Psalm 7

New International Version

Psalm 7^[a]

A shiggaion^[b]^(A) of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush, a Benjamite.

¹Lord my God, I take refuge^(B) in you;
save and deliver me^(C) from all who pursue me,^(D)
²or they will tear me apart like a lion^(E)
and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue^(F) me.

³Lord my God, if I have done this
    and there is guilt on my hands^(G)—
⁴if I have repaid my ally with evil
    or without cause^(H) have robbed my foe—
⁵then let my enemy pursue and overtake^(I) me;
    let him trample my life to the ground^(J)
    and make me sleep in the dust.^[c]^(K)

⁶Arise,^(L) Lord, in your anger;
    rise up against the rage of my enemies.^(M)
    Awake,^(N) my God; decree justice.
⁷Let the assembled peoples gather around you,
    while you sit enthroned over them on high.^(O)
⁸    Let the Lord judge^(P) the peoples.
Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness,^(Q)
    according to my integrity,^(R) O Most High.^(S)
⁹Bring to an end the violence of the wicked
    and make the righteous secure—^(T)
you, the righteous God^(U)
    who probes minds and hearts.^(V)

¹⁰My shield^[d]^(W) is God Most High,
    who saves the upright in heart.^(X)
¹¹God is a righteous judge,^(Y)
    a God who displays his wrath^(Z) every day.
¹²If he does not relent,^(AA)
    he^[e] will sharpen his sword;^(AB)
    he will bend and string his bow.^(AC)
¹³He has prepared his deadly weapons;
    he makes ready his flaming arrows.^(AD)

¹⁴Whoever is pregnant with evil
    conceives trouble and gives birth^(AE) to disillusionment.
¹⁵Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out
    falls into the pit^(AF) they have made.^(AG)
¹⁶The trouble they cause recoils on them;
    their violence comes down on their own heads.

¹⁷I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness;^(AH)
I will sing the praises^(AI) of the name of the Lord Most High.^(AJ)

Footnotes

Psalm 7:1 In Hebrew texts 7:1-17 is numbered 7:2-18.
Psalm 7:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 7:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
Psalm 7:10 Or sovereign
Psalm 7:12 Or If anyone does not repent, / God

Amos 3:9-4:5

New International Version

⁹Proclaim to the fortresses of Ashdod^(A)
    and to the fortresses of Egypt:
“Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria;^(B)
    see the great unrest within her
    and the oppression among her people.”

¹⁰“They do not know how to do right,^(C)” declares the Lord,
“who store up in their fortresses^(D)
what they have plundered^(E) and looted.”

¹¹Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“An enemy will overrun your land,
pull down your strongholds
and plunder your fortresses.^(F)”

¹²This is what the Lord says:

“As a shepherd rescues from the lion’s^(G) mouth
    only two leg bones or a piece of an ear,
so will the Israelites living in Samaria be rescued,
    with only the head of a bed
    and a piece of fabric^[a] from a couch.^[b]^(H)”

¹³“Hear this and testify^(I) against the descendants of Jacob,” declares the Lord, the Lord God Almighty.

¹⁴“On the day I punish^(J) Israel for her sins,
    I will destroy the altars of Bethel;^(K)
the horns^(L) of the altar will be cut off
    and fall to the ground.
¹⁵I will tear down the winter house^(M)
    along with the summer house;^(N)
the houses adorned with ivory^(O) will be destroyed
    and the mansions^(P) will be demolished,^(Q)”
declares the Lord.^(R)

Israel Has Not Returned to God

4 Hear this word, you cows of Bashan^(S) on Mount Samaria,^(T)
    you women who oppress the poor^(U) and crush the needy^(V)
    and say to your husbands,^(W) “Bring us some drinks!^(X)”
²The Sovereign Lord has sworn by his holiness:
    “The time^(Y) will surely come
when you will be taken away^(Z) with hooks,^(AA)
    the last of you with fishhooks.^[c]
³You will each go straight out
    through breaches in the wall,^(AB)
    and you will be cast out toward Harmon,^[d]”
declares the Lord.
⁴“Go to Bethel^(AC) and sin;
    go to Gilgal^(AD) and sin yet more.
Bring your sacrifices every morning,^(AE)
    your tithes^(AF) every three years.^[e]^(AG)
⁵Burn leavened bread^(AH) as a thank offering
    and brag about your freewill offerings^(AI)—
boast about them, you Israelites,
    for this is what you love to do,”
declares the Sovereign Lord.

Footnotes

Amos 3:12 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
Amos 3:12 Or Israelites be rescued, / those who sit in Samaria / on the edge of their beds / and in Damascus on their couches.
Amos 4:2 Or away in baskets, / the last of you in fish baskets
Amos 4:3 Masoretic Text; with a different word division of the Hebrew (see Septuagint) out, you mountain of oppression
Amos 4:4 Or days

James 2:1-7

New International Version

Favoritism Forbidden

2 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious^(A) Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.^(B) ²Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. ³If 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,” ⁴have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges^(C) with evil thoughts?

⁵Listen, 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) ⁶But 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) ⁷Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?