SEPTEMBER 30

Israel's restoration after punishment. Psa. 107

Give thanks to the lord, for he is good;

his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the lord say this

those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south

Some wandered in desert wastelands,

finding no way to a city where they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty,

and their lives ebbed away. ,' Then they cried out to the lord in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress. ' He led them by a straight way

to a city where they could settle. Let them give thanks to the lord for his unfailing love

and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty

and fills the hungry with good things.

Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom,

prisoners suffering in iron chains, for they had rebelled against the words of God

and despised the counsel of the Most High. So he subjected them to bitter labor;

they stumbled, and there was no one to help. Then they cried to the lord in their trouble,

and he saved them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom

and broke away their chains. Let them give thanks to the lord for his unfailing love

and his wonderful deeds for men, for he breaks down gates of bronze

and cuts through bars of iron.

Some became fools through their rebellious ways

and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. They loathed all food

and drew near the gates of death. Then they cried to the lord in their trouble,

and he saved them from their distress. He sent forth his word and healed them;

he rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the lord for his unfailing love

and his wonderful deeds for men. Let them sacrifice thank offerings

and tell of his works with songs of joy.

Others went out on the sea in ships;

they were merchants on the mighty waters. They saw the works of the lord,

his wonderful deeds in the deep. For he spoke and stirred up a tempest

that lifted high the waves.

They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;

in their peril their courage melted away. They reeled and staggered like drunken men;

they were at their wits' end. Then they cried out to the lord in their trouble,

and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper;

the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm,

and he guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the lord for his unfailing love

and his wonderful deeds for men. Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people

and praise him in the council of the elders.

He turned rivers into a desert,

flowing springs into thirsty ground, and fruitful land into a salt waste,

because of the wickedness of those who lived there. He turned the desert into pools of water

and the parched ground into flowing springs; there he brought the hungry to live,

and they founded a city where they could settle. They sowed fields and planted vineyards

that yielded a fruitful harvest; he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,

and he did not let their herds diminish.

Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled

by oppression, calamity and sorrow; he who pours contempt on nobles

made them wander in a trackless waste. But he lifted the needy out of their affliction

and increased their families like flocks. The upright see and rejoice,

but all the wicked shut their mouths.

Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the lord.

Praise for deliverance from the chains and death of captivity. Psa.116

I love the lord, for he heard my voice;

he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me,

I will call on him as long as I live.

The cords of death entangled me,

the anguish of the grave⁵ came upon me;

I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the lord: "O lord, save me!"

The lord is gracious and righteous;

our God is full of compassion. The lord protects the simple hearted;

when I was in great need, he saved me.

Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the lord has been good to you.

For you, O lord, have delivered my soul from death,

my eyes from tears,

my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the lord

in the land of the living. I believed; therefore' I said,

"I am greatly afflicted." And in my dismay I said,

"All men are liars."

How can I repay the lord

for all his goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation

and call on the name of the lord. I will fulfill my vows to the lord

in the presence of all his people.

Precious in the sight of the lord

is the death of his saints. O lord, truly I am your servant;

I am your servant, the son of your maidservant";

you have freed me from my chains.

I will sacrifice a thank offering to you

and call on the name of the LORD. I will fulfill my vows to the lord

in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the lord—

in your midst, O Jerusalem.

Praise for a renewed life. Psa. 118

Praise the LORD.

Give thanks to the lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Let Israel say:

"His love endures forever." Let the house of Aaron say:

"His love endures forever." Let those who fear the lord say:

"His love endures forever."

In my anguish I cried to the lord,

and he answered by setting me free. The lord is with me; I will not be afraid.

What can man do to me? The lord is with me; he is my helper.

I will look in triumph on my enemies.

It is better to take refuge in the lord

than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the lord

than to trust in princes.

All the nations surrounded me,

but in the name of the lord I cut them off. They surrounded me on every side,

but in the name of the lord I cut them off. They swarmed around me like bees,

but they died out as quickly as burning thorns;

in the name of the lord I cut them off.

I was pushed back and about to fall,

but the lord helped me. The lord is my strength and my song;

he has become my salvation.

Shouts of joy and victory

resound in the tents of the righteous: "The lord's right hand has done mighty things! The lord's right hand is lifted high; the lord's right hand has done mighty things!"

I will not die but live,

and will proclaim what the lord has done. The lord has chastened me severely,

but he has not given me over to death.

Open for me the gates of righteousness;

I will enter and give thanks to the lord. This is the gate of the lord

through which the righteous may enter. I will give you thanks, for you answered me;

you have become my salvation.

The stone the builders rejected

has become the capstone; the lord has done this,

and it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day the lord has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

O lord, save us;

O lord, grant us success. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the lord.

From the house of the lord we bless you.¹" The lord is God,

and he has made his light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.

You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you.

Give thanks to the lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Prayer of trust that foreign dominance will end. Psa. 125

A song of ascents.

Those who trust in the lord are like Mount Zion,

which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem,

so the lord surrounds his people

both now and forevermore.

The scepter of the wicked will not remain

over the land allotted to the righteous, for then the righteous might use their hands to do evil.

Do good, O lord, to those who are good, to those who are upright in heart.

But those who turn to crooked ways

the lord will banish with the evildoers.

Peace be upon Israel.