“How often ¹  is the lamp of the wicked extinguished? How often does their ²  misfortune come upon them? How often does God apportion pain ³  to them ⁴  in his anger?

How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness, and insulted him ¹  in the desert!

A song of ascents. ²  “Since my youth they have often attacked me,” let Israel say.

“Since my youth they have often attacked me, but they have not defeated me.

This is the reason I was often hindered from coming to you.

So he ¹  said to her, “How often do you intend to get drunk? Put away your wine!”

How often ¹  are they like straw before the wind, and like chaff swept away ²  by a whirlwind?

You know that when you were pagans you were often led astray by speechless idols, however you were led.

Yet he is compassionate. He forgives sin and does not destroy. He often holds back his anger, and does not stir up his fury. ¹ 

Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and boundless in loyal love ¹  – often relenting from calamitous punishment. ² 

Then John’s ¹  disciples came to Jesus ²  and asked, “Why do we and the Pharisees ³  fast often, ⁴  but your disciples don’t fast?”

and said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, because he has seizures ¹  and suffers terribly, for he often falls into the fire and into the water.

It has often thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if you are able to do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

For many live, about whom I have often told you, and now, with tears, I tell you that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.

May the Lord grant mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my imprisonment. ¹ 

¹  Then the leaders of the Philistines would march out, and as often as they did so, David achieved more success than all of Saul’s servants. His name was held in high esteem.

For his hands and feet had often been bound with chains and shackles, ¹  but ²  he had torn the chains apart and broken the shackles in pieces. No one was strong enough to subdue him.

At the same time he was also hoping that Paul would give him money, ¹  and for this reason he sent for Paul ²  as often as possible ³  and talked ⁴  with him.

I punished ¹  them often in all the synagogues ²  and tried to force ³  them to blaspheme. Because I was so furiously enraged ⁴  at them, I went to persecute ⁵  them even in foreign cities.

Indeed, the people of Israel are my dear children. They are the children I take delight in. ¹  For even though I must often rebuke them, I still remember them with fondness. So I am deeply moved with pity for them ²  and will surely have compassion on them. I, the Lord, affirm it! ³