Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return


Gen. 3:6-13, 16-19

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?"

He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."

And the LORD said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"

The man said, "The woman you put here with me —- she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."

Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." . . .

To the woman, the LORD said,
"I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing;
with pain you will give birth to children.
Your desire will be for your husband,
and he will rule over you."
To the man, He said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,'
"Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat of it
all the days of your life.
It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
and you will eat the plants of the field.
By the sweat of your brow
you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;
for you are dust
and to dust you shall return
."

Psalm 51 - Miserere
Have mercy upon me, O God,
according to your great mercy
and according to the abundance
of your compassion blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my offense
and my sin is ever before me.

Against you only have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight
That you may be justified in your sentence
and vindicated when you judge.
Behold, in guilt was I born
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, you delight in sincerity of heart,
and in my inmost being, you teach me wisdom.
Cleanse me with hyssop and I shall be purified:
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Let me hear sounds of joy and gladness;
and the bones which you have crushed shall rejoice.
Avert your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a clean heart, O God;
and renew in me a righteous spirit.
Cast me not out from thy presence;
and take not your holy spirit from me.

Give me the joy of your salvation;
and sustain me in a willing spirit.
I shall teach transgressors your ways;
and sinners shall return to you.
Deliver me from blood-guiltiness,
O God, God of my salvation,
and my tongue shall exalt your justice.
O Lord, open my lips
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

For you are not pleased with sacrifices,
else would I give them to you;
neither do you delight in burnt offerings.
The sacrifice of God is a contrite heart:
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.
Be favorable and gracious
unto Zion O Lord,
build again the walls of Jerusalem.
Then you shall be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness,
oblations and burnt offerings;
they shall offer young bulls upon your altar.
.

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