Qohelet’s Investigation of Personal Accomplishment I accomplished great things?. I built for myself houses; I planted for myself vineyards. 5 I made for myself gardens and parks, and I planted all sorts of fruit trees in them. 6 I made for myself pools of water from which to irrigate a grove of flourishing trees. 7 I acquired male slaves and female slaves, as well as children born in my house. I also had livestock, cattle, and flocks more than anyone who was before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also gathered to myself silver and gold—the royal and provincial treasuries. I acquired for myself male and female singers, as well as the …
+ DAILY PRAYER +
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my pleas for mercy!
In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!
Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan,
and he hears my voice.
Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you;
He will never permit the righteous to be moved.
Psalm 46
Psa 46:1 God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Psa 46:2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
Psa 46:3 though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah
Psa 46:4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
Psa 46:5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
Psa 46:6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
Psa 46:7 The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
Psa 46:8 Come, behold the works of the LORD,
how he has brought desolations on the earth.
Psa 46:9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire.
Psa 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
Psa 46:11 The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
Reading for Monday September 22nd Eccl 2:4-11
Qohelet’s Investigation of Personal Accomplishment
4 ?I accomplished great things?. I built for myself houses; I planted for myself vineyards. 5 I made for myself gardens and parks, and I planted all sorts of fruit trees in them. 6 I made for myself pools of water from which to irrigate a grove of flourishing trees. 7 I acquired male slaves and female slaves, as well as children born in my house. I also had livestock, cattle, and flocks more than anyone who was before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also gathered to myself silver and gold—the royal and provincial treasuries. I acquired for myself male and female singers, as well as the delight of ?men?, ?voluptuous concubines?.
9 Thus, ?I accomplished far more? than anyone who was before me in Jerusalem—indeed, my wisdom stood by me. 10 I neither withheld anything from my eyes that they desired, nor did I deprive any pleasure from my heart. My heart rejoiced in all my toil, for this was my reward from all my toil. 11 Yet when I considered all the effort which I expended and the toil with which I toiled to do, then behold, “Everything is vanity and chasing wind! There is nothing profitable under the sun!”
Lord’s Prayer
Daily Prayer
Lord God, heavenly Father, through the prophet Jonah, You continued the prophetic pattern of teaching Your people the true faith and demonstrating through miracles Your presence in creation to heal it of its brokenness. Grant that Your Church may see in Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the final end-times prophet whose teaching and miracles continue in Your Church through the healing medicine of the Gospel and the Sacraments; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Concluding Prayer
Heavenly Father, send Your Holy Spirit into our hearts to direct and rule us to do Your will, to comfort us in all our afflictions, to defend us from all error, and to lead us into all truth; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
