Psalm 61

Assurance of God’s Protection

To the leader: with stringed instruments. Of David.

Psalm 62

Song of Trust in God Alone

To the leader: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

²⁰ “When he has finished atoning for the holy place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall present the live goat. ²¹ Then Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities of the Israelites, and all their transgressions, all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat and sending it away into the wilderness by means of someone designated for the task.^{[a](A) 22} The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to a barren region, and the goat shall be set free in the wilderness.^(B)

²³ “Then Aaron shall enter the tent of meeting and shall take off the linen vestments that he put on when he went into the holy place and shall leave them there.^{(C) 24} He shall bathe his body in water in a holy place and put on his vestments; then he shall come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, making atonement for himself and for the people.^{(D) 25} The fat of the purification offering he shall turn into smoke on the altar. ²⁶ The one who sets the goat free for Azazel shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water and afterward may come into the camp. ²⁷ The bull of the purification offering and the goat of the purification offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall be taken outside the camp; their skin and their flesh and their dung shall be consumed in fire.^{(E) 28} The one who burns them shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water and afterward may come into the camp.

²⁹ “This shall be a statute to you forever: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall humble yourselves^[b] and shall do no work, neither the native-born nor the alien who resides among you.^{(F) 30} For on this day atonement shall be made for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins you shall be clean before the Lord. ³¹ It is a Sabbath of complete rest to you, and you shall humble yourselves;^[c] it is a statute forever.^{(G) 32} The priest who is anointed and consecrated as priest in his father’s place shall make atonement, wearing the linen vestments, the holy vestments.^{(H) 33} He shall make atonement for the sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly.^{(I) 34} This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the Israelites once in the year for all their sins.” And Moses did as the Lord had commanded him.^(J)

5 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you.^{(A) 2} For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.^{(B) 3} When they say, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape!^{(C) 4} But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief;^{(D) 5} for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. ⁶ So, then, let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober,^{(E) 7} for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night.^{(F) 8} But since we belong to the day, let us be sober and put on the breastplate of faith and love and for a helmet the hope of salvation.^{(G) 9} For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,^{(H) 10} who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him.^{(I) 11} Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.

⁷ “When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard because of their many words.^{(A) 8} Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

⁹ “Pray, then, in this way:

¹⁴ “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,^{(F) 15} but if you do not forgive others,^[d] neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.^(G)