Psalm 20^[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Offerings for the Tabernacle^(A)

25 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts^(B) them to give. ³ These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze; ⁴ blue, purple and scarlet yarn^(C) and fine linen; goat hair; ⁵ ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather^[a];^(D) acacia wood;^{(E) 6} olive oil^(F) for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense;^{(G) 7} and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod^(H) and breastpiece.^(I)

⁸ “Then have them make a sanctuary^(J) for me, and I will dwell^(K) among them. ⁹ Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern^(L) I will show you.

The Ark^(M)

¹⁰ “Have them make an ark^[b](N) of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.^{[c] 11} Overlay^(O) it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it. ¹² Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, with two rings^(P) on one side and two rings on the other. ¹³ Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.^{(Q) 14} Insert the poles^(R) into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it. ¹⁵ The poles are to remain in the rings of this ark; they are not to be removed.^{(S) 16} Then put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law,^(T) which I will give you.

¹⁷ “Make an atonement cover^(U) of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. ¹⁸ And make two cherubim^(V) out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. ¹⁹ Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. ²⁰ The cherubim^(W) are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing^(X) the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. ²¹ Place the cover on top of the ark^(Y) and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law^(Z) that I will give you. ²² There, above the cover between the two cherubim^(AA) that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet^(AB) with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.^(AC)

2 And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom^(A) as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.^{[a] 2} For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.^{(B) 3} I came to you^(C) in weakness^(D) with great fear and trembling.^{(E) 4} My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words,^(F) but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,^{(G) 5} so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.^(H)

God’s Wisdom Revealed by the Spirit

⁶ We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature,^(I) but not the wisdom of this age^(J) or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.^{(K) 7} No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery^(L) that has been hidden^(M) and that God destined for our glory before time began. ⁸ None of the rulers of this age^(N) understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.^{(O) 9} However, as it is written:

¹⁰ these are the things God has revealed^(Q) to us by his Spirit.^(R)

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.