'In Me' in the Bible
Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me [to interpret the dream]; God [not I] will give Pharaoh a favorable answer [through me].”
‘You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measurement of weight or quantity.
You shall have just and accurate balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
But there were certain men who were [ceremonially] unclean because of [touching] the dead body of a man, so they could not observe the Passover on that day; so they came before Moses and Aaron that same day.
‘The Lord is slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving wickedness and transgression; but He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting (avenging) the wickedness and guilt of the fathers on the children, to the third and fourth generations [that is, calling the children to account for the sins of their fathers].’
The Angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “Though you detain me, I will not eat your food, but if you prepare a burnt offering, offer it to the Lord.” For Manoah did not know that he was the Angel of the Lord.
Therefore show kindness to your servant, because you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. But if there is iniquity (guilt) in me, kill me yourself; for why should you bring me to your father [to be killed]?”
He said to me, ‘Stand up facing me and kill me, for [terrible] agony has come over me, yet I still live [and I will be taken alive].’
Absalom answered Joab, “I sent for you, saying, ‘Come here, so that I may send you to the king to ask, “Why have I come [back] from Geshur? It would be better for me to still be there.”’ Now then, let me see the king’s face, and if there is guilt in me, let him put me to death.”
“He also brought me out to an open place;He rescued me because He delighted in me.
Hanani, one of my brothers, and some men from Judah came; and I asked them about the surviving Jews who had escaped and survived the captivity, and about Jerusalem.
Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a gallows fifty cubits high made, and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go joyfully to the banquet with the king.” And the advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made.
Because the arrows of the Almighty are within me,My spirit drinks their poison;The terrors of God are arrayed against me.
“Turn away [from your suspicion], let there be no injustice;Turn away, my righteousness and vindication is still in it.
“It is longer in measure [and scope] than the earth,And broader than the sea.
Whom I, even I, will see for myself,And my eyes will see Him and not another!My heart faints within me.
“If you say, ‘How shall we [continue to] persecute him?’And ‘What pretext for a case against him can we find [since we claim the root of these afflictions is found in him]?’
As long as my life is within me,And the breath of God is [still] in my nostrils,
“The deep says, ‘It is not in me’;And the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’
‘My glory and honor are fresh in me [being constantly renewed],And my bow gains [ever] new strength in my hand.’
“And now my soul is poured out within me;The days of affliction have seized me.
“For I am full of words;The spirit within me constrains me.
“For I do not know how to flatter, [in an appropriate way, and I fear that],My Maker would soon take me away.
‘I am pure, without transgression;I am innocent and there is no guilt in me.
The Lord judges the peoples;Judge me, O Lord, and grant me justice according to my righteousness and according to the integrity within me.
How long must I take counsel in my soul,Having sorrow in my heart day after day?How long will my enemy exalt himself and triumph over me?
You have tried my heart;You have visited me in the night;You have tested me and You find nothing [evil in me];I intend that my mouth will not transgress.
He brought me out into a broad place;He rescued me because He was pleased with me and delighted in me.
I am poured out like water,And all my bones are out of joint.My heart is like wax;It is melted [by anguish] within me.
That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent.O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.
My heart was hot within me.While I was musing the fire burned;Then I spoke with my tongue:
By this I know that You favor and delight in me,Because my enemy does not shout in triumph over me.
These things I [vividly] remember as I pour out my soul;How I used to go along before the great crowd of people and lead them in procession to the house of God [like a choirmaster before his singers, timing the steps to the music and the chant of the song],With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a great crowd keeping a festival.
Why are you in despair, O my soul?And why have you become restless and disturbed within me?Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall again praise HimFor the help of His presence.
Why are you in despair, O my soul?Why have you become restless and disquieted within me?Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him,The help of my countenance and my God.
Why are you in despair, O my soul?And why are you restless and disturbed within me?Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall again praise Him,The help of my [sad] countenance and my God.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,And renew a right and steadfast spirit within me.
My heart is in anguish within me,And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
They run and set themselves against me though there is no guilt in me;Stir Yourself to meet and help me, and see [what they are doing]!
For You, O Lord, are good, and ready to forgive [our sins, sending them away, completely letting them go forever and ever];And abundant in lovingkindness and overflowing in mercy to all those who call upon You.
But You, O Lord, are a God [who protects and is] merciful and gracious,Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness and truth.
When my anxious thoughts multiply within me,Your comforts delight me.
Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul,And all that is [deep] within me, bless His holy name.
The Lord is merciful and gracious,Slow to anger and abounding in compassion and lovingkindness.
For I am suffering and needy,And my heart is wounded within me.
Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul;Like a weaned child [resting] with his mother,My soul is like a weaned child within me [composed and freed from discontent].
And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me,And lead me in the everlasting way.
Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed and weak within me [wrapped in darkness];My heart grows numb within me.
The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.
He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper,But whoever confesses and turns away from his sins will find compassion and mercy.
He has made everything beautiful and appropriate in its time. He has also planted eternity [a sense of divine purpose] in the human heart [a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy, except God]—yet man cannot find out (comprehend, grasp) what God has done (His overall plan) from the beginning to the end.
“Sustain me with raisin cakes,Refresh me with apples,Because I am sick with love.
They have lyre and harp, tambourine and flute, and wine at their feasts;But they do not regard nor even pay attention to the deeds of the Lord,Nor do they consider the work of His hands.
A throne will be established in lovingkindness,And One will sit on it in faithfulness in the tent (dynasty, family) of David;Judging and seeking justiceAnd being prompt to do righteousness.
In the night my soul longs for You [O Lord],Indeed, my spirit within me seeks You diligently;For [only] when Your judgments are experienced on the earthWill the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
“I have no wrath.Should anyone give Me briars and thorns in battle,I would step on them, I would set them all on fire.
For the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel has said this,“In returning [to Me] and rest you shall be saved,In quietness and confident trust is your strength.”But you were not willing,
“When you cry out [for help], let your [ridiculous] collection of idols save you.But the wind will carry them all away,A [mere] breath will take them.But he who takes refuge in Me will possess the land [Judea]And will inherit My holy mountain.”
Thus says the Lord,“What injustice or unrighteousness did your fathers find in Me,That they have wandered far from MeAnd [habitually] walked after emptiness and futility and became empty?
My soul, my soul! I writhe in anguish and pain! Oh, the walls of my heart!My heart is pounding and throbbing within me;I cannot be silent,For you have heard, O my soul,The sound of the trumpet,The alarm of war.
Oh, that I (Jeremiah) could find comfort from my sorrow [for my grief is beyond healing],My heart is sick and faint within me!
Concerning the prophets:My heart [says Jeremiah] is broken within me,All my bones shake;I have become like a drunken man,A man whom wine has overcome,Because of the LordAnd because of His holy words [declared against unfaithful leaders].
‘For I am with you,’ says the Lord, ‘to save you;For I will destroy completely all the nations where I have scattered you,But I will not destroy you completely.But I will judge and discipline you fairlyAnd will by no means regard you as guiltless and leave you unpunished.’
For I will certainly rescue you; and you will not fall by the sword, but you will have your [own] life as a reward of battle, because you have placed your trust in Me,” says the Lord.’”
“Declare in Egypt and proclaim in Migdol,And proclaim in Memphis and in Tahpanhes;Say, ‘Take your stand and get yourself ready,For the sword has devoured those around you.’
“Leave your orphans behind; I will [do what is needed to] keep them alive.And let [those who are] your widows trust and confide in Me.”
“See, O Lord, how distressed I am!My spirit is deeply disturbed;My heart is overturned within me and cannot rest,For I have been very rebellious.In the street the sword kills and bereaves;In the house there is [famine, disease and] death!
My soul continually remembers themAnd is bowed down within me.
Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes him;Let him be filled with reproach.
Haran and Canneh and Eden [in Mesopotamia], the merchants of Sheba [on the Euphrates], Asshur and Chilmad traded with you.
“Your riches, your wares, your merchandiseYour oarsmen and your pilots,Your caulkers, your dealers in merchandise,And all your men of war who are with you,With all your company that is in your midst,Will sink in the heart of the seasOn the day of your ruin.
I will fill its mountains with its slain; those killed by the sword will fall on your hills, and in your valleys, and in all your ravines.
At that time certain Chaldeans came forward and brought [malicious] accusations against the Jews.
“As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed and anxious within me, and the visions [that appeared] in my mind kept alarming (agitating) me.
“This is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my [waking] thoughts were extremely troubling and alarming and my face grew pale; but I kept the matter [of the vision and the angel’s explanation] to myself.”
So I was left alone and saw this great vision; yet no strength was left in me, for my normal appearance turned to a deathly pale, and I grew weak and faint [with fright].
For how can such a [weakened] servant of my lord talk with such [a being] as my lord? For now there remains no strength in me, nor has any breath been left in me.”
“And I will betroth you (Israel) to Me forever;Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice,In lovingkindness and loyalty, and in compassion.
How can I give you up, O Ephraim?How can I surrender you, O Israel?How can I make you like Admah?How can I treat you like Zeboiim?My heart recoils within Me;All My compassions are kindled together [for My nation of Israel].
It is your destruction, O Israel,Because you are against Me, [and have rebelled] against your help.
Who is a God like You, who forgives wickednessAnd passes over the rebellious acts of the remnant of His possession?He does not retain His anger forever,Because He [constantly] delights in mercy and lovingkindness.
I will stand at my guard postAnd station myself on the tower;And I will keep watch to see what He will say to me,And what answer I will give [as His spokesman] when I am reproved.