Psalm 134

A song of ascents.

Praise the Lord, all you servants(A) of the Lord
    who minister(B) by night(C) in the house of the Lord.
Lift up your hands(D) in the sanctuary(E)
    and praise the Lord.(F)

May the Lord bless you from Zion,(G)
    he who is the Maker of heaven(H) and earth.

134 Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord.

Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord.

The Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.

Hannah Dedicates Samuel

21 When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual(A) sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow,(B) 22 Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present(C) him before the Lord, and he will live there always.”[a]

23 “Do what seems best to you,” her husband Elkanah told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make good(D) his[b] word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned(E) him.

24 After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull,[c](F) an ephah[d] of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 25 When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. 27 I prayed(G) for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 28 So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life(H) he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

Hannah’s Prayer

Then Hannah prayed and said:(I)

“My heart rejoices(J) in the Lord;
    in the Lord my horn[e](K) is lifted high.
My mouth boasts(L) over my enemies,(M)
    for I delight in your deliverance.

“There is no one holy(N) like(O) the Lord;
    there is no one besides you;
    there is no Rock(P) like our God.

“Do not keep talking so proudly
    or let your mouth speak such arrogance,(Q)
for the Lord is a God who knows,(R)
    and by him deeds(S) are weighed.(T)

“The bows of the warriors are broken,(U)
    but those who stumbled are armed with strength.(V)
Those who were full hire themselves out for food,
    but those who were hungry(W) are hungry no more.
She who was barren(X) has borne seven children,
    but she who has had many sons pines away.

“The Lord brings death and makes alive;(Y)
    he brings down to the grave and raises up.(Z)
The Lord sends poverty and wealth;(AA)
    he humbles and he exalts.(AB)
He raises(AC) the poor(AD) from the dust(AE)
    and lifts the needy(AF) from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
    and has them inherit a throne of honor.(AG)

“For the foundations(AH) of the earth are the Lord’s;
    on them he has set the world.
He will guard the feet(AI) of his faithful servants,(AJ)
    but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.(AK)

“It is not by strength(AL) that one prevails;
10     those who oppose the Lord will be broken.(AM)
The Most High will thunder(AN) from heaven;
    the Lord will judge(AO) the ends of the earth.

“He will give strength(AP) to his king
    and exalt the horn(AQ) of his anointed.”

11 Then Elkanah went home to Ramah,(AR) but the boy ministered(AS) before the Lord under Eli the priest.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 1:22 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls always. I have dedicated him as a Nazirite—all the days of his life.”
  2. 1 Samuel 1:23 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint and Syriac your
  3. 1 Samuel 1:24 Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint and Syriac; Masoretic Text with three bulls
  4. 1 Samuel 1:24 That is, probably about 36 pounds or about 16 kilograms
  5. 1 Samuel 2:1 Horn here symbolizes strength; also in verse 10.

21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the Lord the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.

22 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord, and there abide for ever.

23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the Lord establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.

24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the Lord in Shiloh: and the child was young.

25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.

26 And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord.

27 For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him:

28 Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there.

And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.

There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.

Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.

The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.

They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.

The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and he hath set the world upon them.

He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the Lord before Eli the priest.

15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16 and said, “Brothers and sisters,[a](A) the Scripture had to be fulfilled(B) in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas,(C) who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was one of our number(D) and shared in our ministry.”(E)

18 (With the payment(F) he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field;(G) there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language(H) Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

20 “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms:

“‘May his place be deserted;
    let there be no one to dwell in it,’[b](I)

and,

“‘May another take his place of leadership.’[c](J)

21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism(K) to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness(L) with us of his resurrection.”

23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed,(M) “Lord, you know everyone’s heart.(N) Show us(O) which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.(P)

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 1:16 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 6:3; 11:29; 12:17; 16:40; 18:18, 27; 21:7, 17; 28:14, 15.
  2. Acts 1:20 Psalm 69:25
  3. Acts 1:20 Psalm 109:8

15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)

16 Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.

17 For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.

18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.

19 And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.

20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.

21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,

25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.

26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

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19 The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him(A) immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.(B)

Paying Taxes to Caesar(C)

20 Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said,(D) so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor.(E) 21 So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.(F) 22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

23 He saw through their duplicity and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

25 He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s,(G) and to God what is God’s.”

26 They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.

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19 And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.

20 And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.

21 And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly:

22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?

23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?

24 Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar's.

25 And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's.

26 And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.

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