Psalm 102:1-17

New International Version

Psalm 102^[a]

A prayer of an afflicted person who has grown weak and pours out a lament before the Lord.

¹Hear my prayer,^(A) Lord;
    let my cry for help^(B) come to you.
²Do not hide your face^(C) from me
    when I am in distress.
Turn your ear^(D) to me;
    when I call, answer me quickly.

³For my days vanish like smoke;^(E)
    my bones^(F) burn like glowing embers.
⁴My heart is blighted and withered like grass;^(G)
    I forget to eat my food.^(H)
⁵In my distress I groan aloud^(I)
    and am reduced to skin and bones.
⁶I am like a desert owl,^(J)
    like an owl among the ruins.
⁷I lie awake;^(K) I have become
    like a bird alone^(L) on a roof.
⁸All day long my enemies^(M) taunt me;^(N)
    those who rail against me use my name as a curse.^(O)
⁹For I eat ashes^(P) as my food
    and mingle my drink with tears^(Q)
¹⁰because of your great wrath,^(R)
    for you have taken me up and thrown me aside.
¹¹My days are like the evening shadow;^(S)
    I wither^(T) away like grass.

¹²But you, Lord, sit enthroned forever;^(U)
    your renown endures^(V) through all generations.^(W)
¹³You will arise^(X) and have compassion^(Y) on Zion,
    for it is time^(Z) to show favor^(AA) to her;
    the appointed time^(AB) has come.
¹⁴For her stones are dear to your servants;
    her very dust moves them to pity.
¹⁵The nations will fear^(AC) the name of the Lord,
    all the kings^(AD) of the earth will revere your glory.
¹⁶For the Lord will rebuild Zion^(AE)
    and appear in his glory.^(AF)
¹⁷He will respond to the prayer^(AG) of the destitute;
    he will not despise their plea.

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Footnotes

Psalm 102:1 In Hebrew texts 102:1-28 is numbered 102:2-29.

Jeremiah 29:8-23

New International Version

⁸Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets^(A) and diviners among you deceive^(B) you. Do not listen to the dreams^(C) you encourage them to have.^(D) ⁹They are prophesying lies^(E) to you in my name. I have not sent^(F) them,” declares the Lord.

¹⁰This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years^(G) are completed for Babylon, I will come to you^(H) and fulfill my good promise^(I) to bring you back^(J) to this place. ¹¹For I know the plans^(K) I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper^(L) you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.^(M) ¹²Then you will call^(N) on me and come and pray^(O) to me, and I will listen^(P) to you. ¹³You will seek^(Q) me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.^(R) ¹⁴I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back^(S) from captivity.^[a] I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”^(T)

¹⁵You may say, “The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,” ¹⁶but this is what the Lord says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all the people who remain in this city, your fellow citizens who did not go with you into exile— ¹⁷yes, this is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will send the sword, famine and plague^(U) against them and I will make them like figs^(V) that are so bad they cannot be eaten. ¹⁸I will pursue them with the sword, famine and plague and will make them abhorrent^(W) to all the kingdoms of the earth, a curse^[b]^(X) and an object of horror,^(Y) of scorn^(Z) and reproach, among all the nations where I drive them. ¹⁹For they have not listened to my words,”^(AA) declares the Lord, “words that I sent to them again and again^(AB) by my servants the prophets.^(AC) And you exiles have not listened either,” declares the Lord.

²⁰Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, all you exiles whom I have sent^(AD) away from Jerusalem to Babylon. ²¹This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying lies^(AE) to you in my name: “I will deliver them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will put them to death before your very eyes. ²²Because of them, all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: ‘May the Lord treat you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned^(AF) in the fire.’ ²³For they have done outrageous things in Israel; they have committed adultery^(AG) with their neighbors’ wives, and in my name they have uttered lies—which I did not authorize. I know^(AH) it and am a witness^(AI) to it,” declares the Lord.

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Footnotes

Jeremiah 29:14 Or will restore your fortunes
Jeremiah 29:18 That is, their names will be used in cursing (see verse 22); or, others will see that they are cursed.

Acts 26:24-29

New International Version

²⁴At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind,^(A) Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning^(B) is driving you insane.”

²⁵“I am not insane, most excellent^(C) Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. ²⁶The king is familiar with these things,^(D) and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. ²⁷King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”

²⁸Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”^(E)

²⁹Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”^(F)

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