Psalm 71:1-6

New International Version

Psalm 71^(A)

¹In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;^(B)
    let me never be put to shame.^(C)
²In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
    turn your ear^(D) to me and save me.
³Be my rock of refuge,
    to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
    for you are my rock and my fortress.^(E)
⁴Deliver^(F) me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,^(G)
    from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.^(H)

⁵For you have been my hope,^(I) Sovereign Lord,
    my confidence^(J) since my youth.
⁶From birth^(K) I have relied on you;
    you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.^(L)
    I will ever praise^(M) you.

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Jeremiah 6:1-19

New International Version

Jerusalem Under Siege

6 “Flee for safety, people of Benjamin!
    Flee from Jerusalem!
Sound the trumpet^(A) in Tekoa!^(B)
    Raise the signal over Beth Hakkerem!^(C)
For disaster looms out of the north,^(D)
    even terrible destruction.
²I will destroy Daughter Zion,^(E)
    so beautiful and delicate.^(F)
³Shepherds^(G) with their flocks will come against her;
    they will pitch their tents around^(H) her,
    each tending his own portion.”

⁴“Prepare for battle against her!
    Arise, let us attack at noon!^(I)
But, alas, the daylight is fading,
    and the shadows of evening grow long.
⁵So arise, let us attack at night
    and destroy her fortresses!”

⁶This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Cut down the trees^(J)
    and build siege ramps^(K) against Jerusalem.
This city must be punished;
    it is filled with oppression.^(L)
⁷As a well pours out its water,
    so she pours out her wickedness.
Violence^(M) and destruction^(N) resound in her;
    her sickness and wounds are ever before me.
⁸Take warning, Jerusalem,
    or I will turn away^(O) from you
and make your land desolate
    so no one can live in it.”

⁹This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Let them glean the remnant^(P) of Israel
as thoroughly as a vine;
pass your hand over the branches again,
like one gathering grapes.”

¹⁰To whom can I speak and give warning?
    Who will listen^(Q) to me?
Their ears are closed^[a]^(R)
    so they cannot hear.^(S)
The word^(T) of the Lord is offensive to them;
    they find no pleasure in it.
¹¹But I am full of the wrath^(U) of the Lord,
    and I cannot hold it in.^(V)

“Pour it out on the children in the street
    and on the young men^(W) gathered together;
both husband and wife will be caught in it,
    and the old, those weighed down with years.^(X)
¹²Their houses will be turned over to others,^(Y)
    together with their fields and their wives,^(Z)
when I stretch out my hand^(AA)
    against those who live in the land,”
declares the Lord.
¹³“From the least to the greatest,
    all^(AB) are greedy for gain;^(AC)
prophets and priests alike,
    all practice deceit.^(AD)
¹⁴They dress the wound of my people
    as though it were not serious.
‘Peace, peace,’ they say,
    when there is no peace.^(AE)
¹⁵Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct?
    No, they have no shame at all;
    they do not even know how to blush.^(AF)
So they will fall among the fallen;
    they will be brought down when I punish^(AG) them,”
says the Lord.

¹⁶This is what the Lord says:

“Stand at the crossroads and look;
    ask for the ancient paths,^(AH)
ask where the good way^(AI) is, and walk in it,
    and you will find rest^(AJ) for your souls.
    But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
¹⁷I appointed watchmen^(AK) over you and said,
    ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’^(AL)
    But you said, ‘We will not listen.’^(AM)
¹⁸Therefore hear, you nations;
    you who are witnesses,
    observe what will happen to them.
¹⁹Hear, you earth:^(AN)
    I am bringing disaster^(AO) on this people,
    the fruit of their schemes,^(AP)
because they have not listened to my words^(AQ)
    and have rejected my law.^(AR)

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Footnotes

Jeremiah 6:10 Hebrew uncircumcised

Hebrews 12:3-17

New International Version

³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary^(A) and lose heart.

God Disciplines His Children

⁴In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.^(B) ⁵And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart^(C) when he rebukes you,
⁶because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,^(D)
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”^[a]^(E)

⁷Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children.^(F) For what children are not disciplined by their father? ⁸If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline^(G)—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. ⁹Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits^(H) and live!^(I) ¹⁰They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.^(J) ¹¹No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace^(K) for those who have been trained by it.

¹²Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.^(L) ¹³“Make level paths for your feet,”^[b]^(M) so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.^(N)

Warning and Encouragement

¹⁴Make every effort to live in peace with everyone^(O) and to be holy;^(P) without holiness no one will see the Lord.^(Q) ¹⁵See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God^(R) and that no bitter root^(S) grows up to cause trouble and defile many. ¹⁶See that no one is sexually immoral,^(T) or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.^(U) ¹⁷Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears,^(V) he could not change what he had done.