April 22, 2024 PORTALS OF PRAYER READINGS

 

Habakkuk 1:1-5

1 The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw.

Habakkuk's Complaint

² O Lord, how long shall I cry for help,
    and you will not hear?
Or cry to you “Violence!”
    and you will not save?
³ Why do you make me see iniquity,
    and why do you idly look at wrong?
Destruction and violence are before me;
    strife and contention arise.
⁴ So the law is paralyzed,
    and justice never goes forth.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
    so justice goes forth perverted.

The Lord's Answer

⁵ “Look among the nations, and see;
    wonder and be astounded.
For I am doing a work in your days
    that you would not believe if told.

Psalm 59:1-10

Deliver Me from My Enemies

To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam^[a] of David, when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him.

59 Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
    protect me from those who rise up against me;
² deliver me from those who work evil,
    and save me from bloodthirsty men.

³ For behold, they lie in wait for my life;
    fierce men stir up strife against me.
For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord,
⁴     for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.
Awake, come to meet me, and see!
⁵     You, Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel.
Rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
    spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah

⁶ Each evening they come back,
    howling like dogs
    and prowling about the city.
⁷ There they are, bellowing with their mouths
    with swords in their lips—
    for “Who,” they think,^[b] “will hear us?”

⁸ But you, O Lord, laugh at them;
    you hold all the nations in derision.
⁹ O my Strength, I will watch for you,
    for you, O God, are my fortress.
¹⁰ My God in his steadfast love^[c] will meet me;
    God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.

Footnotes

1. Psalm 59:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
2. Psalm 59:7 Hebrew lacks they think
3. Psalm 59:10 Or The God who shows me steadfast love

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Source for Bible text - www.biblegateway.com