BOOK ONE

Psalms 1–41

The Way of the Righteous and the End of the Ungodly

Blessed (A)is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the [a]ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
(B)Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But (C)his delight is in the law of the Lord,
(D)And in His law he [b]meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
(E)Planted by the [c]rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall (F)prosper.

The ungodly are not so,
But are (G)like the chaff which the wind drives away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For (H)the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 1:1 wicked
  2. Psalm 1:2 ponders by talking to himself
  3. Psalm 1:3 channels

The Messiah’s Triumph and Kingdom(A)

Why (B)do the [a]nations [b]rage,
And the people plot a [c]vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the (C)rulers take counsel together,
Against the Lord and against His (D)Anointed,[d] saying,
“Let (E)us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”

He who sits in the heavens (F)shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.
Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:
“Yet I have [e]set My King
[f]On My holy hill of Zion.”

“I will declare the [g]decree:
The Lord has said to Me,
(G)‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
(H)You shall [h]break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”

10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
12 [i]Kiss the Son, lest [j]He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When (I)His wrath is kindled but a little.
(J)Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 2:1 Gentiles
  2. Psalm 2:1 throng tumultuously
  3. Psalm 2:1 worthless or empty
  4. Psalm 2:2 Christ, Commissioned One, Heb. Messiah
  5. Psalm 2:6 Lit. installed
  6. Psalm 2:6 Lit. Upon Zion, the hill of My holiness
  7. Psalm 2:7 Or decree of the Lord: He said to Me
  8. Psalm 2:9 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr., Vg. rule (cf. Rev. 2:27)
  9. Psalm 2:12 LXX, Vg. Embrace discipline; Tg. Receive instruction
  10. Psalm 2:12 LXX the Lord

The Lord Helps His Troubled People

A Psalm of David (A)when he fled from Absalom his son.

Lord, how they have increased who trouble me!
Many are they who rise up against me.
Many are they who say of me,
There is no help for him in God.” Selah

But You, O Lord, are (B)a shield [a]for me,
My glory and (C)the One who lifts up my head.
I cried to the Lord with my voice,
And (D)He heard me from His (E)holy hill. Selah

(F)I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.
(G)I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have set themselves against me all around.

Arise, O Lord;
Save me, O my God!
(H)For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone;
You have broken the teeth of the ungodly.
(I)Salvation belongs to the Lord.
Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 3:3 Lit. around

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

16 Then he came to (A)Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, (B)named Timothy, (C)the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he (D)took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek. And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the (E)decrees to keep, (F)which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. (G)So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.

The Macedonian Call

Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of (H)Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in [a]Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the [b]Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they (I)came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A (J)man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go (K)to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Lydia Baptized at Philippi

11 Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day came to Neapolis, 12 and from there to (L)Philippi, which is the [c]foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days. 13 And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there. 14 Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of (M)Thyatira, who worshiped God. (N)The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. 15 And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So (O)she persuaded us.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 16:6 The Roman province of Asia
  2. Acts 16:7 NU adds of Jesus
  3. Acts 16:12 Lit. first

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