1401 Rescue me, O Lord , from evil men ; Preserve me from violent men 2 Who devise evil things in their hearts ; They continually e stir up wars . 3 They sharpen their tongues as a serpent ; Poison of a viper is under their lips . Selah . 4 Keep me, O Lord , from the hands of the wicked ; Preserve me from violent men Who have purposed to trip up my feet . 5 The proud have hidden a trap for me, and cords ; They have spread a net by the wayside ; They have set snares for me. Selah . 6 I said to the Lord , "You are my God ; Give ear , O Lord , to the voice of my supplications . 7 "O GOD the Lord , the strength of my salvation , You have covered my head in the day of battle .
8 "Do not grant , O Lord , the desires of the wicked ; Do not promote his evil device , that they not be exalted . Selah . 9 "As for the head of those who surround me, May the mischief of their lips cover them. 10 "May burning coals fall upon them; May they be cast into the fire , Into deep pits from which they cannot rise . 11 "May a slanderer e not be established in the earth ; May evil hunt the violent man speedily ." 12 I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted And justice for the poor . 13 Surely the righteous will give thanks to Your name ; The upright will dwell in Your presence .
1411 O Lord , I call upon You; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to You! 2 May my prayer be counted as incense before You; The lifting up of my hands as the evening offering . 3 Set a guard , O Lord , over my mouth ; Keep watch over the door of my lips . 4 Do not incline my heart to any evil thing , To practice deeds of wickedness With men who do iniquity ; And do not let me eat of their delicacies .
5 Let the righteous smite me in kindness and reprove me; It is oil upon the head ; Do not let my head refuse it, For still my prayer is against their wicked deeds . 6 Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock , And they hear my words , for they are pleasant . 7 As when one plows and breaks open the earth , Our bones have been scattered at the mouth of Sheol . 8 For my eyes are toward You, O GOD , the Lord ; In You I take refuge ; do not leave me defenseless e . 9 Keep me from the jaws of the trap which they have set for me, And from the snares of those who do iniquity . 10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets , While I pass by safely .
1421 I cry aloud with my voice to the Lord ; I make supplication with my voice to the Lord . 2 I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare my trouble before Him. 3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, You knew my path . In the way where I walk They have hidden a trap for me.
4 Look to the right and see ; For there is no one who regards me; There is no escape for me; No one cares for my soul . 5 I cried out to You, O Lord ; I said , "You are my refuge , My portion in the land of the living . 6 " Give heed to my cry , For I am brought very low ; Deliver me from my persecutors , For they are too strong for me. 7 " Bring my soul out of prison , So that I may give thanks to Your name ; The righteous will surround me, For You will deal bountifully with me."
141 Pursue love , yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy . 2 For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God ; for no one understands , but in his spirit he speaks mysteries . 3 But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation . 4 One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself ; but one who prophesies edifies the church . 5 Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues , but even more that you would prophesy ; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues , unless e he interprets , so that the church may receive edifying .
6 But now , brethren , if I come to you speaking in tongues , what will I profit you unless e I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching ? 7 Yet even lifeless things , either flute or harp , in producing a sound , if they do not produce a distinction in the tones , how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp ? 8 For if the bugle produces an indistinct sound , who will prepare himself for battle ? 9 So also you, unless e you utter by the tongue speech that is clear , how will it be known what is spoken ? For you will be speaking into the air . 10 There are, perhaps , a great many kinds of languages in the world , and no kind is without meaning . 11 If then I do not know the meaning of the language , I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian , and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me. 12 So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church . 13 Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret . 14 For if I pray in a tongue , my spirit prays , but my mind is unfruitful .
15 What is the outcome then ? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also ; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also . 16 Otherwise if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the "Amen " at your giving of thanks , since he does not know what you are saying ? 17 For you are giving thanks well enough , but the other person is not edified . 18 I thank God , I speak in tongues more than you all ; 19 however , in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also , rather than ten thousand words in a tongue . 20 Brethren , do not be children in your thinking ; yet in evil be infants , but in your thinking be mature .
(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.
(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.
(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.
