Psalm 147-148

New International Version

Psalm 147

¹Praise the Lord.^[a]

How good it is to sing praises to our God,
how pleasant^(A) and fitting to praise him!^(B)

²The Lord builds up Jerusalem;^(C)
    he gathers the exiles^(D) of Israel.
³He heals the brokenhearted^(E)
    and binds up their wounds.^(F)
⁴He determines the number of the stars^(G)
    and calls them each by name.
⁵Great is our Lord^(H) and mighty in power;^(I)
    his understanding has no limit.^(J)
⁶The Lord sustains the humble^(K)
    but casts the wicked^(L) to the ground.

⁷Sing to the Lord^(M) with grateful praise;^(N)
make music^(O) to our God on the harp.^(P)

⁸He covers the sky with clouds;^(Q)
    he supplies the earth with rain^(R)
    and makes grass grow^(S) on the hills.
⁹He provides food^(T) for the cattle
    and for the young ravens^(U) when they call.

¹⁰His pleasure is not in the strength^(V) of the horse,^(W)
nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;
¹¹the Lord delights^(X) in those who fear him,^(Y)
who put their hope^(Z) in his unfailing love.^(AA)

¹²Extol the Lord, Jerusalem;^(AB)
praise your God, Zion.

¹³He strengthens the bars of your gates^(AC)
and blesses your people^(AD) within you.
¹⁴He grants peace^(AE) to your borders
and satisfies you^(AF) with the finest of wheat.^(AG)

¹⁵He sends his command^(AH) to the earth;
    his word runs^(AI) swiftly.
¹⁶He spreads the snow^(AJ) like wool
    and scatters the frost^(AK) like ashes.
¹⁷He hurls down his hail^(AL) like pebbles.
    Who can withstand his icy blast?
¹⁸He sends his word^(AM) and melts them;
    he stirs up his breezes,^(AN) and the waters flow.

¹⁹He has revealed his word^(AO) to Jacob,^(AP)
his laws and decrees^(AQ) to Israel.
²⁰He has done this for no other nation;^(AR)
they do not know^(AS) his laws.^[b]

Praise the Lord.^(AT)

Psalm 148

¹Praise the Lord.^[c]^(AU)

Praise the Lord from the heavens;^(AV)
    praise him in the heights above.
²Praise him, all his angels;^(AW)
    praise him, all his heavenly hosts.^(AX)
³Praise him, sun^(AY) and moon;
    praise him, all you shining stars.
⁴Praise him, you highest heavens^(AZ)
    and you waters above the skies.^(BA)

⁵Let them praise the name^(BB) of the Lord,
for at his command^(BC) they were created,
⁶and he established them for ever and ever—
he issued a decree^(BD) that will never pass away.

⁷Praise the Lord^(BE) from the earth,
    you great sea creatures^(BF) and all ocean depths,^(BG)
⁸lightning and hail,^(BH) snow and clouds,
    stormy winds that do his bidding,^(BI)
⁹you mountains and all hills,^(BJ)
    fruit trees and all cedars,
¹⁰wild animals^(BK) and all cattle,
    small creatures and flying birds,
¹¹kings^(BL) of the earth and all nations,
    you princes and all rulers on earth,
¹²young men and women,
    old men and children.

¹³Let them praise the name of the Lord,^(BM)
    for his name alone is exalted;
    his splendor^(BN) is above the earth and the heavens.^(BO)
¹⁴And he has raised up for his people a horn,^[d]^(BP)
    the praise^(BQ) of all his faithful servants,^(BR)
    of Israel, the people close to his heart.^(BS)

Praise the Lord.

Footnotes

Psalm 147:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 20
Psalm 147:20 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint nation; / he has not made his laws known to them
Psalm 148:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 14
Psalm 148:14 Horn here symbolizes strength.

1 Corinthians 4

New International Version

The Nature of True Apostleship

4 This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants^(A) of Christ and as those entrusted^(B) with the mysteries^(C) God has revealed. ²Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. ³I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. ⁴My conscience^(D) is clear, but that does not make me innocent.^(E) It is the Lord who judges me.^(F) ⁵Therefore judge nothing^(G) before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes.^(H) He will bring to light^(I) what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.^(J)

⁶Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.”^(K) Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other.^(L) ⁷For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive?^(M) And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

⁸Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich!^(N) You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you! ⁹For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die^(O) in the arena. We have been made a spectacle^(P) to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. ¹⁰We are fools for Christ,^(Q) but you are so wise in Christ!^(R) We are weak, but you are strong!^(S) You are honored, we are dishonored! ¹¹To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.^(T) ¹²We work hard with our own hands.^(U) When we are cursed, we bless;^(V) when we are persecuted,^(W) we endure it; ¹³when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage^(X) of the world—right up to this moment.

Paul’s Appeal and Warning

¹⁴I am writing this not to shame you^(Y) but to warn you as my dear children.^(Z) ¹⁵Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father^(AA) through the gospel.^(AB) ¹⁶Therefore I urge you to imitate me.^(AC) ¹⁷For this reason I have sent to you^(AD) Timothy,^(AE) my son^(AF) whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.^(AG)

¹⁸Some of you have become arrogant,^(AH) as if I were not coming to you.^(AI) ¹⁹But I will come to you very soon,^(AJ) if the Lord is willing,^(AK) and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. ²⁰For the kingdom of God is not a matter of^(AL) talk but of power.^(AM) ²¹What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline,^(AN) or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?