Psalm 18[a](A)

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:

I love you, Lord, my strength.(B)

The Lord is my rock,(C) my fortress(D) and my deliverer;(E)
    my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,(F)
    my shield[b](G) and the horn[c] of my salvation,(H) my stronghold.

I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,(I)
    and I have been saved from my enemies.(J)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 18:1 In Hebrew texts 18:1-50 is numbered 18:2-51.
  2. Psalm 18:2 Or sovereign
  3. Psalm 18:2 Horn here symbolizes strength.

20 The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;(A)
    according to the cleanness of my hands(B) he has rewarded me.(C)
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;(D)
    I am not guilty of turning(E) from my God.
22 All his laws are before me;(F)
    I have not turned away from his decrees.
23 I have been blameless(G) before him
    and have kept myself from sin.
24 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,(H)
    according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

25 To the faithful(I) you show yourself faithful,(J)
    to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
26 to the pure(K) you show yourself pure,
    but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.(L)
27 You save the humble(M)
    but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.(N)
28 You, Lord, keep my lamp(O) burning;
    my God turns my darkness into light.(P)
29 With your help(Q) I can advance against a troop[a];
    with my God I can scale a wall.

30 As for God, his way is perfect:(R)
    The Lord’s word is flawless;(S)
    he shields(T) all who take refuge(U) in him.
31 For who is God besides the Lord?(V)
    And who is the Rock(W) except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength(X)
    and keeps my way secure.(Y)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 18:29 Or can run through a barricade

14 Therefore hear the word of the Lord,(A) you scoffers(B)
    who rule this people in Jerusalem.
15 You boast, “We have entered into a covenant with death,(C)
    with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement.
When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by,(D)
    it cannot touch us,
for we have made a lie(E) our refuge
    and falsehood[a] our hiding place.(F)

16 So this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,(G) a tested stone,(H)
    a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;(I)
the one who relies on it
    will never be stricken with panic.(J)
17 I will make justice(K) the measuring line
    and righteousness the plumb line;(L)
hail(M) will sweep away your refuge, the lie,
    and water will overflow(N) your hiding place.
18 Your covenant with death will be annulled;
    your agreement with the realm of the dead will not stand.(O)
When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by,(P)
    you will be beaten down(Q) by it.
19 As often as it comes it will carry you away;(R)
    morning after morning,(S) by day and by night,
    it will sweep through.”

The understanding of this message
    will bring sheer terror.(T)
20 The bed is too short to stretch out on,
    the blanket too narrow to wrap around you.(U)
21 The Lord will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim,(V)
    he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon(W)
to do his work,(X) his strange work,
    and perform his task, his alien task.
22 Now stop your mocking,(Y)
    or your chains will become heavier;
the Lord, the Lord Almighty, has told me
    of the destruction decreed(Z) against the whole land.(AA)

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 28:15 Or false gods

Jesus Anointed at Bethany(A)(B)

While Jesus was in Bethany(C) in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.

When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”

10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 The poor you will always have with you,[a](D) but you will not always have me. 12 When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.(E) 13 Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 26:11 See Deut. 15:11.

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