Help Me, O Lord My God

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

109 (A)Be not silent, O (B)God of my praise!
For wicked and (C)deceitful mouths are opened against me,
    speaking against me with lying tongues.
They encircle me with words of hate,
    and attack me (D)without cause.
In return for my love they (E)accuse me,
    but I (F)give myself to prayer.[a]
So they (G)reward me evil for good,
    and hatred for my love.

(H)Appoint a wicked man (I)against him;
    let an accuser stand (J)at his right hand.
When he is tried, let him come forth guilty;
    let his (K)prayer be counted as sin!
May his (L)days be few;
    may (M)another take his (N)office!
May his (O)children be fatherless
    and his wife a widow!
10 May his children (P)wander about and beg,
    (Q)seeking food far from the ruins they inhabit!
11 May (R)the creditor seize all that he has;
    may (S)strangers plunder the fruits of his toil!
12 Let there be none to (T)extend kindness to him,
    nor any to (U)pity his fatherless children!
13 May his (V)posterity be cut off;
    may his (W)name be blotted out in the second generation!
14 May (X)the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord,
    and let not the sin of his mother be (Y)blotted out!
15 (Z)Let them be before the Lord continually,
    that he may (AA)cut off the memory of them from the earth!

16 For he did not remember to show kindness,
    but pursued (AB)the poor and needy
    and (AC)the brokenhearted, to put them to death.
17 (AD)He loved to curse; let curses come[b] upon him!
    He did not delight in blessing; may it be far[c] from him!
18 He (AE)clothed himself with cursing as his coat;
    may it (AF)soak[d] into his body like water,
    like oil into his bones!
19 May it be like a garment that he wraps around him,
    like a belt that he puts on every day!
20 May this be the reward of my (AG)accusers from the Lord,
    of those who speak evil against my life!

21 But you, O God my Lord,
    deal on my behalf (AH)for your name's sake;
    because your (AI)steadfast love is good, deliver me!
22 For I am (AJ)poor and needy,
    and my heart is stricken within me.
23 I am gone like (AK)a shadow at evening;
    I am (AL)shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees are weak (AM)through fasting;
    my (AN)body has become gaunt, with no fat.
25 I am (AO)an object of scorn to my accusers;
    when they see me, they (AP)wag their heads.

26 (AQ)Help me, O Lord my God!
    Save me according to your steadfast love!
27 Let them (AR)know that this is your hand;
    you, O Lord, have done it!
28 (AS)Let them curse, but you will bless!
    They arise and are put to shame, but (AT)your servant will be glad!
29 May my accusers be (AU)clothed with dishonor;
    may they (AV)be wrapped in their own shame as in a cloak!

30 With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord;
    I will (AW)praise him in the midst of the throng.
31 For he stands (AX)at the right hand of the needy one,
    to save him from those who condemn his soul to death.

Sit at My Right Hand

A Psalm of David.

110 (AY)The Lord says to my Lord:
    (AZ)“Sit at my right hand,
(BA)until I make your enemies your (BB)footstool.”

The Lord sends forth (BC)from Zion
    (BD)your mighty scepter.
    (BE)Rule in the midst of your enemies!
(BF)Your people will (BG)offer themselves freely
    on the day of your (BH)power,[e]
    in (BI)holy garments;[f]
from the womb of the morning,
    the dew of your youth will be yours.[g]
(BJ)The Lord has (BK)sworn
    and will (BL)not change his mind,
(BM)“You are (BN)a priest (BO)forever
    after the order of (BP)Melchizedek.”

The Lord is at your (BQ)right hand;
    he will (BR)shatter kings on (BS)the day of his wrath.
He will (BT)execute judgment among the nations,
    (BU)filling them with corpses;
he will (BV)shatter chiefs[h]
    over the wide earth.
He will (BW)drink from the brook by the way;
    therefore he will lift up his head.

Great Are the Lord's Works

111 [i] (BX)Praise the Lord!
I (BY)will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
    in the company of (BZ)the upright, in the congregation.
Great are the (CA)works of the Lord,
    (CB)studied by all who delight in them.
(CC)Full of splendor and majesty is his work,
    and his (CD)righteousness endures forever.
He has (CE)caused his wondrous works to be remembered;
    the Lord is gracious and merciful.
He provides food for those who fear him;
    he (CF)remembers his covenant forever.
He has shown his people the power of his works,
    in giving them the inheritance of the nations.
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
    all his precepts are (CG)trustworthy;
they are (CH)established forever and ever,
    to be performed with (CI)faithfulness and uprightness.
He sent (CJ)redemption to his people;
    he has (CK)commanded his covenant forever.
    (CL)Holy and awesome is his name!
10 (CM)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
    all those who practice it have (CN)a good understanding.
    His (CO)praise endures forever!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 109:4 Hebrew but I am prayer
  2. Psalm 109:17 Revocalization; Masoretic Text curses have come
  3. Psalm 109:17 Revocalization; Masoretic Text it is far
  4. Psalm 109:18 Revocalization; Masoretic Text it has soaked
  5. Psalm 110:3 Or on the day you lead your forces
  6. Psalm 110:3 Masoretic Text; some Hebrew manuscripts and Jerome on the holy mountains
  7. Psalm 110:3 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
  8. Psalm 110:6 Or the head
  9. Psalm 111:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, each line beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet

Psalm 109

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

My God, whom I praise,(A)
    do not remain silent,(B)
for people who are wicked and deceitful(C)
    have opened their mouths against me;
    they have spoken against me with lying tongues.(D)
With words of hatred(E) they surround me;
    they attack me without cause.(F)
In return for my friendship they accuse me,
    but I am a man of prayer.(G)
They repay me evil for good,(H)
    and hatred for my friendship.

Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy;
    let an accuser(I) stand at his right hand.
When he is tried, let him be found guilty,(J)
    and may his prayers condemn(K) him.
May his days be few;(L)
    may another take his place(M) of leadership.
May his children be fatherless
    and his wife a widow.(N)
10 May his children be wandering beggars;(O)
    may they be driven[a] from their ruined homes.
11 May a creditor(P) seize all he has;
    may strangers plunder(Q) the fruits of his labor.(R)
12 May no one extend kindness to him
    or take pity(S) on his fatherless children.
13 May his descendants be cut off,(T)
    their names blotted out(U) from the next generation.
14 May the iniquity of his fathers(V) be remembered before the Lord;
    may the sin of his mother never be blotted out.
15 May their sins always remain before(W) the Lord,
    that he may blot out their name(X) from the earth.

16 For he never thought of doing a kindness,
    but hounded to death the poor
    and the needy(Y) and the brokenhearted.(Z)
17 He loved to pronounce a curse—
    may it come back on him.(AA)
He found no pleasure in blessing—
    may it be far from him.
18 He wore cursing(AB) as his garment;
    it entered into his body like water,(AC)
    into his bones like oil.
19 May it be like a cloak wrapped(AD) about him,
    like a belt tied forever around him.
20 May this be the Lord’s payment(AE) to my accusers,
    to those who speak evil(AF) of me.

21 But you, Sovereign Lord,
    help me for your name’s sake;(AG)
    out of the goodness of your love,(AH) deliver me.(AI)
22 For I am poor and needy,
    and my heart is wounded within me.
23 I fade away like an evening shadow;(AJ)
    I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees give(AK) way from fasting;(AL)
    my body is thin and gaunt.(AM)
25 I am an object of scorn(AN) to my accusers;
    when they see me, they shake their heads.(AO)

26 Help me,(AP) Lord my God;
    save me according to your unfailing love.
27 Let them know(AQ) that it is your hand,
    that you, Lord, have done it.
28 While they curse,(AR) may you bless;
    may those who attack me be put to shame,
    but may your servant rejoice.(AS)
29 May my accusers be clothed with disgrace
    and wrapped in shame(AT) as in a cloak.

30 With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord;
    in the great throng(AU) of worshipers I will praise him.
31 For he stands at the right hand(AV) of the needy,
    to save their lives from those who would condemn them.

Psalm 110

Of David. A psalm.

The Lord says(AW) to my lord:[b]

“Sit at my right hand(AX)
    until I make your enemies
    a footstool for your feet.”(AY)

The Lord will extend your mighty scepter(AZ) from Zion,(BA) saying,
    “Rule(BB) in the midst of your enemies!”
Your troops will be willing
    on your day of battle.
Arrayed in holy splendor,(BC)
    your young men will come to you
    like dew from the morning’s womb.[c](BD)

The Lord has sworn
    and will not change his mind:(BE)
“You are a priest forever,(BF)
    in the order of Melchizedek.(BG)

The Lord is at your right hand[d];(BH)
    he will crush kings(BI) on the day of his wrath.(BJ)
He will judge the nations,(BK) heaping up the dead(BL)
    and crushing the rulers(BM) of the whole earth.
He will drink from a brook along the way,[e]
    and so he will lift his head high.(BN)

Psalm 111[f]

Praise the Lord.[g]

I will extol the Lord(BO) with all my heart(BP)
    in the council(BQ) of the upright and in the assembly.(BR)

Great are the works(BS) of the Lord;
    they are pondered by all(BT) who delight in them.
Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
    and his righteousness endures(BU) forever.
He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
    the Lord is gracious and compassionate.(BV)
He provides food(BW) for those who fear him;(BX)
    he remembers his covenant(BY) forever.

He has shown his people the power of his works,(BZ)
    giving them the lands of other nations.(CA)
The works of his hands(CB) are faithful and just;
    all his precepts are trustworthy.(CC)
They are established for ever(CD) and ever,
    enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.
He provided redemption(CE) for his people;
    he ordained his covenant forever—
    holy and awesome(CF) is his name.

10 The fear of the Lord(CG) is the beginning of wisdom;(CH)
    all who follow his precepts have good understanding.(CI)
    To him belongs eternal praise.(CJ)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 109:10 Septuagint; Hebrew sought
  2. Psalm 110:1 Or Lord
  3. Psalm 110:3 The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain.
  4. Psalm 110:5 Or My lord is at your right hand, Lord
  5. Psalm 110:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.
  6. Psalm 111:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the lines of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  7. Psalm 111:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah

Personal Greetings

16 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant[a] of the church at (A)Cenchreae, that you (B)may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.

Greet (C)Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. Greet also (D)the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was (E)the first convert[b] to Christ in Asia. Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. Greet Andronicus and Junia,[c] my kinsmen and my (F)fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles,[d] and they were in Christ before me. Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those (G)who belong to the family of Aristobulus. 11 Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. 12 Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers[e] who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 (H)Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.

Final Instructions and Greetings

17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles (I)contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; (J)avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but (K)their own appetites,[f] and (L)by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19 For (M)your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you (N)to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. 20 (O)The God of peace (P)will soon crush Satan under your feet. (Q)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

21 (R)Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.

22 I Tertius, (S)who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.

23 (T)Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you.[g]

Doxology

25 (U)Now to him who is able to strengthen you (V)according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, (W)according to the revelation of the mystery (X)that was kept secret for (Y)long ages 26 but (Z)has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, (AA)to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to (AB)the only wise God (AC)be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 16:1 Or deaconess
  2. Romans 16:5 Greek firstfruit
  3. Romans 16:7 Or Junias
  4. Romans 16:7 Or messengers
  5. Romans 16:14 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 17
  6. Romans 16:18 Greek their own belly
  7. Romans 16:23 Some manuscripts insert verse 24: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen

Personal Greetings

16 I commend(A) to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon[a][b] of the church in Cenchreae.(B) I ask you to receive her in the Lord(C) in a way worthy of his people(D) and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.

Greet Priscilla[c] and Aquila,(E) my co-workers(F) in Christ Jesus.(G) They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.

Greet also the church that meets at their house.(H)

Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert(I) to Christ in the province of Asia.(J)

Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you.

Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews(K) who have been in prison with me.(L) They are outstanding among[d] the apostles, and they were in Christ(M) before I was.

Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.

Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ,(N) and my dear friend Stachys.

10 Greet Apelles, whose fidelity to Christ has stood the test.(O)

Greet those who belong to the household(P) of Aristobulus.

11 Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew.(Q)

Greet those in the household(R) of Narcissus who are in the Lord.

12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord.

Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.

13 Greet Rufus,(S) chosen(T) in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.

14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the other brothers and sisters with them.

15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the Lord’s people(U) who are with them.(V)

16 Greet one another with a holy kiss.(W)

All the churches of Christ send greetings.

17 I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned.(X) Keep away from them.(Y) 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ,(Z) but their own appetites.(AA) By smooth talk and flattery they deceive(AB) the minds of naive people. 19 Everyone has heard(AC) about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.(AD)

20 The God of peace(AE) will soon crush(AF) Satan(AG) under your feet.

The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.(AH)

21 Timothy,(AI) my co-worker, sends his greetings to you, as do Lucius,(AJ) Jason(AK) and Sosipater, my fellow Jews.(AL)

22 I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord.

23 Gaius,(AM) whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings.

Erastus,(AN) who is the city’s director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings. [24] [e]

25 Now to him who is able(AO) to establish you in accordance with my gospel,(AP) the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery(AQ) hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings(AR) by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from[f] faith(AS) 27 to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.(AT)

Footnotes

  1. Romans 16:1 Or servant
  2. Romans 16:1 The word deacon refers here to a Christian designated to serve with the overseers/elders of the church in a variety of ways; similarly in Phil. 1:1 and 1 Tim. 3:8,12.
  3. Romans 16:3 Greek Prisca, a variant of Priscilla
  4. Romans 16:7 Or are esteemed by
  5. Romans 16:24 Some manuscripts include here May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you. Amen.
  6. Romans 16:26 Or that is