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Psalm 109

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

O God, whom I praise,
    don’t stand silent and aloof
while the wicked slander me
    and tell lies about me.
They surround me with hateful words
    and fight against me for no reason.
I love them, but they try to destroy me with accusations
    even as I am praying for them!
They repay evil for good,
    and hatred for my love.

They say,[a] “Get an evil person to turn against him.
    Send an accuser to bring him to trial.
When his case comes up for judgment,
    let him be pronounced guilty.
    Count his prayers as sins.
Let his years be few;
    let someone else take his position.
May his children become fatherless,
    and his wife a widow.
10 May his children wander as beggars
    and be driven from[b] their ruined homes.
11 May creditors seize his entire estate,
    and strangers take all he has earned.
12 Let no one be kind to him;
    let no one pity his fatherless children.
13 May all his offspring die.
    May his family name be blotted out in the next generation.
14 May the Lord never forget the sins of his fathers;
    may his mother’s sins never be erased from the record.
15 May the Lord always remember these sins,
    and may his name disappear from human memory.
16 For he refused all kindness to others;
    he persecuted the poor and needy,
    and he hounded the brokenhearted to death.
17 He loved to curse others;
    now you curse him.
He never blessed others;
    now don’t you bless him.
18 Cursing is as natural to him as his clothing,
    or the water he drinks,
    or the rich food he eats.
19 Now may his curses return and cling to him like clothing;
    may they be tied around him like a belt.”

20 May those curses become the Lord’s punishment
    for my accusers who speak evil of me.
21 But deal well with me, O Sovereign Lord,
    for the sake of your own reputation!
Rescue me
    because you are so faithful and good.
22 For I am poor and needy,
    and my heart is full of pain.
23 I am fading like a shadow at dusk;
    I am brushed off like a locust.
24 My knees are weak from fasting,
    and I am skin and bones.
25 I am a joke to people everywhere;
    when they see me, they shake their heads in scorn.

26 Help me, O Lord my God!
    Save me because of your unfailing love.
27 Let them see that this is your doing,
    that you yourself have done it, Lord.
28 Then let them curse me if they like,
    but you will bless me!
When they attack me, they will be disgraced!
    But I, your servant, will go right on rejoicing!
29 May my accusers be clothed with disgrace;
    may their humiliation cover them like a cloak.
30 But I will give repeated thanks to the Lord,
    praising him to everyone.
31 For he stands beside the needy,
    ready to save them from those who condemn them.

Psalm 110

A psalm of David.

The Lord said to my Lord,[c]
    “Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
until I humble your enemies,
    making them a footstool under your feet.”

The Lord will extend your powerful kingdom from Jerusalem[d];
    you will rule over your enemies.
When you go to war,
    your people will serve you willingly.
You are arrayed in holy garments,
    and your strength will be renewed each day like the morning dew.

The Lord has taken an oath and will not break his vow:
    “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”

The Lord stands at your right hand to protect you.
    He will strike down many kings when his anger erupts.
He will punish the nations
    and fill their lands with corpses;
    he will shatter heads over the whole earth.
But he himself will be refreshed from brooks along the way.
    He will be victorious.

Psalm 111[e]

Praise the Lord!

I will thank the Lord with all my heart
    as I meet with his godly people.
How amazing are the deeds of the Lord!
    All who delight in him should ponder them.
Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty.
    His righteousness never fails.
He causes us to remember his wonderful works.
    How gracious and merciful is our Lord!
He gives food to those who fear him;
    he always remembers his covenant.
He has shown his great power to his people
    by giving them the lands of other nations.
All he does is just and good,
    and all his commandments are trustworthy.
They are forever true,
    to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity.
He has paid a full ransom for his people.
    He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever.
    What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!
10 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom.
    All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom.

Praise him forever!

Footnotes

  1. 109:6 Hebrew lacks They say.
  2. 109:10 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads and seek.
  3. 110:1 Or my lord.
  4. 110:2 Hebrew Zion.
  5. 111 This psalm is a Hebrew acrostic poem; after the introductory note of praise, each line begins with a successive letter 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

Greetings from Paul

This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.

I am writing to God’s church in Corinth and to all of his holy people throughout Greece.[a]

May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

God Offers Comfort to All

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.

We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters,[b] about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. 10 And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. 11 And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety.

Paul’s Change of Plans

12 We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness[c] and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God’s grace, not on our own human wisdom. That is how we have conducted ourselves before the world, and especially toward you. 13 Our letters have been straightforward, and there is nothing written between the lines and nothing you can’t understand. I hope someday you will fully understand us, 14 even if you don’t understand us now. Then on the day when the Lord Jesus[d] returns, you will be proud of us in the same way we are proud of you.

15 Since I was so sure of your understanding and trust, I wanted to give you a double blessing by visiting you twice— 16 first on my way to Macedonia and again when I returned from Macedonia.[e] Then you could send me on my way to Judea.

17 You may be asking why I changed my plan. Do you think I make my plans carelessly? Do you think I am like people of the world who say “Yes” when they really mean “No”? 18 As surely as God is faithful, our word to you does not waver between “Yes” and “No.” 19 For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between “Yes” and “No.” He is the one whom Silas,[f] Timothy, and I preached to you, and as God’s ultimate “Yes,” he always does what he says. 20 For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.

21 It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, 22 and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.

23 Now I call upon God as my witness that I am telling the truth. The reason I didn’t return to Corinth was to spare you from a severe rebuke. 24 But that does not mean we want to dominate you by telling you how to put your faith into practice. We want to work together with you so you will be full of joy, for it is by your own faith that you stand firm.

Footnotes

  1. 1:1 Greek Achaia, the southern region of the Greek peninsula.
  2. 1:8 Greek brothers.
  3. 1:12 Some manuscripts read honesty.
  4. 1:14 Some manuscripts read our Lord Jesus.
  5. 1:16 Macedonia was in the northern region of Greece.
  6. 1:19 Greek Silvanus.

Paul, an apostle(A) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,(B) and Timothy(C) our brother,

To the church of God(D) in Corinth,(E) together with all his holy people throughout Achaia:(F)

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.(G)

Praise to the God of All Comfort

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,(H) the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us(I) in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ,(J) so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation;(K) if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings,(L) so also you share in our comfort.

We do not want you to be uninformed,(M) brothers and sisters,[a] about the troubles we experienced(N) in the province of Asia.(O) We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God,(P) who raises the dead.(Q) 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril,(R) and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope(S) that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers.(T) Then many will give thanks(U) on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

Paul’s Change of Plans

12 Now this is our boast: Our conscience(V) testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity[b](W) and godly sincerity.(X) We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom(Y) but on God’s grace. 13 For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, 14 as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.(Z)

15 Because I was confident of this, I wanted to visit you(AA) first so that you might benefit twice.(AB) 16 I wanted to visit you on my way(AC) to Macedonia(AD) and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way(AE) to Judea.(AF) 17 Was I fickle when I intended to do this? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner(AG) so that in the same breath I say both “Yes, yes” and “No, no”?

18 But as surely as God is faithful,(AH) our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” 19 For the Son of God,(AI) Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silas[c](AJ) and Timothy(AK)—was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always(AL) been “Yes.” 20 For no matter how many promises(AM) God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen”(AN) is spoken by us to the glory of God.(AO) 21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm(AP) in Christ. He anointed(AQ) us, 22 set his seal(AR) of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.(AS)

23 I call God as my witness(AT)—and I stake my life on it—that it was in order to spare you(AU) that I did not return to Corinth. 24 Not that we lord it over(AV) your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.(AW)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 1:8 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 8:1; 13:11.
  2. 2 Corinthians 1:12 Many manuscripts holiness
  3. 2 Corinthians 1:19 Greek Silvanus, a variant of Silas