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Book Five

The Lord Rescues People from Many Troubles.

107 O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His compassion and lovingkindness endure forever!

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary,

And gathered them from the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the [a]south.


They wandered in the wilderness in a [solitary] desert region;
And did not find a way to an inhabited city.

Hungry and thirsty,
They fainted.

Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He rescued them from their distresses.

He led them by the straight way,
To an inhabited city [where they could establish their homes].

Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness,
And for His wonderful acts to the children of men!

For He satisfies the parched throat,
And fills the hungry appetite with what is good.

10 
Some dwelt in darkness and in the deep (deathly) darkness,
Prisoners [bound] in misery and chains,(A)
11 
Because they had rebelled against the precepts of God
And spurned the counsel of the Most High.
12 
Therefore He humbled their heart with hard labor;
They stumbled and there was no one to help.
13 
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He saved them from their distresses.
14 
He brought them out of darkness and the deep (deathly) darkness
And broke their bonds apart.(B)
15 
Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness,
And for His wonderful acts to the children of men!
16 
For He has shattered the gates of bronze
And cut the bars of iron apart.

17 
Fools, because of their rebellious way,
And because of their sins, were afflicted.
18 
They detested all kinds of food,
And they drew near to the gates of death.
19 
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He saved them from their distresses.
20 
He sent His word and healed them,
And rescued them from their destruction.(C)
21 
Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness,
And for His wonderful acts to the children of men!(D)
22 
And let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And speak of His deeds with shouts of joy!

23 
Those who go down to the sea in ships,
Who do business on great waters;
24 
They have seen the works of the Lord,
And His wonders in the deep.
25 
For He spoke and raised up a stormy wind,
Which lifted up the waves of the sea.
26 
They went up toward the heavens [on the crest of the wave], they went down again to the depths [of the watery trough];
Their courage melted away in their misery.
27 
They staggered and trembled like a drunken man,
And were at their wits’ end [all their wisdom was useless].
28 
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He brought them out of their distresses.
29 
He hushed the storm to a gentle whisper,
So that the waves of the sea were still.(E)
30 
Then they were glad because of the calm,
And He guided them to their desired haven (harbor).
31 
Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness,
And for His wonderful acts to the children of men!
32 
Let them exalt Him also in the congregation of the people,
And praise Him at the seat of the elders.

33 
He turns rivers into a wilderness,
And springs of water into a thirsty ground;(F)
34 
A productive land into a [barren] salt waste,
Because of the wickedness of those who dwell in it.(G)
35 
He turns a wilderness into a pool of water
And a dry land into springs of water;(H)
36 
And there He has the hungry dwell,
So that they may establish an inhabited city,
37 
And sow fields and plant vineyards,
And produce an abundant harvest.
38 
Also He blesses them so that they multiply greatly,
And He does not let [the number of] their cattle decrease.

39 
When they are diminished and bowed down (humbled)
Through oppression, misery, and sorrow,
40 
He pours contempt on princes
And makes them wander in a pathless wasteland.
41 
Yet He sets the needy securely on high, away from affliction,
And makes their families like a flock.
42 
The upright see it and rejoice;
But all unrighteousness shuts its mouth.
43 
Who is wise? Let him observe and heed these things;
And [thoughtfully] consider the lovingkindness of the Lord.

Praise and Supplication to God for Victory.

A Song. A Psalm of David.

108 O God, my heart is steadfast [with confident faith];
I will sing, I will sing praises, even with my soul.

Awake, harp and lyre;
I will awaken the dawn!

I will praise and give thanks to You, O Lord, among the people;
And I will sing praises to You among the nations.

For Your lovingkindness is great and higher than the heavens;
Your truth reaches to the skies.(I)

Be exalted [in majesty], O God, above the heavens,
And Your glory above all the earth.

That Your beloved [ones] may be rescued,
Save with Your right hand, and answer me!


God has spoken in His [b]holiness:
“I will rejoice, I will portion out Shechem [as I divide Canaan among My people],
And measure out the Valley of Succoth.

“Gilead is Mine, Manasseh is Mine;
Ephraim also is the helmet of My head [My stronghold, My defense];
Judah is My [c]scepter.(J)

“Moab is My washbowl;
Over Edom I will throw My shoe [to show Edom is Mine];
Over Philistia I will shout [in triumph].”

10 
Who will bring me into the fortified city [of Petra]?
Who will lead me to Edom?
11 
Have You not rejected us, O God?
And will You not go out, O God, with our armies?
12 
Give us help against the adversary,
For deliverance by man is in vain [a worthless hope].
13 
[d]With God we will do valiantly,
For it is He who will trample down our enemies.(K)

Vengeance Invoked upon Adversaries.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

109 O God of my praise!
Do not keep silent,

For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me;
They have spoken against me with a lying tongue.

They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,
And have fought against me without a cause.

In return for my love, they attack me,
But I am in prayer.

They have repaid me evil for good,
And hatred for my love.


Appoint a wicked man against him,
And let an attacker stand at his right hand [to kill him].

When he enters into dispute, let wickedness come about.
Let his prayer [for help] result [only] in sin.

Let his days be few;
And let another take his office.(L)

Let his children be fatherless
And his wife a widow.
10 
Let his children wander and beg;
Let them seek their food and be driven far from their ruined homes.(M)
11 
Let the creditor seize all that he has,
And let strangers plunder the product of his labor.
12 
Let there be no one to extend kindness to him,
Nor let anyone be gracious to his fatherless children.
13 
Let his descendants be cut off,
And in the following generation let their name be blotted out.

14 
Let the wickedness of his fathers be remembered by the Lord;
And do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out.
15 
Let them be before the Lord continually,
That He may cut off their memory from the earth;
16 
Because the man did not remember to show kindness,
But persecuted the suffering and needy man,
And the brokenhearted, to put them to death.
17 
He also loved cursing, and it came [back] to him;
He did not delight in blessing, so it was far from him.
18 
He clothed himself with cursing as with his garment,
And it seeped into his inner self like water
And like [anointing] oil into his bones.
19 
Let it be to him as a robe with which he covers himself,
And as a sash with which he is constantly bound.
20 
Let this be the reward of my attackers from the Lord,
And of those who speak evil against my life.

21 
But You, O God, the Lord, show kindness to me, for Your name’s sake;
Because Your lovingkindness (faithfulness, compassion) is good, O rescue me;
22 
For I am suffering and needy,
And my heart is wounded within me.
23 
I am vanishing like a shadow when it lengthens and fades;
I am shaken off like the locust.
24 
My knees are unsteady from fasting;
And my flesh is gaunt and without fatness.
25 
I also have become a reproach and an object of taunting to others;
When they see me, they shake their heads [in derision].(N)

26 
Help me, O Lord my God;
Save me according to Your lovingkindness—
27 
And let them know that this is Your hand;
You, Lord, have done it.
28 
Let them curse, but You bless.
When adversaries arise, let them be ashamed,
But let Your servant rejoice.
29 
Let my attackers be clothed with dishonor,
And let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.

30 
I will give great praise and thanks to the Lord with my mouth;
And in the midst of many I will praise Him.
31 
For He will stand at the right hand of the needy,
To save him from those who judge his soul.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 107:3 Lit sea.
  2. Psalm 108:7 Or sanctuary.
  3. Psalm 108:8 Or lawgiver.
  4. Psalm 108:13 Or In or Through.

BOOK V

Psalms 107–150

Psalm 107

Give thanks to the Lord,(A) for he is good;(B)
    his love endures forever.

Let the redeemed(C) of the Lord tell their story—
    those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
those he gathered(D) from the lands,
    from east and west, from north and south.[a]

Some wandered in desert(E) wastelands,
    finding no way to a city(F) where they could settle.
They were hungry(G) and thirsty,(H)
    and their lives ebbed away.
Then they cried out(I) to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them by a straight way(J)
    to a city(K) where they could settle.
Let them give thanks(L) to the Lord for his unfailing love(M)
    and his wonderful deeds(N) for mankind,
for he satisfies(O) the thirsty
    and fills the hungry with good things.(P)

10 Some sat in darkness,(Q) in utter darkness,
    prisoners suffering(R) in iron chains,(S)
11 because they rebelled(T) against God’s commands
    and despised(U) the plans(V) of the Most High.
12 So he subjected them to bitter labor;
    they stumbled, and there was no one to help.(W)
13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he saved them(X) from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness,(Y) the utter darkness,(Z)
    and broke away their chains.(AA)
15 Let them give thanks(AB) to the Lord for his unfailing love(AC)
    and his wonderful deeds(AD) for mankind,
16 for he breaks down gates of bronze
    and cuts through bars of iron.

17 Some became fools(AE) through their rebellious ways(AF)
    and suffered affliction(AG) because of their iniquities.
18 They loathed all food(AH)
    and drew near the gates of death.(AI)
19 Then they cried(AJ) to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he saved them(AK) from their distress.
20 He sent out his word(AL) and healed them;(AM)
    he rescued(AN) them from the grave.(AO)
21 Let them give thanks(AP) to the Lord for his unfailing love(AQ)
    and his wonderful deeds(AR) for mankind.
22 Let them sacrifice thank offerings(AS)
    and tell of his works(AT) with songs of joy.(AU)

23 Some went out on the sea(AV) in ships;(AW)
    they were merchants on the mighty waters.
24 They saw the works of the Lord,(AX)
    his wonderful deeds in the deep.
25 For he spoke(AY) and stirred up a tempest(AZ)
    that lifted high the waves.(BA)
26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
    in their peril(BB) their courage melted(BC) away.
27 They reeled(BD) and staggered like drunkards;
    they were at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cried(BE) out to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he brought them out of their distress.(BF)
29 He stilled the storm(BG) to a whisper;
    the waves(BH) of the sea[b] were hushed.(BI)
30 They were glad when it grew calm,
    and he guided them(BJ) to their desired haven.
31 Let them give thanks(BK) to the Lord for his unfailing love(BL)
    and his wonderful deeds(BM) for mankind.
32 Let them exalt(BN) him in the assembly(BO) of the people
    and praise him in the council of the elders.

33 He turned rivers into a desert,(BP)
    flowing springs(BQ) into thirsty ground,
34 and fruitful land into a salt waste,(BR)
    because of the wickedness of those who lived there.
35 He turned the desert into pools of water(BS)
    and the parched ground into flowing springs;(BT)
36 there he brought the hungry to live,
    and they founded a city where they could settle.
37 They sowed fields and planted vineyards(BU)
    that yielded a fruitful harvest;
38 he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,(BV)
    and he did not let their herds diminish.(BW)

39 Then their numbers decreased,(BX) and they were humbled(BY)
    by oppression, calamity and sorrow;
40 he who pours contempt on nobles(BZ)
    made them wander in a trackless waste.(CA)
41 But he lifted the needy(CB) out of their affliction
    and increased their families like flocks.(CC)
42 The upright see and rejoice,(CD)
    but all the wicked shut their mouths.(CE)

43 Let the one who is wise(CF) heed these things
    and ponder the loving deeds(CG) of the Lord.

Psalm 108[c](CH)(CI)

A song. A psalm of David.

My heart, O God, is steadfast;(CJ)
    I will sing(CK) and make music with all my soul.
Awake, harp and lyre!(CL)
    I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
    I will sing of you among the peoples.
For great is your love,(CM) higher than the heavens;
    your faithfulness(CN) reaches to the skies.(CO)
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;(CP)
    let your glory be over all the earth.(CQ)

Save us and help us with your right hand,(CR)
    that those you love may be delivered.
God has spoken(CS) from his sanctuary:(CT)
    “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem(CU)
    and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.(CV)
Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine;
    Ephraim is my helmet,
    Judah(CW) is my scepter.
Moab(CX) is my washbasin,
    on Edom(CY) I toss my sandal;
    over Philistia(CZ) I shout in triumph.”

10 Who will bring me to the fortified city?
    Who will lead me to Edom?
11 Is it not you, God, you who have rejected us
    and no longer go out with our armies?(DA)
12 Give us aid against the enemy,
    for human help is worthless.(DB)
13 With God we will gain the victory,
    and he will trample down(DC) our enemies.

Psalm 109

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

My God, whom I praise,(DD)
    do not remain silent,(DE)
for people who are wicked and deceitful(DF)
    have opened their mouths against me;
    they have spoken against me with lying tongues.(DG)
With words of hatred(DH) they surround me;
    they attack me without cause.(DI)
In return for my friendship they accuse me,
    but I am a man of prayer.(DJ)
They repay me evil for good,(DK)
    and hatred for my friendship.

Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy;
    let an accuser(DL) stand at his right hand.
When he is tried, let him be found guilty,(DM)
    and may his prayers condemn(DN) him.
May his days be few;(DO)
    may another take his place(DP) of leadership.
May his children be fatherless
    and his wife a widow.(DQ)
10 May his children be wandering beggars;(DR)
    may they be driven[d] from their ruined homes.
11 May a creditor(DS) seize all he has;
    may strangers plunder(DT) the fruits of his labor.(DU)
12 May no one extend kindness to him
    or take pity(DV) on his fatherless children.
13 May his descendants be cut off,(DW)
    their names blotted out(DX) from the next generation.
14 May the iniquity of his fathers(DY) be remembered before the Lord;
    may the sin of his mother never be blotted out.
15 May their sins always remain before(DZ) the Lord,
    that he may blot out their name(EA) from the earth.

16 For he never thought of doing a kindness,
    but hounded to death the poor
    and the needy(EB) and the brokenhearted.(EC)
17 He loved to pronounce a curse—
    may it come back on him.(ED)
He found no pleasure in blessing—
    may it be far from him.
18 He wore cursing(EE) as his garment;
    it entered into his body like water,(EF)
    into his bones like oil.
19 May it be like a cloak wrapped(EG) about him,
    like a belt tied forever around him.
20 May this be the Lord’s payment(EH) to my accusers,
    to those who speak evil(EI) of me.

21 But you, Sovereign Lord,
    help me for your name’s sake;(EJ)
    out of the goodness of your love,(EK) deliver me.(EL)
22 For I am poor and needy,
    and my heart is wounded within me.
23 I fade away like an evening shadow;(EM)
    I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees give(EN) way from fasting;(EO)
    my body is thin and gaunt.(EP)
25 I am an object of scorn(EQ) to my accusers;
    when they see me, they shake their heads.(ER)

26 Help me,(ES) Lord my God;
    save me according to your unfailing love.
27 Let them know(ET) that it is your hand,
    that you, Lord, have done it.
28 While they curse,(EU) may you bless;
    may those who attack me be put to shame,
    but may your servant rejoice.(EV)
29 May my accusers be clothed with disgrace
    and wrapped in shame(EW) as in a cloak.

30 With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord;
    in the great throng(EX) of worshipers I will praise him.
31 For he stands at the right hand(EY) of the needy,
    to save their lives from those who would condemn them.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 107:3 Hebrew north and the sea
  2. Psalm 107:29 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text / their waves
  3. Psalm 108:1 In Hebrew texts 108:1-13 is numbered 108:2-14.
  4. Psalm 109:10 Septuagint; Hebrew sought

Servants of Christ

So then, let us [who minister] be regarded as servants of Christ and stewards (trustees, administrators) of the mysteries of God [that He chooses to reveal]. In this case, moreover, it is required [as essential and demanded] of stewards that one be found faithful and trustworthy. But [as for me personally] it matters very little to me that I may be judged by you or any human court [on this point]; in fact, I do not even judge myself. I am aware of nothing against myself and I feel blameless, but I am not by this acquitted [before God]. It is the Lord who judges me. So do not go on passing judgment before the appointed time, but wait until the Lord comes, for He will both bring to light the [secret] things that are hidden in darkness and disclose the motives of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.

Now I have applied these things [that is, the analogies about factions] to myself and Apollos for your benefit, believers, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written [in Scripture], so that none of you will become arrogant and boast in favor of one [minister or teacher] against the other. For who regards you as superior or what sets you apart as special? What do you have that you did not receive [from another]? And if in fact you received it [from God or someone else], why do you boast as if you had not received it [but had gained it by yourself]?

[You behave as if] you are already filled [with spiritual wisdom and in need of nothing more]. Already you have become rich [in spiritual gifts]! You [in your conceit] have ascended your thrones and become kings without us; and how I wish [that it were true and] that you did reign as kings, so that we might reign with you. For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles at the end of the line, like men sentenced to death [and paraded as prisoners in a procession], because we have become a spectacle to the world [a show in the world’s amphitheater], both to angels and to men. 10 We are [regarded as] fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are highly esteemed, but we are dishonored. 11 To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are continually poorly dressed, and we are roughly treated, and wander homeless. 12 We work [for our living], working hard with our own hands. When we are reviled and verbally abused, we bless. When we are persecuted, we take it patiently and endure. 13 When we are slandered, we try to be conciliatory and answer softly. We have become like the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.

14 I do not write these things to shame you, but to warn and advise you as my beloved children. 15 For even if you were to have ten thousand teachers [to guide you] in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers [who led you to Christ and assumed responsibility for you], for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the good news [of salvation]. 16 So I urge you, be imitators of me [just as a child imitates his father]. 17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my way of life in Christ [my conduct and my precepts for godly living], just as I teach everywhere in every church. 18 Now some of you have become arrogant and pretentious, as though I were not coming to see you. 19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord is willing, and I will find out not just the talk of these arrogant people, but [evaluate] their [spiritual] power [whether they live up to their own claims]. 20 For the kingdom of God is not based on talk but on power. 21 Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod [of discipline and correction], or with love and a gentle spirit?

The Nature of True Apostleship

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. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience(D) is clear, but that does not make me innocent.(E) It is the Lord who judges me.(F) Therefore 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)

Now, 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) For 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?

Already 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! For 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. 10 We 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! 11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.(T) 12 We work hard with our own hands.(U) When we are cursed, we bless;(V) when we are persecuted,(W) we endure it; 13 when 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

14 I am writing this not to shame you(Y) but to warn you as my dear children.(Z) 15 Even 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) 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me.(AC) 17 For 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)

18 Some of you have become arrogant,(AH) as if I were not coming to you.(AI) 19 But 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. 20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of(AL) talk but of power.(AM) 21 What 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?