A Prayer for Protection against Persecutors

1401 Deliver me, O Jehovah, from the evil man; Preserve me from the violent man: 2 Who devise mischiefs in their heart; Continually do they gather themselves together for war. 3 They have sharpened their tongue like a serpent; Adders' poison is under their lips. [Selah] 4 Keep me, O Jehovah, from the hands of the wicked; Preserve me from the violent man: Who have purposed to thrust aside my steps. 5 The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; They have spread a net by the wayside; They have set gins for me. [Selah] 6 I said unto Jehovah, Thou art my God: Give ear unto the voice of my supplications, O Jehovah. 7 O Jehovah the Lord, the strength of my salvation, Thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.

8 Grant not, O Jehovah, the desires of the wicked; Further not his evil device, [lest] they exalt themselves. [Selah] 9 As for the head of those that compass me about, Let the mischief of their own lips cover them. 10 Let burning coals fall upon them: Let them be cast into the fire, Into deep pits, whence they shall not rise. 11 An evil speaker shall not be established in the earth: Evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him. 12 I know that Jehovah will maintain the cause of the afflicted, And justice for the needy. 13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: The upright shall dwell in thy presence.

A Prayer for Preservation from Evil

1411 Jehovah, I have called upon thee; Make haste unto me: Give ear unto my voice, when I call unto thee. 2 Let my prayer be set forth as incense before thee; The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. 3 Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth; Keep the door of my lips. 4 Incline not my heart to any evil thing, To practise deeds of wickedness With men that work iniquity: And let me not eat of their dainties.

5 Let the righteous smite me, [it shall be] a kindness; And let him reprove me, [it shall be as] oil upon the head; Let not my head refuse it: For even in their wickedness shall my prayer continue. 6 Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock; And they shall hear my words; For they are sweet. 7 As when one ploweth and cleaveth the earth, Our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol. 8 For mine eyes are unto thee, O Jehovah the Lord: In thee do I take refuge; Leave not my soul destitute. 9 Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, And from the gins of the workers of iniquity. 10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, Whilst that I withal escape.

A Prayer for Help in Trouble

1421 I cry with my voice unto Jehovah; With my voice unto Jehovah do I make supplication. 2 I pour out my complaint before him; I show before him my trouble. 3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, Thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walk Have they hidden a snare for me.

4 Look on [my] right hand, and see; For there is no man that knoweth me: Refuge hath failed me; No man careth for my soul. 5 I cried unto thee, O Jehovah; I said, Thou art my refuge, My portion in the land of the living. 6 Attend unto my cry; For I am brought very low: Deliver me from my persecutors; For they are stronger than I. 7 Bring my soul out of prison, That I may give thanks unto thy name: The righteous shall compass me about; For thou wilt deal bountifully with me.

Speaking in Tongues

141 Follow after love; yet desire earnestly spiritual [gifts], but rather that ye may prophesy. 2 For he that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God; for no man understandeth; but in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. 3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men edification, and exhortation, and consolation. 4 He that speaketh in a tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. 5 Now I would have you all speak with tongues, but rather that ye should prophesy: and greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

6 But now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching? 7 Even things without life, giving a voice, whether pipe or harp, if they give not a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? 8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain voice, who shall prepare himself for war? 9 So also ye, unless ye utter by the tongue speech easy to understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye will be speaking into the air. 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and no [kind] is without signification. 11 If then I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh will be a barbarian unto me. 12 So also ye, since ye are zealous of spiritual [gifts], seek that ye may abound unto the edifying of the church. 13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. 16 Else if thou bless with the spirit, how shall he that filleth the place of the unlearned say the Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest? 17 For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. 18 I thank God, I speak with tongues more than you all: 19 howbeit in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue. 20 Brethren, be not children in mind: yet in malice be ye babes, but in mind be men.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Corinthians 14:1-20

Commentary on 1 Corinthians 14:1-5

(Read 1 Corinthians 14:1-5)

Prophesying, that is, explaining Scripture, is compared with speaking with tongues. This drew attention, more than the plain interpretation of Scripture; it gratified pride more, but promoted the purposes of Christian charity less; it would not equally do good to the souls of men. What cannot be understood, never can edify. No advantage can be reaped from the most excellent discourses, if delivered in language such as the hearers cannot speak or understand. Every ability or possession is valuable in proportion to its usefulness. Even fervent, spiritual affection must be governed by the exercise of the understanding, else men will disgrace the truths they profess to promote.

Commentary on 1 Corinthians 14:6-14

(Read 1 Corinthians 14:6-14)

Even an apostle could not edify, unless he spoke so as to be understood by his hearers. To speak words that have no meaning to those who hear them, is but speaking into the air. That cannot answer the end of speaking, which has no meaning; in this case, speaker and hearers are barbarians to each other. All religious services should be so performed in Christian assemblies, that all may join in, and profit by them. Language plain and easy to be understood, is the most proper for public worship, and other religious exercises. Every true follower of Christ will rather desire to do good to others, than to get a name for learning or fine speaking.

Commentary on 1 Corinthians 14:15-25

(Read 1 Corinthians 14:15-25)

There can be no assent to prayers that are not understood. A truly Christian minister will seek much more to do spiritual good to men's souls, than to get the greatest applause to himself. This is proving himself the servant of Christ. Children are apt to be struck with novelty; but do not act like them. Christians should be like children, void of guile and malice; yet they should not be unskilful as to the word of righteousness, but only as to the arts of mischief. It is a proof that a people are forsaken of God, when he gives them up to the rule of those who teach them to worship in another language. They can never be benefitted by such teaching. Yet thus the preachers did who delivered their instructions in an unknown tongue. Would it not make Christianity ridiculous to a heathen, to hear the ministers pray or preach in a language which neither he nor the assembly understood? But if those who minister, plainly interpret Scripture, or preach the great truths and rules of the gospel, a heathen or unlearned person might become a convert to Christianity. His conscience might be touched, the secrets of his heart might be revealed to him, and so he might be brought to confess his guilt, and to own that God was present in the assembly. Scripture truth, plainly and duly taught, has a wonderful power to awaken the conscience and touch the heart.