But Jacob ¹  said to him, “My lord knows that the children are young, ²  and that I have to look after the sheep and cattle that are nursing their young. ³  If they are driven too hard for even a single day, all the animals will die.

For the music director; a psalm of David, written when Nathan the prophet confronted him after David’s affair with Bathsheba. ²  Have mercy on me, O God, because of ³  your loyal love! Because of ⁴  your great compassion, wipe away my rebellious acts! ⁵ 

Think of how we regard ¹  as blessed those who have endured. You have heard of Job’s endurance and you have seen the Lord’s purpose, that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy. ² 

‘You displayed a sensitive spirit ¹  and humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard how I intended to make this place and its residents into an appalling example of an accursed people. ²  You tore your clothes and wept before me, and I have heard you,’ says the Lord.

Raise me to a position of great honor! ¹  Turn and comfort me! ² 

Then God made the overseer of the court officials sympathetic to Daniel. ¹ 

Thus the people who had come to mourn ¹  said, “Look how much he loved him!”

The Beloved to Her Lover: Catch ¹  the foxes ²  for us, the little foxes, ³  that ruin the vineyards ⁴  – for our vineyard is in bloom.

I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within them; ¹  I will remove the hearts of stone from their bodies ²  and I will give them tender hearts, ³ 

Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, ¹  any affection or mercy, ² 

¹  although we could have imposed our weight as apostles of Christ; instead we became ²  little children ³  among you. Like a nursing mother caring for her own children,

As for the king seeing a holy sentinel coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its taproot in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, surrounded by the grass of the field. Let it become damp with the dew of the sky, and let it live with the wild animals, until seven periods of time go by for him’ –

How can I give you up, ¹  O Ephraim? How can I surrender you, O Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? I have had a change of heart! ²  All my tender compassions are aroused! ³ 

Are God’s consolations ¹  too trivial for you; ²  or a word spoken ³  in gentleness to you?

then his flesh is restored ¹  like a youth’s; he returns to the days of his youthful vigor. ² 

Will it make numerous supplications to you, ¹  will it speak to you with tender words? ² 

You guide ¹  me by your wise advice, and then you will lead me to a position of honor. ² 

You uprooted a vine ¹  from Egypt; you drove out nations and transplanted it.

the root ¹  your right hand planted, the shoot you made to grow! ² 

But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and merciful God. You are patient ¹  and demonstrate great loyal love and faithfulness. ²