Psalm 19

New International Version

Psalm 19^[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹The heavens^(A) declare^(B) the glory of God;^(C)
    the skies^(D) proclaim the work of his hands.^(E)
²Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.^(F)
³They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
⁴Yet their voice^[b] goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.^(G)
In the heavens God has pitched a tent^(H) for the sun.^(I)
⁵    It is like a bridegroom^(J) coming out of his chamber,^(K)
    like a champion^(L) rejoicing to run his course.
⁶It rises at one end of the heavens^(M)
    and makes its circuit to the other;^(N)
    nothing is deprived of its warmth.

⁷The law of the Lord^(O) is perfect,^(P)
    refreshing the soul.^(Q)
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,^(R)
    making wise the simple.^(S)
⁸The precepts of the Lord are right,^(T)
    giving joy^(U) to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
    giving light to the eyes.^(V)
⁹The fear of the Lord^(W) is pure,
    enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
    and all of them are righteous.^(X)

¹⁰They are more precious than gold,^(Y)
    than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,^(Z)
    than honey from the honeycomb.^(AA)
¹¹By them your servant is warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.
¹²But who can discern their own errors?
    Forgive my hidden faults.^(AB)
¹³Keep your servant also from willful sins;^(AC)
    may they not rule over me.^(AD)
Then I will be blameless,^(AE)
    innocent of great transgression.

¹⁴May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing^(AF) in your sight,
Lord, my Rock^(AG) and my Redeemer.^(AH)

Footnotes

Psalm 19:1 In Hebrew texts 19:1-14 is numbered 19:2-15.
Psalm 19:4 Septuagint, Jerome and Syriac; Hebrew measuring line

1 Peter 2:4-12

New International Version

The Living Stone and a Chosen People

⁴As you come to him, the living Stone^(A)—rejected by humans but chosen by God^(B) and precious to him— ⁵you also, like living stones, are being built^(C) into a spiritual house^[a]^(D) to be a holy priesthood,^(E) offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.^(F) ⁶For in Scripture it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,^(G)
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.”^[b]^(H)

⁷Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,^(I)

“The stone the builders rejected^(J)
has become the cornerstone,”^[c]^(K)

⁸and,

“A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.”^[d]^(L)

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.^(M)

⁹But you are a chosen people,^(N) a royal priesthood,^(O) a holy nation,^(P) God’s special possession,^(Q) that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.^(R) ¹⁰Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God;^(S) once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society

¹¹Dear friends,^(T) I urge you, as foreigners and exiles,^(U) to abstain from sinful desires,^(V) which wage war against your soul.^(W) ¹²Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds^(X) and glorify God^(Y) on the day he visits us.