Psalm 128-131

New International Version

Psalm 128

A song of ascents.

¹Blessed are all who fear the Lord,^(A)
    who walk in obedience to him.^(B)
²You will eat the fruit of your labor;^(C)
    blessings and prosperity^(D) will be yours.
³Your wife will be like a fruitful vine^(E)
    within your house;
your children^(F) will be like olive shoots^(G)
    around your table.
⁴Yes, this will be the blessing^(H)
    for the man who fears the Lord.^(I)

⁵May the Lord bless you from Zion;^(J)
    may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem^(K)
    all the days of your life.
⁶May you live to see your children’s children—^(L)
    peace be on Israel.^(M)

Psalm 129

A song of ascents.

¹“They have greatly oppressed^(N) me from my youth,”^(O)
    let Israel say;^(P)
²“they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,
    but they have not gained the victory^(Q) over me.
³Plowmen have plowed my back
    and made their furrows long.
⁴But the Lord is righteous;^(R)
    he has cut me free^(S) from the cords of the wicked.”^(T)

⁵May all who hate Zion^(U)
    be turned back in shame.^(V)
⁶May they be like grass on the roof,^(W)
    which withers^(X) before it can grow;
⁷a reaper cannot fill his hands with it,^(Y)
    nor one who gathers fill his arms.
⁸May those who pass by not say to them,
    “The blessing of the Lord be on you;
    we bless you^(Z) in the name of the Lord.”

Psalm 130

A song of ascents.

¹Out of the depths^(AA) I cry to you,^(AB) Lord;
² Lord, hear my voice.^(AC)
Let your ears be attentive^(AD)
to my cry for mercy.^(AE)

³If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
Lord, who could stand?^(AF)
⁴But with you there is forgiveness,^(AG)
so that we can, with reverence, serve you.^(AH)

⁵I wait for the Lord,^(AI) my whole being waits,^(AJ)
    and in his word^(AK) I put my hope.
⁶I wait for the Lord
    more than watchmen^(AL) wait for the morning,
    more than watchmen wait for the morning.^(AM)

⁷Israel, put your hope^(AN) in the Lord,
    for with the Lord is unfailing love^(AO)
    and with him is full redemption.^(AP)
⁸He himself will redeem^(AQ) Israel
    from all their sins.^(AR)

Psalm 131

A song of ascents. Of David.

¹My heart is not proud,^(AS) Lord,
    my eyes are not haughty;^(AT)
I do not concern myself with great matters^(AU)
    or things too wonderful for me.^(AV)
²But I have calmed and quieted myself,^(AW)
    I am like a weaned child with its mother;
    like a weaned child I am content.^(AX)

³Israel, put your hope^(AY) in the Lord
both now and forevermore.^(AZ)

1 Corinthians 7:25-40

New International Version

Concerning the Unmarried

²⁵Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord,^(A) but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy^(B) is trustworthy. ²⁶Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is.^(C) ²⁷Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife.^(D) ²⁸But if you do marry, you have not sinned;^(E) and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.

²⁹What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short.^(F) From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; ³⁰those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; ³¹those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.^(G)

³²I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs^(H)—how he can please the Lord. ³³But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— ³⁴and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit.^(I) But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. ³⁵I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided^(J) devotion to the Lord.

³⁶If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong^[a] and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning.^(K) They should get married. ³⁷But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing. ³⁸So then, he who marries the virgin does right,^(L) but he who does not marry her does better.^[b]

³⁹A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives.^(M) But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord.^(N) ⁴⁰In my judgment,^(O) she is happier if she stays as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

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Footnotes

1 Corinthians 7:36 Or if she is getting beyond the usual age for marriage
1 Corinthians 7:38 Or ³⁶If anyone thinks he is not treating his daughter properly, and if she is getting along in years (or if her passions are too strong), and he feels she ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. He should let her get married. ³⁷But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind to keep the virgin unmarried—this man also does the right thing. ³⁸So then, he who gives his virgin in marriage does right, but he who does not give her in marriage does better.