Psalm 39 from my book, "Praying the Psalms for the Unborn Child."

Psalm 39
Lamentations of a suffering man echoed in the cry of Jesus on the cross, "My, God, My God, why have You forsaken me?"⁷¹.

1 I said to myself, “I will watch what I do
and not sin in what I say.
I will hold my tongue
when the ungodly are around me.”
2 But as I stood there in silence—
not even speaking of good things—
the turmoil within me grew worse.
3 The more I thought about it,
the hotter I got,
igniting a fire of words:
4 “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
Remind me that my days are numbered—
how fleeting my life is.
5 You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
at best, each of us is but a breath.”

6 We are merely moving shadows,
and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.
We heap up wealth,
not knowing who will spend it.
7 And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?
My only hope is in you.
8 Rescue me from my rebellion.
Do not let fools mock me.
9 I am silent before you; I won’t say a word,
for my punishment is from you.
10 But please stop striking me!
I am exhausted by the blows from your hand.
11 When you discipline us for our sins,
you consume like a moth what is precious to us.
Each of us is but a breath.

12 Hear my prayer, O Lord!
Listen to my cries for help!
Don’t ignore my tears.
For I am your guest—
a traveler passing through,
as my ancestors were before me.
13 Leave me alone so I can smile again
before I am gone and exist no more.

Although the psalmist is in pain, he tries not to complain. He holds his tongue because unbelievers will scoff at his faith in a God who will not answer his prayers and rescue him. (Jesus suffered the same accusations on the cross: "If He is the son of God, let God save Him."). Nevertheless, his suffering gets the better of him and he cries out for relief (39:1-3). He laments that his life is just a passing shadow; all his preoccupation with worldly matters and efforts to amass wealth are of no value to him when he dies (39:4-6). Yet he never loses hope that God will answer his prayer (39:7): to ease his suffering, for life is too short and he would like to smile again before the end comes (39:8-13).

Prayer for life: My God, we have been waiting for years for our society to wake up and realize what an abomination abortion is. We hoped that they would abandon the self-pride that prompts them to place their right to kill innocent children above the rights of the unborn to the life You gave them. How long? How long, O Lord, before You intercede to end this senseless murder? Does not the blood of the innocent cry out for vengeance? Yet, we plead for Your forgiveness. We beg for mercy. Hold back Your sword of justice a little longer. Give us more time to see the error of our ways before You strike. Amen.

Have a blessed day!
John

⁷¹Reardon, Patrick. Christ in the Psalms. Ben Lomond, CA: Conciliar Press, 2000. 75. Print.

Scripture quotations (Psalms 37-41) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2010 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is offered to the public free of charge in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and for the glory of God.

Merry Christmas!

God bless us everyone!

Psalm 38 from my book, "Praying the Psalms for the Unborn Child."

Psalm 38
Jesus takes the place of sinners on the cross and intercedes for them to the Father⁷⁰.

1 O Lord, don’t rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your rage!
2 Your arrows have struck deep,
and your blows are crushing me.
3 Because of your anger, my whole body is sick;
my health is broken because of my sins.
4 My guilt overwhelms me—
it is a burden too heavy to bear.
5 My wounds fester and stink
because of my foolish sins.
6 I am bent over and racked with pain.
All day long I walk around filled with grief.
7 A raging fever burns within me,
and my health is broken.
8 I am exhausted and completely crushed.
My groans come from an anguished heart.

9 You know what I long for, Lord;
you hear my every sigh.
10 My heart beats wildly, my strength fails,
and I am going blind.
11 My loved ones and friends stay away, fearing my disease.
Even my own family stands at a distance.
12 Meanwhile, my enemies lay traps to kill me.
Those who wish me harm make plans to ruin me.
All day long they plan their treachery.

13 But I am deaf to all their threats.
I am silent before them as one who cannot speak.
14 I choose to hear nothing,
and I make no reply.
15 For I am waiting for you, O Lord.
You must answer for me, O Lord my God.
16 I prayed, “Don’t let my enemies gloat over me
or rejoice at my downfall.”

17 I am on the verge of collapse,
facing constant pain.
18 But I confess my sins;
I am deeply sorry for what I have done.
19 I have many aggressive enemies;
they hate me without reason.
20 They repay me evil for good
and oppose me for pursuing good.
21 Do not abandon me, O Lord.
Do not stand at a distance, my God.
22 Come quickly to help me,
O Lord my savior.

Jesus describes His suffering because of the sins He bears for us on the cross. He is crushed, sick, overwhelmed with guilt, racked with pain, filled with grief, burning with fever, exhausted, in anguish, losing strength, going blind, a pariah, beset by demons and in constant pain (38:1-17). Yet, He intercedes for us by expressing our deep sorrow for having offended our God whose love we have rejected (38:18). Jesus begs His Father to not abandon us, but to stoop down from heaven and save us (38:21-22).

Prayer for life: Jesus, we beg God's forgiveness for the sins of those who support abortion. You are still suffering for those who return evil for good, hate for love, death for life. Remove the veil of sin that blinds those to the evil they perpetrate by killing the innocent unborn. Give them the grace to seek God's forgiveness for their grave sins. Do not abandon them, but save them for You are our Savior. Amen.

Have a blessed day!
John

⁷⁰The Orthodox Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008. 707. Print.

Scripture quotations (Psalms 37-41) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2010 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is offered to the public free of charge in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and for the glory of God.

Psalm 37 from my book, "Praying the Psalms for the Unborn Child."

Psalm 37
A Psalm about how to attain eternal life⁶⁹.

1 Don’t worry about the wicked
or envy those who do wrong.
2 For like grass, they soon fade away.
Like spring flowers, they soon wither.

3 Trust in the Lord and do good.
Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.

5 Commit everything you do to the Lord.
Trust him, and he will help you.
6 He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,
and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

7 Be still in the presence of the Lord,
and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper
or fret about their wicked schemes.

8 Stop being angry!
Turn from your rage!
Do not lose your temper—
it only leads to harm.
9 For the wicked will be destroyed,
but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.

10 Soon the wicked will disappear.
Though you look for them, they will be gone.
11 The lowly will possess the land
and will live in peace and prosperity.

12 The wicked plot against the godly;
they snarl at them in defiance.
13 But the Lord just laughs,
for he sees their day of judgment coming.

14 The wicked draw their swords
and string their bows
to kill the poor and the oppressed,
to slaughter those who do right.
15 But their swords will stab their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.

16 It is better to be godly and have little
than to be evil and rich.
17 For the strength of the wicked will be shattered,
but the Lord takes care of the godly.

18 Day by day the Lord takes care of the innocent,
and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever.
19 They will not be disgraced in hard times;
even in famine they will have more than enough.

20 But the wicked will die.
The Lord’s enemies are like flowers in a field—
they will disappear like smoke.

21 The wicked borrow and never repay,
but the godly are generous givers.
22 Those the Lord blesses will possess the land,
but those he curses will die.

23 The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.
24 Though they stumble, they will never fall,
for the Lord holds them by the hand.

25 Once I was young, and now I am old.
Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned
or their children begging for bread.
26 The godly always give generous loans to others,
and their children are a blessing.

27 Turn from evil and do good,
and you will live in the land forever.
28 For the Lord loves justice,
and he will never abandon the godly.

He will keep them safe forever,
but the children of the wicked will die.
29 The godly will possess the land
and will live there forever.

30 The godly offer good counsel;
they teach right from wrong.
31 They have made God’s law their own,
so they will never slip from his path.

32 The wicked wait in ambush for the godly,
looking for an excuse to kill them.
33 But the Lord will not let the wicked succeed
or let the godly be condemned when they are put on trial.

34 Put your hope in the Lord.
Travel steadily along his path.
He will honor you by giving you the land.
You will see the wicked destroyed.

35 I have seen wicked and ruthless people
flourishing like a tree in its native soil.
36 But when I looked again, they were gone!
Though I searched for them, I could not find them!

37 Look at those who are honest and good,
for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace.
38 But the rebellious will be destroyed;
they have no future.

39 The Lord rescues the godly;
he is their fortress in times of trouble.
40 The Lord helps them,
rescuing them from the wicked.
He saves them,
and they find shelter in him.

Those who do good delight in the Lord, trust Him, hope in Him, wait patiently for Him, are not jealous of prosperous evildoers, control their temper, are godly, innocent, generous, ethical, honest and peace-loving will spend eternity with God in heaven (live in the land forever). The wicked fade away, are destroyed, undone by their own actions, disgraced, deprived of provision and ultimately eternal life (they have no future with God).

Prayer for life: Lord, fill the hearts of those who support abortion with the grace to see the error of their ways and seek Your forgiveness before they appear before Your awesome judgment seat. Those who defy You will be cast into the fire, but You are quick to forgive all sins, even the murder of innocent children, if the sinner repents. Lord, may the abortionists and the women who have had abortions turn to You with a contrite heart and, as You forgave the repentant thief on the cross at Your crucifixion, forgive them and welcome them into Your kingdom. Amen.

Have a blessed day!
John

⁶⁹The Orthodox Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008. 705. Print.

Scripture quotations (Psalms 37-41) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2010 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is offered to the public free of charge in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and for the glory of God.

Psalm 36 from my book, "Praying the Psalms for the Unborn Child."

Psalm 36
Wickedness of Men and Lovingkindness of God.

1 Transgression speaks to the ungodly within his heart;
There is no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For it flatters him in his own eyes
Concerning the discovery of his iniquity and the hatred of it.
3 The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit;
He has ceased to be wise and to do good.
4 He plans wickedness upon his bed;
He sets himself on a path that is not good;
He does not despise evil.

5 Your lovingkindness, O LORD, extends to the heavens,
Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
Your judgments are like a great deep.
O LORD, You preserve man and beast.
7 How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
8 They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house;
And You give them to drink of the river of Your delights.
9 For with You is the fountain of life;
In Your light we see light.

10 O continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You,
And Your righteousness to the upright in heart.
11 Let not the foot of pride come upon me,
And let not the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12 There the doers of iniquity have fallen;
They have been thrust down and cannot rise.

Man has the free will to make his own moral choices⁶⁸ : He can tell himself (within his heart) that he can sin (be wicked and deceitful) all he wants because he foolishly believes that God is not aware of his wrong doing. He freely chooses to be unwise, to plan wickedness, to follow the path of sin and embrace evil (36:1-4). The righteous, however, trusting in God's boundless (reaches to the heavens) mercy (lovingkindness) and in His loving protection (shadow of His wings), choose the path of Christian perfection that leads to an abundance of life-giving grace (rivers of delight) and the Truth (Jesus Christ), the light of the world (fountain of life) (36:5-9). The righteous can count on God's mercy; the wicked on destruction (36:10-12).

Prayer for Life: Father, never let me be counted among those who promote abortion. They falsely believe that You do not exist or that You do not object to their ending the lives of children in the womb. I choose the path of Christian perfection that leads to Jesus, the Light and the Truth. I choose Life. Have mercy, Lord, on pro-abortionists for they know not what they do. As for me and my baby, we will count on Your mercy all the days of our life. Amen.

Have a blessed day!
John

⁶⁸The Orthodox Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008. 705. Print.

Scripture (Psalms 25-36) taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2010 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is offered to the public free of charge in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and for the glory of God.

Psalm 35 from my book, "Praying the Psalms for the Unborn Child."

Psalm 35
Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.
Jesus prays to His Father for deliverance⁶⁵.

1 Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me;
Fight against those who fight against me.
2 Take hold of buckler and shield
And rise up for my help.
3 Draw also the spear and the battle-axe to meet those who pursue me;
Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”
4 Let those be ashamed and dishonored who seek my life;
Let those be turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me.
5 Let them be like chaff before the wind,
With the angel of the LORD driving them on.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery,
With the angel of the LORD pursuing them.
7 For without cause they hid their net for me;
Without cause they dug a pit for my soul.
8 Let destruction come upon him unawares,
And let the net which he hid catch himself;
Into that very destruction let him fall.

9 And my soul shall rejoice in the LORD;
It shall exult in His salvation.
10 All my bones will say, “LORD, who is like You,
Who delivers the afflicted from him who is too strong for him,
And the afflicted and the needy from him who robs him?”
11 Malicious witnesses rise up;
They ask me of things that I do not know.
12 They repay me evil for good,
To the bereavement of my soul.
13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth;
I humbled my soul with fasting,
And my prayer kept returning to my bosom.
14 I went about as though it were my friend or brother;
I bowed down mourning, as one who sorrows for a mother.
15 But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together;
The smiters whom I did not know gathered together against me,
They slandered me without ceasing.
16 Like godless jesters at a feast,
They gnashed at me with their teeth.

17 Lord, how long will You look on?
Rescue my soul from their ravages,
My only life from the lions.
18 I will give You thanks in the great congregation;
I will praise You among a mighty throng.
19 Do not let those who are wrongfully my enemies rejoice over me;
Nor let those who hate me without cause wink maliciously.
20 For they do not speak peace,
But they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.
21 They opened their mouth wide against me;
They said, “Aha, aha, our eyes have seen it!”

22 You have seen it, O LORD, do not keep silent;
O Lord, do not be far from me.
23 Stir up Yourself, and awake to my right
And to my cause, my God and my Lord.
24 Judge me, O LORD my God, according to Your righteousness,
And do not let them rejoice over me.
25 Do not let them say in their heart, “Aha, our desire!”
Do not let them say, “We have swallowed him up!”
26 Let those be ashamed and humiliated altogether who rejoice at my distress;
Let those be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves over me.

27 Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication;
And let them say continually, “The LORD be magnified,
Who delights in the prosperity of His servant.”
28 And my tongue shall declare Your righteousness
And Your praise all day long.

Lord (Father), My enemies make false charges against Me and seek My life. Yet, Your are My salvation and their efforts to entrap Me will lead to their own destruction. (35:1-8) Those I thought were friends now persecute Me and attribute all kinds of evil to My good works. (35:9-16) I have suffered these things for My Church (great congregation, mighty throng)⁶⁶. They boast that they have proved their case against Me (35:17-21). Yet, You know that I am being condemned unjustly. My persecutors will be humiliated, shamed and dishonored in the end. (35:22-26) Whereas My followers will rejoice when I am vindicated at the Resurrection (35:27-28).

Prayer for life: Lord, abortionists and their ilk seek to discredit those who cherish life. They describe those who are pro-life as bible thumpers who want to deny women the right to choose. What they are not saying out loud is that they want women to have the right to choose the death of their baby. Yet, their cause is evil and ultimately they will fall into the trap they have set for the innocent. Yet, we who choose life will be vindicated when we appear before Your judgment seat and hear those wonderful words, "'Well done, good and faithful servant... Enter into the gladness of your lord⁶⁷ (Matthew 25:21).'"

Have a blessed day!
John

⁶⁵ The Orthodox Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008. 703. Print.
⁶⁶The Orthodox Study Bible 703.
⁶⁷ "Matthew 25. 21." The Sacred Bible. Catholic Public Domain Version, 2009. Web. 9 Sept 2011. <http://www.sacredbible.org/catholic/NT-01_Matthew.htm#25>.

Scripture (Psalms 25-36) taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2010 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is offered to the public free of charge in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and for the glory of God.

Psalm 34 from my book, "Praying the Psalms for the Unborn Child."

Psalm 34
The LORD, a Provider and Deliverer.
A Psalm about the reception of the Holy Eucharist (34:8)⁶⁴.

1 I will bless the LORD at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul will make its boast in the LORD;
The humble will hear it and rejoice.
3 O magnify the LORD with me,
And let us exalt His name together.

4 I sought the LORD, and He answered me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him
And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.

8 O taste and see that the LORD is good;
How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
9 O fear the LORD, you His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is no want.
10 The young lions do lack and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing.
11 Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 Who is the man who desires life
And loves length of days that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
And your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous
And His ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the LORD is against evildoers,
To cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry, and the LORD hears
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the LORD delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones,
Not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The LORD redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

Let us receive the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ with a humble, pure, truthful, good, peaceful and reverent heart (34:2,7,9,11,13,14). For thus shall our souls become radiant with the light of His grace (34:5) as we experience a taste of the eternal life that waits for those who love God (34:8,22).

Prayer for life: Jesus, You are the bread of life. Come into my heart and sustain me, for I need Your strength to do what is right in a world that so shamelessly counsels what is wrong. Help me to deliver a healthy baby, Lord. Help me and my child to follow Your precepts, so that You, and the Father, and the Holy Spirit will continue to make Your home in us. Amen.

Have a blessed day!
John

⁶⁴The Orthodox Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008. 703. Print.

Scripture (Psalms 25-36) taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2010 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is offered to the public free of charge in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and for the glory of God.

Psalm 33 from my book, "Praying the Psalms for the Unborn Child."

Psalm 33
Praise to the Creator and Preserver.

1 Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming to the upright.
2 Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre;
Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings.
3 Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.
4 For the word of the LORD is upright,
And all His work is done in faithfulness.
5 He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the LORD.

6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
And by the breath of His mouth all their host.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap;
He lays up the deeps in storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the LORD;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
9 For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.
10 The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations;
He frustrates the plans of the peoples.
11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever,
The plans of His heart from generation to generation.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.

13 The LORD looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men;
14 From His dwelling place He looks out
On all the inhabitants of the earth,
15 He who fashions the hearts of them all,
He who understands all their works.
16 The king is not saved by a mighty army;
A warrior is not delivered by great strength.
17 A horse is a false hope for victory;
Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.

18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope for His lovingkindness,
19 To deliver their soul from death
And to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the LORD;
He is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart rejoices in Him,
Because we trust in His holy name.
22 Let Your lovingkindness, O LORD, be upon us,
According as we have hoped in You.

Praise the Lord God, you who seek His will. Sing praises to His Son, the Word, who has established a new covenant (new song) between us and the Father. The Word, Jesus, is faithful in carrying out God's plan of salvation. He loves those who do what is right and just and showers them with His divine mercy. (33:1-5) The Word and the Holy Spirit (breath) created the universe⁶¹. Through their power God tamed the primeval cosmic ocean (waters) and created heaven and earth⁶². We stand in awe of the mighty power of God and of the Word through whom all things were made.

Throughout history⁶³, our efforts have counted as nothing when compared to the power of our God. Nothing can stand against the plans of His heart. The faithful are indeed blessed because He has made them His adopted children (inheritance) (33:6-12). God looks down from heaven and observes all His creatures whom He created in their mothers' wombs (fashioned their hearts). He sees how weak their efforts are to conquer their enemies. Without His aid, they are doomed to fail (33:13-17). Yet He will provide for the needs of those who revere Him and trust in His mercy and will bring them to everlasting life (deliver their soul from death). We trust in the Lord and rejoice in His protection. Have mercy on us, Lord, for You are our hope (33:18-22).

Prayer for life: Jesus, Your sacrifice on the Cross has made us adopted sons and daughters of the Father, who formed us in the womb. He promised to protect those who keep His Word and lead them to heaven. Yet there are many who reject His commandment to honor all life from conception to natural death. Have mercy on them, Lord. As for me and my baby, we will rejoice in Your loving protection for our hope in You will not go unrewarded. Amen.

Have a blessed day!
John

⁶¹The Orthodox Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008. 702. Print.

⁶² Brook, John. THE SCHOOL OF PRAYER An Introduction to the Divine Office for All Christians. 1st ed. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1992. 160. Print.

⁶³ Brook 161.

Scripture (Psalms 25-36) taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2010 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is offered to the public free of charge in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and for the glory of God.

Psalm 32 from my book, "Praying the Psalms for the Unborn Child."

Psalm 32
Blessedness of Forgiveness and of Trust in God.

1 How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!
2 How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit!

3 When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away
Through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer.

5 I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I did not hide;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”;
And You forgave the guilt of my sin.

6 Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.
7 You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with songs of deliverance.

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
9 Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding,
Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check,
Otherwise they will not come near to you.
10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
But he who trusts in the LORD, lovingkindness shall surround him.
11 Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.

Jesus hears our prayer at the foot of His Cross⁶⁰: We are extremely grateful that our sins have been forgiven by His sacrificial blood (32:1-2). We suffered (wasted away) when we refused to acknowledge our sins. Night and day we were burdened with guilt and our soul was dead (vitality drained away) (32:3-4). However, because of His death on the Cross, we are now reconciled to the Father and we draw down upon us His forgiveness when we confess our sins (32:5). God will protect us from danger and free us from evil (32:6-7). Jesus instructs us to live as He lived. If we are stubborn and mistrustful, we will suffer. However, God will have mercy on those who seek His forgiveness and this will bring them great joy (32:8-11).

Prayer for life: Lord, You loved us so much that You suffered and died so that all souls might be saved. However, You are saddened by the lack of love we have for each other and the lack of gratitude for all You have done for us. Blinded by stubborn pride, we insist on ignoring Your ways and following our own counsel, even to the point of killing our unborn children. And we are suffering because of our wickedness. Let us pray for the souls of all those involved in the abortion business. May they and the mothers who are contemplating abortion allow God's grace to open their eyes to the evil that surrounds them and choose to live according to God's ways. God is always ready to forgive if we repent with a sincere heart. Then we will rejoice that the baby's life has been saved. Amen.

Have a blessed day!
John

⁶⁰Reardon, Patrick. Christ in the Psalms. Ben Lomond, CA: Conciliar Press, 2000. 702. Print.

Scripture (Psalms 25-36) taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2010 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is offered to the public free of charge in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and for the glory of God.

Psalm 31 from my book, "Praying the Psalms for the Unborn Child."

Psalm 31
A Psalm of Complaint and of Praise.
The Crucifixion

1 In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
Let me never be ashamed;
In Your righteousness deliver me.
2 Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly;
Be to me a rock of strength,
A stronghold to save me.
3 For You are my rock and my fortress;
For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me.
4 You will pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,
For You are my strength.
5 Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
You have ransomed me, O LORD, God of truth.

6 I hate those who regard vain idols,
But I trust in the LORD.
7 I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness,
Because You have seen my affliction;
You have known the troubles of my soul,
8 And You have not given me over into the hand of the enemy;
You have set my feet in a large place.

9 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;
My eye is wasted away from grief, my soul and my body also.
10 For my life is spent with sorrow
And my years with sighing;
My strength has failed because of my iniquity,
And my body has wasted away.
11 Because of all my adversaries, I have become a reproach,
Especially to my neighbors,
And an object of dread to my acquaintances;
Those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I am forgotten as a dead man, out of mind;
I am like a broken vessel.
13 For I have heard the slander of many,
Terror is on every side;
While they took counsel together against me,
They schemed to take away my life.

14 But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD,
I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in Your hand;
Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.
16 Make Your face to shine upon Your servant;
Save me in Your lovingkindness.
17 Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I call upon You;
Let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol.
18 Let the lying lips be mute,
Which speak arrogantly against the righteous
With pride and contempt.

19 How great is Your goodness,
Which You have stored up for those who fear You,
Which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You,
Before the sons of men!
20 You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man;
You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues.
21 Blessed be the LORD,
For He has made marvelous His lovingkindness to me in a besieged city.
22 As for me, I said in my alarm,
“I am cut off from before Your eyes”;
Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications
When I cried to You.

23 O love the LORD, all you His godly ones!
The LORD preserves the faithful
And fully recompenses the proud doer.
24 Be strong and let your heart take courage,
All you who hope in the LORD.

In humiliation on the cross, Jesus addresses the Father⁵⁹. His trust in God is firm (rock of strength). God will keep His promise (for His name's sake) and deliver Jesus from His enemies. With absolute trust in the Father, He abandons Himself into His Father's hands (31:1-5). Unlike those who place their confidence in false idols, who have no power to save, He trusts completely in the mercy (lovingkindness) of His Father who knows His suffering (troubles) and will rescue Him from the hands of evildoers (31:6-8). Look at Me, Father, and see my distress: in grief and sorrow, My life is almost spent. My strength is failing and I am despised by those who await My death (31:9-13). Yet, My trust in You will not be shaken. In Your mercy save Me and cast the wicked who are tormenting Me into hell (Sheol) (31:14-18). How good You are to Me, My shelter and refuge, for You heard My cries and delivered Me. Let those who Love You, Father, rejoice in Your faithfulness. Let the wicked see that their evil ways lead to utter destruction. May the godly always be strong and courageous in their hope of salvation. (31:19-24).

Prayer for life: Father, I am surrounded by a wicked generation that seeks my baby's life. Have mercy on them and give them the grace to see that the road they walk and the false idols they worship, lead to destruction. As for me, I place all my trust in You for You are faithful to those who love You. Be my rock. Help me to be strong and courageous in my determination to do Your will for that road will lead me to salvation. Amen.

Have a blessed day!
John

⁵⁹The Orthodox Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008. 700. Print.

Scripture (Psalms 25-36) taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2010 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is offered to the public free of charge in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and for the glory of God.

Psalm 30 from my book, "Praying the Psalms for the Unborn Child."

Psalm 30
Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death.
Resurrection

1 I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up,
And have not let my enemies rejoice over me.
2 O LORD my God,
I cried to You for help, and You healed me.
3 O LORD, You have brought up my soul from Sheol;
You have kept me alive, that I would not go down to the pit.
4 Sing praise to the LORD, you His godly ones,
And give thanks to His holy name.
5 For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for a lifetime;
Weeping may last for the night,
But a shout of joy comes in the morning.

6 Now as for me, I said in my prosperity,
“I will never be moved.”
7 O LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain to stand strong;
You hid Your face, I was dismayed.
8 To You, O LORD, I called,
And to the Lord I made supplication:
9 “What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness?

10 “Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me;
O LORD, be my helper.”
11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness,
12 That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

The Church reflects on Christ's Resurrection and our own rescue from the grave⁵⁶. Jesus cried out for help in the Garden of Olives⁵⁷ and God raised Him up after His Crucifixion and foiled His enemies (the devil). He purchased for us forgiveness, healing, and eternal life (brought us up from Sheol) (30:1-5). Although in our pride we ascribe our success to our own efforts, we (dismayed) soon learn that our gain is short lived without God's constant assistance (hid His face). And what good is success (profit) if in attaining it we lose our souls (turn to dust)? So we come before Him on bended knee (in supplication): revive us, Lord, for how can we worship You (declare Your faithfulness)⁵⁸ if we are cast down (in the pit) (30:6-9)? And the Lord answered our prayers and rescued us from mortal sin and death (mourning) through the Resurrection of His Son. And with deep gratitude and great joy we will praise Him forever because of it (30:10-12).

Prayer for life: Dear Lord, You wept in the Garden of Olives as You saw in Your mind's eye all the abortions that would take place in our sinful world. Forgive us, Lord, and help us as a nation to ban once and for all this barbaric murder of innocent children. Console those who mourn their loss. Take pity on those who, blinded by pride, selfishness and ignorance of Your ways, callously discard future generations of God's children. Take away their stony hearts, O Lord, and place within them a new heart filled with love and compassion for the born and the unborn. Let our love for each other console Jesus as He prays for us in the Garden and let us praise Him for His unending patience and forbearance. Amen.

Have a blessed day!
John

⁵⁶The Orthodox Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008. 700. Print.
⁵⁷Reardon, Patrick. Christ in the Psalms. Ben Lomond, CA: Conciliar Press, 2000. 58. Print.
⁵⁸The Psalms New International Version. St. Joseph CATHOLIC Edition. New Jersey: Catholic Book Publishing Corporation, 1996. 82. Print.

Scripture (Psalms 25-36) taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2010 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is offered to the public free of charge in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and for the glory of God.

Psalm 29 from my book, "Praying the Psalms for the Unborn Child."

Psalm 29
The Voice of the LORD in the Storm.
Revelation of the Trinity at Baptism of Christ⁵⁵

1 Ascribe to the LORD, O sons of the mighty,
Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to His name;
Worship the LORD in holy array.

3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters;
The God of glory thunders,
The LORD is over many waters.
4 The voice of the LORD is powerful,
The voice of the LORD is majestic.
5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
Yes, the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
And Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the LORD hews out flames of fire.
8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;
The LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the LORD makes the deer to calve
And strips the forests bare;
And in His temple everything says, “Glory!”

10 The LORD sat as King at the flood;
Yes, the LORD sits as King forever.
11 The LORD will give strength to His people
The LORD will bless His people with peace.

Let us praise the triune God for the wondrous glory and power (29:1-2) He revealed at the baptism of Christ when the Father hovered above the waters (29:3) and announced with a booming voice that Jesus was His beloved Son, the Second person of the Trinity, and the Holy Spirit (flames of fire), the third person of the Trinity, descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove. Nature is shaken by His marvelous intervention in our earthly lives and the heavenly hosts exalt His glory (29:4-9). God, who created the world and destroyed it with Noah's flood, has crowned Jesus as our mighty King and Prince of Peace (29:10-11).

Prayer for life: Father, I stand in awe of Your glory and power. You, who created the universe, have looked with favor upon me, one of Your lowly creatures, and blessed me with a child. If only those who ignore the sanctity of life could come to appreciate the wonder, beauty and sacredness of all Your creation! May they come to the realization that You, who love them beyond imagining, will hold them accountable as You did the wicked during Noah's time. May the Prince of Peace bring an end to all of this murder and death and usher in a time of renewal and repentance. Amen.

Have a blessed day!
John

⁵⁵The Orthodox Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008. 699. Print.

Scripture (Psalms 25-36) taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2010 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is offered to the public free of charge in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and for the glory of God.

Psalm 28 from my book, "Praying the Psalms for the Unborn Child."

Psalm 28
A Prayer for Help, and Praise for Its Answer.
Resurrection

1 To You, O LORD, I call;
My rock, do not be deaf to me,
For if You are silent to me,
I will become like those who go down to the pit.
2 Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You for help,
When I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary.
3 Do not drag me away with the wicked
And with those who work iniquity,
Who speak peace with their neighbors,
While evil is in their hearts.
4 Requite them according to their work and according to the evil of their practices;
Requite them according to the deeds of their hands;
Repay them their recompense.
5 Because they do not regard the works of the LORD
Nor the deeds of His hands,
He will tear them down and not build them up.

6 Blessed be the LORD,
Because He has heard the voice of my supplication.
7 The LORD is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart exults,
And with my song I shall thank Him.
8 The LORD is their strength,
And He is a saving defense to His anointed.
9 Save Your people and bless Your inheritance;
Be their shepherd also, and carry them forever.

Jesus, on the cross (hands lifted up toward God's holy sanctuary), prays on behalf of the Church to the Father that He may preserve the faithful from eternal damnation (the pit). Jesus' death destroyed the fallen angels (28:3-5). May the Lord (God) be praised for He has heard Jesus' prayer: He will raise us up (save His people) just as He raised up Christ (His anointed) in the Resurrection. He will take care of us forever in heaven (28:6-9)⁵⁴.

Prayer for life: Father, Your Son suffered and died to destroy death and defeat the devil. Those who advocate the destruction of innocent children in the womb condemn themselves and will be cast down into the pit if they do not repent. I pray that they may see the error of their ways and seek Your forgiveness before it is too late. I thank You with all my heart for the gift of my baby and ask that You bless us, Your inheritance, all the days of our life and in the world to come. Amen.

Have a blessed day!
John

⁵⁴The Orthodox Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008. 699. Print.

Scripture (Psalms 25-36) taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2010 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is offered to the public free of charge in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and for the glory of God.

Psalm 27 from my book, "Praying the Psalms for the Unborn Child."

Psalm 27
A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God.

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the defense of my life;
Whom shall I dread?
2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh,
My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.
3 Though a host encamp against me,
My heart will not fear;
Though war arise against me,
In spite of this I shall be confident.

4 One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD
And to meditate in His temple.
5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle;
In the secret place of His tent He will hide me;
He will lift me up on a rock.
6 And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,
And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice,
And be gracious to me and answer me.
8 When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You,
“Your face, O LORD, I shall seek.”
9 Do not hide Your face from me,
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not abandon me nor forsake me,
O God of my salvation!
10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
But the LORD will take me up.

11 Teach me Your way, O LORD,
And lead me in a level path
Because of my foes.
12 Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries,
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breathe out violence.
13 I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the LORD.

The Church prays to Jesus who brings us the knowledge of God (light)⁴⁹ and saves us through the grace of baptism⁵⁰. We are assured of His divine protection against evil (27:1-3). All we seek is a divine union with Him, a divine intimacy that was initiated through our baptism when Jesus became our defender in the war against the devil⁵¹ (27:4-6).

Do not abandon us. Though we be sinners, You are our Savior and are always ready to save us when we cry to You for help. You will always come to our defense, even if the whole world forsakes us⁵², for such is the strength of the bond created at our baptism that unites us to You (27:7-10). Show us Your ways, Lord, and be our surety. Deliver us from the wiles and temptations of the devil, for without You we are lost. Hope of one day attaining everlasting life⁵³ (in the land of the living) makes us strong, patient and courageous (27:11-14).

Prayer for life: Dear Jesus, since my baptism, when I became an adopted child of God, You have been protecting me from the devil and all who do his bidding. Stay with me now, Lord, when the forces of evil press upon me and tempt me to terminate my baby's life. I know that I am a miserable sinner and have turned my back on You many times in the past. Yet You have been patiently waiting for me to repent and seek Your forgiveness. I do repent, Lord, and seek your help from the evil forces that surround me. Forgive my sins and grant those who still offend You the grace to see the error of their ways and to seek Your pardon. Give me the strength and courage to have my baby and the patience to be a good mother. With Your help I hope to spend eternity with You and my baby. Amen.

Have a blessed day!
John

⁴⁹The Orthodox Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008. 698. Print.

⁵⁰ Reardon, Patrick. Christ in the Psalms. Ben Lomond, CA: Conciliar Press, 2000. 51. Print.

⁵¹ The Orthodox Study Bible 698.

⁵² The Orthodox Study Bible 698.
⁵³ The Orthodox Study Bible 698.

Scripture (Psalms 25-36) taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2010 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is offered to the public free of charge in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and for the glory of God.