Old/New Testament
Evening Prayer of Trust
4 Answer me when I call, O my God Who is right and good! You have made a way for me when I needed help. Be kind to me, and hear my prayer.
2 O sons of men, how long will you turn my honor into shame? How long will you love what is of no use, and run after lies? 3 Know that the Lord has set apart him who is God-like for Himself. The Lord hears when I call to Him.
4 Shake with anger and do not sin. When you are on your bed, look into your hearts and be quiet. 5 Give the gifts that are right and good, and trust in the Lord.
6 Many are asking, “Who will show us any good?” Let the light of Your face shine on us, O Lord. 7 You have filled my heart with more happiness than they have when there is much grain and wine. 8 I will lie down and sleep in peace. O Lord, You alone keep me safe.
Prayer for Help
5 Hear my words, O Lord. Think about my crying. 2 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God. For I pray to you. 3 In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice. In the morning I will lay my prayers before You and will look up.
4 You are not a God Who is pleased with what is bad. The sinful cannot be with You. 5 The proud cannot stand before You. You hate all who do wrong. 6 You destroy those who tell lies. The Lord hates liars and men who kill other people.
7 But as for me, by Your great loving-kindness, I will come into Your house. At Your holy house I will put my face to the ground before You in love and fear. 8 O Lord, lead me in what is right and good, because of the ones who hate me. Make Your way straight in front of me.
9 For in their talk there is no truth. Their hearts destroy. Their mouths are like an open grave. With their tongues, they say sweet-sounding words that are not true. 10 Hold them guilty, O God! Let them fall by their own plans. Throw them out because of their many sins. For they have fought against You. 11 But let all who put their trust in You be glad. Let them sing with joy forever. You make a covering for them, that all who love Your name may be glad in You. 12 For You will make those happy who do what is right, O Lord. You will cover them all around with Your favor.
Prayer for Help in Time of Trouble
6 O Lord, do not speak sharp words to me in Your anger, or punish me when You are angry. 2 Be kind to me, O Lord, for I am weak. O Lord, heal me for my bones are shaken. 3 My soul is in great suffering. But You, O Lord, how long? 4 Return, O Lord. Set my soul free. Save me because of Your loving-kindness. 5 No one remembers You when he is dead. Who gives You praise from the grave? 6 I am tired of crying inside myself. All night long my pillow is wet with tears. I flood my bed with them. 7 My eye has grown weak with sorrow. It has grown old because of all who hate me. 8 Go away from me, all you who sin. For the Lord has heard the sound of my crying. 9 The Lord has heard my cry for help. The Lord receives my prayer. 10 All those who hate me will be ashamed and worried. They will turn away. They will be put to shame right away.
16 While Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy in Athens, his spirit was troubled as he saw the whole city worshiping false gods. 17 He talked to the Jews and other people who were worshiping in the Jewish place of worship. Every day he talked with people who gathered in the center of town.
18 Some men from two different groups were arguing with Paul. The one group thought that men might as well get all the fun out of life that they can. The other group thought that wisdom alone makes men happy. Some of them said, “This man has lots of little things to talk about. They are not important. What is he trying to say?” Others said, “He preaches about strange gods.” It was because he preached of Jesus and of His being raised from the dead.
19 Then they took him to Mars’ Hill and said, “We want to hear of this new teaching of yours. 20 Some of the things you are telling us are strange to our ears. We want to know what these things mean.” 21 The people of Athens and those visiting from far countries used all their time in talking or hearing some new thing. 22 Then Paul stood up on Mars’ Hill and said, “Men of Athens, I see how very religious you are in every way. 23 As I was walking around and looking at the things you worship, I found an altar where you worship with the words written on it, TO THE GOD WHO IS NOT KNOWN. You are worshiping Him without knowing Him. He is the One I will tell you about.
24 “The God Who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth. He does not live in buildings made by hands. 25 No one needs to care for Him as if He needed anything. He is the One who gives life and breath and everything to everyone. 26 He made from one blood all nations who live on the earth. He set the times and places where they should live.
27 “They were to look for God. Then they might feel after Him and find Him because He is not far from each one of us. 28 It is in Him that we live and move and keep on living. Some of your own men have written, ‘We are God’s children.’ 29 If we are God’s children, we should not think of Him as being like gold or silver or stone. Such gods made of gold or silver or stone are planned by men and are made by them.
30 “God did not remember these times when people did not know better. But now He tells all men everywhere to be sorry for their sins and to turn from them. 31 He has set a day when He will say in the right way if the people of the world are guilty. This will be done by Jesus Christ, the One He has chosen. God has proven this to all men by raising Jesus Christ from the dead.”
32 Some people laughed and made fun when they heard Paul speak of Christ being raised from the dead. Others said, “We want to listen to you again about this.” 33 So Paul went away from the people. 34 Some people followed him and became Christians. One was Dionysius, a leader in the city. A woman named Damaris believed. And there were others also.
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.