Then I bowed down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right path to find the granddaughter of my master's brother for his son.

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God is with me and protects me on this journey I am taking and gives me food to eat and clothing to wear,

After Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, "Send me on my way so that I can go home to my own country.

But Laban said to him, "If I have found favor in your sight, please stay here, for I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me on account of you."

Moses answered again, "And if they do not believe me or pay attention to me, but say, 'The Lord has not appeared to you'?"

You must also do this for your oxen and for your sheep; seven days they may remain with their mothers, but give them to me on the eighth day.

But Edom said to him, "You will not pass through me, or I will come out against you with the sword."

As for me, the Lord was also angry with me on your account. He said, "You also will not be able to go there.

Then Saul said, "O Lord God of Israel! If this sin has been committed by me or by my son Jonathan, then, O Lord God of Israel, respond with Urim. But if this sin has been committed by your people Israel, respond with Thummim." Then Jonathan and Saul were indicated by lot, while the army was exonerated.

Then Saul said to Samuel, "But I have obeyed the Lord! I went on the campaign the Lord sent me on. I brought back King Agag of the Amalekites after exterminating the Amalekites.

Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, "Bring him up to me on his bed so I can kill him."

For all of you have conspired against me! No one informs me when my own son makes an agreement with this son of Jesse! Not one of you feels sorry for me or informs me that my own son has commissioned my own servant to hide in ambush against me, as is the case today!"

So now swear to me in the Lord's name that you will not kill my descendants after me or destroy my name from the house of my father."

David said to him, "Can you take us down to this raiding party?" He said, "Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or hand me over to my master, and I will take you down to this raiding party."

These words of Ish-bosheth really angered Abner and he said, "Am I the head of a dog that belongs to Judah? This very day I am demonstrating loyalty to the house of Saul your father and to his relatives and his friends! I have not betrayed you into the hand of David. Yet you have accused me of sinning with this woman today!

So the Tekoan woman went to the king. She bowed down with her face to the ground in deference to him and said, "Please help me, O king!"

Now, O Lord, God of Israel, keep the promise you made to your servant, my father David, when you said, 'You will never fail to have a successor ruling before me on the throne of Israel, provided that your descendants watch their step and serve me as you have done.'

Jeroboam and all the people reported to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had ordered when he said, "Return to me on the third day."

Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are the true God and that you are winning back their allegiance."

Now, O Lord God of Israel, keep the promise you made to your servant, my father David, when you said, 'You will never fail to have a successor ruling before me on the throne of Israel, provided that your descendants watch their step and obey my law as you have done.'

Jeroboam and all the people reported to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had ordered when he said, "Return to me on the third day."

After King Amaziah of Judah consulted with his advisers, he sent this message to the king of Israel, Joash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, "Come, face me on the battlefield."

Necho sent messengers to him, saying, "Why are you opposing me, O king of Judah? I am not attacking you today, but the kingdom with which I am at war. God told me to hurry. Stop opposing God, who is with me, or else he will destroy you."

Then I directed the Levites to purify themselves and come and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. For this please remember me, O my God, and have pity on me in keeping with your great love.

If I sinned, then you would watch me and you would not acquit me of my iniquity.

Only in two things spare me, O God, and then I will not hide from your face:

He has stripped me of my honor and has taken the crown off my head.

For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm of David. When I call out, answer me, O God who vindicates me! Though I am hemmed in, you will lead me into a wide, open place. Have mercy on me and respond to my prayer!

when they prayed: "Have mercy on me, Lord! See how I am oppressed by those who hate me, O one who can snatch me away from the gates of death!

Look at me! Answer me, O Lord my God! Revive me, or else I will die!

A prayer of David. Protect me, O God, for I have taken shelter in you.

I call to you for you will answer me, O God. Listen to me! Hear what I say!

Guide me into your truth and teach me. For you are the God who delivers me; on you I rely all day long.

By David. Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have integrity, and I trust in the Lord without wavering.

Examine me, O Lord, and test me! Evaluate my inner thoughts and motives!

He will surely give me shelter in the day of danger; he will hide me in his home; he will place me on an inaccessible rocky summit.

Hear me, O Lord, when I cry out! Have mercy on me and answer me!

Do not reject me! Do not push your servant away in anger! You are my deliverer! Do not forsake or abandon me, O God who vindicates me!

Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me! O Lord, deliver me!"

Into your hand I entrust my life; you will rescue me, O Lord, the faithful God.

Do not let arrogant men overtake me, or let evil men make me homeless!

Do not abandon me, O Lord! My God, do not remain far away from me!

Hurry and help me, O Lord, my deliverer!

Please be willing, O Lord, to rescue me! O Lord, hurry and help me!

Vindicate me, O God! Fight for me against an ungodly nation! Deliver me from deceitful and evil men!

For the music director; a psalm of David, written when Nathan the prophet confronted him after David's affair with Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, because of your loyal love! Because of your great compassion, wipe away my rebellious acts!

Wash away my wrongdoing! Cleanse me of my sin!

Indeed, it is not an enemy who insults me, or else I could bear it; it is not one who hates me who arrogantly taunts me, or else I could hide from him.

For the music director; according to the yonath-elem-rechovim style; a prayer of David, written when the Philistines captured him in Gath. Have mercy on me, O God, for men are attacking me! All day long hostile enemies are tormenting me.

Those who anticipate my defeat attack me all day long. Indeed, many are fighting against me, O Exalted One.

For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer of David, written when he fled from Saul into the cave. Have mercy on me, O God! Have mercy on me! For in you I have taken shelter. In the shadow of your wings I take shelter until trouble passes.

For the music director; a psalm of David. Listen to me, O God, as I offer my lament! Protect my life from the enemy's terrifying attacks.

For the music director; according to the tune of "Lilies;" by David. Deliver me, O God, for the water has reached my neck.

Let none who rely on you be disgraced because of me, O sovereign Lord and king! Let none who seek you be ashamed because of me, O God of Israel!

O Lord, may you hear my prayer and be favorably disposed to me! O God, because of your great loyal love, answer me with your faithful deliverance!

Answer me, O Lord, for your loyal love is good! Because of your great compassion, turn toward me!

For the music director; by David; written to get God's attention. O God, please be willing to rescue me! O Lord, hurry and help me!

Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I cry out to you all day long!

Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people! Pay attention to me, when you deliver,

Help me, O Lord my God! Because you are faithful to me, deliver me!

(He) Teach me, O Lord, the lifestyle prescribed by your statutes, so that I might observe it continually.

Do not completely deprive me of a truthful testimony, for I await your justice.

(Qof) I cried out with all my heart, "Answer me, O Lord! I will observe your statutes."

The Lord avenges me. O Lord, your loyal love endures. Do not abandon those whom you have made!

How difficult it is for me to fathom your thoughts about me, O God! How vast is their sum total!

Answer me quickly, Lord! My strength is fading. Do not reject me, or I will join those descending into the grave.

The Beloved to Her Lover: Tell me, O you whom my heart loves, where do you pasture your sheep? Where do you rest your sheep during the midday heat? Tell me lest I wander around beside the flocks of your companions!

Your thinking is perverse! Should the potter be regarded as clay? Should the thing made say about its maker, "He didn't make me"? Or should the pottery say about the potter, "He doesn't understand"?

"But you did not call for me, O Jacob; you did not long for me, O Israel.

Remind me of what happened! Let's debate! You, prove to me that you are right!

"Listen to me, O family of Jacob, all you who are left from the family of Israel, you who have been carried from birth, you who have been supported from the time you left the womb.

Listen to me, O Jacob, Israel, whom I summoned! I am the one; I am present at the very beginning and at the very end.

Whom are you worried about? Whom do you fear, that you would act so deceitfully and not remember me or think about me? Because I have been silent for so long, you are not afraid of me.

I looked, but there was no one to help; I was shocked because there was no one offering support. So my right arm accomplished deliverance; my raging anger drove me on.

for your sins and your ancestors' sins," says the Lord. "Because they burned incense on the mountains and offended me on the hills, I will punish them in full measure."

I will perform a mighty act among them and then send some of those who remain to the nations -- to Tarshish, Pul, Lud (known for its archers), Tubal, Javan, and to the distant coastlands that have not heard about me or seen my splendor. They will tell the nations of my splendor.

Then the Lord said, "As for you, Jeremiah, do not pray for these people! Do not cry out to me or petition me on their behalf! Do not plead with me to save them, because I will not listen to you.

But they did not listen to me or pay any attention to me. They followed the stubborn inclinations of their own wicked hearts. They acted worse and worse instead of better.

The Lord answered, "This has happened because these people have rejected my laws which I gave them. They have not obeyed me or followed those laws.

But they did not listen to me or pay any attention to me! Each one of them followed the stubborn inclinations of his own wicked heart. So I brought on them all the punishments threatened in the covenant because they did not carry out its terms as I commanded them to do.'"

So, Jeremiah, do not pray for these people. Do not cry out to me or petition me on their behalf. Do not plead with me to save them. For I will not listen to them when they call out to me for help when disaster strikes them."

Your ancestors, however, did not listen to me or pay any attention to me. They stubbornly refused to pay attention or to respond to any discipline.'

One of their own people will be their leader. Their ruler will come from their own number. I will invite him to approach me, and he will do so. For no one would dare approach me on his own. I, the Lord, affirm it!

"Every seven years each of you must free any fellow Hebrews who have sold themselves to you. After they have served you for six years, you shall set them free." But your ancestors did not obey me or pay any attention to me.

(Ayin) I weep because of these things; my eyes flow with tears. For there is no one in sight who can comfort me or encourage me. My children are desolated because an enemy has prevailed.

(Tav) As if it were a feast day, you call enemies to terrify me on every side. On the day of the Lord's anger no one escaped or survived. My enemy has finished off those healthy infants whom I bore and raised.

You have seen the wrong done to me, O Lord; pronounce judgment on my behalf!

As he spoke to me, a wind came into me and stood me on my feet, and I heard the one speaking to me.

Then a wind came into me and stood me on my feet. The Lord spoke to me and said, "Go shut yourself in your house.

I will do this in order to capture the hearts of the house of Israel, who have alienated themselves from me on account of all their idols.'

When you present your sacrifices -- when you make your sons pass through the fire -- you defile yourselves with all your idols to this very day. Will I allow you to seek me, O house of Israel? As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, I will not allow you to seek me!

"I looked for a man from among them who would repair the wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it, but I found no one.

By means of divine visions he brought me to the land of Israel and placed me on a very high mountain, and on it was a structure like a city, to the south.

The king replied to the wise men, "My decision is firm. If you do not inform me of both the dream and its interpretation, you will be dismembered and your homes reduced to rubble!

If you don't inform me of the dream, there is only one thing that is going to happen to you. For you have agreed among yourselves to report to me something false and deceitful until such time as things might change. So tell me the dream, and I will have confidence that you can disclose its interpretation."

Then a hand touched me and set me on my hands and knees.

Ephraim boasts, "I am very rich! I have become wealthy! In all that I have done to gain my wealth, no one can accuse me of any offense that is actually sinful."

Am I not permitted to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?'

"But look, the hand of the one who betrays me is with me on the table.

Then they began asking him, "Who is your father?" Jesus answered, "You do not know either me or my Father. If you knew me you would know my Father too."