12/15/10
Dear Jehovah God,
And as raiders wait for a man, so a band of priests murder on the way to Shechem; surely, they have committed crime.
When You would heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim is uncovered, and the evil deeds of Samaria, for they deal falsely; the thief enters in, bandits raid outside.
Will we steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and offer sacrifices to Baal, and walk after other gods that we have not known, then come and stand before You in this house, which is called by Your name, and say, “We are delivered!’ – that we may do all these abominations?
There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing, and adultery. We employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed.
Slanderous men have been in us for the purpose of shedding blood, and in us they have eaten at the mountain shrines. In our midst they have committed acts of lewdness.
Thus, You shall make our lewdness and our harlotry brought from the land of Egypt to cease from us, so that we will not lift up our eyes to them or remember Egypt anymore.
And then You will uncover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and no one will rescue her out of Your hand.
I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from whence shall my help come? My help comes from Jehovah, who made heaven and earth. You will not allow my foot to slip; You who keeps me will not slumber. Behold, You who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
You are my keeper; You are my shade on my right hand. The sun will not smite me by day, nor the moon by night. You will protect me from all evil; You will keep my soul. You will guard my going out and my coming in from this time forth and forever. Amen, Amen, and Amen.