen against me,
    and they breathe out violence.

Father, just as Your shelter me, rescue me, lift my head and forgive me, so I also need You to teach me and lead me. I am woefully ignorant and prone to wander. I am stubborn and willful and vulnerable to attack because of my foolishness and unfaithfulness. Teach me. Lead me.  

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord

    in the land of the living!
Wait for the Lord;
    be strong, and let your heart take courage;
    wait for the Lord!

Lord, I wait for You. When Jesus comes again, I know I shall see real goodness in the land of the living, forever. I wait for You and find my strength in You and Your promises. Strengthen me to wait patiently and faithfully, courageously and expectantly. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Day 26: Matthew 11:20-30 & Psalm 26 - Why Do Some People Get it While Others Don't?

Today's reading: Matthew 11:20-30 & Psalm 26

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Why Do Some People Get it While Others Don't?

 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 
yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. - Matthew 11:25-26, ESV

Today's reading begins with harsh words of condemnation and ends with gentle words of invitation. The great, prominent, influential cities of Bethsaida, Chorazin and Capernaum are condemned by Jesus for their stubborn refusal to acknowledge His kingdom despite abundant evidence. Then, those who "labor and are heavy laden" are gently invited to come and find rest beneath the yoke of Him who is "gentle and lowly in heart." 

Do you ever wonder what makes the difference between the two groups? Why did these cities see the signs and wonders of Jesus and yet reject Him, while the common laboring people had eyes to see and ears to hear the call of Christ?

Well, we don't need to wonder or speculate because Jesus tells us plainly. Right between the words of judgment and the words of gentle invitation, Jesus praises God for His "gracious will" to reveal the truth to "little children" while hiding them from "the wise and understanding." Just so we don't miss it, let's consider exactly what Jesus is saying:

1. It's never a lack of information or evidence that keeps someone from Jesus. The cities Jesus condemned had all the evidence they could ever hope to have.

2. Power and influence can't buy you an entrance to the kingdom of heaven. Jesus does not seek out the rich and powerful, looking for their resources for His kingdom. 

3. It's not being poor and weak that makes the difference, it's the gracious decision of God to reveal Himself, There's nothing special about poor and weak people in themselves either. It's God's self-revelation and His eye-opening grace that saves.

If you know the Lord, praise Him and give Him all the honor! It wasn't your wealth, influence, power, intelligence or insight that brought you to Christ. It was the grace of God, from beginning to end!

Prayer based on Psalm 26:

Psalm 26 in many ways seems like the opposite of Psalm 25, at least when it comes to prayer. We can easily pray Psalm 25 word-for-word from our hearts. Psalm 26 seems impossible for us to pray for ourselves. Claiming to be innocent and pure is impossible for us. Instead, we should see this prayer as a prayer of the Lord Jesus, reflecting the prayers during His earthly life:

"In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence." - Hebrews 5:7   

In Psalm 26, we can see:
1. Christ's innocence and faithfulness.
2. Christ's trust of His heavenly Father.
3. Christ's love for the church.
4. Christ's plea for deliverance from a death like the wicked (vv. 9-10), which is what He faced.

Hebrews 5:7 says that Christ's prayers were heard. The evidence that Psalm 26 was answered and that Christ was redeemed from death is the resurrection.

If we are in Christ, we can pray Psalm 26 in Christ, claiming Him as our justification, our faithfulness, our innocence, our deliverance.

Day 25: Matthew 11:1-19 & Psalm 25 - What Do We Do When God Fails to Meet Our Expectations?

Today's Reading: Matthew 11:1-19 & Psalm 25

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What Do We Do When God Fails to Meet Our Expectations?

But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,

 “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
    we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.” - Matthew 11:16-19, ESV

John the Baptist was sitting in prison, where he would soon be beheaded. He had baptized Jesus and publicly proclaimed Him as the Messiah. Now he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?" It's unclear whether John was really doubting or whether he was just sending his disciples to Jesus so they would follow Him. What is clear is that most people's expectations of the Messiah's kingdom did not include leading prophets of their generation sitting in prison and then being executed. 

What do we do when we're deeply disappointed, when God doesn't meet our expectations? 

The people of Israel were confused by both John the Baptist and Jesus. John seemed way too extreme for them, living our in the desert, eating locusts and wild honey, preaching and demanding real repentance. Why couldn't he be more normal, more mainstream? Jesus came along and He ate and drank with tax collectors and sinners! This was too far in the other direction! What kind of holy man acts like a glutton and a drunkard, feasting, turning water into wine, hanging out with all of the wrong people?

We all have our sets of expectations. We all have standards we expect God to meet. Because we're not God, that means we all face the reality of disappointment.

God doesn't rule with the goal of meeting our expectations, Our expectations are almost always too small, too shallow, too narrow, too petty for God. John the Baptist's followers wanted him out of prison. Jesus showed them that the blind were receiving their sight, the lame were walking, the deaf were hearing, lepers were being cleansed and the poor were having the gospel preached to them. The power of the kingdom was on full display and lives were being transformed for eternity. 

Rest assured that when God fails to meet our expectations, it's always because He has something better planned. When God fails to meet our expectations, it's always because our expectations were too low, too worldly, too self-centered, too petty. God is not going to change. For that, we should be very thankful! So, when God fails to meet our expectations, it is our expectations that have failed and it is our expectations which must change!

Prayer Based on Psalm 25:

Sometimes, we can just pray the Psalm directly to the Lord:

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.O my God, in you I trust;  let me not be put to shame;    let not my enemies exult over me.Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;    they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

Make me to know your ways, O Lord;    teach me your paths.Lead me in your truth and teach me,    for you are the God of my salvation;    for you I wait all the day long.

Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,    for they have been from of old.Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;    according to your steadfast love remember me,    for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

Good and upright is the Lord;    therefore he instructs sinners in the way.He leads the humble in what is right,    and teaches the humble his way.

All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,    for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.O my God, in you I trust;    let me not be put to shame;    let not my enemies exult over me.

Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;    they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.Make me to know your ways, O LORD;    teach me your paths.Lead me in your truth and teach me,    for you are the God of my salvation;    for you I wait all the day long.

Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love,    for they have been from of old.Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;    according to your steadfast love remember me,    for the sake of your goodness, O LORD!

Good and upright is the LORD;    therefore he instructs sinners in the way.He leads the humble in what is right,    and teaches the humble his way.All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness,    for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

For your name's sake, O LORD,    pardon my guilt, for it is great.Who is the man who fears the LORD?    Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.His soul shall abide in well-being,    and his offspring shall inherit the land.

The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him,    and he makes known to them his covenant.My eyes are ever toward the LORD,    for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

Turn to me and be gracious to me,    for I am lonely and afflicted.The troubles of my heart are enlarged;    bring me out of my distresses.

Consider my affliction and my trouble,    and forgive all my sins.Consider how many are my foes,    and with what violent hatred they hate me.

Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me!    Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.May integrity and uprightness preserve me,    for I wait for you.

Redeem Israel, O God,    out of all his troubles. (ESV)