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145  I call with my whole heart; ♦︎
   answer me, O Lord, that I may keep your statutes.
146  To you I call, O save me! ♦︎
   And I shall keep your testimonies.
147  Early in the morning I cry to you, ♦︎
   for in your word is my trust.
148  My eyes are open before the night watches, ♦︎
   that I may meditate on your word.
149  Hear my voice, O Lord, according to your faithful love; ♦︎
   according to your judgement, give me life.
150  They draw near that in malice persecute me, ♦︎
   who are far from your law.
151  You, O Lord, are near at hand, ♦︎
   and all your commandments are true.
152  Long have I known of your testimonies, ♦︎
   that you have founded them for ever.
153  O consider my affliction and deliver me, ♦︎
   for I do not forget your law.
154  Plead my cause and redeem me; ♦︎
   according to your promise, give me life.
155  Salvation is far from the wicked, ♦︎
   for they do not seek your statutes.
156  Great is your compassion, O Lord; ♦︎
   give me life, according to your judgements.
157  Many there are that persecute and oppress me, ♦︎
   yet do I not swerve from your testimonies.
158  It grieves me when I see the treacherous, ♦︎
   for they do not keep your word.
159  Consider, O Lord, how I love your commandments; ♦︎
   give me life according to your loving-kindness.
160  The sum of your word is truth, ♦︎
   and all your righteous judgements endure for evermore.
161  Princes have persecuted me without a cause, ♦︎
   but my heart stands in awe of your word.
162  I am as glad of your word ♦︎
   as one who finds great spoils.
163  As for lies, I hate and abhor them, ♦︎
   but your law do I love.
164  Seven times a day do I praise you, ♦︎
   because of your righteous judgements.
165  Great peace have they who love your law; ♦︎
   nothing shall make them stumble.
166  Lord, I have looked for your salvation ♦︎
   and I have fulfilled your commandments.
167  My soul has kept your testimonies ♦︎
   and greatly have I loved them.
168  I have kept your commandments and testimonies, ♦︎
   for all my ways are before you.

Jeremiah’s Life Threatened

¹⁸ It was the Lord who made it known to me, and I knew;
   then you showed me their evil deeds.
¹⁹ But I was like a gentle lamb
   led to the slaughter.
And I did not know it was against me
   that they devised schemes, saying,
‘Let us destroy the tree with its fruit,
   let us cut him off from the land of the living,
   so that his name will no longer be remembered!’
²⁰ But you, O Lord of hosts, who judge righteously,
   who try the heart and the mind,
let me see your retribution upon them,
   for to you I have committed my cause.

21 Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the people of Anathoth, who seek your life, and say, ‘You shall not prophesy in the name of the Lord, or you will die by our hand’— ²²therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: I am going to punish them; the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine; ²³and not even a remnant shall be left of them. For I will bring disaster upon the people of Anathoth, the year of their punishment.

Coming Persecutions

16 ‘See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. ¹⁷Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; ¹⁸and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. ¹⁹When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; ²⁰for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. ²¹Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; ²²and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.