Psalm 1
New American Standard Bible
BOOK 1
The Righteous and the Wicked Contrasted.
1 Blessed is the person who (A)does not walk in the (B)counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the [a](C)path of sinners,
Nor (D)sit in the seat of scoffers!
2 But his (E)delight is (F)in the Law of the Lord,
And on His Law he meditates (G)day and (H)night.
3 He will be like (I)a tree planted by [b]streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season,
And its [c]leaf does not wither;
And [d]in whatever he does, (J)he prospers.
Psalm 2
New American Standard Bible
The Reign of the Lord’s Anointed.
2 Why are (A)the [a]nations restless
And the peoples (B)plotting in vain?
2 The (C)kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers conspire together
(D)Against the Lord and against His [b](E)Anointed, saying,
3 “Let’s (F)tear their shackles apart
And throw their ropes away from us!”
4 He who [c]sits in the heavens (G)laughs,
The Lord (H)scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His (I)anger
And (J)terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 “But as for Me, I have installed (K)My King
Upon Zion, (L)My holy mountain.”
7 “I will announce the [d]decree of the Lord:
He said to Me, ‘You are (M)My Son,
Today I have fathered You.
8 Ask it of Me, and (N)I will certainly give (O)the [e]nations as Your inheritance,
And the (P)ends of the earth as Your possession.
9 You shall [f](Q)break them with a [g]rod of iron,
You shall (R)shatter them like [h]earthenware.’”
10 Now then, you kings, (S)use insight;
Let yourselves be instructed, you [i]judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with [j](T)reverence
And rejoice with (U)trembling.
12 [k]Kiss (V)the Son, that He not be angry and you perish on the way,
For (W)His wrath may be kindled quickly.
How blessed are all who (X)take refuge in Him!
Footnotes
- Psalm 2:1 Or Gentiles
- Psalm 2:2 Or Messiah
- Psalm 2:4 Or is enthroned
- Psalm 2:7 Or decree: The Lord said to Me
- Psalm 2:8 Or Gentiles
- Psalm 2:9 Another reading is rule
- Psalm 2:9 Or scepter; or staff
- Psalm 2:9 Lit potter’s ware
- Psalm 2:10 Or leaders
- Psalm 2:11 Or fear
- Psalm 2:12 I.e., probably kiss the feet of the Son
Psalm 3
New American Standard Bible
Morning Prayer of Trust in God.
A Psalm of David, when [a]he fled from his son Absalom.
3 Lord, how (A)my enemies have increased!
Many are rising up against me.
2 Many are saying of my soul,
“There is no (B)salvation for him in God.” Selah
3 But You, Lord, are (C)a shield around me,
My (D)glory, and the One who (E)lifts my head.
4 I was crying out to the Lord with my voice,
And He (F)answered me from (G)His holy [b]mountain. Selah
5 [c]I (H)lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the Lord sustains me.
6 I will (I)not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have (J)set themselves against me all around.
Psalm 4
New American Standard Bible
Evening Prayer of Trust in God.
[a]For the music director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.
4 (A)Answer me when (B)I call, God [b]of my righteousness!
You have [c](C)relieved me in my distress;
Be (D)gracious to me and (E)hear my prayer.
2 You sons of man, how long will (F)my [d]honor be treated as (G)an insult?
How long will you love (H)what is worthless and strive for a (I)lie? Selah
3 But know that the Lord has [e](J)set apart the (K)godly person for Himself;
The Lord (L)hears when I call to Him.
4 [f](M)Tremble, [g](N)and do not sin;
[h](O)Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah
5 Offer [i]the (P)sacrifices of righteousness,
And (Q)trust in the Lord.
6 Many are saying, “(R)Who will show us anything good?”
(S)Lift up the light of Your face upon us, Lord!
7 You have put (T)joy in my heart,
More than when their grain and new wine are abundant.
8 In peace I will [j]both (U)lie down and sleep,
For You alone, Lord, have me (V)dwell in safety.
Footnotes
- Psalm 4 Title I.e., Belonging to the choir director’s anthology
- Psalm 4:1 I.e., who maintains my right
- Psalm 4:1 Lit made room for
- Psalm 4:2 Or glory
- Psalm 4:3 Another reading is dealt wonderfully with
- Psalm 4:4 I.e., with anger or fear
- Psalm 4:4 Or but
- Psalm 4:4 Lit Speak
- Psalm 4:5 Or righteous sacrifices
- Psalm 4:8 Or at the same time
Psalm 7
New American Standard Bible
The Lord Implored to Defend the Psalmist against the Wicked.
A [a]Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord [b]concerning Cush, a Benjaminite.
7 O Lord my God, (A)in You I have taken refuge;
Save me from all those who pursue me, and (B)rescue me,
2 Or he will tear [c]my soul (C)like a lion,
Dragging me away, while there is no one to rescue me.
3 O Lord my God, if I have done this,
If there is (D)injustice in my hands,
4 If I have (E)done evil to [d]my friend,
Or have (F)plundered [e]my enemy for no reason,
5 Let the enemy pursue [f]my soul and overtake [g]it;
And let him trample my life to the ground
And lay my glory in the dust. Selah
6 (G)Arise, Lord, in Your anger;
(H)Raise Yourself against (I)the rage of my enemies,
And (J)stir Yourself [h]for me; You have ordered judgment.
7 Let the assembly of the (K)peoples encompass You,
And return on high over it.
8 The Lord (L)judges the peoples;
[i](M)Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me.
9 Please let (N)the evil of the wicked come to an end, but (O)establish the righteous;
For the righteous God (P)puts hearts and [j]minds to the test.
10 My (Q)shield is [k]with God,
Who (R)saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a (S)righteous judge,
And a God who (T)shows indignation every day.
12 If one (U)does not repent, He will (V)sharpen His sword;
He has (W)bent His bow and taken aim.
13 He has also prepared deadly weapons for Himself;
He makes His (X)arrows fiery shafts.
14 Behold, an evil person is pregnant with injustice,
And he (Y)conceives harm and gives birth to lies.
15 He has dug a pit and hollowed it out,
And has (Z)fallen into the hole which he made.
16 His (AA)harm will return on his own head,
And his (AB)violence will descend on the top of his own head.
17 I will give thanks to the Lord (AC)according to His righteousness
And will (AD)sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.
Footnotes
- Psalm 7 Title I.e., Dithyrambic rhythm; or wild, passionate song
- Psalm 7 Title Or concerning the words of
- Psalm 7:2 Or me
- Psalm 7:4 Lit him who was at peace with me
- Psalm 7:4 Or him who for no reason was my enemy,
- Psalm 7:5 Or me
- Psalm 7:5 Or me
- Psalm 7:6 One ancient version reads O my God
- Psalm 7:8 Lit Judge
- Psalm 7:9 Lit kidneys, figurative for inner man
- Psalm 7:10 Lit upon
Isaiah 1:10-20
New American Standard Bible
God Has Had Enough
10 Hear (A)the word of the Lord,
You rulers of (B)Sodom;
Listen to the instruction of our God,
You people of Gomorrah!
11 “(C)What are your many sacrifices to Me?”
Says the Lord.
“I [a]have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
And the fat of fattened cattle;
And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats.
12 When you come (D)to appear before Me,
Who requires [b]of you this trampling of My courtyards?
13 Do not go on bringing your worthless offerings,
(E)Incense is an abomination to Me.
(F)New moon and Sabbath, the (G)proclamation of an assembly—
I cannot (H)endure wrongdoing and the festive assembly.
14 [c]I hate your new moon festivals and your (I)appointed feasts,
They have become a burden to Me;
I am (J)tired of bearing them.
15 So when you (K)spread out your hands in prayer,
(L)I will hide My eyes from you;
Yes, even though you (M)offer many prayers,
I will not be listening.
(N)Your hands are [d]covered with blood.
16 “(O)Wash yourselves, (P)make yourselves clean;
(Q)Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight.
(R)Stop doing evil,
17 Learn to do good;
(S)Seek justice,
Rebuke the oppressor,
(T)Obtain justice for the orphan,
Plead for the widow’s case.
Invitation to Debate
18 “Come now, and (U)let us [e]debate your case,”
Says the Lord,
“(V)Though your sins are as scarlet,
They shall become as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be like wool.
19 (W)If you are willing and obedient,
You will (X)eat the best of the land;
20 But if you refuse and rebel,
You will be (Y)devoured by the sword.”
For (Z)the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 1:11 Or am sated with
- Isaiah 1:12 Lit of your hand
- Isaiah 1:14 Lit My soul hates
- Isaiah 1:15 Lit full of
- Isaiah 1:18 Or argue
1 Thessalonians 1
New American Standard Bible
Giving Thanks for These Believers
1 (A)Paul, (B)Silvanus, and (C)Timothy,
To the (D)church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: (E)Grace to you and peace.
2 (F)We always give thanks to God for all of you, (G)making mention of you in our prayers; 3 constantly keeping in mind your (H)work of faith and labor of (I)love and [a](J)perseverance of hope [b]in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of (K)our God and Father, 4 knowing, (L)brothers and sisters, beloved by God, (M)His choice of you; 5 for our (N)gospel did not come to you in word only, but also (O)in power and in the Holy Spirit and with (P)full conviction; just as you know (Q)what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sakes. 6 You also became (R)imitators of us and of the Lord, (S)having received (T)the word during great affliction with the (U)joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in (V)Macedonia and (W)Achaia. 8 For (X)the word of the Lord has (Y)sounded forth from you, not only in (Z)Macedonia and (AA)Achaia, but (AB)in every place the news of your faith toward God has gone out, so that we have no need to say anything. 9 For they themselves report about us [c]as to the kind of (AC)reception we had with you, and how you (AD)turned to God (AE)from [d]idols to serve [e](AF)a living and true God, 10 and to (AG)wait for His Son from [f]heaven, whom He (AH)raised from the dead, that is, Jesus who (AI)rescues us from (AJ)the wrath to come.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Thessalonians 1:3 Or steadfastness
- 1 Thessalonians 1:3 Lit of
- 1 Thessalonians 1:9 Lit what kind of
- 1 Thessalonians 1:9 Or the idols
- 1 Thessalonians 1:9 Or the
- 1 Thessalonians 1:10 Lit the heavens
Luke 20:1-8
New American Standard Bible
Jesus’ Authority Questioned
20 (A)On one of the days while (B)He was teaching the people in the temple and (C)preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders (D)confronted Him, 2 and they declared, saying to Him, “Tell us by what authority You are doing these things, or who is the one who gave You this authority?” 3 But He replied to them, “I will also ask you a [a]question, and you tell Me: 4 Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?” 5 They discussed among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us to death, since they are convinced that John was a (E)prophet.” 7 And so they answered that they did not know where it came from. 8 And Jesus said to them, “Neither am I telling you by what authority I do these things.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Luke 20:3 Lit word
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