1071 Give thanks to Yahweh,
for he is good,
for his loving kindness endures forever. 2 Let the redeemed by Yahweh say so,
whom he has redeemed from the hand of the adversary, 3 And gathered out of the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south. 4 They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way.
They found no city to live in. 5 Hungry and thirsty,
their soul fainted in them. 6 Then they cried to Yahweh in their trouble,
and he delivered them out of their distresses, 7 he led them also by a straight way,
that they might go to a city to live in. 8 Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness,
for his wonderful works to the children of men! 9 For he satisfies the longing soul.
He fills the hungry soul with good.
10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
being bound in affliction and iron, 11 because they rebelled against the words of God,
and condemned the counsel of the Most High. 12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labor.
They fell down, and there was none to help. 13 Then they cried to Yahweh in their trouble,
and he saved them out of their distresses. 14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
and broke their bonds in sunder. 15 Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness,
for his wonderful works to the children of men! 16 For he has broken the gates of brass,
and cut through bars of iron.
17 Fools are afflicted because of their disobedience,
and because of their iniquities. 18 Their soul abhors all kinds of food.
They draw near to the gates of death. 19 Then they cry to Yahweh in their trouble,
he saves them out of their distresses. 20 He sends his word, and heals them,
and delivers them from their graves. 21 Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness,
for his wonderful works to the children of men! 22 Let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
and declare his works with singing.
23 Those who go down to the sea in ships,
who do business in great waters; 24 These see Yahweh’s works,
and his wonders in the deep. 25 For he commands, and raises the stormy wind,
which lifts up its waves. 26 They mount up to the sky; they go down again to the depths.
Their soul melts away because of trouble. 27 They reel back and forth, and stagger like a drunken man,
and are at their wits’ end. 28 Then they cry to Yahweh in their trouble,
and he brings them out of their distress. 29 He makes the storm a calm,
so that its waves are still. 30 Then they are glad because it is calm,
so he brings them to their desired haven. 31 Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness,
for his wonderful works for the children of men! 32 Let them exalt him also in the assembly of the people,
and praise him in the seat of the elders.
33 He turns rivers into a desert,
water springs into a thirsty ground, 34 and a fruitful land into a salt waste,
for the wickedness of those who dwell in it. 35 He turns a desert into a pool of water,
and a dry land into water springs. 36 There he makes the hungry live,
that they may prepare a city to live in, 37 sow fields, plant vineyards,
and reap the fruits of increase. 38 He blesses them also, so that they are multiplied greatly.
He doesn’t allow their livestock to decrease. 39 Again, they are diminished and bowed down
through oppression, trouble, and sorrow. 40 He pours contempt on princes,
and causes them to wander in a trackless waste. 41 Yet he lifts the needy out of their affliction,
and increases their families like a flock. 42 The upright will see it, and be glad.
All the wicked will shut their mouths. 43 Whoever is wise will pay attention to these things.
They will consider the loving kindnesses of Yahweh.
1081 My heart is steadfast, God.
I will sing and I will make music with my soul. 2 Wake up, harp and lyre!
I will wake up the dawn. 3 I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations.
I will sing praises to you among the peoples. 4 For your loving kindness is great above the heavens.
Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. 5 Be exalted, God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth.
6 That your beloved may be delivered,
save with your right hand, and answer us. 7 God has spoken from his sanctuary: “In triumph,
I will divide Shechem, and measure out the valley of Succoth. 8 Gilead is mine. Manasseh is mine.
Ephraim also is my helmet.
Judah is my scepter. 9 Moab is my wash pot.
I will toss my sandal on Edom.
I will shout over Philistia.” 10 Who will bring me into the fortified city?
Who has led me to Edom? 11 Haven’t you rejected us, God?
You don’t go forth, God, with our armies. 12 Give us help against the enemy,
for the help of man is vain. 13 Through God, we will do valiantly.
For it is he who will tread down our enemies.
1091 God of my praise, don’t remain silent, 2 for they have opened the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit against me.
They have spoken to me with a lying tongue. 3 They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,
and fought against me without a cause. 4 In return for my love, they are my adversaries;
but I am in prayer. 5 They have rewarded me evil for good,
and hatred for my love.
6 Set a wicked man over him.
Let an adversary stand at his right hand. 7 When he is judged, let him come forth guilty.
Let his prayer be turned into sin. 8 Let his days be few.
Let another take his office. 9 Let his children be fatherless,
and his wife a widow. 10 Let his children be wandering beggars.
Let them be sought from their ruins. 11 Let the creditor seize all that he has.
Let strangers plunder the fruit of his labor. 12 Let there be none to extend kindness to him,
neither let there be any to have pity on his fatherless children. 13 Let his posterity be cut off.
In the generation following let their name be blotted out. 14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by Yahweh.
Don’t let the sin of his mother be blotted out. 15 Let them be before Yahweh continually,
that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth; 16 because he didn’t remember to show kindness,
but persecuted the poor and needy man,
the broken in heart, to kill them. 17 Yes, he loved cursing, and it came to him.
He didn’t delight in blessing, and it was far from him. 18 He clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment.
It came into his inward parts like water,
like oil into his bones. 19 Let it be to him as the clothing with which he covers himself,
for the belt that is always around him. 20 This is the reward of my adversaries from Yahweh,
of those who speak evil against my soul.
21 But deal with me, Yahweh the Lord, for your name’s sake,
because your loving kindness is good, deliver me; 22 for I am poor and needy.
My heart is wounded within me. 23 I fade away like an evening shadow.
I am shaken off like a locust. 24 My knees are weak through fasting.
My body is thin and lacks fat. 25 I have also become a reproach to them.
When they see me, they shake their head. 26 Help me, Yahweh, my God.
Save me according to your loving kindness; 27 that they may know that this is your hand;
that you, Yahweh, have done it. 28 They may curse, but you bless.
When they arise, they will be shamed,
but your servant shall rejoice. 29 Let my adversaries be clothed with dishonor.
Let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe. 30 I will give great thanks to Yahweh with my mouth.
Yes, I will praise him among the multitude. 31 For he will stand at the right hand of the needy,
to save him from those who judge his soul.
41 So let a man think of us as Christ’s servants, and stewards of God’s mysteries. 2 Here, moreover, it is required of stewards, that they be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by man’s judgment. Yes, I don’t judge my own self. 4 For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God. 6 Now these things, brothers, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that in us you might learn not to think beyond the things which are written, that none of you be puffed up against one another.
7 For who makes you different? And what do you have that you didn’t receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? 8 You are already filled. You have already become rich. You have come to reign without us. Yes, and I wish that you did reign, that we also might reign with you. 9 For, I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last of all, like men sentenced to death. For we are made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and men. 10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we have dishonor. 11 Even to this present hour we hunger, thirst, are naked, are beaten, and have no certain dwelling place. 12 We toil, working with our own hands. When people curse us, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure. 13 Being defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, the dirt wiped off by all, even until now.
14 I don’t write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 For though you have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, I became your father through the Good News. 16 I beg you therefore, be imitators of me.
17 Because of this I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every assembly. 18 Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing. And I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. 20 For the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 21 What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?
