Psalm 19

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)

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

Exodus 23:1-9

New International Version

Laws of Justice and Mercy

23 “Do not spread false reports.^(A) Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.^(B)

²“Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice^(C) by siding with the crowd,^(D) ³and do not show favoritism^(E) to a poor person in a lawsuit.

⁴“If you come across your enemy’s^(F) ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it.^(G) ⁵If you see the donkey^(H) of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it.

⁶“Do not deny justice^(I) to your poor people in their lawsuits. ⁷Have nothing to do with a false charge^(J) and do not put an innocent^(K) or honest person to death,^(L) for I will not acquit the guilty.^(M)

⁸“Do not accept a bribe,^(N) for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent.

⁹“Do not oppress a foreigner;^(O) you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.

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Colossians 2:16-23

New International Version

Freedom From Human Rules

¹⁶Therefore do not let anyone judge you^(A) by what you eat or drink,^(B) or with regard to a religious festival,^(C) a New Moon celebration^(D) or a Sabbath day.^(E) ¹⁷These are a shadow of the things that were to come;^(F) the reality, however, is found in Christ. ¹⁸Do not let anyone who delights in false humility^(G) and the worship of angels disqualify you.^(H) Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. ¹⁹They have lost connection with the head,^(I) from whom the whole body,^(J) supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.^(K)

²⁰Since you died with Christ^(L) to the elemental spiritual forces of this world,^(M) why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules:^(N) ²¹“Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? ²²These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish^(O) with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings.^(P) ²³Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility^(Q) and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.