Friday, August 7, 2026

Psalm 142:1-3 Part 2 of 2

I cry out to the LORD;
    I plead for the LORD's mercy.
I pour out my complaints before him
    and tell him all my troubles.
When I am overwhelmed,
    you alone know the way I should turn.
Wherever I go,
    my enemies have set traps for me. 
     
When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn.
Psalm 6:2
Have compassion on me, LORD, for I am weak.
    Heal me, LORD, for my bones are in agony.  (see all Psalm 6)
Psalm 77:3  
I think of God, and I moan,
    overwhelmed with longing for his help.  (see all Psalm 77)
Psalm 143:4  
I am losing all hope;
    I am paralyzed with fear.
Psalm 143:7  
Come quickly, LORD, and answer me,
    for my depression deepens.
Don't turn away from me,
    or I will die.  (see all Psalm 143)
Jeremiah 8:18  
My grief is beyond healing;
    my heart is broken.  (see all Jeremiah 8)
Lamentations 1:22  
"Look at all their evil deeds, LORD.
    Punish them
as you have punished me
    for all my sins.
My groans are many, and I am sick at heart."  (see all Lamentations)
 
Wherever I go, my enemies have set traps for me.  
Psalm 140:5  
The proud have set a trap to catch me;
    they have stretched out a net;
    they have placed traps all along the way.  (see all Psalm 140)
Matthew 22:15  
Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested.  (see Matthew 21:23-22:22)
Luke 21:34-35  
    "Watch out! Don't let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don't let that day catch you unaware, like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth."  
(see Luke 21:25-36)
1 Timothy 6:9  
    But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.  
(see all 1 Timothy 6)
2 Timothy 2:26  
Then they will come to their senses and escape the devil's trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.  (see all 2 Timothy 2) 
     
(parentheses are mine)
 
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Limited to 15 verses per post. 
  

Thursday, August 6, 2026

Psalm 142:1-3 Part 1 of 2

I cry out to the LORD;
    I plead for the LORD's mercy.
I pour out my complaints before him
    and tell him all my troubles.
When I am overwhelmed,
    you alone know the way I should turn.
Wherever I go,
    my enemies have set traps for me. 
     
I cry out to the LORD; I plead for the LORD's mercy.
Psalm 30:8-10
I cried out to you, O LORD.
    I begged the Lord for mercy, saying,
"What will you gain if I die,
    if I sink into the grave?
Can my dust praise you?
    Can it tell of your faithfulness?
Hear me, LORD, and have mercy on me.
    Help me, O LORD."  (see all Psalm 30)
Psalm 77:1  
I cry out to God; yes, I shout.
    Oh, that God would listen to me!  (see all Psalm 77)
1 Kings 8:52  
    "May your eyes be open to my requests and to the requests of your people Israel. May you hear and answer them whenever they cry out to you."  
(see 1 Kings 8:22-53)
Psalm 3:4  
I cried out to the LORD,
    and he answered me from his holy mountain.  (see all Psalm 3)
 
I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles.  
Psalm 64:1  
O God, listen to my complaint.
    Protect my life from my enemies' threats.  (see all Psalm 64)
Psalm 40:12  
For troubles surround me--
    too many to count!
My sins pile up so high
    I can't see my way out.
They outnumber the hairs on my head.
    I have lost all courage.  (see all Psalm 40)
Psalm 50:15  
Then call on me when you are in trouble,
    and I will rescue you,
    and you will give me glory.  (see all Psalm 50)
Psalm 120:1  
I took my troubles to the LORD;
    I cried out to him and he answered my prayer.  (see all Psalm 120)
James 1:2  
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  (see all James 1)
James 5:1  
Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you.  (see James 5:1-6) 
     
(parentheses are mine)
 
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Limited to 15 verses per post. 
 

Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Psalm 141:8-10

I look to you for help, O Sovereign LORD.
    You are my refuge; don't let them kill me.
Keep me from the traps they have set for me,
    from the snares of those who do wrong.
Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
    but let me escape. 
     
I look to you for help, O Sovereign LORD. You are my refuge; don't let them kill me.
Psalm 2:12
Submit to God's royal son or he will become angry,
    and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities--
for his anger flares up in an instant.
    But what joy for all who take refuge in him!  (see all Psalm 2)
Psalm 11:1  
I trust in the LORD for protection.
So why do you say to me,
    "Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety!"  (see all Psalm 11)
Psalm 123:2  
We keep looking to the LORD our God for his mercy,
     just as servants keep their eyes on their master,
    as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal.
    (see all Psalm 123)
 
Keep me from the traps they have set for me, from the snares of those who do wrong.  
Psalm 38:12  
Meanwhile, my enemies lay traps to kill me.
    Those who wish me harm make plans to ruin me.
     All day long they plan their treachery.  (see all Psalm 38)
Psalm 64:5  
They encourage each other to do evil
    and plan how to set their traps in secret.
    "Who will ever notice?" they ask.  (see all Psalm 64)
Psalm 91:2-4  
This I declare about the LORD:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
    he is my God, and I trust him.
For he will rescue you from every trap
    and protect you from deadly disease.
He will cover you with his feathers.
    He will shelter you with his wings.
    His faithful promises are your armor and protection  (see all Psalm 91)
 
Let the wicked fall into their own nets, but let me escape.  
Psalm 7:15  
They dig a deep pit to trap others,
    then fall into it themselves.  (see all Psalm 7)
Psalm 35:8  
So let sudden ruin come upon them!
    Let them be caught in the trap they set for me!
    Let them be destroyed in the pit they dug for me.  (see all Psalm 35)
Psalm 57:6  
My enemies have set a trap for me.
    I am weary from distress.
They have dug a deep pit in my path,
    but they themselves have fallen into it.  (see all Psalm 57)
Psalm 124:7  
We escaped like a bird from a hunter's trap.
    The trap is broken, and we are free!  (see all Psalm 124) 
     
(parentheses are mine)
 
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Limited to 15 verses per post. 
  

Tuesday, August 4, 2026

Psalm 141:5-7

Let the godly strike me!
    It will be a kindness!
If they correct me, it is soothing medicine.
    Don't let me refuse it. 
 
But I pray constantly
    against the wicked and their deeds.
When their leaders are thrown down from a cliff,
    the wicked will listen to my words and find them true.
Like rocks brought up by a plow,
    the bones of the wicked will lie scattered without burial. 
     
Let the godly strike me! It will be a kindness! If they correct me, it is soothing medicine. Don't let me refuse it.
Proverbs 9:8-9 
So don't bother correcting mockers;
    they will only hate you.
But correct the wise,
    and they will love you.
Instruct the wise,
    and they will be even wiser.
Teach the righteous,
    and they will learn even more.  (see all Proverbs 9)
Proverbs 19:25  
If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded will learn a lesson;
    if you correct the wise, they will be all the wiser.
Proverbs 25:12  
To one who listens, valid criticism
    is like a gold earring or other gold jewelry.
Proverbs 27:5-6  
An open rebuke
    is better than hidden love!
Wounds from a sincere friend
    are better than many kisses from an enemy.
Ecclesiastes 7:5  
Better to be criticized by a wise person
    than to be praised by a fool.
Galatians 6:1  
    Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.  
(see Galatians 1:1-10)
 
But I pray constantly against the wicked and their deeds. When their leaders are thrown down from a cliff, the wicked will listen to my words and find them true.  
2 Chronicles 25:12  
They captured another 10,000 and took them to the top of a cliff and threw them off, dashing them to pieces on the rocks below.  
(see 2 Chronicles 25:5-16)
 
Like rocks brought up by a plow, the bones of the wicked will lie scattered without burial.  
Psalm 53:5  
Terror will grip them,
    terror like they have never known before.
God will scatter the bones of your enemies.
    You will put them to shame, for God has rejected them.  (see all Psalm 53)
Numbers 16:32-33  
The earth opened its mouth and swallowed the men, along with their households and all their followers who were standing with them, and everything they owned. So they went down alive into the grave, along with all their belongings. The earth closed over them, and they all vanished from among the people of Israel.  (see all Numbers 16)     
     
(parentheses are mine)
 
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Limited to 15 verses per post. 
  

Monday, August 3, 2026

Psalm 141:3-4 Part 2 of 2

Take control of what I say, O LORD,
    and guard my lips.
Don't let me drift toward evil
    or take part in acts of wickedness.
Don't let me share in the delicacies
    of those who do wrong.  
     
Don't let me drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness. Don't let me share in the delicacies of those who do wrong.
Psalm 119:36-37 
Give me an eagerness for your laws
    rather than a love for money!
Turn my eyes from worthless things,
    and give me life through your word.  (see Psalm 119:33-40)
Proverbs 3:3-6  
Never let loyalty and kindness leave you!
    Tie them around your neck as a reminder.
    Write them deep within your heart.
Then you will find favor with both God and people,
    and you will earn a good reputation.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take.
Joshua 24:14-15  
    "So fear the LORD and serve him whole-heartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River in Egypt. Serve the LORD alone. But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD."  
(see all Joshua 24)
1 Kings 8:57-58  
"May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us or abandon us. May he give us the desire to do his will in everything and to obey all the commands, decrees, and regulations that he gave our ancestors."  (see all 1 Kings 8)
Malachi 3:14-15  
    "You have said, 'What's the use of serving God? What have we gained by obeying his commands or by trying to show the LORD of Heaven's Armies that we are sorry for our sins? From now on we will call the arrogant blessed. For those who do evil get rich, and those who dare God to punish them suffer no harm.' "  (see all Malachi 3) 
Jeremiah 31:33  
    "But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days," says the LORD. "I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people."  (see all Jeremiah 31) 
     
(parentheses are mine)
 
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Limited to 15 verses per post. 
  

Sunday, August 2, 2026

Psalm 141:3-4 Part 1 of 2

Take control of what I say, O LORD,
    and guard my lips.
Don't let me drift toward evil
    or take part in acts of wickedness.
Don't let me share in the delicacies
    of those who do wrong.  
     
Take control of what I say, O LORD, and guard my lips.
Psalm 39:1 
I said to myself, "I will watch what I do
    and not sin in what I say.
I will hold my tongue
    when the ungodly are around me."  (see all Psalm 39)
Proverbs 13:3  
Those who control their tongue will have a long life;
    Opening your mouth can ruin everything.
Proverbs 21:23  
Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, 
    and you will stay out of trouble.
Psalm 34:12-13  
Does anyone want to live a life 
    that is long and prosperous?
Then keep your tongue from speaking evil
    and your lips from telling lies!  (see all Psalm 34)
James 1:26  
    If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself and your religion is worthless.  (see all James 1)
James 3:5-8  
In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes great speeches.
    But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
    People can tame all kinds of animals, birds,reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.  
(see all James 3) 
1 Peter 2:21-23  
    For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. 
 
He never sinned,
    nor ever deceived anyone. 
He did not retaliate when he was insulted,
    nor threaten revenge when he suffered.
He left his case in the hands of God,
    who always judges fairly.  (see all 1 Peter 2)  
     
(parentheses are mine)
 
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Limited to 15 verses per post. 
 

Saturday, August 1, 2026

Psalm 141:1-2 Part 2 of 2

O LORD, I am calling to you. Please hurry!
    Listen when I cry to you for help!
Accept my prayer as incense offered to you,
    and my upraised hands as an evening offering. 
     
Accept my prayer as incense offered to you, ...
Exodus 29:41
"Offer the other lamb in the evening, along with the same offerings of flour and wine as in the morning. It will be a pleasing aroma, a special gift presented to the LORD."  (see Exodus 29:38-46)
Exodus 30:8  
"And each evening when he lights the lamps, he must again burn incense in the LORD's presence. This must be done from generation to generation."  
(see Exodus 30:1-10)
Luke 1:8-10  
    One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.  (see Luke 1:5-25)
Revelation 5:8  
And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God's people.  
(see all Revelation 5)
Revelation 8:3-5  
    Then another angel with a gold incense burner came and stood at the altar. And a great amount of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God's people as an offering on the gold altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of God's holy people, ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out. Then the angel filled the incense burner with fire from the altar and threw it down upon the earth, and thunder crashed, lightning flashed, and there was a terrible earthquake.  
(see all Revelation 8)
 
... and my upraised hands as an evening offering.  
Psalm 28:2  
Listen to my prayer for mercy
    as I cry out to you for help,
    as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary.  (see all Psalm 28)
Psalm 63:4  
I will praise you as long as I live,
    lifting up my hands to you in prayer.  (see all Psalm 28)
1 Timothy 2:8  
    In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy.  (see all 1 Timothy 2) 
     
(parentheses are mine)
 
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Limited to 15 verses per post.