Psalm 27

Of David.

Abram and Lot Separate

13 So Abram went up from Egypt^(A) to the Negev,^(B) with his wife and everything he had, and Lot^(C) went with him. ² Abram had become very wealthy^(D) in livestock^(E) and in silver and gold.

³ From the Negev^(F) he went from place to place until he came to Bethel,^(G) to the place between Bethel and Ai^(H) where his tent had been earlier ⁴ and where he had first built an altar.^(I) There Abram called on the name of the Lord.^(J)

⁵ Now Lot,^(K) who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. ⁶ But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together.^{(L) 7} And quarreling^(M) arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites^(N) and Perizzites^(O) were also living in the land^(P) at that time.

¹⁴ The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west.^{(A) 15} All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring^[a] forever.^{(B) 16} I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.^{(C) 17} Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land,^(D) for I am giving it to you.”^(E)

¹⁸ So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre^(F) at Hebron,^(G) where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord.^(H)

² Watch out for those dogs,^(A) those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. ³ For it is we who are the circumcision,^(B) we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus,^(C) and who put no confidence in the flesh— ⁴ though I myself have reasons for such confidence.^(D)

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: ⁵ circumcised^(E) on the eighth day, of the people of Israel,^(F) of the tribe of Benjamin,^(G) a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee;^{(H) 6} as for zeal,^(I) persecuting the church;^(J) as for righteousness based on the law,^(K) faultless.

⁷ But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss^(L) for the sake of Christ. ⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing^(M) Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ^{(N) 9} and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,^(O) but that which is through faith in^[a] Christ—the righteousness^(P) that comes from God on the basis of faith.^{(Q) 10} I want to know^(R) Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings,^(S) becoming like him in his death,^{(T) 11} and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection^(U) from the dead.

¹² Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal,^(V) but I press on to take hold^(W) of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.^(X)