Merry Christmas: covid and faith

question: do you believe in covid? 

answer: of course I do. 

question: why? you can't see covid. 

answer: of course I can. 

• I see people suffering from covid on newscasts. people all over the world are suffering from covid.
• I see statistics: 
• people who have been tested 
• people who have tested positively
• people who have been hospitalized
• people who have died

question: but, the newscasts are just other people telling you that covid exists and the statistics are the same. you haven't seen the actual virus, but you believe that covid exists?

answer: of course I do.

****************************************************

question: do you believe in God?

answer: of course I do.

question: why? you can't see God.

answer: I may not be able to see God, but I know that God exists.

question: why?

answer:

• I pray to God and God answers my prayers. 
• I see God: 
• in the universe 
• in the earth
• in light
• in life
• in babies
• in other people who know and love God

question: but, you haven't actually seen God, but you believe that God actually exists?

answer: of course I do.

*****************************************************************

MERRY CHRISTMAS! May the God of light bless you and love you all the days of your life.

faith without religion

the pandemic has been a time for prayers and reflection. churches had to close. church services have been live-streamed. 

before our church reopened, the pastor made a video showing new rules for the reopened church. one way in, another way out. social distancing. everybody wears a mask. hand sanitizer. etc.

church services continued to be live-streamed. not everyone was wearing a mask.

months passed. we contacted the church through the church's website and asked to receive communion. no answer.

we don't know why the church failed to answer our request. we don't know why the church fails to accommodate those, particularly those in the high-risk group, who want to receive communion. many other churches accommodate those who wish to receive communion by having it brought to them in the church parking lot. 

our prayers and reflections during the pandemic have made us realize that God doesn't require middlemen. especially middlemen who ignore their flock. 

Jesus preached faith in God. He railed against the hypocritical religious leaders of His time. When He was questioned about fraternizing with sinners and failures of His followers to rigidly follow the hundreds of laws in the old testament, Jesus said that He came for sinners. He said that what a person has in their heart is more important than food. 

it's our faith that's important to God. not the religious dictates of merciless middlemen. 

U.S. Roman Catholic Church won at least $1.4 billion in coronavirus aid after lobbying

like so many others, I'm through with the catholic religion. on MANY grounds. but, NOT faith in God. every day I try to strengthen my faith. God is good. I am not. but, God's love for God's children is infinite. I want to believe this with all of my heart, soul and mind. but, alas. if I only had faith the size of a mustard seed...

faith is believing that God is omniscient and that God wants us to believe that God made us for a purpose--to believe in God. 

religion is mumbo-jumbo hocus-pocus. 

support

 I believe that on the night before He died that Jesus, Son of God, took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to his apostles saying: "take and eat. this is my body." 

more than 6 months ago the church that I go to ceased masses because of the pandemic. a few months ago the church announced that it was restarting masses in the church again. the pastor made a video in which he stated that everyone attending mass had to wear a mask. 

live-streaming masses continued. it was apparent that all persons attending mass were not wearing masks. 

I contacted the church and told them that I would like to receive communion, but, being in the "high risk" group, not in the church where some were not wearing masks. no response. 

the church isn't supporting me, so I've withdrawn my support for the church. 

excellent reflections and prayers

 

Prayers During the Coronavirus Pandemic 

purpose

romans 8: 10-11

who is a christian?

is a christian a person who gets their photo taken holding a bible in front of a church?

is a christian a person who professes to be a christian but lives a life of dissipation and debauchery?

is a christian a person who hates other people because of the color of their skin?

is a christian a person who riots and loots?

is a christian a person who can quote the bible but doesn't love his neighbor?

Jesus said: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

matthew 22: 37-40

faith 

           hope 
                       love

miracles

do you believe in miracles? is it a miracle when God hears our prayers? no, God always hears our prayers. do our prayers change the mind of God?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLXFRsWeDjA&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR1YXA-FaH-y_A5DgiVQFIk1phwH3BCsIh_jizanKLdxK5bWzIcyzdZFBFQ

faith 

           hope 
                       love

exodus chapters 7-13, plagues and deliverance

Plagues and Deliverance - Exodus 7-13 on Vimeo 

(https://vimeo.com/363403132)

The LORD answered Moses: Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. For by a strong hand, he will let them go; by a strong hand, he will drive them from his land.

Then God spoke to Moses, and said to him: I am the LORD. As God the Almighty I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but by my name, LORD, I did not make myself known to them. I also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they were residing as aliens. Now that I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians have reduced to slavery, I am mindful of my covenant. Therefore, say to the Israelites: I am the LORD. I will free you from the burdens of the Egyptians and will deliver you from their slavery. I will redeem you by my outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God; and you will know that I, the LORD, am your God who has freed you from the burdens of the Egyptians and I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will give it to you as your own possession—I, the LORD! But when Moses told this to the Israelites, they would not listen to him because of their dejection and hard slavery.

Then the LORD spoke to Moses: Go, tell Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to let the Israelites leave his land. However, Moses protested to the LORD, “If the Israelites did not listen to me, how is it possible that Pharaoh will listen to me, poor speaker that I am!” But the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron regarding the Israelites and Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and charged them to bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt.

exodus 6: 1-13

do we know God today any better than the egyptians, pharaoh, moses or the isrealites?

something to think about...

faith 

           hope 
                       love

God loves you

what is the central message of the pandemic? whether: 

• you get covid-19
• your loved ones get covid-19
• you're afraid
• you're worried
• you're lonely
• you've lost your job
• you can't pay your rent
• you and your loved ones are hungry

know that God loves you.  

regardless of whether or not you feel all alone, you've lost your job, you can't pay your rent, you're worried, you're afraid, you and your loved ones are hungry, your loved ones die or you die, ALWAYS know that 

God loves you. 

faith 

           hope 
                       love

Ephesians 6: 10-17

Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all [the] flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

faith 

           hope 
                       love

serenity prayer

God, give me grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen. 

Serenity Prayer - Wikipedia

faith 

           hope 
                       love

psalm 91. john 14: 1-6

I

You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shade of the Almighty, Say to the LORD, “My refuge and fortress, my God in whom I trust.”

He will rescue you from the fowler’s snare, from the destroying plague, He will shelter you with his pinions, and under his wings you may take refuge; his faithfulness is a protecting shield.

You shall not fear the terror of the night nor the arrow that flies by day, Nor the pestilence that roams in darkness, nor the plague that ravages at noon.

Though a thousand fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, near you it shall not come. You need simply watch; the punishment of the wicked you will see. Because you have the LORD for your refuge and have made the Most High your stronghold, No evil shall befall you, no affliction come near your tent. 

For he commands his angels with regard to you, to guard you wherever you go. With their hands they shall support you, lest you strike your foot against a stone. You can tread upon the asp and the viper, trample the lion and the dragon.

II

Because he clings to me I will deliver him; because he knows my name I will set him on high. He will call upon me and I will answer; I will be with him in distress; I will deliver him and give him honor. With length of days I will satisfy him, and fill him with my saving power.

psalm 91

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.

You have faith in God; have faith also in me.

In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.

If there were not,

would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?

And if I go and prepare a place for you,

I will come back again and take you to myself,

so that where I am you also may be.

Where I am going you know the way.”

Thomas said to him,

“Master, we do not know where you are going;

how can we know the way?”

Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me.”

john 14: 1-6

is google anti-christian?

here's what I know:

1. I'm a christian.
2. in aug. 2017 I started this blog--"faith, hope and love". 
3. "faith, hope and love" isn't my first blog. I started my first blog--"PE, retired"--in 2007.
4. to date, I have sixteen blogs.
5. back to "faith, hope and love": most of my posts have been bible quotes without commentary. most have images that are identified as "Labeled for noncommercial reuse". Most have hotlinks where the source and restrictions for the images are identified. 
6. up until recently, my posts show the images that I posted.
7. recently, the images don't post. 
8. why? I have no idea.
9. google is a "black box". for those unfamiliar with the term: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_box 
10. is google anti-christian?
11. you decide.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RQxD4Ff7dY

john 3: 16-21

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.
And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the world,
but people preferred darkness to light,
because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come toward the light,
so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,
so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

"For God so loved the world..." | JOHN 3:16 "God so loved th… | Flickr

Creative Commons — Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic — CC BY-ND 2.0

is google anti-christian?

     faith 

                hope 
                            love

john 20: 19-31

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

Now, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

File:Rembrandt - The Incredulity of St Thomas - WGA19095.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

Rembrandt / Public domain

is google anti-christian? 

     faith 

                hope 
                            love

psalm 23

I

The LORD is my shepherd; 

there is nothing I lack. 

In green pastures he makes me lie down; 

to still waters he leads me; 

he restores my soul.

He guides me along right paths 

for the sake of his name.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me; 

your rod and your staff comfort me.

II

You set a table before me 

in front of my enemies; 

You anoint my head with oil; 

my cup overflows.

Indeed, goodness and mercy will pursue me

all the days of my life;

I will dwell in the house of the LORD 

for endless days. 

Psalm 23 

Shepherd Me Oh God - YouTube

image by Leonard J Matthews

Psalm 23 | Psalm 23 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not wan… | Flickr  

john 21: 1-14

Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way. Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”
They said to him, “We also will come with you.”

So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.”

So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish. When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.

Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.”

And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead.

page url:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_21-1-14._Once_more_Jesus_showeth_himself_to_Peter_and_others_by_the_Sea_of_Galilee_LOC_matpc.23148.jpg

attribution: Hole, William, 1846-1917 / Public domain

is google anti-christian?

        faith 

                   hope 
                               love

luke 24: 35-48

The disciples of Jesus recounted what had taken place along the way, and how they had come to recognize him in the breaking of bread.

While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them.

He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”

page url:

Grilled Fish for the Risen Lord | "The disciples told their … | Flickr

attribution: Lawrence OP

Creative Commons — Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic — CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

is google anti-christian?

        faith 

                   hope 
                               love

luke 24: 18-35

That very day, the first day of the week, two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. 

He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” They stopped, looking downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?” And he replied to them, “What sort of things?” They said to him, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his Body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see.”

And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures. 

As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight.

Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the Eleven and those with them who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Abraham_Bloemaert_-_The_Emmaus_Disciples_-_WGA02276.jpg

Abraham Bloemaert / Public domain

is google anti-christian?

        faith 

                   hope 
                               love

john 20: 1-18

On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned home.

But Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and what he told her.

john 20: 1-18

page url: 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brooklyn_Museum_-_Mary_Magdalene_Questions_the_Angels_in_the_Tomb_(Madeleine_dans_le_tombeau_interroge_les_anges)_-_James_Tissot.jpg

attribution: James Tissot / Public domain

is google anti-christian?

        faith 

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                               love

Come, Holy Spirit

image by Sharon Tate Soberon

https://www.flickr.com/photos/4thglryofgod/8518489653

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/

        faith

                   hope
                               love

1 peter 1: 3-12

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith, to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time. In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain the goal of [your] faith, the salvation of your souls.

Concerning this salvation, prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and investigated it, investigating the time and circumstances that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated when it testified in advance to the sufferings destined for Christ and the glories to follow them. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you with regard to the things that have now been announced to you by those who preached the good news to you [through] the holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels longed to look.

Resurrection 1 Peter 1 3-4 | He is risen! Thanks for looking… | Flickr

image by Martin LaBar

Creative Commons — Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic — CC BY-NC 2.0

is google anti-christian?

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Holy Saturday

"At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all.” Christ answered him: “And with your spirit.” He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

– from an ancient Homily for Holy Saturday.

Holy Saturday | "At the sight of him Adam, the first man he … | Flickr

image by Lawrence OP

Creative Commons — Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic — CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

This is a painted copy of the icon of the Anastasis fresco that is in the church of the Holy Saviour in Chora. This copy is in the library of the museum in Dumbarton Oaks.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chora_Church_Constantinople_2007_013.jpg

Gryffindor / Public domain

        faith

                   hope
                               love

faith and fear

        faith

                   hope
                               love

john 13: 1-20

Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So, during supper, fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feetd and dry them with the towel around his waist. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Master, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.” Jesus said to him, “Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so you are clean, but not all.” For he knew who would betray him; for this reason, he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

So when he had washed their feet [and] put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do. Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it. I am not speaking of all of you. I know those whom I have chosen. But so that the scripture might be fulfilled, ‘The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.’ From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

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psalm 93

The LORD is king, robed with majesty; the LORD is robed, girded with might. The world will surely stand in place, never to be moved. Your throne stands firm from of old; you are from everlasting.

The flood has raised up, LORD; the flood has raised up its roar; the flood has raised its pounding waves. More powerful than the roar of many waters, more powerful than the breakers of the sea, powerful in the heavens is the LORD.

Your decrees are firmly established; holiness befits your house, LORD, for all the length of days.

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psalm 139

For the leader. A psalm of David.

I

LORD, you have probed me, you know me:

you know when I sit and stand;

you understand my thoughts from afar.

You sift through my travels and my rest; 

with all my ways you are familiar.

Even before a word is on my tongue,
LORD, you know it all.
Behind and before you encircle me
and rest your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
far too lofty for me to reach.

Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence, where can I flee?
If I ascend to the heavens, you are there;
if I lie down in Sheol, there you are.

If I take the wings of dawn

and dwell beyond the sea,

Even there your hand guides me,

your right hand holds me fast.
If I say, “Surely darkness shall hide me,
and night shall be my light”

Darkness is not dark for you,
and night shines as the day.
Darkness and light are but one.

II

You formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother’s womb.

I praise you, because I am wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works!
My very self you know.
My bones are not hidden from you,
When I was being made in secret,
fashioned in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw me unformed;
in your book all are written down;

my days were shaped, before one came to be.

III

How precious to me are your designs, O God;
how vast the sum of them!
Were I to count them, they would outnumber the sands;
when I complete them, still you are with me.

When you would destroy the wicked, O God,
the bloodthirsty depart from me!

Your foes who conspire a plot against you
are exalted in vain.

IV

Do I not hate, LORD, those who hate you?
Those who rise against you, do I not loathe?

With fierce hatred I hate them,
enemies I count as my own.
Probe me, God, know my heart;
try me, know my thoughts.

See if there is a wicked path in me;
lead me along an ancient path.

Psalm 139

 

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