The Perfect Revelation of the Lord

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

19 The (A)heavens declare the glory of God;
And the (B)firmament[a] shows [b]His handiwork.
Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.
(C)Their [c]line has gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.

In them He has set a [d]tabernacle for the sun,
Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
(D)And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
Its rising is from one end of heaven,
And its circuit to the other end;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

(E)The law of the Lord is perfect, [e]converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making (F)wise the simple;
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than (G)gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the [f]honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.

12 Who can understand his errors?
(H)Cleanse me from secret faults.
13 Keep back Your servant also from (I)presumptuous sins;
Let them not have (J)dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be innocent of [g]great transgression.

14 (K)Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my [h]strength and my (L)Redeemer.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 19:1 expanse of heaven
  2. Psalm 19:1 the work of His hands
  3. Psalm 19:4 LXX, Syr., Vg. sound; Tg. business
  4. Psalm 19:4 tent
  5. Psalm 19:7 restoring
  6. Psalm 19:10 honey in the combs
  7. Psalm 19:13 Or much
  8. Psalm 19:14 Lit. rock

The Assurance of God’s Saving Work

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

20 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble;
May the name of the God of Jacob [a]defend you;
May He send you help from the sanctuary,
And strengthen you out of Zion;
May He remember all your offerings,
And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah

May He grant you according to your heart’s desire,
And (A)fulfill all your [b]purpose.
We will rejoice in your salvation,
And in the name of our God we will set up our banners!
May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.

Now I know that the Lord saves His [c]anointed;
He will answer him from His holy heaven
With the saving strength of His right hand.

Some trust in chariots, and some in (B)horses;
But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
They have bowed down and fallen;
But we have risen and stand upright.

Save, Lord!
May the King answer us when we call.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 20:1 Lit. set you on high
  2. Psalm 20:4 counsel
  3. Psalm 20:6 Commissioned one, Heb. messiah

Joy in the Salvation of the Lord

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

21 The king shall have joy in Your strength, O Lord;
And in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!
You have given him his heart’s desire,
And have not withheld the (A)request of his lips. Selah

For You meet him with the blessings of goodness;
You set a crown of pure gold upon his head.
(B)He asked life from You, and You gave it to him—
Length of days forever and ever.
His glory is great in Your salvation;
Honor and majesty You have placed upon him.
For You have made him most blessed forever;
(C)You have made him [a]exceedingly glad with Your presence.
For the king trusts in the Lord,
And through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be [b]moved.

Your hand will find all Your enemies;
Your right hand will find those who hate You.
You shall make them as a fiery oven in the time of Your anger;
The Lord shall swallow them up in His wrath,
And the fire shall devour them.
10 Their offspring You shall destroy from the earth,
And their [c]descendants from among the sons of men.
11 For they intended evil against You;
They devised a plot which they are not able to (D)perform.
12 Therefore You will make them turn their back;
You will make ready Your arrows on Your string toward their faces.

13 Be exalted, O Lord, in Your own strength!
We will sing and praise Your power.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 21:6 Lit. joyful with gladness
  2. Psalm 21:7 shaken
  3. Psalm 21:10 Lit. seed

The Riot at Ephesus

21 (A)When these things were accomplished, Paul (B)purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through (C)Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, (D)I must also see Rome.” 22 So he sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, (E)Timothy and (F)Erastus, but he himself stayed in Asia for a time.

23 And (G)about that time there arose a great commotion about (H)the Way. 24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of [a]Diana, brought (I)no small profit to the craftsmen. 25 He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: “Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. 26 Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that (J)they are not gods which are made with hands. 27 So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and [b]her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.”

28 Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” 29 So the whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized (K)Gaius and (L)Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul’s travel companions. 30 And when Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples would not allow him. 31 Then some of the [c]officials of Asia, who were his friends, sent to him pleading that he would not venture into the theater. 32 Some therefore cried one thing and some another, for the assembly was confused, and most of them did not know why they had come together. 33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And (M)Alexander (N)motioned with his hand, and wanted to make his defense to the people. 34 But when they found out that he was a Jew, all with one voice cried out for about two hours, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”

35 And when the city clerk had quieted the crowd, he said: “Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple guardian of the great goddess [d]Diana, and of the image which fell down from [e]Zeus? 36 Therefore, since these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rashly. 37 For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of [f]your goddess. 38 Therefore, if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a [g]case against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. 39 But if you have any other inquiry to make, it shall be determined in the lawful assembly. 40 For we are in danger of being [h]called in question for today’s uproar, there being no reason which we may give to account for this disorderly gathering.” 41 And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 19:24 Gr. Artemis
  2. Acts 19:27 NU she be deposed from her magnificence
  3. Acts 19:31 Asiarchs, rulers of Asia, the province
  4. Acts 19:35 Gr. Artemis
  5. Acts 19:35 heaven
  6. Acts 19:37 NU our
  7. Acts 19:38 Lit. matter
  8. Acts 19:40 Or charged with rebellion concerning today

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