Psalm 34

New International Version

Psalm 34^[a]^[b]

Of David. When he pretended to be insane^(A) before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.

¹I will extol the Lord at all times;^(B)
    his praise will always be on my lips.
²I will glory^(C) in the Lord;
    let the afflicted hear and rejoice.^(D)
³Glorify the Lord^(E) with me;
    let us exalt^(F) his name together.

⁴I sought the Lord,^(G) and he answered me;
    he delivered^(H) me from all my fears.
⁵Those who look to him are radiant;^(I)
    their faces are never covered with shame.^(J)
⁶This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
    he saved him out of all his troubles.^(K)
⁷The angel of the Lord^(L) encamps around those who fear him,
    and he delivers^(M) them.

⁸Taste and see that the Lord is good;^(N)
    blessed is the one who takes refuge^(O) in him.
⁹Fear the Lord,^(P) you his holy people,
    for those who fear him lack nothing.^(Q)
¹⁰The lions may grow weak and hungry,
    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.^(R)
¹¹Come, my children, listen^(S) to me;
    I will teach you^(T) the fear of the Lord.^(U)
¹²Whoever of you loves life^(V)
    and desires to see many good days,
¹³keep your tongue^(W) from evil
    and your lips from telling lies.^(X)
¹⁴Turn from evil and do good;^(Y)
    seek peace^(Z) and pursue it.

¹⁵The eyes of the Lord^(AA) are on the righteous,^(AB)
and his ears are attentive^(AC) to their cry;
¹⁶but the face of the Lord is against^(AD) those who do evil,^(AE)
to blot out their name^(AF) from the earth.

¹⁷The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears^(AG) them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
¹⁸The Lord is close^(AH) to the brokenhearted^(AI)
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

¹⁹The righteous person may have many troubles,^(AJ)
but the Lord delivers him from them all;^(AK)
²⁰he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.^(AL)

²¹Evil will slay the wicked;^(AM)
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
²²The Lord will rescue^(AN) his servants;
no one who takes refuge^(AO) in him will be condemned.

Footnotes

Psalm 34:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Psalm 34:1 In Hebrew texts 34:1-22 is numbered 34:2-23.

Song of Songs 7:10-8:4

New International Version

¹⁰I belong to my beloved,
    and his desire^(A) is for me.^(B)
¹¹Come, my beloved, let us go to the countryside,
    let us spend the night in the villages.^[a]
¹²Let us go early to the vineyards^(C)
    to see if the vines have budded,^(D)
if their blossoms^(E) have opened,
    and if the pomegranates^(F) are in bloom^(G)—
    there I will give you my love.
¹³The mandrakes^(H) send out their fragrance,
    and at our door is every delicacy,
both new and old,
    that I have stored up for you, my beloved.^(I)

8 If only you were to me like a brother,
    who was nursed at my mother’s breasts!
Then, if I found you outside,
    I would kiss you,
    and no one would despise me.
²I would lead you
    and bring you to my mother’s house^(J)—
    she who has taught me.
I would give you spiced wine to drink,
    the nectar of my pomegranates.
³His left arm is under my head
    and his right arm embraces me.^(K)
⁴Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:
    Do not arouse or awaken love
    until it so desires.^(L)

Footnotes

Song of Songs 7:11 Or the henna bushes

John 6:25-35

New International Version

Jesus the Bread of Life

²⁵When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi,^(A) when did you get here?”

²⁶Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me,^(B) not because you saw the signs^(C) I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. ²⁷Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures^(D) to eternal life,^(E) which the Son of Man^(F) will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal^(G) of approval.”

²⁸Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

²⁹Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe^(H) in the one he has sent.”^(I)

³⁰So they asked him, “What sign^(J) then will you give that we may see it and believe you?^(K) What will you do? ³¹Our ancestors ate the manna^(L) in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’^[a]”^(M)

³²Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven^(N) and gives life to the world.”

³⁴“Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”^(O)

³⁵Then Jesus declared, “I am^(P) the bread of life.^(Q) Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes^(R) in me will never be thirsty.^(S)

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