10 For I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, that our forefathers were all under and protected by the cloud [in which God’s Presence went before them], and every one of them passed safely through the [Red] Sea,^(A)

² And each one of them [allowed himself also] to be baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea [they were thus brought under obligation to the Law, to Moses, and to the covenant, consecrated and set apart to the service of God];

³ And all [of them] ate the same spiritual (supernaturally given) food,^(B)

⁴ And they all drank the same spiritual (supernaturally given) drink. For they drank from a spiritual Rock which followed them [produced by the sole power of God Himself without natural instrumentality], and the Rock was Christ.^(C)

⁵ Nevertheless, God was not pleased with the great majority of them, for they were overthrown and strewn down along [the ground] in the wilderness.^(D)

⁶ Now these things are examples (warnings and admonitions) for us not to desire or crave or covet or lust after evil and carnal things as they did.^(E)

⁷ Do not be worshipers of false gods as some of them were, as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink [the sacrifices offered to the golden calf at Horeb] and rose to sport (to dance and give way to jesting and hilarity).^(F)

⁸ We must not gratify evil desire and indulge in immorality as some of them did—and twenty-three thousand [suddenly] fell dead in a single day!^(G)

⁹ We should not tempt the Lord [try His patience, become a trial to Him, critically appraise Him, and exploit His goodness] as some of them did—and were killed by poisonous serpents;^(H)

¹⁰ Nor discontentedly complain as some of them did—and were ^[a]put out of the way entirely by the destroyer (death).^(I)

¹¹ Now these things befell them by way of a figure [as an example and warning to us]; they were written to admonish and fit us for right action by good instruction, we in whose days the ages have reached their climax (their consummation and concluding period).

¹² Therefore let anyone who thinks he stands [who feels sure that he has a steadfast mind and is standing firm], take heed lest he fall [into sin].

¹³ For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not ^[b]adjusted and ^[c]adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to ^[d]a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.

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Psalm 135

¹ Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!) Praise the name of the Lord; praise Him, O you servants of the Lord!

² You who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God,

³ Praise the Lord! For the Lord is good; sing praises to His name, for He is gracious and lovely!

⁴ For the Lord has chosen [the descendants of] Jacob for Himself, Israel for His peculiar possession and treasure.^(A)

⁵ For I know that the Lord is great and that our Lord is above all gods.

⁶ Whatever the Lord pleases, that has He done in the heavens and on earth, in the seas and all deeps—

⁷ Who causes the vapors to arise from the ends of the earth, Who makes lightnings for the rain, Who brings the wind out of His storehouses;

⁸ Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast;^(B)

⁹ Who sent signs and wonders into the midst of you, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh and all his servants;

¹⁰ Who smote nations many and great and slew mighty kings—

¹¹ Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan.

¹² [The Lord] gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to Israel His people.

¹³ Your name, O Lord, endures forever, Your fame, O Lord, throughout all ages.

¹⁴ For the Lord will judge and vindicate His people, and He will delay His judgments [manifesting His righteousness and mercy] and take into favor His servants [those who meet His terms of separation unto Him].^(C)

¹⁵ The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.

¹⁶ [Idols] have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;

¹⁷ They have ears, but they hear not, nor is there any breath in their mouths.

¹⁸ Those who make [idols] are like them; so is everyone who trusts in and relies on them.^(D)

¹⁹ Bless (affectionately and gratefully praise) the Lord, O house of Israel; bless the Lord, O house of Aaron [God’s ministers].

²⁰ Bless the Lord, O house of Levi [the dedicated tribe]; you who reverently and worshipfully fear the Lord, bless the Lord [affectionately and gratefully praise Him]!^(E)

²¹ Blessed out of Zion be the Lord, Who dwells [with us] at Jerusalem! Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)

Psalm 136

¹ O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever.

² O give thanks to the God of gods, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever.

³ O give thanks to the Lord of lords, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever—

⁴ To Him Who alone does great wonders, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

⁵ To Him Who by wisdom and understanding made the heavens, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

⁶ To Him Who stretched out the earth upon the waters, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

⁷ To Him Who made the great lights, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever—

⁸ The sun to rule over the day, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

⁹ The moon and stars to rule by night, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

¹⁰ To Him Who smote Egypt in their firstborn, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;^(F)

¹¹ And brought out Israel from among them, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;^(G)

¹² With a strong hand and with an outstretched arm, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

¹³ To Him Who divided the Red Sea into parts, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;^(H)

¹⁴ And made Israel to pass through the midst of it, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

¹⁵ But shook off and overthrew Pharaoh and his host into the Red Sea, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

¹⁶ To Him Who led His people through the wilderness, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

¹⁷ To Him Who smote great kings, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

¹⁸ And slew famous kings, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever—^(I)

¹⁹ Sihon king of the Amorites, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;^(J)

²⁰ And Og king of Bashan, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;^(K)

²¹ And gave their land as a heritage, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

²² Even a heritage to Israel His servant, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;^(L)

²³ To Him Who [earnestly] remembered us in our low estate and imprinted us [on His heart], for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

²⁴ And rescued us from our enemies, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

²⁵ To Him Who gives food to all flesh, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever;

²⁶ O give thanks to the God of heaven, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!

Psalm 137

¹ By the rivers of Babylon, there we [captives] sat down, yes, we wept when we [earnestly] remembered Zion [the city of our God imprinted on our hearts].

² On the willow trees in the midst of [Babylon] we hung our harps.

³ For there they who led us captive required of us a song with words, and our tormentors and they who wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.

⁴ How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?

⁵ If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill [with the harp].

⁶ Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I remember you not, if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy!^(M)

⁷ Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites, that they said in the day of Jerusalem’s fall, Down, down to the ground with her!

⁸ O Daughter of Babylon [you devastator, you!], who [ought to be and] shall be destroyed, happy and blessed shall he be who requites you as you have served us.^(N)

⁹ Happy and blessed shall he be who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock!

Psalm 138

[A Psalm] of David.

¹ I will confess and praise You [O God] with my whole heart; before the gods will I sing praises to You.

² I will worship toward Your holy temple and praise Your name for Your loving-kindness and for Your truth and faithfulness; for You have exalted above all else Your name and Your word and You have magnified Your word above all Your name!

³ In the day when I called, You answered me; and You strengthened me with strength (might and inflexibility to temptation) in my inner self.

⁴ All the kings of the land shall give You credit and praise You, O Lord, for they have heard of the promises of Your mouth [which were fulfilled].

⁵ Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord and joyfully celebrate His mighty acts, for great is the glory of the Lord.

⁶ For though the Lord is high, yet has He respect to the lowly [bringing them into fellowship with Him]; but the proud and haughty He knows and recognizes [only] at a distance.^(O)

⁷ Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me.^(P)

⁸ The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, endure forever—forsake not the works of Your own hands.^(Q)