Pentecost Day: be endued with power from on high!

Today the 5 am brethren in Christ read more about Jesus’ command on receiving the power from on high, and how the disciples had obeyed and received.
Luke 24:36-53 The apostles and disciples still did not believe despite the physical appearance of the resurrected Jesus. They were terrified and frightened. He showed them His hands and feet and asked them to touch and see that He had flesh and bones and not a ghost. He even ate with them. He opened their understanding that they might comprehend the Scriptures (the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms) which were written concerning Him and must be fulfilled.
[John 20:22 He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”]
(continue Luke 24 above)Then He spoke this last word, “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.“
The Acts of the Apostles (also titled “the Acts of the Holy Spirit”) recorded the actual physical historical events demonstrating the power of the Holy Spirit being received and lived out in the lives of the apostles and disciples, as they believed and obeyed the words of God (including all that Jesus had spoken).
_________Bible verses:
Acts 1:2 Until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen,
1:8 And you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and and supplication…
2:1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2:2 And suddenly there came…
2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
______________________The following recorded the conversation between the religious Jewish leaders and Peter and John after many had witnessed Peter healing a man born lame. Five thousand men heard the word of God they preached and believed. The high priest, rulers, elders, and scribes arrested the two apostles and interrogated them:
4:7 “By what power or by what name have you done this?”
4:8-10 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “…that by the name of Jesus Christ…this man stands here before you whole.”
4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.
________________After this Peter and John were let go and went to their own companions and reported…they all prayed to God with one accord. The following is part of the prayer and what happened after the prayer. The physical evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit confirmed their prayer.
4:24-30 Lord, You are God…the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ. For truly against Your holy servant Jesus, Whom you anointed…to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they speak Your word.
30 “By stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”
31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled were shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul…
____________The power of the Holy Spirit was manifested through the increasing number of believers, and the healing and deliverance of multitude of sick people and those tormented by evil spirits. Even Peter’s shadow could cause healing.
5:16 …and they were all healed.
5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching Jesus as the Christ.
____________The Holy Spirit led the apostles and disciples to set proper priority for leadership as in the kingdom of God. (6:1-10)
Priority of the apostles: 6:4 “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (2 “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.”)
Priority for qualification set for appointment of the other church leaders: be of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, full of faith and power, do great wonders and signs among the people, able to speak God’s words by wisdom and by the Holy Spirit.
______________Baptism of the Holy Spirit by laying of hand was recorded in the following episode.
Philip preached Christ (the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus) to the Samaritans and the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Him, hearing and seeing the miracles He did. Unclean spirits were cast out and many paralyzed and lame healed. There was great joy. They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. But when the two apostles Peter and John came they had to pray for them to receive the Holy Spirit. Why? Because they did not have the physical evidence (praying in tongues).
8:17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
8:18-19 And when Simon (a former sorcerer) saw that…he offered them (Peter and John) money, saying, :Give Me this power also, that anyone on Whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
(Simon saw the physical evidence of the Holy Spirit and knew this is real!)
Peter corrected Simon and told Him that the baptism of the Holy Spirit as evidenced by physical manifestation of speaking in tongues is the gift of God.
What was the difference between the multitudes of believers who received when Peter and John laid hands on them and the former sorcerer Simon?
The multitudes of believers just believed that God wanted to give them this gift and they all received by faith.
Simon was filled with other thoughts and desires:

1. Envy of the others’ possession of a power which is greater than the one He used to display.
2. Worry about own congregation (followers) having gone to another ‘church’. His regular income would be adversely affected unless he copied their method and displayed their power too.
3. Perhaps He even secretly prayed for the power but could not receive. He was filled with jealousy and bitterness. After all He was more qualified and experienced in spiritual matters.

Simon was not exceptionally wicked. The same problem occurs today in churches. Those who have prayed and still do not manifest the physical fruits of the Holy Spirit witness the exodus of their church members. Some have taken human measures and invested heavily in upgrading the hardware, like expensive building, furniture, sound system, musical instruments, having professionally trained worship leaders, singers and dancers, inviting motivational speakers etc.
But The Acts of the Apostles has shown otherwise. The real problem is not in the external. It is inside the heart.
8:20-23 But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for Your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this Your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of Your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”
_____________________Pentecost is here again. The watchman urges the leaders of churches who do not yet manifest the gifts of the Holy Spirit and desire to receive the gifts to turn to Your Bible and the word of God. Be still before the Lord and wait upon Him.

1. Read what Jesus has commanded.
2. Believe and obey.
3. Read the Acts of the Holy Spirit.
4. Believe and obey.
5. Repent for unbelief and walking according to the flesh and not in the Spirit and pray humbly for spiritual weapon, the might of God to “pull down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)
6. Live a lifestyle of living before God. Have the fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:2)

Pentecost Prayer of the watchman: “
“I pray that God, the Father of glory, give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of our understanding being enlightened; that we may know what is the hope of our calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power…”

Journey to see God: be Strengthened with all might

Today the 5am Bible reading brethren in Christ read Colossians 1 and John 14, referring to Ephesians 1& 3, and 1 John (on praying God’s will).
Here are diagrams that help us to understand and memorize God’s words.

Colossians 1:2-12 Be filled with the knowledge of God’s will

Colossians 1:13-20 The beloved Son of God -Jesus

Colossians 1:9

King James Version (KJV)

⁹ For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

Colossians 1:11

King James Version (KJV)

¹¹ Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

Journey to see God: Stay In Christ!

JOHN14 is a crucial chapter for all who follow Jesus. Here are two diagrams for the ease of memorizing the crucial verses.
KEEP YOUR IN CHRIST POSITION!

“If you love Me, you will keep My word”

“the Father who dwells in Me does the works”

The watchman prays that the “eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of your calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places…” (Ephesians 1:18-20)

End Times church countdown: worship in spirit and in truth

The little house church learns to listen to the Holy Spirit. They have no formula or program. They believe that the end times church must repent and turn back to follow the old way – the way of the First Church, as in the Acts of the Apostles. They meet every Lord’s Day at a certain time and spend the bulk of the day together, listening to the Lord, worship, singing praises (Scripture songs), praying in the Spirit, singing spiritual songs, reading the Bible, proclaiming the verses, listening to prophets and teachers of the word of God.
The church was formed nearly seven months ago. On the first Lord’s Day, they were led to read the Acts of the Apostles (Acts of the Holy Spirit) and almost all who participated that first Lord’s day were filled with the love of God during worship.
They had no musical instrument or music director. They used a tiny MP3 player and listened to Scripture songs, learning to sing along. They had no preacher. Each brethren reads his/her Bible at home and some come for weekday morning 5am Bible reading. On the Lord’s day one brethren will speak the words of God and teach as led by the Holy Spirit.
The singing had been enriched lately by the gifts of the Holy Spirit given to some members. Today the singing was harmonious as broke through the usual level of spiritual realm. They were led by the Lord to heavenly realm. The rivers of living water that flew out of each belly (John 7:38-39) merged into a mighty river! It was like heavenly angels joined in and blended together with the little group of brethren (age 7-80+) and praising the Almighty God.
The worship continued as the Spirit of the Lord continued to flow within the believers. They were joined to the Lord and became one spirit with the Lord. (1 Corinthians 6:17) Even the brethren who was speaking that morning did not bother with how little time he would have left when the worship took longer time. Time was not on anyone’s mind.
In fact, time stood still. The singing went on in the Spirit. Someone prayed in understanding from time to time as led by the Spirit.
When the speaker finally took over and spoke. The word turned to a clear focus on Christ Jesus who was the Word Himself. it was wonderful.
The truth flowed as during worship. Words came direct from the Bible. They linked and bonded across the pages from various chapters, Old and New Testaments. Some were Scripture songs that could be sung. So they all sang those verses during the sermon (which was aptly called “The Word of God”).
The watchman had longed for such a day for quite sometime. It came.
________________Suggested Bible reading:
John1; Hebrews 1-2; Genesis 1:1-3; Isaiah 11 (2,9); 2 Timothy 3; Hebrews 4; 1 Corinthians 2; John 14, 17; Proverbs 4; Psalm 119 (1-2, 9-11)

End Times Classic Revival: Prevailing Prayer

 This is quoted from Revival Classic. You may download more from: http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/articles/index.php?view=article&aid=601

Power from on high: Prevailing Prayer (by Charles Finney)

Prevailing prayer is that which secures an answer. Saying prayers is not offering prevailing prayer. The prevalence of prayer does not depend so much on quantity as on quality. I do not know how better to approach this subject than by relating a fact of my own experience before I was converted. I relate it because I fear such experiences are but too common among unconverted men.

I do not recollect having ever attended a prayer meeting until after I began the study of law. Then, for the first time, I lived in a neighborhood where there was a prayer meeting weekly.

I had neither known, heard, nor seen much of religion; hence I had no settled opinions about it. Partly from curiosity and partly from an uneasiness of mind upon the subject, which I could not well define, I began to attend that prayer meeting. About the same time I bought the first Bible that I ever owned, and began to read it. I listened to the prayers which I heard offered in those prayer meetings with all the attention that I could give to prayers so cold and formal. In every prayer they prayed for the gift and outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Both in their prayers and in their remarks, which were occasionally interspersed, they acknowledged that they did not prevail with God. This was most evident, and had almost made me a skeptic.

Seeing me so frequently in their prayer meeting, the leader, on one occasion, asked me if I did not wish them to pray for me. I replied: "No." I said: "I suppose that I need to be prayed for, but your prayers are not answered. You confess it yourselves." I then expressed my astonishment at this fact, in view of what the Bible said about the prevalence of prayer. Indeed, for some time my mind was much perplexed and in doubt in view of Christ's teaching on the subject of prayer and the manifest facts before me, from week to week, in this prayer meeting. Was Christ a divine teacher? Did He actually teach what the Gospels attributed to Him? Did He mean what He said? Did prayer really avail to secure blessings from God? If so, what was I to make of what I witnessed from week to week and month to month in that prayer meeting? Were they real Christians? Was that which I heard real prayer, in the Bible sense? Was it such prayer as Christ had promised to answer? Here I found the solution.

I became convinced that they were under a delusion; that they did not prevail because they had no right to prevail. They did not comply with the conditions upon which God had promised to hear prayer. Their prayers were just such as God had promised not to answer. It was evident they were overlooking the fact that they were in danger of praying themselves into skepticism in regard to the value of prayer.

In reading my Bible I noticed such revealed conditions as the following:

(a) Faith in God as the answerer of prayer. This, it is plain, involves the expectation of receiving what we ask.

(b) Another revealed condition is the asking according to the revealed will of God. This plainly implies asking not only for such things as God is willing to grant, but also asking in such a state of mind as God can accept. I fear it is common for professed Christians to overlook the state of mind in which God requires them to be as a condition of answering their prayers.

For example: In offering the Lord's Prayer, "Thy kingdom come," it is plain that sincerity is a condition of prevailing with God. But sincerity in offering this petition implies the whole heart and life devotion of the petitioner to the building up of this kingdom. It implies the sincere and thorough consecration of all that we have and all that we are to this end. To utter this petition in any other state of mind involves hypocrisy, and is an abomination.

So in the next petition, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven," God has not promised to hear this petition unless it be sincerely offered. But sincerity implies a state of mind that accepts the whole revealed will of God, so far as we understand it, as they accept it in heaven. It implies a loving, confiding, universal obedience to the whole known will of God, whether that will is revealed in His Word, by His Spirit, or in His providence. It implies that we hold ourselves and all that we have and are as absolutely and cordially at God's disposal as do the inhabitants of heaven. If we fall short of this, and withhold anything whatever from God, we "regard iniquity in our hearts," and God will not hear us.

Sincerity in offering this petition implies a state of entire and universal consecration to God. Anything short of this is withholding from God that which is His due. It is "turning away our ear from hearing the law." But what saith the Scriptures? "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination." Do professed Christians understand this?

What is true of offering these two petitions is true of all prayer. Do Christians lay this to heart? Do they consider that all professed prayer is an abomination if it be not offered in a state of entire consecration of all that we have and are to God? If we do not offer ourselves with and in our prayers, with all that we have; if we are not in a state of mind that cordially accepts and, so far as we know, perfectly conforms to the whole will of God, our prayer is an abomination. How awfully profane is the use very frequently made of the Lord's Prayer, both in public and in private. To hear men and women chatter over the Lord's Prayer, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven," while their lives are anything but conformed to the known will of God is shocking and revolting. To hear men pray, "Thy kingdom come," while it is most evident that they are making little or no sacrifice or effort to promote this kingdom, forces the conviction of bare-faced hypocrisy. Such is not prevailing prayer.

(c) Unselfishness is a condition of prevailing prayer. "Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts" (James 4:3).

(d) Another condition of prevailing prayer is a conscience void of offense toward God and man. 1 John 3:20, 22: "If our heart (conscience) condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things; if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God, and whatsoever we ask we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight."

Here two things are made plain: first, that to prevail with God we must keep a conscience void of offense; and, second, that we must keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

(e) A pure heart is also a condition of prevailing prayer. Psalm 66 18: "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."

(f) All due confession and restitution to God and man is another condition of prevailing prayer. Proverbs 28:13: "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper. Whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall find mercy."

(g) Clean hands is another condition. Psalm 26:6: "I will wash mine hands in innocence, so will I compass thine altar, O Lord." I Timothy 6:8: "I will that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting."

(h) The settling of disputes and animosities among brethren is a condition. Matthew 5:23, 24: "If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way. First be reconciled to thy brother, then come and offer thy gift."

(i) Humility is another condition of prevailing prayer. James 4:6: "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble."

(j) Taking up the stumbling-blocks is another condition. Ezekiel 14:3: "Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumbling-block of their iniquity before their face. Should I be inquired of at all by them?"

(k) A forgiving spirit is a condition. Matthew 6:12: "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors"; 15: "But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Heavenly Father forgive your trespasses."

(l) The exercise of a truthful spirit is a condition. Psalm 51:6: "Behold, Thou desireth truth in the inward parts." If the heart be not in a truthful state, if it be not entirely sincere and unselfish, we regard iniquity in our hearts; and, therefore, the Lord will not hear us.

(m) Praying in the name of Christ is a condition of prevailing prayer.

(n) The inspiration of the Holy Spirit is another condition. All truly prevailing prayer is inspired by the Holy Ghost. Romans 8:26, 27: "For we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." This is the true spirit of prayer. This is being led by the Spirit in prayer. It is the only really prevailing prayer. Do professed Christians really understand this? Do they believe that unless they live and walk in the Spirit, unless they are taught how to pray by the intercession of the Spirit in them, they cannot prevail with God?

(o) Fervency is a condition. A prayer, to be prevailing, must be fervent. James 5:16: "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

(p) Perseverance or persistence in prayer is often a condition of prevailing. See the case of Jacob, of Daniel, of Elijah, of the Syrophoenician woman, of the unjust judge, and the teaching of the Bible generally.

(q) Travail of soul is often a condition of prevailing prayer. "As soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children." "My little children," said Paul, "for whom I travail in birth again, till Christ be formed in you." This implies that he had travailed in birth for them before they were converted. Indeed, travail of soul in prayer is the only real revival prayer. If anyone does not know what this is, he does not understand the spirit of prayer. He is not in a revival state. He does not understand the passage already quoted, Romans 8:26, 27. Until he understands this agonizing prayer he does not know the real secret of revival power.

(r) Another condition of prevailing prayer is the consistent use of means to secure the object prayed for, if means are within our reach, and are known by us to be necessary to the securing of the end. To pray for a revival of religion, and use no other means, is to tempt God. This, I could plainly see, was the case of those who offered prayer in the prayer meeting of which I have spoken. They continued to offer prayer for a revival of religion, but out of meeting they were as silent as death on the subject, and opened not their mouths to those around them. They continued this inconsistency until a prominent impenitent man in the community administered to them in my presence a terrible rebuke. He expressed just what I deeply felt. He rose, and with the utmost solemnity and tearfulness said: "Christian people, what can you mean? You continue to pray in these meetings for a revival of religion. You often exhort each other here to wake up and use means to promote a revival. You assure each other, and assure us who are impenitent, that we are in the way to hell; and I believe it. You also insist that if you should wake up, and use the appropriate means, there would be a revival, and we should be converted. You tell us of our great danger, and that our souls are worth more than all worlds; and yet you keep about your comparatively trifling employments and use no such means. We have no revival and our souls are not saved." Here he broke down and fell, sobbing, back into his seat.

This rebuke fell heavily upon that prayer meeting, as I shall ever remember. It did them good; for it was not long before the members of that prayer meeting broke down, and we had a revival. I was present in the first meeting in which the revival spirit was manifest. Oh! how changed was the tone of their prayers, confessions, and supplications. I remarked, in returning home, to a friend: "What a change has come over these Christians. This must be the beginning of a revival." Yes; a wonderful change comes over all the meetings whenever the Christian people are revived. Then their confessions mean something. They mean reformation and restitution. They mean work. They mean the use of means. They mean the opening of their pockets, their hearts and hands, and the devotion of all their powers to the promotion of the work.

(s) Prevailing prayer is specific. It is offered for a definite object. We cannot prevail for everything at once. In all the cases recorded in the Bible in which prayer was answered, it is noteworthy that the petitioner prayed for a definite object.

(t) Another condition of prevailing prayer is that we mean what we say in prayer; that we make no false pretenses; in short, that we are entirely childlike and sincere, speaking out of the heart, nothing more nor less than we mean, feel, and believe.

(u) Another condition of prevailing prayer is a state of mind that assumes the good faith of God in all His promises.

(v) Another condition is "watching unto prayer" as well as "praying in the Holy Ghost." By this I mean guarding against everything that can quench or grieve the Spirit of God in our hearts.

Also watching for the answer, in a state of mind that will diligently use all necessary means, at any expense, and add entreaty to entreaty.

When the fallow ground is thoroughly broken up in the hearts of Christians, when they have confessed and made restitution, if the work be thorough and honest, they will naturally and inevitably fulfill the conditions, and will prevail in prayer. But it cannot be too distinctly understood that none others will. What we commonly hear in prayer and conference meetings is not prevailing prayer. It is often astonishing and lamentable to witness the delusions that prevail upon the subject. Who that has witnessed real revivals of religion has not been struck with the change that comes over the whole spirit and manner of the prayers of really revived Christians? I do not think I ever could have been converted if I had not discovered the solution of the question: "Why is it that so much that is called prayer is not answered?"

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Two prayers: ask for spiritual eyes to open and receive spiritual strength!

Two prayers: ask for spiritual eyes to open and receive spiritual strength!
Ephesians 1:15-23
Prayer one: the eyes of your hearts be opened and enlightened

¹⁵ For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, ¹⁶ I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, ¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, ¹⁸ having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might ²⁰ that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. ²² And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, ²³ which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Ephesians 3:14-21
Prayer two: to receive Spiritual Strength, filled with God!

¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
²⁰ Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Today’s word: To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed

prayer and thanksgiving Psalm 9

Prayer and Thanksgiving for the Lord’s Righteous Judgments

To the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Death of the Son.” A Psalm of David.

9 I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
² I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

³ When my enemies turn back,
They shall fall and perish at Your presence.
⁴ For You have maintained my right and my cause;
You sat on the throne judging in righteousness.
⁵ You have rebuked the nations,
You have destroyed the wicked;
You have blotted out their name forever and ever.

⁶ O enemy, destructions are finished forever!
And you have destroyed cities;
Even their memory has perished.
⁷ But the Lord shall endure forever;
He has prepared His throne for judgment.
⁸ He shall judge the world in righteousness,
And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness.

⁹ The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed,
A refuge in times of trouble.
¹⁰ And those who know Your name will put their trust in You;
For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.

¹¹ Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion!
Declare His deeds among the people.
¹² When He avenges blood, He remembers them;
He does not forget the cry of the humble.

¹³ Have mercy on me, O Lord!
Consider my trouble from those who hate me,
You who lift me up from the gates of death,
¹⁴ That I may tell of all Your praise
In the gates of the daughter of Zion.
I will rejoice in Your salvation.

¹⁵ The nations have sunk down in the pit which they made;
In the net which they hid, their own foot is caught.
¹⁶ The Lord is known by the judgment He executes;
The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.

Meditation. Selah

¹⁷ The wicked shall be turned into hell,
And all the nations that forget God.
¹⁸ For the needy shall not always be forgotten;
The expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.

¹⁹ Arise, O Lord,
Do not let man prevail;
Let the nations be judged in Your sight.
²⁰ Put them in fear, O Lord,
That the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah

Psalm 10

A Song of Confidence in God’s Triumph over Evil

10 Why do You stand afar off, O Lord?
Why do You hide in times of trouble?
² The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor;
Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.

³ For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire;
He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord.
⁴ The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God;
God is in none of his thoughts.

⁵ His ways are always prospering;
Your judgments are far above, out of his sight;
As for all his enemies, he sneers at them.
⁶ He has said in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
I shall never be in adversity.”
⁷ His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression;
Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity.

⁸ He sits in the lurking places of the villages;
In the secret places he murders the innocent;
His eyes are secretly fixed on the helpless.
⁹ He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den;
He lies in wait to catch the poor;
He catches the poor when he draws him into his net.
¹⁰ So he crouches, he lies low,
That the helpless may fall by his strength.
¹¹ He has said in his heart,
“God has forgotten;
He hides His face;
He will never see.”

¹² Arise, O Lord!
O God, lift up Your hand!
Do not forget the humble.
¹³ Why do the wicked renounce God?
He has said in his heart,
“You will not require an account.”

¹⁴ But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief,
To repay it by Your hand.
The helpless commits himself to You;
You are the helper of the fatherless.
¹⁵ Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man;
Seek out his wickedness until You find none.

¹⁶ The Lord is King forever and ever;
The nations have perished out of His land.
¹⁷ Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble;
You will prepare their heart;
You will cause Your ear to hear,
¹⁸ To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
That the man of the earth may oppress no more.