Study Desk

class="psalm-title"> A David Psalm God ! God! I am running to you for dear life; the chase is wild. If they catch me, I'm finished: ripped to shreds by foes fierce as lions, dragged into the forest and left unlooked for, unremembered. God , if I've done what they say— betrayed my friends, ripped off my enemies— If my hands are really that dirty, let them get me, walk all over me, leave me flat on my face in the dirt. Stand up, God; pit your holy fury against my furious enemies. Wake up, God. My accusers have packed the courtroom; it's judgment time. Take your place on the bench, reach for your gavel, throw out the false charges against me. I'm ready, confident in your verdict: "Innocent." Close the book on Evil, God , but publish your mandate for us. You get us ready for life: you probe for our soft spots, you knock off our rough edges. And I'm feeling so fit, so safe: made right, kept right. God in solemn honor does things right, but his nerves are sandpapered raw. Nobody gets by with anything. God is already in action— Sword honed on his whetstone, bow strung, arrow on the string, Lethal weapons in hand, each arrow a flaming missile. Look at that guy! He had sex with sin, he's pregnant with evil. Oh, look! He's having the baby—a Lie-Baby! See that man shoveling day after day, digging, then concealing, his man-trap down that lonely stretch of road? Go back and look again—you'll see him in it headfirst, legs waving in the breeze. That's what happens: mischief backfires; violence boomerangs. I'm thanking God, who makes things right. I'm singing the fame of heaven-high God .

See that man shoveling day after day, digging, then concealing, his man-trap down that lonely stretch of road? Go back and look again—you'll see him in it headfirst, legs waving in the breeze. That's what happens: mischief backfires; violence boomerangs.

Their hearts are hard as nails, their mouths blast hot air. They are after me, nipping my heels, determined to bring me down, Lions ready to rip me apart, young lions poised to pounce. Up, God : beard them! break them! By your sword, free me from their clutches; Barehanded, God , break these mortals, these flat-earth people who can't think beyond today. I'd like to see their bellies swollen with famine food, The weeds they've sown harvested and baked into famine bread, With second helpings for their children and crusts for their babies to chew on.

And me? I plan on looking you full in the face. When I get up, I'll see your full stature and live heaven on earth.

See those people polishing their chariots, and those others grooming their horses? But we're making garlands for God our God. The chariots will rust, those horses pull up lame— and we'll be on our feet, standing tall.

And here I am, a nothing—an earthworm, something to step on, to squash. Everyone pokes fun at me; they make faces at me, they shake their heads: "Let's see how God handles this one; since God likes him so much, let him help him!"

Do you see how many people Have it in for me? How viciously they hate me?

Use all your skill to put me together; I wait to see your finished product.

Listen, God , I'm calling at the top of my lungs: "Be good to me! Answer me!" When my heart whispered, "Seek God," my whole being replied, "I'm seeking him!" Don't hide from me now! You've always been right there for me; don't turn your back on me now. Don't throw me out, don't abandon me; you've always kept the door open. My father and mother walked out and left me, but God took me in. Point me down your highway, God ; direct me along a well-lighted street; show my enemies whose side you're on. Don't throw me to the dogs, those liars who are out to get me, filling the air with their threats. I'm sure now I'll see God's goodness in the exuberant earth. Stay with God ! Take heart. Don't quit. I'll say it again: Stay with God .

I'm sure now I'll see God's goodness in the exuberant earth. Stay with God ! Take heart. Don't quit. I'll say it again: Stay with God .

Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see— how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him.

Don't you see what they're doing, God ? You're not going to let them Get by with it, are you? Not going to walk off without doing something, are you?

Now God , don't hold out on me, don't hold back your passion. Your love and truth are all that keeps me together. When troubles ganged up on me, a mob of sins past counting, I was so swamped by guilt I couldn't see my way clear. More guilt in my heart than hair on my head, so heavy the guilt that my heart gave out.

I said, " God , be gracious! Put me together again— my sins have torn me to pieces." My enemies are wishing the worst for me; they make bets on what day I will die. If someone comes to see me, he mouths empty platitudes, All the while gathering gossip about me to entertain the street-corner crowd. These "friends" who hate me whisper slanders all over town. They form committees to plan misery for me.

Attention, all! See the marvels of God ! He plants flowers and trees all over the earth, Bans war from pole to pole, breaks all the weapons across his knee. "Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything."

Anyone can see that the brightest and best die, wiped out right along with fools and dunces. They leave all their prowess behind, move into their new home, The Coffin, The cemetery their permanent address. And to think they named counties after themselves!

So don't be impressed with those who get rich and pile up fame and fortune. They can't take it with them; fame and fortune all get left behind. Just when they think they've arrived and folks praise them because they've made good, They enter the family burial plot where they'll never see sunshine again.

The righteous will call up their friends when they see the wicked get their reward, Serve up their blood in goblets as they toast one another, Everyone cheering, "It's worth it to play by the rules! God's handing out trophies and tending the earth!"

Desperadoes have ganged up on me, they're hiding in ambush for me. I did nothing to deserve this, God , crossed no one, wronged no one. All the same, they're after me, determined to get me. Wake up and see for yourself! You're God , God -of-Angel-Armies, Israel's God! Get on the job and take care of these pagans, don't be soft on these hard cases. They return when the sun goes down, They howl like coyotes, ringing the city. Then suddenly they're all at the gate, Snarling invective, drawn daggers in their teeth. They think they'll never get caught. But you, God , break out laughing; you treat the godless nations like jokes. Strong God, I'm watching you do it, I can always count on you. God in dependable love shows up on time, shows me my enemies in ruin. Don't make quick work of them, God , lest my people forget. Bring them down in slow motion, take them apart piece by piece. Let all their mean-mouthed arrogance catch up with them, Catch them out and bring them down —every muttered curse —every barefaced lie. Finish them off in fine style! Finish them off for good! Then all the world will see that God rules well in Jacob, everywhere that God's in charge. They return when the sun goes down, They howl like coyotes, ringing the city. They scavenge for bones, And bite the hand that feeds them. And me? I'm singing your prowess, shouting at cockcrow your largesse, For you've been a safe place for me, a good place to hide. Strong God, I'm watching you do it, I can always count on you— God, my dependable love.

class="psalm-title"> A David Psalm, When Saul Set a Watch on David's House in Order to Kill Him My God! Rescue me from my enemies, defend me from these mutineers. Rescue me from their dirty tricks, save me from their hit men. Desperadoes have ganged up on me, they're hiding in ambush for me. I did nothing to deserve this, God , crossed no one, wronged no one. All the same, they're after me, determined to get me. Wake up and see for yourself! You're God , God -of-Angel-Armies, Israel's God! Get on the job and take care of these pagans, don't be soft on these hard cases.