Psalm 19-21

New International Version

Psalm 19^[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹The heavens^(A) declare^(B) the glory of God;^(C)
    the skies^(D) proclaim the work of his hands.^(E)
²Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.^(F)
³They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
⁴Yet their voice^[b] goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.^(G)
In the heavens God has pitched a tent^(H) for the sun.^(I)
⁵    It is like a bridegroom^(J) coming out of his chamber,^(K)
    like a champion^(L) rejoicing to run his course.
⁶It rises at one end of the heavens^(M)
    and makes its circuit to the other;^(N)
    nothing is deprived of its warmth.

⁷The law of the Lord^(O) is perfect,^(P)
    refreshing the soul.^(Q)
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,^(R)
    making wise the simple.^(S)
⁸The precepts of the Lord are right,^(T)
    giving joy^(U) to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
    giving light to the eyes.^(V)
⁹The fear of the Lord^(W) is pure,
    enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
    and all of them are righteous.^(X)

¹⁰They are more precious than gold,^(Y)
    than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,^(Z)
    than honey from the honeycomb.^(AA)
¹¹By them your servant is warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.
¹²But who can discern their own errors?
    Forgive my hidden faults.^(AB)
¹³Keep your servant also from willful sins;^(AC)
    may they not rule over me.^(AD)
Then I will be blameless,^(AE)
    innocent of great transgression.

¹⁴May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing^(AF) in your sight,
Lord, my Rock^(AG) and my Redeemer.^(AH)

Psalm 20^[c]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;^(AI)
    may the name of the God of Jacob^(AJ) protect you.^(AK)
²May he send you help^(AL) from the sanctuary^(AM)
    and grant you support^(AN) from Zion.^(AO)
³May he remember^(AP) all your sacrifices
    and accept your burnt offerings.^[d]^(AQ)
⁴May he give you the desire of your heart^(AR)
    and make all your plans succeed.^(AS)
⁵May we shout for joy^(AT) over your victory
    and lift up our banners^(AU) in the name of our God.

May the Lord grant all your requests.^(AV)

⁶Now this I know:
    The Lord gives victory to his anointed.^(AW)
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
    with the victorious power of his right hand.^(AX)
⁷Some trust in chariots^(AY) and some in horses,^(AZ)
    but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.^(BA)
⁸They are brought to their knees and fall,^(BB)
    but we rise up^(BC) and stand firm.^(BD)
⁹Lord, give victory to the king!
    Answer us^(BE) when we call!

Psalm 21^[e]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹The king rejoices in your strength, Lord.^(BF)
How great is his joy in the victories you give!^(BG)

²You have granted him his heart’s desire^(BH)
    and have not withheld the request of his lips.^[f]
³You came to greet him with rich blessings
    and placed a crown of pure gold^(BI) on his head.^(BJ)
⁴He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—
    length of days, for ever and ever.^(BK)
⁵Through the victories^(BL) you gave, his glory is great;
    you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.^(BM)
⁶Surely you have granted him unending blessings
    and made him glad with the joy^(BN) of your presence.^(BO)
⁷For the king trusts in the Lord;^(BP)
    through the unfailing love^(BQ) of the Most High^(BR)
    he will not be shaken.^(BS)

⁸Your hand will lay hold^(BT) on all your enemies;
    your right hand will seize your foes.
⁹When you appear for battle,
    you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace.
The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
    and his fire will consume them.^(BU)
¹⁰You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
    their posterity from mankind.^(BV)
¹¹Though they plot evil^(BW) against you
    and devise wicked schemes,^(BX) they cannot succeed.
¹²You will make them turn their backs^(BY)
    when you aim at them with drawn bow.

¹³Be exalted^(BZ) in your strength, Lord;^(CA)
we will sing and praise your might.

Footnotes

Psalm 19:1 In Hebrew texts 19:1-14 is numbered 19:2-15.
Psalm 19:4 Septuagint, Jerome and Syriac; Hebrew measuring line
Psalm 20:1 In Hebrew texts 20:1-9 is numbered 20:2-10.
Psalm 20:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
Psalm 21:1 In Hebrew texts 21:1-13 is numbered 21:2-14.
Psalm 21:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

Acts 19:21-41

New International Version

²¹After all this had happened, Paul decided^[a] to go to Jerusalem,^(A) passing through Macedonia^(B) and Achaia.^(C) “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome also.”^(D) ²²He sent two of his helpers,^(E) Timothy^(F) and Erastus,^(G) to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia^(H) a little longer.

The Riot in Ephesus

²³About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.^(I) ²⁴A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. ²⁵He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business.^(J) ²⁶And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus^(K) and in practically the whole province of Asia.^(L) He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all.^(M) ²⁷There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”

²⁸When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”^(N) ²⁹Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius^(O) and Aristarchus,^(P) Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia,^(Q) and all of them rushed into the theater together. ³⁰Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples^(R) would not let him. ³¹Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.

³²The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another.^(S) Most of the people did not even know why they were there. ³³The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front, and they shouted instructions to him. He motioned^(T) for silence in order to make a defense before the people. ³⁴But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”^(U)

³⁵The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: “Fellow Ephesians,^(V) doesn’t all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? ³⁶Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to calm down and not do anything rash. ³⁷You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples^(W) nor blasphemed our goddess. ³⁸If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen^(X) have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls.^(Y) They can press charges. ³⁹If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. ⁴⁰As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of what happened today. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it.” ⁴¹After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.