Psalm 138:1-5

New International Version

Psalm 138

Of David.

¹I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
    before the “gods”^(A) I will sing^(B) your praise.
²I will bow down toward your holy temple^(C)
    and will praise your name^(D)
    for your unfailing love and your faithfulness,^(E)
for you have so exalted your solemn decree
    that it surpasses your fame.^(F)
³When I called,^(G) you answered me;^(H)
    you greatly emboldened^(I) me.

⁴May all the kings of the earth^(J) praise you, Lord,
when they hear what you have decreed.
⁵May they sing^(K) of the ways of the Lord,
for the glory of the Lord^(L) is great.

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Zechariah 9

New International Version

Judgment on Israel’s Enemies

9 A prophecy:^(A)

The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrak
    and will come to rest on Damascus^(B)—
for the eyes of all people and all the tribes of Israel
    are on the Lord—^[a]
²and on Hamath^(C) too, which borders on it,
    and on Tyre^(D) and Sidon,^(E) though they are very skillful.
³Tyre has built herself a stronghold;
    she has heaped up silver like dust,
    and gold like the dirt of the streets.^(F)
⁴But the Lord will take away her possessions
    and destroy^(G) her power on the sea,
    and she will be consumed by fire.^(H)
⁵Ashkelon^(I) will see it and fear;
    Gaza will writhe in agony,
    and Ekron too, for her hope will wither.
Gaza will lose her king
    and Ashkelon will be deserted.
⁶A mongrel people will occupy Ashdod,
    and I will put an end^(J) to the pride of the Philistines.
⁷I will take the blood from their mouths,
    the forbidden food from between their teeth.
Those who are left will belong to our God^(K)
    and become a clan in Judah,
    and Ekron will be like the Jebusites.^(L)
⁸But I will encamp^(M) at my temple
    to guard it against marauding forces.^(N)
Never again will an oppressor overrun my people,
    for now I am keeping watch.^(O)

The Coming of Zion’s King

⁹Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!^(P)
    Shout,^(Q) Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,^(R)
    righteous and victorious,^(S)
lowly and riding on a donkey,^(T)
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.^(U)
¹⁰I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
    and the warhorses from Jerusalem,
    and the battle bow will be broken.^(V)
He will proclaim peace^(W) to the nations.
    His rule will extend from sea to sea
    and from the River^[b] to the ends of the earth.^(X)
¹¹As for you, because of the blood of my covenant^(Y) with you,
    I will free your prisoners^(Z) from the waterless pit.^(AA)
¹²Return to your fortress,^(AB) you prisoners of hope;
    even now I announce that I will restore twice^(AC) as much to you.
¹³I will bend Judah as I bend my bow^(AD)
    and fill it with Ephraim.^(AE)
I will rouse your sons, Zion,
    against your sons, Greece,^(AF)
    and make you like a warrior’s sword.^(AG)

The Lord Will Appear

¹⁴Then the Lord will appear over them;^(AH)
    his arrow will flash like lightning.^(AI)
The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet;^(AJ)
    he will march in the storms^(AK) of the south,
¹⁵    and the Lord Almighty will shield^(AL) them.
They will destroy
    and overcome with slingstones.^(AM)
They will drink and roar as with wine;^(AN)
    they will be full like a bowl^(AO)
    used for sprinkling^[c] the corners^(AP) of the altar.
¹⁶The Lord their God will save his people on that day^(AQ)
    as a shepherd saves his flock.
They will sparkle in his land
    like jewels in a crown.^(AR)
¹⁷How attractive and beautiful they will be!
    Grain will make the young men thrive,
    and new wine the young women.

Footnotes

Zechariah 9:1 Or Damascus. / For the eye of the Lord is on all people, / as well as on the tribes of Israel,
Zechariah 9:10 That is, the Euphrates
Zechariah 9:15 Or bowl, / like

Ephesians 5:1-14

New International Version

5 ¹Follow God’s example,^(A) therefore, as dearly loved children^(B) ²and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us^(C) and gave himself up for us^(D) as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.^(E)

³But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality,^(F) or of any kind of impurity, or of greed,^(G) because these are improper for God’s holy people. ⁴Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk^(H) or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.^(I) ⁵For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater^(J)—has any inheritance^(K) in the kingdom of Christ and of God.^[a]^(L) ⁶Let no one deceive you^(M) with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath^(N) comes on those who are disobedient.^(O) ⁷Therefore do not be partners with them.

⁸For you were once^(P) darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light^(Q) ⁹(for the fruit^(R) of the light consists in all goodness,^(S) righteousness and truth) ¹⁰and find out what pleases the Lord.^(T) ¹¹Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,^(U) but rather expose them. ¹²It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. ¹³But everything exposed by the light^(V) becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. ¹⁴This is why it is said: