Psalm 123

Looking for God’s Favor

A song of ascents.

⁹ Even though we are speaking this way, dearly loved friends, in your case we are confident of things that are better and that pertain to salvation. ¹⁰ For God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love^[a] you demonstrated for his name by serving the saints—and by continuing to serve them.^{(A) 11} Now we desire each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the full assurance of your hope until the end, ¹² so that you won’t become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.^(B)

Inheriting the Promise

¹³ For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater to swear by, he swore by himself: ¹⁴ I will indeed bless you, and I will greatly multiply you.^{[b](C) 15} And so, after waiting patiently, Abraham obtained the promise. ¹⁶ For people swear by something greater than themselves, and for them a confirming oath ends every dispute. ¹⁷ Because God wanted to show his unchangeable purpose even more clearly to the heirs of the promise, he guaranteed it with an oath,^{(D) 18} so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us.^{(E) 19} We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.^{(F) 20} Jesus has entered there on our behalf as a forerunner,^(G) because he has become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.^(H)

Immoral Church Members

5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality^(A) among you, and the kind of sexual immorality that is not even tolerated^[a] among the Gentiles^(B)—a man is sleeping with his father’s wife.^{(C) 2} And you are arrogant! Shouldn’t you be filled with grief^(D) and remove from your congregation the one who did this? ³ Even though I am absent in the body, I am present in spirit.^(E) As one who is present with you in this way, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who has been doing such a thing. ⁴ When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus, and I am with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, ⁵ hand that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh,^(F) so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.^(G)

⁶ Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little leaven^[b](H) leavens the whole batch of dough?^{(I) 7} Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new unleavened batch, as indeed you are. For Christ our Passover lamb^(J) has been sacrificed.^{[c] 8} Therefore, let us observe the feast, not with old leaven or with the leaven of malice and evil,^(K) but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Church Discipline

⁹ I wrote to you in a letter not to associate^(L) with sexually immoral people.^{(M) 10} I did not mean the immoral people of this world or the greedy^(N) and swindlers^(O) or idolaters; otherwise you would have to leave the world.^{(P) 11} But actually, I wrote^[d] you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister^(Q) and is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard^(R) or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. ¹² For what business is it of mine to judge^(S) outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside? ¹³ God judges outsiders. Remove the evil person from among you.^[e](T)