Psalms 40; Psalms 41; Psalms 42; Acts 27:1-26

Psalms 40

1 I put all my hope in the LORD. He leaned down to me; he listened to my cry for help.

2 He lifted me out of the pit of death, out of the mud and filth, and set my feet on solid rock. He steadied my legs.

3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise for our God. Many people will learn of this and be amazed; they will trust the LORD.

4 Those who put their trust in the LORD, who pay no attention to the proud or to those who follow lies, are truly happy!

5 You, LORD my God! You've done so many things— your wonderful deeds and your plans for us— no one can compare with you! If I were to proclaim and talk about all of them, they would be too numerous to count!

6 You don't relish sacrifices or offerings; you don't require entirely burned offerings or compensation offerings— but you have given me ears!

7 So I said, "Here I come! I'm inscribed in the written scroll.

8 I want to do your will, my God. Your Instruction is deep within me."

9 I've told the good news of your righteousness in the great assembly. I didn't hold anything back— as you well know, LORD!

10 I didn't keep your righteousness only to myself. I declared your faithfulness and your salvation. I didn't hide your loyal love and trustworthiness from the great assembly.

11 So now you, LORD— don't hold back any of your compassion from me. Let your loyal love and faithfulness always protect me,

12 because countless evils surround me. My wrongdoings have caught up with me— I can't see a thing! There's more of them than hairs on my head— my courage leaves me.

13 Favor me, LORD, and deliver me! LORD, come quickly and help me!

14 Let those who seek my life, who want me dead, be disgraced and put to shame. Let those who want to do me harm be thoroughly frustrated and humiliated.

15 Let those who say to me, "Yes! Oh, yes!" be destroyed by their shame.

16 But let all who seek you celebrate and rejoice in you. Let those who love your salvation always say, "The LORD is great!"

17 But me? I'm weak and needy. Let my Lord think of me. You are my help and my rescuer. My God, don't wait any longer!

Psalms 41

1 Those who pay close attention to the poor are truly happy! The LORD rescues them during troubling times.

2 The LORD protects them and keeps them alive; they are widely regarded throughout the land as happy people. You won't hand them over to the will of their enemies.

3 The LORD will strengthen them when they are lying in bed, sick. You will completely transform the place where they lie ill.

4 But me? I said, "LORD, have mercy on me! Heal me because I have sinned against you."

5 My enemies speak maliciously about me: "When will he die and his name disappear?"

6 Whenever they come to visit, they say nothing of value. Their hearts collect evil gossip; once they leave, they tell it to everybody.

7 All of those who hate me talk about me, whispering to each other, plotting evil against me:

8 "Some horrible thing has been poured into him; the next time he lies down, he won't get up.

9 Even my good friend, the one I trusted, who shared my food, has kicked me with his heel—a betrayer!

10 But you, LORD, please have mercy on me and lift me up so I can pay them back!

11 Then I'll know you are pleased with me because my enemy won't be shouting in triumph over me.

12 You support me in my integrity; you put me in your presence forever.

13 Bless the LORD, the God of Israel, from forever to forever! Amen and Amen!

Psalms 42

1 Just like a deer that craves streams of water, my whole being craves you, God.

2 My whole being thirsts for God, for the living God. When will I come and see God's face?

3 My tears have been my food both day and night, as people constantly questioned me, "Where's your God now?"

4 But I remember these things as I bare my soul: how I made my way to the mighty one's abode, to God's own house, with joyous shouts and thanksgiving songs— a huge crowd celebrating the festival!

5 Why, I ask myself, are you so depressed? Why are you so upset inside? Hope in God! Because I will again give him thanks, my saving presence and my God.

6 My whole being is depressed. That's why I remember you from the land of Jordan and Hermon, from Mount Mizar.

7 Deep called to deep at the noise of your waterfalls; all your massive waves surged over me.

8 By day the LORD commands his faithful love; by night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.

9 I will say to God, my solid rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why do I have to walk around, sad, oppressed by enemies?"

10 With my bones crushed, my foes make fun of me, constantly questioning me: "Where's your God now?"

11 Why, I ask myself, are you so depressed? Why are you so upset inside? Hope in God! Because I will again give him thanks, my saving presence and my God.

Acts 27:1-26

1 When it was determined that we were to sail to Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were placed in the custody of a centurion named Julius of the Imperial Company.

2 We boarded a ship from Adramyttium that was about to sail for ports along the coast of the province of Asia. So we put out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, came with us.

3 The next day we landed in Sidon. Julius treated Paul kindly and permitted him to go to some friends so they could take care of him.

4 From there we sailed off. We passed Cyprus, using the island to shelter us from the headwinds.

5 We sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, and landed in Myra in Lycia.

6 There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship headed for Italy and put us on board.

7 After many days of slow and difficult sailing, we arrived off the coast of Cnidus. The wind wouldn't allow us to go farther, so we sailed under the shelter of Crete off Salmone.

8 We sailed along the coast only with difficulty until we came to a place called Good Harbors, near the city of Lasea.

9 Much time had been lost, and the voyage was now dangerous since the Day of Reconciliation had already passed. Paul warned them,

10 "Men, I see that our voyage will suffer damage and great loss, not only for the cargo and ship but also for our lives."

11 But the centurion was persuaded more by the ship's pilot and captain than by Paul's advice.

12 Since the harbor was unsuitable for spending the winter, the majority supported a plan to put out to sea from there. They thought they might reach Phoenix in Crete and spend the winter in its harbor, which faced southwest and northwest.

13 When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they could carry out their plan. They pulled up anchor and sailed closely along the coast of Crete.

14 Before long, a hurricane-strength wind known as a northeaster swept down from Crete.

15 The ship was caught in the storm and couldn't be turned into the wind. So we gave in to it, and it carried us along.

16 After sailing under the shelter of an island called Cauda, we were able to control the lifeboat only with difficulty.

17 They brought the lifeboat aboard, then began to wrap the ship with cables to hold it together. Fearing they might run aground on the sandbars of the Gulf of Syrtis, they lowered the anchor and let the ship be carried along.

18 We were so battered by the violent storm that the next day the men began throwing cargo overboard.

19 On the third day, they picked up the ship's gear and hurled it into the sea.

20 When neither the sun nor the moon appeared for many days and the raging storm continued to pound us, all hope of our being saved from this peril faded.

21 For a long time no one had eaten. Paul stood up among them and said, "Men, you should have complied with my instructions not to sail from Crete. Then we would have avoided this damage and loss.

22 Now I urge you to be encouraged. Not one of your lives will be lost, though we will lose the ship.

23 Last night an angel from the God to whom I belong and whom I worship stood beside me.

24 The angel said, ‘Don't be afraid, Paul! You must stand before Caesar! Indeed, God has also graciously given you everyone sailing with you.'

25 Be encouraged, men! I have faith in God that it will be exactly as he told me.

26 However, we must run aground on some island."