351 Contend, Yahweh, with those who contend with me.
Fight against those who fight against me. 2 Take hold of shield and buckler,
and stand up for my help. 3 Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me.
Tell my soul, “I am your salvation.” 4 Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor.
Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded. 5 Let them be as chaff before the wind,
Yahweh’s angel driving them on. 6 Let their way be dark and slippery,
Yahweh’s angel pursuing them. 7 For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me.
Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul. 8 Let destruction come on him unawares.
Let his net that he has hidden catch himself.
Let him fall into that destruction. 9 My soul shall be joyful in Yahweh.
It shall rejoice in his salvation. 10 All my bones shall say, “Yahweh, who is like you,
who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him;
yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?”
11 Unrighteous witnesses rise up.
They ask me about things that I don’t know about. 12 They reward me evil for good,
to the bereaving of my soul. 13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth.
I afflicted my soul with fasting.
My prayer returned into my own bosom. 14 I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother.
I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother. 15 But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together.
The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I didn’t know it.
They tore at me, and didn’t cease. 16 Like the profane mockers in feasts,
they gnashed their teeth at me.
17 Lord, how long will you look on?
Rescue my soul from their destruction,
my precious life from the lions. 18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly.
I will praise you among many people. 19 Don’t let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me;
neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes. 20 For they don’t speak peace,
but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land. 21 Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me.
They said, “Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!” 22 You have seen it, Yahweh. Don’t keep silent.
Lord, don’t be far from me. 23 Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God!
My Lord, contend for me! 24 Vindicate me, Yahweh my God, according to your righteousness.
Don’t let them gloat over me. 25 Don’t let them say in their heart, “Aha! That’s the way we want it!”
Don’t let them say, “We have swallowed him up!” 26 Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity.
Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me. 27 Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause.
Yes, let them say continually, “Yahweh be magnified,
who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!” 28 My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long.
361 An oracle is within my heart about the disobedience of the wicked:
“There is no fear of God before his eyes.” 2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes,
too much to detect and hate his sin. 3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit.
He has ceased to be wise and to do good. 4 He plots iniquity on his bed.
He sets himself in a way that is not good.
He doesn’t abhor evil.
5 Your loving kindness, Yahweh, is in the heavens.
Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. 6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God.
Your judgments are like a great deep.
Yahweh, you preserve man and animal. 7 How precious is your loving kindness, God!
The children of men take refuge under the shadow of your wings. 8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the abundance of your house.
You will make them drink of the river of your pleasures. 9 For with you is the spring of life.
In your light shall we see light. 10 Oh continue your loving kindness to those who know you,
your righteousness to the upright in heart. 11 Don’t let the foot of pride come against me.
Don’t let the hand of the wicked drive me away. 12 There the workers of iniquity are fallen.
They are thrust down, and shall not be able to rise.
251 Festus therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 Then the high priest and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul, and they begged him, 3 asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem; plotting to kill him on the way. 4 However Festus answered that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart shortly. 5 “Let them therefore,” said he, “that are in power among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him.” 6 When he had stayed among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat on the judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought. 7 When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove, 8 while he said in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all.” 9 But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, and be judged by me there concerning these things?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well. 11 For if I have done wrong, and have committed anything worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die; but if none of those things is true that they accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!” 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go.”
13 Now when some days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea, and greeted Festus. 14 As he stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix; 15 about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, asking for a sentence against him. 16 To whom I answered that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man to destruction, before the accused has met the accusers face to face, and has had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid against him. 17 When therefore they had come together here, I didn’t delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought. 18 Concerning whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no charge of such things as I supposed; 19 but had certain questions against him about their own religion, and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. 20 Being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters. 21 But when Paul had appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept until I could send him to Caesar.” 22 Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.”
“Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.” 23 So on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and they had entered into the place of hearing with the commanding officers and principal men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, you see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and as he himself appealed to the emperor I determined to send him. 26 Of whom I have no certain thing to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him forth before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examination, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to also specify the charges against him.”
