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PSALMS CHAPTER 139 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 ¶ To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto...

“Green Up, with the Word of God” (Psalm 1)Like I’m guessing yours was, my lawn was in miserable shape just a week ago. So many weeks of hot summer sun had taken their toll. The grass was dried up, it had stopped growing, and the lawn was looking brown and bare and ugly. But what a difference a few days of rain makes! All of a sudden my lawn has “greened up.” The grass has grown more in the last few days than it has in the couple of weeks beforehand. A lawn needs a steady diet of water to...

How a manuscript found in an Irish peat bog was saved Restorers are hoping to separate the pages of the ninth-century psalter and recover some of the ancient text By Martin Bailey | Posted 18 December 2006 Conservators are unravelling the congealed pages LONDON. An astonishing discovery in an Irish bog is posing an unusual conservation challenge. A chance find by a peat cutter last summer in County Tipperary, southern Ireland, turned out to be a psalter, which has been dated to around 800 AD. The discovery has been described as the Irish equivalent of the Dead Sea Scrolls. National...

Ancient Latin Translation of Psalms Found in Irish Bog 01:24 Jul 30, '06 / 5 Av 5766 by Ezra HaLevi Archaeologists in Ireland found an ancient Latin translation of the Psalms of King David last week. Which Psalm the book was open to when preserved in the Irish bog has been a subject of confusion. (file photo) The ancient book was discovered in a bog by a construction worker who spotted it while driving the shovel of his backhoe into an area nearby. The approximately 20-page book has been dated to the years 800-1000. It was initially reported that Latin...

TROUBLE IN THE HOLY LAND 'Psalm in a bog' linked to Israel's current war Some say Scripture find in Ireland has meaning with present conflict Posted: July 26, 2006 8:53 p.m. Eastern By Joe Kovacs -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © 2006 WorldNetDaily.com The "miraculous" find of ancient psalms in an Irish bog has some wondering if there's any special modern relevance, since the discovery dealt with the enemies of Israel attempting to destroy the nation. Ancient book of psalms found in Irish bog by construction worker was opened to Psalm 83 (photo: National Museum of Ireland) A construction worker in Ireland came across...

O Lord, why does life have to be so hard? I cry out but I hear no answer. I pray to you and ask you to help me be a better person. I work towards that goal thinking that I'm in partnership but persist in making mistakes. I do 10 things and 9 of them will turn out perfectly but it's the 10th thing -- the one that I mess up -- that gets all the attention. Why am I not appreciated for the things that I do right? Why does the one thing that I mess up have to be the most...

Thank you, O Lord, for the gifts of laughter and joy. Thank you for your Spirit which rains down upon us and anoints us with the oil of your holiness. Sorrows come and sorrows go but your joy endures forever. Mere happiness gained from earthly things is fleeting and disappears like the morning dew in the hot sun of the desert. It is not dependable and it is not to be trusted. But surely God will give us joy in this life according to his promises, and that joy will last throughout eternity.Lord, when your Spirit brings us laughter, it is true laughter indeed. It is a side-splitting...

Commentary on Psalm 143[144]:9-15 "A 'New' Song Is One Which Speaks of Peace and Prosperity" VATICAN CITY, JAN. 26, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of Benedict XVI's address at the Wednesday general audience, which he dedicated to comment on Psalm 143[144]:9-15. * * * Dear Brothers and Sisters! 1. Today the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity concludes, during which we have reflected on the need to invoke constantly from the Lord the great gift of full unity among Christ's disciples. Prayer, in fact, contributes decisively to make more sincere and fruitful the common ecumenical commitment of the Churches...

Commentary on Psalm 121(122) "The Biblical Religion Is the Leaven of Justice and Solidarity" VATICAN CITY, OCT. 12, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI gave today at the general audience, which he dedicated to comment on Psalm 121(122). * * * 1. The canticle we just heard and enjoyed as a prayer is one of the most beautiful and moving of the "songs of ascent." It is Psalm 121(122), a lively and participatory celebration in Jerusalem, the Holy City toward which the pilgrims ascend. In fact, immediately in the opening, two moments come together lived...

Code: ZE05092802 Date: 2005-09-28 Commentary on Psalm 134(135) "Divine Love Becomes Concrete" VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 28, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of Benedict XVI's address at today's general audience, which he dedicated to a reflection on Psalm 134(135):1-12. * * * 1. We have before us the first part of Psalm 134(135), a hymn of a liturgical nature, interlaced with allusions, reminiscences and references to other biblical texts. The liturgy, in fact, often constructs its text taking recourse to the great patrimony of the Bible, rich repertoire of topics and prayers that support the faithful's journey. We follow the...

The Statist’s PsalmThe State is my shepherd; It shall not want. It maketh like a substitute father: It leadeth me beside the shrill daughters. It destroyeth my soul: It leadeth me in the paths of dependence for its names sake. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou wilt euthanize me; thy starvation and thy dehydration they comfort me. Thou preparest a label before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with foil; my trope runneth over. Surely rankness and lunacy shall follow me all...

De Profundis ("Out of the depths"). First words of Psalm 129. The author of this Psalm is unknown; it was composed probably during the Babylonian Exile, or perhaps for the day of penance prescribed by Esdras (I Esd., ix, 5-10). The hard school of suffering during the Exile had brought the people to the confession of their guilt an had kindled in their hearts faith and hope of the Redeemer and confidence in the mercy of God. The De profundis is one of the fifteen Gradual Psalms, which were sung by the Jewish pilgrims of their way to Jerusalem, and...

On the eve of Thanksgiving, we all have things to be thankful for. To those in circumstances that make it difficult to be thankful, I offer this name of God: Jehovah Sabaoth Emanu, or "The Lord of Hosts is with you." Some excerpts from Precept Ministries: "The Hebrew for "host" is Tsaba used 486x with most uses having something to do with warfare, armies or fighting. In general, "Host" can describe a multitude of men or army...Believers today must remember that this is the same Name that all in covenant with Him can run to, crying out in their hour...

Why do priests use incense at Mass? — A reader in AlexandriaIncense is an aromatic substance which is the resin from certain trees. When burned over charcoal, the incense produces a sweet smelling aroma. To make the smoke thicker and to enhance the fragrance, sometimes other perfumes are blended with the incense.The use of incense in the ancient world was common, especially in religious rites where it was used to keep demons away. Herodotus, the Greek historian, recorded that it was popular among the Assyrians, Babylonians and Egyptians. In Judaism, incense was included in the thanksgiving offerings of oil, grain,...

Bible passage on Marion firetruck questioned Associated Press MARION - A biblical verse painted on the city's new firetruck should be removed because it mixes government and religion, a city councilwoman said. Marion Fire Chief Steve Gorrell said department members considering slogans to go on the new truck settled on part of the 23rd Psalm: "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." "The firefighters wanted to put something on there to show the public how they represent themselves," Gorrell told the Chronicle-Tribune for a story Thursday. The department chose the...