Psalm 59

New International Version

Psalm 59^[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.^[b] When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house^(A) in order to kill him.

¹Deliver me from my enemies, O God;^(B)
be my fortress against those who are attacking me.^(C)
²Deliver me from evildoers^(D)
and save me from those who are after my blood.^(E)

³See how they lie in wait for me!
    Fierce men conspire^(F) against me
    for no offense or sin of mine, Lord.
⁴I have done no wrong,^(G) yet they are ready to attack me.^(H)
    Arise to help me; look on my plight!^(I)
⁵You, Lord God Almighty,
    you who are the God of Israel,^(J)
rouse yourself^(K) to punish all the nations;^(L)
    show no mercy to wicked traitors.^[c]^(M)

⁶They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,^(N)
    and prowl about the city.
⁷See what they spew from their mouths^(O)—
    the words from their lips are sharp as swords,^(P)
    and they think, “Who can hear us?”^(Q)
⁸But you laugh at them, Lord;^(R)
    you scoff at all those nations.^(S)

⁹You are my strength,^(T) I watch for you;
you, God, are my fortress,^(U)
¹⁰ my God on whom I can rely.

God will go before me
    and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
¹¹But do not kill them, Lord our shield,^[d]^(V)
    or my people will forget.^(W)
In your might uproot them
    and bring them down.^(X)
¹²For the sins of their mouths,^(Y)
    for the words of their lips,^(Z)
    let them be caught in their pride.^(AA)
For the curses and lies they utter,
¹³    consume them in your wrath,
    consume them till they are no more.^(AB)
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
    that God rules over Jacob.^(AC)

¹⁴They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,
    and prowl about the city.
¹⁵They wander about for food^(AD)
    and howl if not satisfied.
¹⁶But I will sing^(AE) of your strength,^(AF)
    in the morning^(AG) I will sing of your love;^(AH)
for you are my fortress,^(AI)
    my refuge in times of trouble.^(AJ)

¹⁷You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
you, God, are my fortress,
my God on whom I can rely.^(AK)

Footnotes

Psalm 59:1 In Hebrew texts 59:1-17 is numbered 59:2-18.
Psalm 59:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 59:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 13.
Psalm 59:11 Or sovereign

1 Kings 8:22-40

New International Version

Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication^(A)

²²Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands^(B) toward heaven ²³and said:

“Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like^(C) you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love^(D) with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. ²⁴You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it—as it is today.

²⁵“Now Lord, the God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises^(E) you made to him when you said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful in all they do to walk before me faithfully as you have done.’ ²⁶And now, God of Israel, let your word that you promised^(F) your servant David my father come true.

²⁷“But will God really dwell^(G) on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven,^(H) cannot contain^(I) you. How much less this temple I have built! ²⁸Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. ²⁹May your eyes be open^(J) toward^(K) this temple night and day, this place of which you said, ‘My Name^(L) shall be there,’ so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. ³⁰Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray^(M) toward this place. Hear^(N) from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.^(O)

³¹“When anyone wrongs their neighbor and is required to take an oath and they come and swear the oath^(P) before your altar in this temple, ³²then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing down on their heads what they have done, and vindicating the innocent by treating them in accordance with their innocence.^(Q)

³³“When your people Israel have been defeated^(R) by an enemy because they have sinned^(S) against you, and when they turn back to you and give praise to your name, praying and making supplication to you in this temple,^(T) ³⁴then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to their ancestors.

³⁵“When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain^(U) because your people have sinned^(V) against you, and when they pray toward this place and give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, ³⁶then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach^(W) them the right way^(X) to live, and send rain^(Y) on the land you gave your people for an inheritance.

³⁷“When famine^(Z) or plague^(AA) comes to the land, or blight^(AB) or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers,^(AC) or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, ³⁸and when a prayer or plea is made by anyone among your people Israel—being aware of the afflictions of their own hearts, and spreading out their hands^(AD) toward this temple— ³⁹then hear^(AE) from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive^(AF) and act; deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know^(AG) their hearts (for you alone know every human heart), ⁴⁰so that they will fear^(AH) you all the time they live in the land^(AI) you gave our ancestors.

Read full chapter

James 1

New International Version

1 James,^(A) a servant of God^(B) and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes^(C) scattered^(D) among the nations:

Greetings.^(E)

Trials and Temptations

²Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds,^(F) ³because you know that the testing of your faith^(G) produces perseverance.^(H) ⁴Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature^(I) and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God,^(J) who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.^(K) ⁶But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt,^(L) because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸Such a person is double-minded^(M) and unstable^(N) in all they do.

⁹Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position.^(O) ¹⁰But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower.^(P) ¹¹For the sun rises with scorching heat^(Q) and withers^(R) the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed.^(S) In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.

¹²Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial^(T) because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life^(U) that the Lord has promised to those who love him.^(V)

¹³When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; ¹⁴but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own^(W) evil desire and enticed. ¹⁵Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin;^(X) and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.^(Y)

¹⁶Don’t be deceived,^(Z) my dear brothers and sisters.^(AA) ¹⁷Every good and perfect gift is from above,^(AB) coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,^(AC) who does not change^(AD) like shifting shadows. ¹⁸He chose to give us birth^(AE) through the word of truth,^(AF) that we might be a kind of firstfruits^(AG) of all he created.

Listening and Doing

¹⁹My dear brothers and sisters,^(AH) take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak^(AI) and slow to become angry, ²⁰because human anger^(AJ) does not produce the righteousness that God desires. ²¹Therefore, get rid of^(AK) all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you,^(AL) which can save you.

²²Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.^(AM) ²³Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom,^(AN) and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.^(AO)

²⁶Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues^(AP) deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. ²⁷Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after^(AQ) orphans and widows^(AR) in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.^(AS)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

James 1:2 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verses 16 and 19; and in 2:1, 5, 14; 3:10, 12; 4:11; 5:7, 9, 10, 12, 19.