Psalm 39

New International Version

Psalm 39^[a]

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

¹I said, “I will watch my ways^(A)
    and keep my tongue from sin;^(B)
I will put a muzzle on my mouth^(C)
    while in the presence of the wicked.”
²So I remained utterly silent,^(D)
    not even saying anything good.
But my anguish^(E) increased;
³    my heart grew hot^(F) within me.
While I meditated,^(G) the fire^(H) burned;
    then I spoke with my tongue:

⁴“Show me, Lord, my life’s end
    and the number of my days;^(I)
    let me know how fleeting^(J) my life is.^(K)
⁵You have made my days^(L) a mere handbreadth;
    the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Everyone is but a breath,^(M)
    even those who seem secure.^[b]

⁶“Surely everyone goes around^(N) like a mere phantom;^(O)
in vain they rush about,^(P) heaping up wealth^(Q)
without knowing whose it will finally be.^(R)

⁷“But now, Lord, what do I look for?
    My hope is in you.^(S)
⁸Save me^(T) from all my transgressions;^(U)
    do not make me the scorn^(V) of fools.
⁹I was silent;^(W) I would not open my mouth,^(X)
    for you are the one who has done this.^(Y)
¹⁰Remove your scourge from me;
    I am overcome by the blow^(Z) of your hand.^(AA)
¹¹When you rebuke^(AB) and discipline^(AC) anyone for their sin,
    you consume^(AD) their wealth like a moth^(AE)—
    surely everyone is but a breath.^(AF)

¹²“Hear my prayer, Lord,
    listen to my cry for help;^(AG)
    do not be deaf^(AH) to my weeping.^(AI)
I dwell with you as a foreigner,^(AJ)
    a stranger,^(AK) as all my ancestors were.^(AL)
¹³Look away from me, that I may enjoy life again
    before I depart and am no more.”^(AM)

Footnotes

Psalm 39:1 In Hebrew texts 39:1-13 is numbered 39:2-14.
Psalm 39:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 11.

Jeremiah 11:1-17

New International Version

The Covenant Is Broken

11 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ²“Listen to the terms of this covenant^(A) and tell them to the people of Judah and to those who live in Jerusalem. ³Tell them that this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Cursed^(B) is the one who does not obey the terms of this covenant— ⁴the terms I commanded your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt,^(C) out of the iron-smelting furnace.^(D)’ I said, ‘Obey^(E) me and do everything I command you, and you will be my people,^(F) and I will be your God. ⁵Then I will fulfill the oath I swore^(G) to your ancestors, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey’^(H)—the land you possess today.”

I answered, “Amen,^(I) Lord.”

⁶The Lord said to me, “Proclaim^(J) all these words in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem: ‘Listen to the terms of this covenant and follow^(K) them. ⁷From the time I brought your ancestors up from Egypt until today, I warned them again and again,^(L) saying, “Obey me.” ⁸But they did not listen or pay attention;^(M) instead, they followed the stubbornness of their evil hearts.^(N) So I brought on them all the curses^(O) of the covenant I had commanded them to follow but that they did not keep.^(P)’”

⁹Then the Lord said to me, “There is a conspiracy^(Q) among the people of Judah and those who live in Jerusalem. ¹⁰They have returned to the sins of their ancestors,^(R) who refused to listen to my words.^(S) They have followed other gods^(T) to serve them.^(U) Both Israel and Judah have broken the covenant^(V) I made with their ancestors. ¹¹Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will bring on them a disaster^(W) they cannot escape.^(X) Although they cry^(Y) out to me, I will not listen^(Z) to them. ¹²The towns of Judah and the people of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they burn incense,^(AA) but they will not help them at all when disaster^(AB) strikes. ¹³You, Judah, have as many gods^(AC) as you have towns;^(AD) and the altars you have set up to burn incense^(AE) to that shameful^(AF) god Baal are as many as the streets of Jerusalem.’

¹⁴“Do not pray^(AG) for this people or offer any plea or petition for them, because I will not listen^(AH) when they call to me in the time of their distress.

¹⁵“What is my beloved doing in my temple
    as she, with many others, works out her evil schemes?
    Can consecrated meat^(AI) avert your punishment?^(AJ)
When you engage in your wickedness,
    then you rejoice.^[a]”

¹⁶The Lord called you a thriving olive tree^(AK)
    with fruit beautiful in form.
But with the roar of a mighty storm
    he will set it on fire,^(AL)
    and its branches will be broken.^(AM)

¹⁷The Lord Almighty, who planted^(AN) you, has decreed disaster^(AO) for you, because the people of both Israel and Judah have done evil and aroused^(AP) my anger by burning incense to Baal.^(AQ)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

Jeremiah 11:15 Or Could consecrated meat avert your punishment? / Then you would rejoice

Romans 2:1-11

New International Version

God’s Righteous Judgment

2 You, therefore, have no excuse,^(A) you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.^(B) ²Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. ³So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? ⁴Or do you show contempt for the riches^(C) of his kindness,^(D) forbearance^(E) and patience,^(F) not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?^(G)

⁵But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath^(H), when his righteous judgment^(I) will be revealed. ⁶God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”^[a]^(J) ⁷To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor^(K) and immortality,^(L) he will give eternal life.^(M) ⁸But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil,^(N) there will be wrath and anger.^(O) ⁹There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil:^(P) first for the Jew, then for the Gentile;^(Q) ¹⁰but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.^(R) ¹¹For God does not show favoritism.^(S)