201 May Yahweh answer you in the day of trouble.
May the name of the God of Jacob set you up on high, 2 send you help from the sanctuary,
grant you support from Zion, 3 remember all your offerings,
and accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah. 4 May He grant you your heart’s desire,
and fulfill all your counsel. 5 We will triumph in your salvation.
In the name of our God, we will set up our banners.
May Yahweh grant all your requests.
6 Now I know that Yahweh saves his anointed.
He will answer him from his holy heaven,
with the saving strength of his right hand. 7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses,
but we trust the name of Yahweh our God. 8 They are bowed down and fallen,
but we rise up, and stand upright. 9 Save, Yahweh!
Let the King answer us when we call!
211 The king rejoices in your strength, Yahweh!
How greatly he rejoices in your salvation! 2 You have given him his heart’s desire,
and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah. 3 For you meet him with the blessings of goodness.
You set a crown of fine gold on his head. 4 He asked life of you, you gave it to him,
even length of days forever and ever. 5 His glory is great in your salvation.
You lay honor and majesty on him. 6 For you make him most blessed forever.
You make him glad with joy in your presence.
7 For the king trusts in Yahweh.
Through the loving kindness of the Most High, he shall not be moved. 8 Your hand will find out all of your enemies.
Your right hand will find out those who hate you. 9 You will make them as a fiery furnace in the time of your anger.
Yahweh will swallow them up in his wrath.
The fire shall devour them. 10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
their posterity from among the children of men. 11 For they intended evil against you.
They plotted evil against you which cannot succeed. 12 For you will make them turn their back,
when you aim drawn bows at their face. 13 Be exalted, Yahweh, in your strength,
so we will sing and praise your power.
221 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning? 2 My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don’t answer;
in the night season, and am not silent. 3 But you are holy,
you who inhabit the praises of Israel. 4 Our fathers trusted in you.
They trusted, and you delivered them. 5 They cried to you, and were delivered.
They trusted in you, and were not disappointed. 6 But I am a worm, and no man;
a reproach of men, and despised by the people. 7 All those who see me mock me.
They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying, 8 “He trusts in Yahweh;
let him deliver him.
Let him rescue him, since he delights in him.” 9 But you brought me out of the womb.
You made me trust at my mother’s breasts. 10 I was thrown on you from my mother’s womb.
You are my God since my mother bore me.
11 Don’t be far from me, for trouble is near.
For there is none to help. 12 Many bulls have surrounded me.
Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me. 13 They open their mouths wide against me,
lions tearing prey and roaring. 14 I am poured out like water.
All my bones are out of joint.
My heart is like wax;
it is melted within me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd.
My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
You have brought me into the dust of death. 16 For dogs have surrounded me.
A company of evildoers have enclosed me.
They have pierced my hands and feet. [1] 17 I can count all of my bones.
They look and stare at me. 18 They divide my garments among them.
They cast lots for my clothing. 19 But don’t be far off, Yahweh.
You are my help: hurry to help me. 20 Deliver my soul from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dog. 21 Save me from the lion’s mouth!
Yes, from the horns of the wild oxen, you have answered me.
22 I will declare your name to my brothers.
In the midst of the assembly, I will praise you. 23 You who fear Yahweh, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him!
Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Israel! 24 For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted,
Neither has he hidden his face from him;
but when he cried to him, he heard. 25 Of you comes my praise in the great assembly.
I will pay my vows before those who fear him. 26 The humble shall eat and be satisfied.
They shall praise Yahweh who seek after him.
Let your hearts live forever. 27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to Yahweh.
All the relatives of the nations shall worship before you. 28 For the kingdom is Yahweh’s.
He is the ruler over the nations. 29 All the rich ones of the earth shall eat and worship.
All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him,
even he who can’t keep his soul alive. 30 Posterity shall serve him.
Future generations shall be told about the Lord. 31 They shall come and shall declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born,
for he has done it.
211 When it happened that we had parted from them and had set sail, we came with a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 2 Having found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard, and set sail. 3 When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left hand, we sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload her cargo. 4 Having found disciples, we stayed there seven days. These said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem. 5 When it happened that we had accomplished the days, we departed and went on our journey. They all, with wives and children, brought us on our way until we were out of the city. Kneeling down on the beach, we prayed. 6 After saying goodbye to each other, we went on board the ship, and they returned home again. 7 When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais. We greeted the brothers, and stayed with them one day.
8 On the next day, we, who were Paul’s companions, departed, and came to Caesarea.
We entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied. 10 As we stayed there some days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming to us, and taking Paul’s belt, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit: ‘So will the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” 12 When we heard these things, both we and they of that place begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 When he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The Lord’s will be done.”
15 After these days we took up our baggage and went up to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us, bringing one Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we would stay.
17 When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly.
(Read Acts 21:1-7)
Providence must be acknowledged when our affairs go on well. Wherever Paul came, he inquired what disciples were there, and found them out. Foreseeing his troubles, from love to him, and concern for the church, they wrongly thought it would be most for the glory of God that he should continue at liberty; but their earnestness to dissuade him from it, renders his pious resolution the more illustrious. He has taught us by example, as well as by rule, to pray always, to pray without ceasing. Their last farewell was sweetened with prayer.
(Read Acts 21:8-18)
Paul had express warning of his troubles, that when they came, they might be no surprise or terror to him. The general notice given us, that through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdom of God, should be of the same use to us. Their weeping began to weaken and slacken his resolution Has not our Master told us to take up our cross? It was a trouble to him, that they should so earnestly press him to do that in which he could not gratify them without wronging his conscience. When we see trouble coming, it becomes us to say, not only, The will of the Lord must be done, and there is no remedy; but, Let the will of the Lord be done; for his will is his wisdom, and he doeth all according to the counsel of it. When a trouble is come, this must allay our griefs, that the will of the Lord is done; when we see it coming, this must silence our fears, that the will of the Lord shall be done; and we ought to say, Amen, let it be done. It is honourable to be an old disciple of Jesus Christ, to have been enabled by the grace of God to continue long in a course of duty, stedfast in the faith, growing more and more experienced, to a good old age. And with these old disciples one would choose to lodge; for the multitude of their years shall teach wisdom. Many brethren at Jerusalem received Paul gladly. We think, perhaps, that if we had him among us, we should gladly receive him; but we should not, if, having his doctrine, we do not gladly receive that.
