Psalm 5[a]

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

Listen(A) to my words, Lord,
    consider my lament.(B)
Hear my cry for help,(C)
    my King and my God,(D)
    for to you I pray.

In the morning,(E) Lord, you hear my voice;
    in the morning I lay my requests before you
    and wait expectantly.(F)
For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
    with you, evil people(G) are not welcome.
The arrogant(H) cannot stand(I)
    in your presence.
You hate(J) all who do wrong;
    you destroy those who tell lies.(K)
The bloodthirsty and deceitful
    you, Lord, detest.
But I, by your great love,
    can come into your house;
in reverence(L) I bow down(M)
    toward your holy temple.(N)

Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness(O)
    because of my enemies—
    make your way straight(P) before me.
Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
    their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;(Q)
    with their tongues they tell lies.(R)
10 Declare them guilty, O God!
    Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,(S)
    for they have rebelled(T) against you.
11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
    let them ever sing for joy.(U)
Spread your protection over them,
    that those who love your name(V) may rejoice in you.(W)

12 Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;(X)
    you surround them(Y) with your favor as with a shield.(Z)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1-12 is numbered 5:2-13.

A Crown for Joshua

The word of the Lord came to me: 10 “Take silver and gold from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon.(A) Go the same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. 11 Take the silver and gold and make a crown,(B) and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua(C) son of Jozadak.[a](D) 12 Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch,(E) and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord.(F) 13 It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he[b] will be a priest(G) on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’ 14 The crown will be given to Heldai,[c] Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen[d] son of Zephaniah as a memorial(H) in the temple of the Lord. 15 Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the Lord,(I) and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.(J) This will happen if you diligently obey(K) the Lord your God.”

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Footnotes

  1. Zechariah 6:11 Hebrew Jehozadak, a variant of Jozadak
  2. Zechariah 6:13 Or there
  3. Zechariah 6:14 Syriac; Hebrew Helem
  4. Zechariah 6:14 Or and the gracious one, the

Praise to God for a Living Hope

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!(A) In his great mercy(B) he has given us new birth(C) into a living hope(D) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,(E) and into an inheritance(F) that can never perish, spoil or fade.(G) This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,(H) who through faith are shielded by God’s power(I) until the coming of the salvation(J) that is ready to be revealed(K) in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice,(L) though now for a little while(M) you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.(N) These have come so that the proven genuineness(O) of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire(P)—may result in praise, glory and honor(Q) when Jesus Christ is revealed.(R) Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him(S) and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.(T)

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