Praise of God, the Protector of the Just

PSALM 34: Praise of God, the Protector of the Just

I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the Lord
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
Glorify the Lord with me,
let us together extol his name.

I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy.
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the afflicted man called out, the Lord
heard, and from all his distress he saved him.
The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the Lord is;
happy the man who takes refuge in him.
Fear the Lord, you his holy ones,
for nought is lacking to those who fear him.
The great grow poor and hungry;
but those who seek the Lord want for no
good thing.

Come, children, hear me;
I will teach you to fear of the Lord.
Which of you desires life,
and takes delight in prosperous days:
Keep your tongue from evil and your
lips from speaking guile;
Turn from evil, and do good;
seek peace, and follow after it.
The Lord has eyes for the just,
and ears for their cry.
The Lord confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
When the just cry out, the Lord hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them;
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
and  those who are rushed in spirit he saves.
Many are the troubles of the just man,
but out of them all the Lord delivers him;
He watches over all his bones;
not one of them shall be broken.
Vice slays the wicked,
and the enemies of the just pay for their guilt.
But the Lord redeems the lives of his servants;
no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him.

SIRACH CH 35: VERSES 12-24
For he is a God of Justice,
who knows no favorites
Though not unduly partial toward the weak.
yet he hears the cry of the oppressed.
He is not deaf to the wail of the orphan,
not to the widow when she pours out her complaint;
Do not the tears that stream down her cheek
cry out against him that causes them to fall?
He who serves God willingly is hears;
his petition reaches the heavens.
The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds;
it does not rest till it reaches its goal.
Nor will withdraw till the Most High responds,
judges justly and affirms the right.
God indeed will not delay,
and like a warrior, will not be still
Till he breaks the back of the merciless
and wreaks vengeance upon the proud;
Till he destroys the haughty root and branch,
and smashes the scepter of the wicked;
Till he requites mankind according to its deeds,
and repays men according to their thoughts
Till he defends the cause of his people,
and gladdens them by his mercy.
Welcome is his mercy in time of distress
as rain clouds in time of drought.

ST.PAUL TO 2 TIMOTHY CH 4: VERSES 6-18
Reward for Fidelity: I for my part am already being poured out like a libation ( a liquid)
The time of my dissolution is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on a merited crown awaits me; on that Day the Lord, just  judge that he is, will award it to me-and not only to me, but to all who have looked for this appearing with eager longing.
Paul's Loneliness: Do your best to join me soon. For Demas, enamored of the present world, has left me and gone to Thessalonica, Crescens has gone to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia. I have no one with me but Luke. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he can be of great service to me. Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. When you come , bring the cloak I left in Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments (the scriptures)
Comfort in Trial: Alexander the copersmith did me a great deal of harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. Meanwhile, you too had better be on guard, for he has strongly resisted our preaching. At the first hearing of my case in court, no one took my part. In fact everyone abandoned me. May it not be held against them! But the Lord stood by my side and gave me strength, so that through me the preaching task might be completed and all the nations might hear the gospel. That is how I was saved from the lion's jaws. The Lord will continue to rescue me from all attempts to do me harm and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

ST.LUKE CH 18: VERSES 9-4
The Pharisee and the Tax Collector: He(Jesus)then spoke this parable addressed to those who believed in their own self-rightousness while holding everyone else in contempt: " Two men went up to the temple to pray; one was Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee with head unbowed prayed in this fashion: 'I give you thanks, O God, that I am not like the rest of men-grasping, crooked, adulterous- or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I pay tithes on all I possess.' The other man, however, kept his distance, not even daring to raise his eyes to heaven. All he did was beat his breast and say 'O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.' Believe me, this man; meaning the tax collector; went home from the temple justified but the other did not ;meaning the Pharisee. For everyone wh exalts himself shall be humbled while he who humbles himself shall be exalted."

Note: Humble means; (Not proud of or arrogant; humble yourself in the eyes of the Lord.
He will lift you up higher and higher.

Note: Exalt means; ( To raise up; only God can exalt someone. We exalt God in saying " let your glory be all over the Earth!  Worship at His foot stool.