11 For the sake of your name,(A) Lord,
    forgive(B) my iniquity,(C) though it is great.

12 Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?(D)
    He will instruct them in the ways(E) they should choose.[a]
13 They will spend their days in prosperity,(F)
    and their descendants will inherit the land.(G)
14 The Lord confides(H) in those who fear him;
    he makes his covenant known(I) to them.
15 My eyes are ever on the Lord,(J)
    for only he will release my feet from the snare.(K)

16 Turn to me(L) and be gracious to me,(M)
    for I am lonely(N) and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles(O) of my heart
    and free me from my anguish.(P)
18 Look on my affliction(Q) and my distress(R)
    and take away all my sins.(S)
19 See how numerous are my enemies(T)
    and how fiercely they hate me!(U)

20 Guard my life(V) and rescue me;(W)
    do not let me be put to shame,(X)
    for I take refuge(Y) in you.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 25:12 Or ways he chooses

24 “Why does the Almighty not set times(A) for judgment?(B)
    Why must those who know him look in vain for such days?(C)
There are those who move boundary stones;(D)
    they pasture flocks they have stolen.(E)
They drive away the orphan’s donkey
    and take the widow’s ox in pledge.(F)
They thrust the needy(G) from the path
    and force all the poor(H) of the land into hiding.(I)
Like wild donkeys(J) in the desert,
    the poor go about their labor(K) of foraging food;
    the wasteland(L) provides food for their children.
They gather fodder(M) in the fields
    and glean in the vineyards(N) of the wicked.(O)
Lacking clothes, they spend the night naked;
    they have nothing to cover themselves in the cold.(P)
They are drenched(Q) by mountain rains
    and hug(R) the rocks for lack of shelter.(S)

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Favoritism Forbidden

My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious(A) Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.(B) Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges(C) with evil thoughts?

Listen, my dear brothers and sisters:(D) Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world(E) to be rich in faith(F) and to inherit the kingdom(G) he promised those who love him?(H) But you have dishonored the poor.(I) Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?(J) Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

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