Psalms 81-88 - Prayer Tents

Psalms 81

81[For the choir director: A psalm of Asaph, to be accompanied by a stringed instrument.] Sing praises to God, our strength. Sing to the God of Jacob.H5329H1665H623H7442H430H5797H7321H430H32902Sing! Beat the tambourine. Play the sweet lyre and the harp.H5375H2172H5414H8596H5273H3658H50353Blow the ram’s horn at new moon, and again at full moon to call a festival!H8628H7782H2320H3677H2282H31174For this is required by the decrees of Israel; it is a regulation of the God of Jacob.H2706H3478H4941H430H32905He made it a law for Israel when he attacked Egypt to set us free. I heard an unknown voice say,H7760H3084H5715H3318H776H4714H8085H8193H30456“Now I will take the load from your shoulders; I will free your hands from their heavy tasks.H5493H7926H5447H3709H5674H17317You cried to me in trouble, and I saved you; I answered out of the thundercloud and tested your faith when there was no water at Meribah. InterludeH7121H6869H2502H6030H5643H7482H974H4325H4809H55428“Listen to me, O my people, while I give you stern warnings. O Israel, if you would only listen to me!H8085H5971H5749H3478H80859You must never have a foreign god; you must not bow down before a false god.H2114H410H7812H5236H41010For it was I, the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things.H3068H430H5927H776H4714H6310H7337H439011“But no, my people wouldn’t listen. Israel did not want me around.H5971H8085H6963H3478H1412So I let them follow their own stubborn desires, living according to their own ideas.H7971H3820H8307H3212H415613Oh, that my people would listen to me! Oh, that Israel would follow me, walking in my paths!H3863H5971H8085H3478H1980H187014How quickly I would then subdue their enemies! How soon my hands would be upon their foes!H4592H3665H341H7725H3027H686215Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him; they would be doomed forever.H8130H3068H3584H6256H576916But I would feed you with the finest wheat. I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock.”H398H2459H2406H1706H6697H7646

Psalms 82

82[A psalm of Asaph.] God presides over heaven’s court; he pronounces judgment on the heavenly beings.H4210H623H430H5324H5712H410H8199H7130H430 2“How long will you hand down unjust decisions by favoring the wicked? InterludeH8199H5766H5375H6440H7563H5542 3“Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.H8199H1800H3490H6663H6041H7326 4Rescue the poor and helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil people.H6403H1800H34H5337H3027H7563 5But these oppressors know nothing; they are so ignorant! They wander about in darkness, while the whole world is shaken to the core.H3045H995H1980H2825H4144H776H4131 6I say, ‘You are gods; you are all children of the Most High.H559H430H1121H5945 7But you will die like mere mortals and fall like every other ruler.’”H403H4191H120H5307H259H8269 8Rise up, O God, and judge the earth, for all the nations belong to you.H6965H430H8199H776H5157H1471

Psalms 83

83[A song. A psalm of Asaph.] O God, do not be silent! Do not be deaf. Do not be quiet, O God.H7892H4210H623H1824H430H2790H8252H4102Don’t you hear the uproar of your enemies? Don’t you see that your arrogant enemies are rising up?H341H1993H8130H5375H72183They devise crafty schemes against your people; they conspire against your precious ones.H6191H5475H5971H3289H68454“Come,” they say, “let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will destroy the very memory of its existence.”H559H3212H3582H1471H8034H3478H21425Yes, this was their unanimous decision. They signed a treaty as allies against you—H3289H3162H3820H3772H12856these Edomites and Ishmaelites; Moabites and Hagrites;H168H123H3459H4124H19057Gebalites, Ammonites, and Amalekites; and people from Philistia and Tyre.H1381H5983H6002H6429H3427H68658Assyria has joined them, too, and is allied with the descendants of Lot. InterludeH804H3867H2220H1121H3876H55429Do to them as you did to the Midianites and as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River.H6213H4080H5516H2985H5158H702810They were destroyed at Endor, and their decaying corpses fertilized the soil.H8045H5874H1828H12711Let their mighty nobles die as Oreb and Zeeb did. Let all their princes die like Zebah and Zalmunna,H7896H5081H6159H2062H5257H2078H675912for they said, “Let us seize for our own use these pasturelands of God!”H559H4999H430H342313O my God, scatter them like tumbleweed, like chaff before the wind!H430H7896H1534H7179H6440H730714As a fire burns a forest and as a flame sets mountains ablaze,H784H1197H3293H3852H3857H2022H385715chase them with your fierce storm; terrify them with your tempest.H7291H5591H926H549216Utterly disgrace them until they submit to your name, O Lord.H4390H6440H7036H1245H8034H306817Let them be ashamed and terrified forever. Let them die in disgrace.H954H926H5703H2659H618Then they will learn that you alone are called the Lord, that you alone are the Most High, supreme over all the earth.H3045H8034H3068H5945H776

Psalms 84

84[For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah, to be accompanied by a stringed instrument.] How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Heaven’s Armies.H5329H1665H4210H1121H7141H3039H4908H3068H66352I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the Lord. With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God.H5315H3700H3615H2691H3068H3820H1320H7442H2416H4103Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young at a place near your altar, O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, my King and my God!H6833H4672H1004H1866H7064H7896H667H4196H3068H6635H4428H4304What joy for those who can live in your house, always singing your praises. InterludeH835H3427H1004H1984H55425What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.H835H120H5797H3824H45466When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs. The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings.H5674H6010H1056H1057H7896H4599H4175H5844H12937They will continue to grow stronger, and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.H3212H2428H2428H6726H7200H4308O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, hear my prayer. Listen, O God of Jacob. InterludeH3068H430H6635H8085H8605H238H430H3290H55429O God, look with favor upon the king, our shield! Show favor to the one you have anointed.H7200H430H4043H5027H6440H489910A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else! I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.H3117H2691H2896H505H977H5605H1004H430H1752H168H756211For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.H3068H430H8121H4043H3068H5414H2580H3519H2896H4513H1980H854912O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, what joy for those who trust in you.H3068H6635H835H120H982

Psalms 85

85[For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah.] Lord, you poured out blessings on your land! You restored the fortunes of Israel.H5329H4210H1121H7141H3068H7521H776H7725H7622H7622H32902You forgave the guilt of your people—yes, you covered all their sins. InterludeH5375H5771H5971H3680H2403H55423You held back your fury. You kept back your blazing anger.H622H5678H7725H2740H6394Now restore us again, O God of our salvation. Put aside your anger against us once more.H7725H430H3468H3708H65655Will you be angry with us always? Will you prolong your wrath to all generations?H599H5769H4900H639H1755H17556Won’t you revive us again, so your people can rejoice in you?H2421H7725H5971H80557Show us your unfailing love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.H7200H2617H3068H5414H34688I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people. But let them not return to their foolish ways.H8085H410H3068H1696H1696H7965H5971H2623H7725H36909Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, so our land will be filled with his glory.H3468H7138H3373H3519H7931H77610Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed!H2617H571H6298H6664H7965H540111Truth springs up from the earth, and righteousness smiles down from heaven.H571H6779H776H6664H8259H806412Yes, the Lord pours down his blessings. Our land will yield its bountiful harvest.H3068H5414H2896H776H5414H298113Righteousness goes as a herald before him, preparing the way for his steps.H6664H1980H6440H7760H1870H6471

Psalms 86

86[A prayer of David.] Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer; answer me, for I need your help.H8605H1732H5186H241H3068H6030H6041H342Protect me, for I am devoted to you. Save me, for I serve you and trust you. You are my God.H8104H5315H2623H430H3467H5650H9823Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am calling on you constantly.H2603H136H7121H31174Give me happiness, O Lord, for I give myself to you.H8055H5315H5650H136H5375H53155O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.H136H2896H5546H7227H2617H71216Listen closely to my prayer, O Lord; hear my urgent cry.H238H3068H8605H7181H6963H84697I will call to you whenever I’m in trouble, and you will answer me.H3117H6869H7121H60308No pagan god is like you, O Lord. None can do what you do!H430H136H46399All the nations you made will come and bow before you, Lord; they will praise your holy name.H1471H6213H935H7812H6440H136H3513H803410For you are great and perform wonderful deeds. You alone are God.H1419H6213H6381H43011Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you.H3384H1870H3068H1980H571H3161H3824H3372H803412With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever,H3034H136H430H3824H3513H8034H576913for your love for me is very great. You have rescued me from the depths of death.H1419H2617H5337H5315H8482H758514O God, insolent people rise up against me; a violent gang is trying to kill me. You mean nothing to them.H430H2086H6965H5712H6184H1245H5315H776015But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.H136H410H7349H2587H750H639H7227H2617H57116Look down and have mercy on me. Give your strength to your servant; save me, the son of your servant.H6437H2603H5414H5797H5650H3467H1121H51917Send me a sign of your favor. Then those who hate me will be put to shame, for you, O Lord, help and comfort me.H6213H226H2896H8130H7200H954H3068H5826H5162

Psalms 87

87[A song. A psalm of the descendants of Korah.] On the holy mountain stands the city founded by the Lord.H4210H7892H1121H7141H3248H6944H2042 2He loves the city of Jerusalem more than any other city in Israel.H3068H157H8179H6726H4908H3290 3O city of God, what glorious things are said of you! InterludeH3513H1696H5892H430H5542 4I will count Egypt and Babylon among those who know me—also Philistia and Tyre, and even distant Ethiopia. They have all become citizens of Jerusalem!H2142H7294H894H3045H6429H6865H3568H3205 5Regarding Jerusalem it will be said, “Everyone enjoys the rights of citizenship there.” And the Most High will personally bless this city.H6726H559H376H3205H5945H3559 6When the Lord registers the nations, he will say, “They have all become citizens of Jerusalem.” InterludeH3068H5608H3789H5971H3205H5542 7The people will play flutes and sing, “The source of my life springs from Jerusalem!”H7891H2490H4599

Psalms 88

88[For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah. A song to be sung to the tune “The Suffering of Affliction.” A psalm of Heman the Ezrahite.] O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you by day. I come to you at night.H7892H4210H1121H7141H5329H4257H6031H4905H1968H250H3068H430H3444H6817H3117H39152Now hear my prayer; listen to my cry.H8605H935H6440H5186H241H74403For my life is full of troubles, and death draws near.H5315H7646H7451H2416H5060H75854I am as good as dead, like a strong man with no strength left.H2803H3381H953H1397H3535They have left me among the dead, and I lie like a corpse in a grave. I am forgotten, cut off from your care.H2670H4191H2491H7901H6913H2142H1504H30276You have thrown me into the lowest pit, into the darkest depths.H7896H8482H953H4285H46887Your anger weighs me down; with wave after wave you have engulfed me. InterludeH2534H5564H6031H4867H55428You have driven my friends away by making me repulsive to them. I am in a trap with no way of escape.H7368H3045H7368H7896H8441H3607H33189My eyes are blinded by my tears. Each day I beg for your help, O Lord; I lift my hands to you for mercy.H5869H1669H6040H3068H7121H3117H7849H370910Are your wonderful deeds of any use to the dead? Do the dead rise up and praise you? InterludeH6213H6382H4191H7496H6965H3034H554211Can those in the grave declare your unfailing love? Can they proclaim your faithfulness in the place of destruction?H2617H5608H6913H530H1112Can the darkness speak of your wonderful deeds? Can anyone in the land of forgetfulness talk about your righteousness?H6382H3045H2822H6666H776H538813O Lord, I cry out to you. I will keep on pleading day by day.H7768H3068H1242H8605H692314O Lord, why do you reject me? Why do you turn your face from me?H3068H2186H5315H5641H644015I have been sick and close to death since my youth. I stand helpless and desperate before your terrors.H6041H1478H5290H5375H367H632316Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me. Your terrors have paralyzed me.H2740H5674H1161H678917They swirl around me like floodwaters all day long. They have engulfed me completely.H5437H3117H4325H5362H316218You have taken away my companions and loved ones. Darkness is my closest friend.H157H7453H7368H3045H4285