Daily Bible Reading: August 6

Justin Peters

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Judges 20. Then all the sons of Israel from Dan to Beersheba, including the land of Gilead, came out, and the congregation assembled as one man to Yahweh at Mizpah.

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And the chiefs of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, took their stand in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand foot soldiers who draw the sword.

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Then the sons of Benjamin heard that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpah, and the sons of Israel said,

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Tell us, how did this evil take place? So the Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered and said,

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I came with my concubine to spend the night at Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin. Then the men of Gibeah rose up against me and surrounded the house at night because of me.

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They intended to kill me, instead they violated my concubine, and she died. And I seized my concubine and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout the land of Israel's inheritance, for they have committed a lewd and disgraceful act in Israel.

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Behold, all you sons of Israel, give your advice and counsel here. Then all the people arose as one man, saying,

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Not one of us will go to his tent, nor will any of us turn aside to his house. But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah.

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We will go up against it by lot. And we will take ten men out of one hundred throughout the tribes of Israel, and one hundred out of one thousand, and one thousand out of ten thousand, in order to take up provisions for the people, that when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, they may do to them according to all the disgraceful acts that they have done in Israel.

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Thus all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, united as one man. Then the tribes of Israel sent men through the entire tribe of Benjamin, saying,

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What is this evil that has taken place among you? So now give up the men, the vile fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and purge this evil from Israel.

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But the sons of Benjamin were not willing to listen to the voice of their brothers, the sons of Israel. Then the sons of Benjamin gathered from the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the sons of Israel.

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And from the cities on that day the sons of Benjamin were numbered, twenty -six thousand men who draw the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered, seven hundred choice men.

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Out of all these people, seven hundred choice men were left -handed. Each one could sling a stone at a hare and not miss.

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And the men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were numbered, four hundred thousand men who draw the sword.

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All these were men of war. Then the sons of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and asked of God, and said,

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Who shall go up for us to begin the battle against the sons of Benjamin? Then Yahweh said,

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Judah shall begin it. So the sons of Israel arose in the morning, and camped against Gibeah.

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And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel arranged themselves for battle against them at Gibeah.

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Then the sons of Benjamin came out of Gibeah, and destroyed to the ground on that day twenty -two thousand men of Israel.

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But the people, the men of Israel, strengthened themselves and arranged themselves for battle again in the place where they had arranged themselves the first day.

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And the sons of Israel went up and wept before Yahweh until evening, and asked of Yahweh, saying,

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Shall we again approach for battle against the sons of my brother Benjamin? And Yahweh said,

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Go up against them. Then the sons of Israel drew near to the sons of Benjamin the second day.

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And Benjamin went out to meet them from Gibeah the second day, and destroyed to the ground again eighteen thousand men of the sons of Israel.

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All these drew the sword. Then all the sons of Israel and all the people went up, and came to Bethel, and wept.

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Thus they remained there before Yahweh, and fasted that day until evening. And they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh.

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Then the sons of Israel asked of Yahweh, Now the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days.

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And Phinehas the son of Eleazar, Aaron's son, stood before it to minister in those days, saying,

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Shall I yet again go out to battle against the sons of my brother Benjamin? Or shall I cease?

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And Yahweh said, Go up, for tomorrow I will give them into your hand. So Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah.

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And the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day, and arrayed themselves against Gibeah as at other times.

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So the sons of Benjamin went out to meet the people, and were drawn away from the city. And they began to strike and slay some of the people as at other times, on the highways, one of which goes up to Bethel, and the other to Gibeah, and in the field about thirty men of Israel.

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The sons of Benjamin said, They are defeated before us, as at the first. But the sons of Israel said,

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Let us flee, that we may draw them away from the city to the highways. Then all the men of Israel arose from their place, and arrayed themselves at Baal Tamar.

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And the men of Israel in ambush burst forth of their place, even out of Merah Geba.

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Then ten thousand choice men from all Israel came against Gibeah, and the battle became heavy.

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But Benjamin did not know that calamity was about to reach them. Then Yahweh defeated

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Benjamin before Israel, so that the sons of Israel destroyed twenty -five thousand one hundred men of Benjamin that day, all who drew the sword.

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So the sons of Benjamin saw that they were defeated. Now the men of Israel had given ground to Benjamin, because they relied on the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah.

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So the men in ambush hurried and rushed against Gibeah. Then the men in ambush deployed, and struck all the city with the edge of the sword.

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Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was that they would make a great cloud of smoke rise from the city.

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So the men of Israel had turned around in the battle, and Benjamin had begun to strike and slay about thirty men of Israel, for they said,

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Surely they are defeated before us, as in the first battle. But the cloud began to rise from the city in a column of smoke, and Benjamin turned behind them.

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And, behold, the whole city was going up in smoke to heaven. Then the men of Israel turned around again, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed, for they saw that calamity had reached them.

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Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel toward the direction of the wilderness. But the battle overtook them, and those who came out of the cities destroyed them in the midst of them.

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They surrounded Benjamin, pursued them without rest, and trod them down opposite Gibeah to the east toward the sunrise.

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Thus eighteen thousand men of Benjamin fell. All these were valiant men. And the rest turned and fled toward the wilderness to the

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Rock of Raman. But they caught five thousand of them on the highways and overtook them at Gaddam, and struck down two thousand of them.

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So all of Benjamin who fell that day were twenty -five thousand men who drew the sword. All these were valiant men.

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But six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the Rock of Raman. And they remained at the

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Rock of Raman four months. Now the men of Israel returned to the sons of Benjamin, and struck them with the edge of the sword, both the entire city with the cattle, and all that they found.

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They also set on fire all the cities which they found. Acts 24

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Now after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders, with an attorney named

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Tertullus, and they brought charges to the governor against Paul. And after Paul had been summoned,

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Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, As we have attained much peace through you, and because by your provision reforms are being carried out for this nation, we welcome this in every way and everywhere, most excellent

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Felix, with all thankfulness. But that I may not wear you any further, I plead with you by your forbearance to hear us briefly.

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For we have found this man a real pest, and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the

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Nazarenes. And he even tried to desecrate the temple, and then we arrested him. We wanted to judge him according to our own law.

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But Lysias the commander came along, and with much violence took him out of our hands, ordering his accusers to come before you.

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By examining him yourself concerning all these matters, you will be able to ascertain the things of which we accuse him.

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And the Jews also joined in the attack, asserting that these things were so. And when the governor had nodded for him to speak,

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Paul answered, Knowing that for many years you have been a judge to this nation, I cheerfully make my defense, since you are able to ascertain the fact that no more than twelve days ago

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I went up to Jerusalem to worship. And neither in the temple, nor in the synagogues, nor across the city did they find me carrying on a discussion with anyone, or causing a riot.

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Nor are they able to prove to you of what they are now accusing me. But this

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I confess to you, that according to the way which they call a sect, I do serve the

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God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the law and that is written in the prophets, having a hope in God, for which these men are waiting, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.

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In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a conscience without fault, both before God and before men.

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Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and offerings, in which they found me, having been purified in the temple, without any crowd or uproar.

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But there were some Jews from Asia, who ought to have been present before you, and to make accusation, if they should have anything against me.

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Or else let these men themselves tell what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the Sanhedrin, other than for this one statement which

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I shouted out while standing among them, for the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you to -day.

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But Felix, having a more accurate knowledge about the way, put them off, saying, When Lysias the commander comes down,

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I will decide your case. Then he gave orders to the centurion for him to be kept in custody, and yet have some rest, and not prevent any of his friends from ministering to him.

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But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess, and summoned

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Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. But as he was discussing righteousness, self -control, and the judgment to come,

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Felix became frightened and answered, Go away for the present, and when I find time, I will call for you.

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At the same time he was also hoping that money would be given him by Paul. Therefore he also used to summon for him quite often and converse with him.

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But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and, wishing to do the

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Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned. Jeremiah 34

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The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, when Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and all its military force, with all the kingdoms of the earth that were under his dominion, and all the peoples, were fighting against Jerusalem and against all its cities, saying,

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Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, Go and speak to Zedekiah, king of Judah, and say to him,

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Thus says Yahweh, Behold, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire, and you will not escape from his hand, for you will surely be seized and given into his hand, and you will see the king of Babylon eye to eye, and he will speak with you face to face, and you will go to Babylon.

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Yet hear the word of Yahweh, O Zedekiah, king of Judah. Thus says Yahweh concerning you,

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You will not die by the sword, you will die in peace, and as spices were burned for your fathers, the former kings who were before you, so they will burn spices for you, and they will lament for you.

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Alas, Lord, for I have spoken the word, declares Yahweh. Then Jeremiah the prophet spoke all these words to Zedekiah, king of Judah, in Jerusalem, when the military force of the king of Babylon was fighting against Jerusalem and against all the cities of Judah that were left, that is,

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Lachish and Azekah, for they alone remained as fortified cities among the cities of Judah.

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The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh after king Zedekiah had cut a covenant with all the people who were in Jerusalem to proclaim release to them, that each man should let his male slave go free, and each man his female slave, a

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Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, so that no one should enslave them, each being a

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Jew, his brother. And all the officials and all the people obeyed who had entered into the covenant that each man should let his male slave go free, and each man his female slave, so that no one should enslave them any longer.

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They obeyed and let them go free. But afterwards they turned around and returned to themselves the male slaves and the female slaves whom they had let go as free, and subdued them to be male slaves and female slaves.

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Then the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying, Thus says Yahweh, the

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God of Israel, I cut a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery, saying,

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At the end of seven years each of you shall let his Hebrew brother go who has been sold to you and has served you six years, and you shall let them go to be free from you.

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But your fathers did not obey me or incline their ear to me. Although recently you had turned and done what is right in my sight, each man proclaiming release to his neighbor, and you had cut a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name.

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Yet you turned and profaned my name, and each man returned to themselves his male slave and each man his female slave whom you had let go as free according to their desire, and you subdued them to be your male slaves and female slaves.

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Therefore, thus says Yahweh, you have not obeyed me in proclaiming release each man to his brother and each man to his neighbor.

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Behold, I am proclaiming a release to you, declares Yahweh, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine, and I will make you a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth.

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And I will give the men who have trespassed against my covenant, who have not established the words of the covenant which they cut before me, when they cut the calf in two and passed between its parts, the officials of Judah and the officials of Jerusalem, the court officers and the priests and all the people of the land who pass between the parts of the calf.

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And I will give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life, and their dead bodies will be food for the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth.

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And as for Zedekiah, king of Judah and his officials, I will give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life, and into the hand of the military force of the king of Babylon which has gone away from you.

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Behold, I am going to command, declares Yahweh, and I will cause them to return to this city, and they will fight against it and capture it and burn it with fire, and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without inhabitant.

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Psalm 5 For the choir director, for the flutes, a psalm of David. Give ear to my words,

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O Yahweh, consider my meditation. Give heed to the sound of my cry for help, my king and my

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God, for to you I pray. O Yahweh, in the morning you will hear my voice.

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In the morning I will order my prayer to you and eagerly watch. For you are not a god who delights in wickedness.

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Evil does not sojourn with you. The boastful shall not stand before your eyes. You hate all workers of iniquity.

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You destroy those who speak falsehood. Yahweh abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.

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But as for me, in the abundance of your lovingkindness I will enter your house. At your holy temple

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I will worship in fear of you. O Yahweh, lead me in your righteousness because of my foes.

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Make your way straight before me. There is nothing reliable in their mouth. Their inward part is destruction itself.

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Their throat is an open grave. They flatter with their tongue. Hold them guilty,

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O God. By their own devices let them fall. In the abundance of their transgressions thrust them out.

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For they are rebellious against you. But let all who take refuge in you be glad.

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Let them ever sing for joy and you may shelter them. That those who love your name may exalt in you.

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For it is you who blesses the righteous one, O Yahweh. You surround him with favor as with a large shield.

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Psalm 6 For the choir director, with stringed instruments, according to the

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Shem and Ith, a psalm of David. O Yahweh, do not reprove me in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath.

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Be gracious to me, O Yahweh, for I am pining away. Heal me, O Yahweh, for my bones are dismayed, and my soul is greatly dismayed.

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But you, O Yahweh, how long? Return, O Yahweh, rescue my soul.

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Save me because of your loving kindness. For there is no remembrance of you in death.

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In Sheol, who will give you thanks? I am weary with my sighing. Every night

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I make my bed swim. I flood my couch with my tears. My eye is wasted away with grief.

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It has become old because of all my adversaries. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.

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For Yahweh has heard the sound of my weeping. Yahweh has heard my supplication. Yahweh receives my prayer.

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All my enemies will be ashamed and greatly dismayed. They shall turn back. They will suddenly be ashamed.