An Evening Prayer of Trust in God

41 Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness; Thou hast set me at large [when I was] in distress: Have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. 2 O ye sons of men, how long shall my glory be turned into dishonor? [How long] will ye love vanity, and seek after falsehood? [Selah]] 3 But know that Jehovah hath set apart for himself him that is godly: Jehovah will hear when I call unto him. 4 Stand in awe, and sin not: Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. [Selah] 5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in Jehovah.

6 Many there are that say, Who will show us [any] good? Jehovah, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. 7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart, More than [they have] when their grain and their new wine are increased. 8 In peace will I both lay me down and sleep; For thou, Jehovah, alone makest me dwell in safety.

A Prayer for Protection

51 Give ear to my words, O Jehovah, Consider my meditation. 2 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God; For unto thee do I pray. 3 O Jehovah, in the morning shalt thou hear my voice; In the morning will I order [my prayer] unto thee, and will keep watch. 4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: Evil shall not sojourn with thee. 5 The arrogant shall not stand in thy sight: Thou hatest all workers of iniquity. 6 Thou wilt destroy them that speak lies: Jehovah abhorreth the blood-thirsty and deceitful man.

7 But as for me, in the abundance of thy lovingkindness will I come into thy house: In thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. 8 Lead me, O Jehovah, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; Make thy way straight before my face. 9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; Their inward part is very wickedness; Their throat is an open sepulchre; They flatter with their tongue. 10 Hold them guilty, O God; Let them fall by their own counsels; Thrust them out in the multitude of their transgressions; For they have rebelled against thee. 11 But let all those that take refuge in thee rejoice, Let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: Let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. 12 For thou wilt bless the righteous; O Jehovah, thou wilt compass him with favor as with a shield.

A Prayer for Mercy in Time of Trouble

61 O Jehovah, rebuke me not in thine anger, Neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. 2 Have mercy upon me, O Jehovah; for I am withered away: O Jehovah, heal me; for my bones are troubled. 3 My soul also is sore troubled: And thou, O Jehovah, how long? 4 Return, O Jehovah, deliver my soul: Save me for thy lovingkindness' sake. 5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: In Sheol who shall give thee thanks? 6 I am weary with my groaning; Every night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears. 7 Mine eye wasteth away because of grief; It waxeth old because of all mine adversaries.

8 Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; For Jehovah hath heard the voice of my weeping. 9 Jehovah hath heard my supplication; Jehovah will receive my prayer. 10 All mine enemies shall be put to shame and sore troubled: They shall turn back, they shall be put to shame suddenly.

Paul at Athens

16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he beheld the city full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with them that met him. 18 And certain also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, What would this babbler say? others, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took hold of him, and brought him unto the Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new teaching is, which is spoken by thee? 20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean. 21 (Now all the Athenians and the strangers sojourning there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.)

22 And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said, Ye men of Athens, in all things, I perceive that ye are very religious. 23 For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. What therefore ye worship in ignorance, this I set forth unto you. 24 The God that made the world and all things therein, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 neither is he served by men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26 and he made of one every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined [their] appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation; 27 that they should seek God, if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us: 28 for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. 29 Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and device of man. 30 The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent: 31 inasmuch as he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, We will hear thee concerning this yet again. 33 Thus Paul went out from among them. 34 But certain men clave unto him, and believed: among whom also was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Acts 17:16-34

Commentary on Acts 17:16-21

(Read Acts 17:16-21)

Athens was then famed for polite learning, philosophy, and the fine arts; but none are more childish and superstitious, more impious, or more credulous, than some persons, deemed eminent for learning and ability. It was wholly given to idolatry. The zealous advocate for the cause of Christ will be ready to plead for it in all companies, as occasion offers. Most of these learned men took no notice of Paul; but some, whose principles were the most directly contrary to Christianity, made remarks upon him. The apostle ever dwelt upon two points, which are indeed the principal doctrines of Christianity, Christ and a future state; Christ our way, and heaven our end. They looked on this as very different from the knowledge for many ages taught and professed at Athens; they desire to know more of it, but only because it was new and strange. They led him to the place where judges sat who inquired into such matters. They asked about Paul's doctrine, not because it was good, but because it was new. Great talkers are always busy-bodies. They spend their time in nothing else, and a very uncomfortable account they have to give of their time who thus spend it. Time is precious, and we are concerned to employ it well, because eternity depends upon it, but much is wasted in unprofitable conversation.

Commentary on Acts 17:22-31

(Read Acts 17:22-31)

Here we have a sermon to heathens, who worshipped false gods, and were without the true God in the world; and to them the scope of the discourse was different from what the apostle preached to the Jews. In the latter case, his business was to lead his hearers by prophecies and miracles to the knowledge of the Redeemer, and faith in him; in the former, it was to lead them, by the common works of providence, to know the Creator, and worship Him. The apostle spoke of an altar he had seen, with the inscription, "TO THE UNKNOWN GOD." This fact is stated by many writers. After multiplying their idols to the utmost, some at Athens thought there was another god of whom they had no knowledge. And are there not many now called Christians, who are zealous in their devotions, yet the great object of their worship is to them an unknown God? Observe what glorious things Paul here says of that God whom he served, and would have them to serve. The Lord had long borne with idolatry, but the times of this ignorance were now ending, and by his servants he now commanded all men every where to repent of their idolatry. Each sect of the learned men would feel themselves powerfully affected by the apostle's discourse, which tended to show the emptiness or falsity of their doctrines.

Commentary on Acts 17:32-34

(Read Acts 17:32-34)

The apostle was treated with more outward civility at Athens than in some other places; but none more despised his doctrine, or treated it with more indifference. Of all subjects, that which deserves the most attention gains the least. But those who scorn, will have to bear the consequences, and the word will never be useless. Some will be found, who cleave to the Lord, and listen to his faithful servants. Considering the judgement to come, and Christ as our Judge, should urge all to repent of sin, and turn to Him. Whatever matter is used, all discourses must lead to Him, and show his authority; our salvation, and resurrection, come from and by Him.