911 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty . 2 I will say to the Lord , "My refuge and my fortress , My God , in whom I trust !" 3 For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper And from the deadly pestilence . 4 He will cover you with His pinions , And under His wings you may seek refuge ; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark . 5 You will not be afraid of the terror by night , Or of the arrow that flies by day ; 6 Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness , Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon . 7 A thousand may fall at your side And ten thousand at your right hand , But it shall not approach you. 8 You will only look on with your eyes And see the recompense of the wicked .
9 For you have made the Lord , my refuge , Even the Most High , your dwelling place . 10 No evil will befall you, Nor will any plague come near your tent . 11 For He will give His angels charge concerning you, To guard you in all your ways . 12 They will bear you up in their hands , That you do not strike your foot against a stone . 13 You will tread upon the lion and cobra , The young lion and the serpent you will trample down . 14 " Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high , because he has known My name . 15 "He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble ; I will rescue him and honor him. 16 "With a long life I will satisfy him And let him see My salvation ."
921 It is good to give thanks to the Lord And to sing praises to Your name , O Most High ; 2 To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning And Your faithfulness by night , 3 With the ten-stringed lute and with the harp , With resounding music upon the lyre . 4 For You, O Lord , have made me glad by what You have done , I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands . 5 How great are Your works , O Lord ! Your thoughts are very deep . 6 A senseless man has no knowledge , Nor does a stupid man understand this :
7 That when the wicked sprouted up like grass And all who did iniquity flourished , It was only that they might be destroyed forevermore e . 8 But You, O Lord , are on high forever . 9 For, behold , Your enemies , O Lord , For, behold , Your enemies will perish ; All who do iniquity will be scattered . 10 But You have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox ; I have been anointed with fresh oil . 11 And my eye has looked exultantly upon my foes , My ears hear of the evildoers who rise up against me. 12 The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree , He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon . 13 Planted in the house of the Lord , They will flourish in the courts of our God . 14 They will still yield fruit in old age ; They shall be full of sap and very green , 15 To declare that the Lord is upright ; He is my rock , and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
931 The Lord reigns , He is clothed with majesty ; The Lord has clothed and girded Himself with strength ; Indeed , the world is firmly established , it will not be moved . 2 Your throne is established from of old ; You are from everlasting . 3 The floods have lifted up, O Lord , The floods have lifted up their voice , The floods lift up their pounding waves . 4 More than the sounds of many waters , Than the mighty breakers of the sea , The Lord on high is mighty . 5 Your testimonies are fully confirmed ; Holiness befits Your house , O Lord , forevermore e .
151 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves . 2 Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good , to his edification . 3 For even Christ did not please Himself ; but as it is written , " THE REPROACHES OF THOSE WHO REPROACHED YOU FELL ON ME." 4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction , so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope .
5 Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus , 6 so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ .
7 Therefore , accept one another , just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God . 8 For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers , 9 and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy ; as it is written , " THEREFORE e I WILL GIVE PRAISE TO YOU AMONG THE GENTILES , AND I WILL SING TO YOUR NAME ." 10 Again he says , " REJOICE , O GENTILES , WITH HIS PEOPLE ." 11 And again , " PRAISE THE Lord ALL YOU GENTILES , AND LET ALL THE PEOPLES PRAISE HIM." 12 Again Isaiah says , " THERE SHALL COME THE ROOT OF JESSE , AND HE WHO ARISES TO RULE OVER THE GENTILES , IN HIM SHALL THE GENTILES HOPE ."
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing , so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit .
(Read Romans 15:1-7)
Christian liberty was allowed, not for our pleasure, but for the glory of God, and the good of others. We must please our neighbour, for the good of his soul; not by serving his wicked will, and humouring him in a sinful way; if we thus seek to please men, we are not the servants of Christ. Christ's whole life was a self-denying, self-displeasing life. And he is the most advanced Christian, who is the most conformed to Christ. Considering his spotless purity and holiness, nothing could be more contrary to him, than to be made sin and a curse for us, and to have the reproaches of God fall upon him; the just for the unjust. He bore the guilt of sin, and the curse for it; we are only called to bear a little of the trouble of it. He bore the presumptuous sins of the wicked; we are called only to bear the failings of the weak. And should not we be humble, self-denying, and ready to consider one another, who are members one of another? The Scriptures are written for our use and benefit, as much as for those to whom they were first given. Those are most learned who are most mighty in the Scriptures. That comfort which springs from the word of God, is the surest and sweetest, and the greatest stay to hope. The Spirit as a Comforter, is the earnest of our inheritance. This like-mindedness must be according to the precept of Christ, according to his pattern and example. It is the gift of God; and a precious gift it is, for which we must earnestly seek unto him. Our Divine Master invites his disciples, and encourages them by showing himself as meek and lowly in spirit. The same disposition ought to mark the conduct of his servants, especially of the strong towards the weak. The great end in all our actions must be, that God may be glorified; nothing more forwards this, than the mutual love and kindness of those who profess religion. Those that agree in Christ may well agree among themselves.
(Read Romans 15:8-13)
Christ fulfilled the prophecies and promises relating to the Jews, and the Gentile converts could have no excuse for despising them. The Gentiles, being brought into the church, are companions in patience and tribulation. They should praise God. Calling upon all the nations to praise the Lord, shows that they shall have knowledge of him. We shall never seek to Christ till we trust in him. And the whole plan of redemption is suited to reconcile us to one another, as well as to our gracious God, so that an abiding hope of eternal life, through the sanctifying and comforting power of the Holy Spirit, may be attained. Our own power will never reach this; therefore where this hope is, and is abounding, the blessed Spirit must have all the glory. "All joy and peace;" all sorts of true joy and peace, so as to suppress doubts and fears, through the powerful working of the Holy Spirit.
