Meditate

5. Nehemiah Helps the Poor

Nehemiah Deals with Oppression

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Now there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish kin.²For there were those who said, “With our sons and our daughters, we are many; we must get grain, so that we may eat and stay alive.”³There were also those who said, “We are having to pledge our fields, our vineyards, and our houses in order to get grain during the famine.”⁴And there were those who said, “We are having to borrow money on our fields and vineyards to pay the king’s tax.⁵Now our flesh is the same as that of our kindred; our children are the same as their children; and yet we are forcing our sons and daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been ravished; we are powerless, and our fields and vineyards now belong to others.”

⁶ I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints.⁷After thinking it over, I brought charges against the nobles and the officials; I said to them, “You are all taking interest from your own people.” And I called a great assembly to deal with them,⁸and said to them, “As far as we were able, we have bought back our Jewish kindred who had been sold to other nations; but now you are selling your own kin, who must then be bought back by us!” They were silent, and could not find a word to say.⁹So I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God, to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies?¹⁰Moreover I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us stop this taking of interest.¹¹Restore to them, this very day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the interest on money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.”¹²Then they said, “We will restore everything and demand nothing more from them. We will do as you say.” And I called the priests, and made them take an oath to do as they had promised.¹³I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out everyone from house and from property who does not perform this promise. Thus may they be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.

The Generosity of Nehemiah

¹⁴ Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor.¹⁵The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people, and took food and wine from them, besides forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God.¹⁶Indeed, I devoted myself to the work on this wall, and acquired no land; and all my servants were gathered there for the work.¹⁷Moreover there were at my table one hundred fifty people, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations around us.¹⁸Now that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and every ten days skins of wine in abundance; yet with all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because of the heavy burden of labor on the people.¹⁹Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.

12. God Disciplines His Sons

The Example of Jesus

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Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,²looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

³ Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart.⁴In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.⁵And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as children—

“My child, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,

or lose heart when you are punished by him;

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for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves,

and chastises every child whom he accepts.”

65. Psalm 65

Psalm 65

Thanksgiving for Earth’s Bounty

To the leader. A Psalm of David. A Song.

1

Praise is due to you,

O God, in Zion;

and to you shall vows be performed,

2

O you who answer prayer!

To you all flesh shall come.

3

When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us,

you forgive our transgressions.

4

Happy are those whom you choose and bring near

to live in your courts.

We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,

your holy temple.

5

By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance,

O God of our salvation;

you are the hope of all the ends of the earth

and of the farthest seas.

6

By your strength you established the mountains;

you are girded with might.

7

You silence the roaring of the seas,

the roaring of their waves,

the tumult of the peoples.

8

Those who live at earth’s farthest bounds are awed by your signs;

you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy.

9

You visit the earth and water it,

you greatly enrich it;

the river of God is full of water;

you provide the people with grain,

for so you have prepared it.

10

You water its furrows abundantly,

settling its ridges,

softening it with showers,

and blessing its growth.

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You crown the year with your bounty;

your wagon tracks overflow with richness.

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The pastures of the wilderness overflow,

the hills gird themselves with joy,

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the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,

the valleys deck themselves with grain,

they shout and sing together for joy.