Psalm 77

New International Version

Psalm 77^[a]

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm.

¹I cried out to God^(A) for help;
    I cried out to God to hear me.
²When I was in distress,^(B) I sought the Lord;
    at night^(C) I stretched out untiring hands,^(D)
    and I would not be comforted.^(E)

³I remembered^(F) you, God, and I groaned;^(G)
    I meditated, and my spirit grew faint.^[b]^(H)
⁴You kept my eyes from closing;
    I was too troubled to speak.^(I)
⁵I thought about the former days,^(J)
    the years of long ago;
⁶I remembered my songs in the night.
    My heart meditated and my spirit asked:

⁷“Will the Lord reject forever?^(K)
    Will he never show his favor^(L) again?
⁸Has his unfailing love^(M) vanished forever?
    Has his promise^(N) failed for all time?
⁹Has God forgotten to be merciful?^(O)
    Has he in anger withheld his compassion?^(P)”

¹⁰Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
    the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.^(Q)
¹¹I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
    yes, I will remember your miracles^(R) of long ago.
¹²I will consider^(S) all your works
    and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”^(T)

¹³Your ways, God, are holy.
    What god is as great as our God?^(U)
¹⁴You are the God who performs miracles;^(V)
    you display your power among the peoples.
¹⁵With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,^(W)
    the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.

¹⁶The waters^(X) saw you, God,
    the waters saw you and writhed;^(Y)
    the very depths were convulsed.
¹⁷The clouds poured down water,^(Z)
    the heavens resounded with thunder;^(AA)
    your arrows^(AB) flashed back and forth.
¹⁸Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind,^(AC)
    your lightning^(AD) lit up the world;
    the earth trembled and quaked.^(AE)
¹⁹Your path^(AF) led through the sea,^(AG)
    your way through the mighty waters,
    though your footprints were not seen.

²⁰You led your people^(AH) like a flock^(AI)
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.^(AJ)

Footnotes

Psalm 77:1 In Hebrew texts 77:1-20 is numbered 77:2-21.
Psalm 77:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 9 and 15.

Job 5:8-27

New International Version

⁸“But if I were you, I would appeal to God;
    I would lay my cause before him.^(A)
⁹He performs wonders^(B) that cannot be fathomed,^(C)
    miracles that cannot be counted.^(D)
¹⁰He provides rain for the earth;^(E)
    he sends water on the countryside.^(F)
¹¹The lowly he sets on high,^(G)
    and those who mourn^(H) are lifted^(I) to safety.
¹²He thwarts the plans^(J) of the crafty,
    so that their hands achieve no success.^(K)
¹³He catches the wise^(L) in their craftiness,^(M)
    and the schemes of the wily are swept away.^(N)
¹⁴Darkness^(O) comes upon them in the daytime;
    at noon they grope as in the night.^(P)
¹⁵He saves the needy^(Q) from the sword in their mouth;
    he saves them from the clutches of the powerful.^(R)
¹⁶So the poor^(S) have hope,
    and injustice shuts its mouth.^(T)

¹⁷“Blessed is the one whom God corrects;^(U)
    so do not despise the discipline^(V) of the Almighty.^[a]^(W)
¹⁸For he wounds, but he also binds up;^(X)
    he injures, but his hands also heal.^(Y)
¹⁹From six calamities he will rescue^(Z) you;
    in seven no harm will touch you.^(AA)
²⁰In famine^(AB) he will deliver you from death,
    and in battle from the stroke of the sword.^(AC)
²¹You will be protected from the lash of the tongue,^(AD)
    and need not fear^(AE) when destruction comes.^(AF)
²²You will laugh^(AG) at destruction and famine,^(AH)
    and need not fear the wild animals.^(AI)
²³For you will have a covenant^(AJ) with the stones^(AK) of the field,
    and the wild animals will be at peace with you.^(AL)
²⁴You will know that your tent is secure;^(AM)
    you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing.^(AN)
²⁵You will know that your children will be many,^(AO)
    and your descendants like the grass of the earth.^(AP)
²⁶You will come to the grave in full vigor,^(AQ)
    like sheaves gathered in season.^(AR)

²⁷“We have examined this, and it is true.
So hear it^(AS) and apply it to yourself.”^(AT)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

Job 5:17 Hebrew Shaddai; here and throughout Job

1 Peter 3:8-18

New International Version

Suffering for Doing Good

⁸Finally, all of you, be like-minded,^(A) be sympathetic, love one another,^(B) be compassionate and humble.^(C) ⁹Do not repay evil with evil^(D) or insult with insult.^(E) On the contrary, repay evil with blessing,^(F) because to this^(G) you were called^(H) so that you may inherit a blessing.^(I) ¹⁰For,

“Whoever would love life
    and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
    and their lips from deceitful speech.
¹¹They must turn from evil and do good;
    they must seek peace and pursue it.
¹²For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
    and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”^[a]^(J)

¹³Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?^(K) ¹⁴But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.^(L) “Do not fear their threats^[b]; do not be frightened.”^[c]^(M) ¹⁵But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer^(N) to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope^(O) that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶keeping a clear conscience,^(P) so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.^(Q) ¹⁷For it is better, if it is God’s will,^(R) to suffer for doing good^(S) than for doing evil. ¹⁸For Christ also suffered once^(T) for sins,^(U) the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.^(V) He was put to death in the body^(W) but made alive in the Spirit.^(X)