91.4 Thanksgiving For Deliverance

(Psalm 48)

The Lord is great and is to be highly praised in the city of our God, on his sacred hill.

Zion, the mountain of God, is high and beautiful; the city of the great king brings joy to all the world.

God has shown that there is safety with him inside the fortress of the city.

The kings gathered together and came to attack Mount Zion. But when they saw it, they were amazed; they were afraid and ran away. There they were seized with fear and anguish, like a woman about to bear a child, like ships tossing in a furious storm.

We have heard what God has done, and now we have seen it in the city of our God, the Lord Almighty; he will keep the city safe forever.

Inside your Temple, O God, we think of your constant love. You are praised by people everywhere, and your fame extends over all the earth. You rule with justice; let the people of Zion be glad! You give right judgments; let there be joy in the cities of Judah!

People of God, walk around Zion and count the towers; take notice of the wall and examine the fortresses, so that you may tell the next generation; "This God is sour God forever and ever; he will lead us for all time to come."

91.3 First Trial Of Job

(Job 1:13-22)

One day when Job's children were having a feast at the home of their oldest brother, a messenger came running to Job. "We were plowing the fields with the oxen," he said, "and the donkeys were in a nearby pasture. Suddenly the Sabeans attacked and stole them all. They killed every one of your servants except me. I am the only one who escaped to tell you."

Before he had finished speaking, another servant came and said, "Lightning struck the sheep and the shepherds and killed them all. I am the only who escaped to tell you."

Before he had finished speaking, another servant came and said, "Your children were having a fest at home of your oldest son, when the storm swept in from the desert. It blew the house down and killed them all. I am the only one who escaped to tell you."

Then Job got up and tore his clothes in grief. He shaved his head and threw himself face downward on the ground. He said, "I was born with nothing, and I will die with nothing. The Lord gave, and now he has taken away. May his name be praised!"

In spite of everything that had happened, Job did not sin by blaming God.

91.2 Job's Obedience Questioned

(Job 1:8-12)

"Did you notice my servant Job?" the Lord asked. "There is no one on earth as faithful and good as he is. He worships me and is careful not to do anything evil."

Satan replied, "Would Job worship you if he got nothing out of it? You have always  protected him and his family and everything he owns. You bless everything he does, and you have given him enough cattle to fill the whole country. But now suppose you take away everything he has- he will curse you to your face!"

"All right," the Lord said to Satan, "everything he has is your power, but you must not hurt Job himself." So Satan left.

91.1 Job Was Wealthy And Pious

(Job 1:1-5)

There was a man named Job, living in the land of Uz, who worshiped God and was faithful to him. He was a good man, careful not to do anything evil. He had seven sons and three daughters, and owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, one thousand heads of cattle, and five hundred donkeys. He also had a large number of servants and was the richest man in the East.

Job's sons used to take turns giving a feast, to which all the others would come, and they always invited their three sisters to join them. The morning after each feast, Job would get up early and offer sacrifices for each of his children in order to purify them. He always did this because he thought that one of them might have sinned by insulting God unintentionally.