~ A Rare Flower*s Pad ~

~Favorite Bible Verses~

49:1-5 1. Hear me, O coastlands, listen, O distant peoples. The LORD called me from birth, from my mother's womb he gave me my name.   2. He made of me a sharp edge sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made of me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. 3.You are my servant, he said to me, Israel (here say your name), through whom I show my glory.   4. Though I thought I had toiled in vain and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, Yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. 5. For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, and I am glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! --- 8. Thus say the LORD: In a time of favor I answer you, on the day of salvation I help you, to restore the land and allot the desolate heritages, 9. Saying to the prisoners: Come out! To those in darkness: Show yourselves! Along the ways they shall find pasture, on every bare height shall their pastures be. 10. They shall not hunger or thirst, nor shall the scorching wind or the sun strike them; For he who pities them leads them and guides them besides springs of water. 13. Sing out, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth break forth into song, you mountains. For the LORD comforts his people and shows mercy on his afflicted. 14. But Zion (say your name) said, The LORD has forsaken me; my LORD has forgotten me. 15.Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you. 16. See, upon the palms of my hands I have written you name; your walls are ever before me. 17. Your rebuilders make haste, as those who tore you down and laid you waste go forth from you; 19. Though you were wasted and desolate, a land of ruins, Now you shall be too small for your inhabitants, While those who swallowed you up will be far away. 20. The children whom you had lost shall yet say to you, This place is too small for me, make room for me to live in. 21. You shall ask yourself; Who has borne me these: I was bereft and barren (exiled and repudiated); who has reared them? I was left all alone; Where then do these come from? 22. Thus says the LORD God: See, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and raise my signal to the peoples; 26. --- All mankind shall know that I, the LORD, am your savior, your redeemer, the mighty one of Jacob.   Part of his this Isaiah 49 passages version was taken from THE CATHOLIC STUDY BIBLE   NEW AMERICAN BIBLE 139 I LORD, you have probed me, you know me: you know when I sit and stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. My travels and my rest you mark; with all my ways you are familiar. Even before a word is on my tongue, LORD, you know it all. Behind and before you encircle me and rest your hand upon me. Such knowledge is beyond me, far too lofty for me to reach.   II Where can I hade from your spirit? From your presence, where can I flee? If I ascend to the heavens, you are there; if I lie down in Sheol, you are there too. If I fly with wings of dawn and alight beyond the sea, Even there your hand will guide me, you right hand hold me fast. If I say, Surely darkness shall guide me, and night shall be my light- Darkness is not dark for you, and night shines as the day. Darkness and light are but one.   III You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mothers womb. I praise you, so wonderfully you made me; wonderful are you works! My very self you knew; my bones were not hidden from you, When I was being made in secret, fashioned as in the depths of the earth. Your eyes foresaw my actions; in your book all are written down; my days were shaped, before one came to be.   IV How precious to me are you designs, O God; how vast the sum of them! Were I t count, they would outnumber the sands; to finish, I would need eternity.   V Probe me, God, know my heart; try me, know my concerns. See if my way is crooked, then, lead me in the ancient paths.   Part of his Psalm 139 version was taken from THE CATHOLIC STUDY BIBLE   NEW AMERICAN BIBLE 23 Yahweh is my shepherd, I lack nothing. In meadows of green grass he lets me lie. To the waters of repose he leads me; there he revives my soul.   He guides m by paths of virtue For the sake of his name.   Though I pass through a gloomy valley, I fear no harm; beside me your rod and you staff are there, to hearten me.   You prepare a table before me Under the eyes of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil, my cup brims over.   Ah, how goodness and kindness pursue me, every day of my life; my home, the house of Yahweh, as long as I live!   This version of Psalm 23, as written is my favorite.  It is taken from The Jerusalem Bible   Readers Edition.