Wickedness of Humanity and Goodness of God.

For the music director. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord.

36 [a]Wrongdoing speaks to the ungodly within [b]his heart;
There is (A)no fear of God before his eyes.
For it (B)flatters him in his own eyes
Concerning the discovery of his wrongful deed and the hatred of it.
The (C)words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit;
He has (D)ceased to [c]be wise and to do good.
He (E)plans wickedness on his bed;
He sets himself on a (F)path that is not good;
He (G)does not reject evil.

Your (H)mercy, Lord, [d]extends to the heavens,
Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Your (I)righteousness is like the [e]mountains of God;
Your (J)judgments are like the great deep.
Lord, You [f](K)protect mankind and animals.
How (L)precious is Your mercy, God!
And the sons of mankind (M)take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
They (N)drink their fill of the [g]abundance of Your house;
And You allow them to drink from the (O)river of Your delights.
For the (P)fountain of life is with You;
In Your light we see light.

10 Prolong Your mercy to (Q)those who know You,
And Your (R)righteousness to the upright of heart.
11 May the foot of pride not come upon me,
And may the hand of the wicked not drive me away.
12 Those who do injustice have fallen there;
They have been thrust down and (S)cannot rise.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 36:1 Or Rebellion
  2. Psalm 36:1 Another reading is my heart
  3. Psalm 36:3 Or understand to do good
  4. Psalm 36:5 Lit is in
  5. Psalm 36:6 Or mighty mountains
  6. Psalm 36:6 Or help
  7. Psalm 36:8 Lit fatness

Psalm 36[a]

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord.

I have a message from God in my heart
    concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:[b](A)
There is no fear(B) of God
    before their eyes.(C)

In their own eyes they flatter themselves
    too much to detect or hate their sin.(D)
The words of their mouths(E) are wicked and deceitful;(F)
    they fail to act wisely(G) or do good.(H)
Even on their beds they plot evil;(I)
    they commit themselves to a sinful course(J)
    and do not reject what is wrong.(K)

Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
    your faithfulness(L) to the skies.(M)
Your righteousness(N) is like the highest mountains,(O)
    your justice like the great deep.(P)
    You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.(Q)
How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!(R)
    People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.(S)
They feast on the abundance of your house;(T)
    you give them drink from your river(U) of delights.(V)
For with you is the fountain of life;(W)
    in your light(X) we see light.

10 Continue your love(Y) to those who know you,(Z)
    your righteousness to the upright in heart.(AA)
11 May the foot of the proud not come against me,
    nor the hand of the wicked(AB) drive me away.
12 See how the evildoers lie fallen—
    thrown down, not able to rise!(AC)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 36:1 In Hebrew texts 36:1-12 is numbered 36:2-13.
  2. Psalm 36:1 Or A message from God: The transgression of the wicked / resides in their hearts.

The Lord Implored to Defend the Psalmist against the Wicked.

A [a]Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord [b]concerning Cush, a Benjaminite.

O Lord my God, (A)in You I have taken refuge;
Save me from all those who pursue me, and (B)rescue me,
Or he will tear [c]my soul (C)like a lion,
Dragging me away, while there is no one to rescue me.

O Lord my God, if I have done this,
If there is (D)injustice in my hands,
If I have (E)done evil to [d]my friend,
Or have (F)plundered [e]my enemy for no reason,
Let the enemy pursue [f]my soul and overtake [g]it;
And let him trample my life to the ground
And lay my glory in the dust. Selah

(G)Arise, Lord, in Your anger;
(H)Raise Yourself against (I)the rage of my enemies,
And (J)stir Yourself [h]for me; You have ordered judgment.
Let the assembly of the (K)peoples encompass You,
And return on high over it.
The Lord (L)judges the peoples;
[i](M)Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me.
Please let (N)the evil of the wicked come to an end, but (O)establish the righteous;
For the righteous God (P)puts hearts and [j]minds to the test.
10 My (Q)shield is [k]with God,
Who (R)saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a (S)righteous judge,
And a God who (T)shows indignation every day.

12 If one (U)does not repent, He will (V)sharpen His sword;
He has (W)bent His bow and taken aim.
13 He has also prepared deadly weapons for Himself;
He makes His (X)arrows fiery shafts.
14 Behold, an evil person is pregnant with injustice,
And he (Y)conceives harm and gives birth to lies.
15 He has dug a pit and hollowed it out,
And has (Z)fallen into the hole which he made.
16 His (AA)harm will return on his own head,
And his (AB)violence will descend on the top of his own head.

17 I will give thanks to the Lord (AC)according to His righteousness
And will (AD)sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 7 Title I.e., Dithyrambic rhythm; or wild, passionate song
  2. Psalm 7 Title Or concerning the words of
  3. Psalm 7:2 Or me
  4. Psalm 7:4 Lit him who was at peace with me
  5. Psalm 7:4 Or him who for no reason was my enemy,
  6. Psalm 7:5 Or me
  7. Psalm 7:5 Or me
  8. Psalm 7:6 One ancient version reads O my God
  9. Psalm 7:8 Lit Judge
  10. Psalm 7:9 Lit kidneys, figurative for inner man
  11. Psalm 7:10 Lit upon

Psalm 7[a]

A shiggaion[b](A) of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush, a Benjamite.

Lord my God, I take refuge(B) in you;
    save and deliver me(C) from all who pursue me,(D)
or they will tear me apart like a lion(E)
    and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue(F) me.

Lord my God, if I have done this
    and there is guilt on my hands(G)
if I have repaid my ally with evil
    or without cause(H) have robbed my foe—
then let my enemy pursue and overtake(I) me;
    let him trample my life to the ground(J)
    and make me sleep in the dust.[c](K)

Arise,(L) Lord, in your anger;
    rise up against the rage of my enemies.(M)
    Awake,(N) my God; decree justice.
Let the assembled peoples gather around you,
    while you sit enthroned over them on high.(O)
    Let the Lord judge(P) the peoples.
Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness,(Q)
    according to my integrity,(R) O Most High.(S)
Bring to an end the violence of the wicked
    and make the righteous secure—(T)
you, the righteous God(U)
    who probes minds and hearts.(V)

10 My shield[d](W) is God Most High,
    who saves the upright in heart.(X)
11 God is a righteous judge,(Y)
    a God who displays his wrath(Z) every day.
12 If he does not relent,(AA)
    he[e] will sharpen his sword;(AB)
    he will bend and string his bow.(AC)
13 He has prepared his deadly weapons;
    he makes ready his flaming arrows.(AD)

14 Whoever is pregnant with evil
    conceives trouble and gives birth(AE) to disillusionment.
15 Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out
    falls into the pit(AF) they have made.(AG)
16 The trouble they cause recoils on them;
    their violence comes down on their own heads.

17 I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness;(AH)
    I will sing the praises(AI) of the name of the Lord Most High.(AJ)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 7:1 In Hebrew texts 7:1-17 is numbered 7:2-18.
  2. Psalm 7:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 7:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  4. Psalm 7:10 Or sovereign
  5. Psalm 7:12 Or If anyone does not repent, / God

14 There is futility which is done on the earth, that is, there are (A)righteous people to whom it [a]happens according to the deeds of the wicked. On the other hand, there are (B)evil people to whom it [b]happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I say that this too is futility. 15 So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for (C)a person under the sun except to eat, drink, and be joyful, and this will stand by him in his labor throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

16 When I (D)devoted my [c]mind to know wisdom and to see the business which has been done on the earth (even though one should [d](E)never sleep day or night), 17 and I saw every work of God, I concluded that (F)one cannot discover the work which has been done under the sun. Even though a person laboriously seeks, he will not discover; and (G)even if the wise person claims to know, he cannot discover.

People Are in the Hand of God

For I have taken all this to my heart, even to [e]examine [f]it all, that righteous people, wise people, and their deeds are (H)in the hand of God. (I)People do not know whether it will be (J)love or hatred; anything [g]awaits them.

(K)It is the same for all. There is (L)one fate for the righteous and for the wicked; for the good, for the clean and the unclean; for the person who offers a sacrifice and for the one who does not sacrifice. As the good person is, so is the sinner; the one who swears an oath is just as the one who [h]is afraid to swear an oath. This is an evil in everything that is done under the sun, that there is (M)one fate for everyone. Furthermore, (N)the hearts of the sons of mankind are full of evil, and (O)insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterward they go to the dead. For whoever is joined to all the living, there is hope; for better a live dog, than a dead lion. For the living know that they will die; but the dead (P)do not know anything, nor do they have a reward any longer, for their (Q)memory is forgotten. Indeed their love, their hate, and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a (R)share in all that is done under the sun.

Go then, (S)eat your bread in happiness, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works. See that your (T)clothes are white all the time, and that there is no lack of (U)oil on your head. [i]Enjoy life with the wife whom you love all the days of your (V)futile life which He has given you under the sun, [j]all the days of your futility; for this is your (W)reward in life and in your work which you have labored under the sun.

Whatever Your Hand Finds to Do

10 Whatever your hand finds to do, (X)do it with all your might; for there is no (Y)activity, planning, knowledge, or wisdom in (Z)Sheol where you are going.

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 8:14 Lit strikes
  2. Ecclesiastes 8:14 Lit strikes
  3. Ecclesiastes 8:16 Lit heart
  4. Ecclesiastes 8:16 Lit see no sleep in his eyes
  5. Ecclesiastes 9:1 Or explain
  6. Ecclesiastes 9:1 Lit all this
  7. Ecclesiastes 9:1 Lit is before them
  8. Ecclesiastes 9:2 Lit fears an oath
  9. Ecclesiastes 9:9 Lit See
  10. Ecclesiastes 9:9 all...your futility not found in some ancient versions

14 There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve.(A) This too, I say, is meaningless.(B) 15 So I commend the enjoyment of life(C), because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink(D) and be glad.(E) Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.

16 When I applied my mind to know wisdom(F) and to observe the labor that is done on earth(G)—people getting no sleep day or night— 17 then I saw all that God has done.(H) No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can discover its meaning. Even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really comprehend it.(I)

A Common Destiny for All

So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s hands, but no one knows whether love or hate awaits them.(J) All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad,[a] the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not.

As it is with the good,
    so with the sinful;
as it is with those who take oaths,
    so with those who are afraid to take them.(K)

This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all.(L) The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live,(M) and afterward they join the dead.(N) Anyone who is among the living has hope[b]—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!

For the living know that they will die,
    but the dead know nothing;(O)
they have no further reward,
    and even their name(P) is forgotten.(Q)
Their love, their hate
    and their jealousy have long since vanished;
never again will they have a part
    in anything that happens under the sun.(R)

Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine(S) with a joyful heart,(T) for God has already approved what you do. Always be clothed in white,(U) and always anoint your head with oil. Enjoy life with your wife,(V) whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days. For this is your lot(W) in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. 10 Whatever(X) your hand finds to do, do it with all your might,(Y) for in the realm of the dead,(Z) where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.(AA)

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 9:2 Septuagint (Aquila), Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew does not have and the bad.
  2. Ecclesiastes 9:4 Or What then is to be chosen? With all who live, there is hope

Slave and Free

21 Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not (A)listen to the Law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, (B)one by the slave woman and (C)one by the free woman. 23 But (D)the son by the slave woman [a]was born according to the flesh, and (E)the son by the free woman through the promise. 24 [b](F)This is speaking allegorically, for these women are two covenants: one coming from (G)Mount Sinai giving birth to children [c]who are to be (H)slaves; [d]she is Hagar. 25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is enslaved with her children. 26 But (I)the Jerusalem above is free; [e]she is our mother. 27 For it is written:

(J)Rejoice, infertile one, you who do not give birth;
Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor;
For the children of the desolate one are more numerous
Than those of the one who has a husband.”

28 And you, brothers and sisters, (K)like Isaac, are (L)children of promise. 29 But as at that time (M)the son who was born according to the flesh (N)persecuted the one who was born according to the Spirit, (O)so it is even now. 30 But what does the Scripture say?

(P)Drive out the slave woman and her son,
For (Q)the son of the slave woman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.”

31 So then, brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave woman, but of the free woman.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Galatians 4:23 Lit has been born
  2. Galatians 4:24 Lit Which
  3. Galatians 4:24 Lit into slavery
  4. Galatians 4:24 Lit which
  5. Galatians 4:26 Lit which

Hagar and Sarah

21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law,(A) are you not aware of what the law says? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman(B) and the other by the free woman.(C) 23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh,(D) but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.(E)

24 These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above(F) is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written:

“Be glad, barren woman,
    you who never bore a child;
shout for joy and cry aloud,
    you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
    than of her who has a husband.”[a](G)

28 Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.(H) 29 At that time the son born according to the flesh(I) persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit.(J) It is the same now. 30 But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”[b](K) 31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman,(L) but of the free woman.(M)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Galatians 4:27 Isaiah 54:1
  2. Galatians 4:30 Gen. 21:10

And in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as (A)doctrines the commandments of men.’”

10 After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, “Hear and understand! 11 (B)It is not what enters the mouth that defiles the person, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles the person.”

12 Then the disciples came and *said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were [a]offended when they heard this statement?” 13 But He answered and said, (C)Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. 14 Leave them alone; (D)they are blind guides [b]of blind people. And (E)if a person who is blind guides another who is blind, both will fall into a pit.”

The Heart of Man

15 Peter [c]said to Him, “(F)Explain the parable to us.” 16 [d]Jesus said, “Are you also still lacking in understanding? 17 Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is [e]eliminated? 18 But (G)the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and those things defile the person. 19 (H)For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, acts of adultery, other immoral sexual acts, thefts, false testimonies, and [f]slanderous statements. 20 These are the things that defile the person; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the person.”

The Faith of a Canaanite Woman

21 (I)Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the region of (J)Tyre and (K)Sidon. 22 And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, (L)Son of David; my daughter is severely (M)demon-possessed.” 23 But He did not answer her with even a word. And His disciples came up and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, because she keeps shouting [g]at us!” 24 But He answered and said, “I was sent only to (N)the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and (O)began [h]to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” 26 Yet He answered and said, “It is not [i]good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 And she said, “Yes, Lord; but please help, for even the dogs feed on the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus said to her, “O woman, (P)your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed [j]at once.

Healing Crowds

29 (Q)Departing from there, Jesus went along (R)the Sea of Galilee, and after going up on the mountain, He was sitting there. 30 And [k]large crowds came to Him bringing with them those who were limping, had impaired limbs, were blind, or were unable to speak, and many others, and they laid them down at His feet; and (S)He healed them. 31 So the crowd was astonished as they saw those who were unable to speak talking, those with impaired limbs [l]restored, those who were limping walking around, and those who were blind seeing; and they (T)glorified the God of Israel.

Four Thousand Men Fed

32 (U)Now Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, (V)I feel compassion for the [m]people, because they [n]have remained with Me now for three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.” 33 The disciples *said to Him, “Where would we get so many loaves in this desolate place to satisfy such a large crowd?” 34 And Jesus *said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” 35 And He directed the [o]people to [p]sit down on the ground; 36 and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and after (W)giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 37 And they all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, seven large (X)baskets full. 38 And those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.

39 And sending away the crowds, Jesus got into (Y)the boat and came to the region of (Z)Magadan.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 15:12 Lit caused to stumble
  2. Matthew 15:14 Later mss add of blind people
  3. Matthew 15:15 Lit answering, said
  4. Matthew 15:16 Lit and He
  5. Matthew 15:17 Lit thrown out into the latrine
  6. Matthew 15:19 Or abusive speech
  7. Matthew 15:23 Lit behind us
  8. Matthew 15:25 Or worshiped
  9. Matthew 15:26 Or proper
  10. Matthew 15:28 Lit from that hour
  11. Matthew 15:30 Lit many
  12. Matthew 15:31 Or healthy
  13. Matthew 15:32 Lit crowd
  14. Matthew 15:32 Lit are remaining
  15. Matthew 15:35 Lit crowd
  16. Matthew 15:35 Lit recline

They worship me in vain;
    their teachings are merely human rules.(A)[a](B)

10 Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. 11 What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them,(C) but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”(D)

12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”

13 He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted(E) will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Leave them; they are blind guides.[b](F) If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”(G)

15 Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.”(H)

16 “Are you still so dull?”(I) Jesus asked them. 17 “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart,(J) and these defile them. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.(K) 20 These are what defile a person;(L) but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”

The Faith of a Canaanite Woman(M)

21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.(N) 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David,(O) have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”(P)

23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”(Q)

25 The woman came and knelt before him.(R) “Lord, help me!” she said.

26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith!(S) Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand(T)(U)(V)

29 Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. 30 Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them.(W) 31 The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.(X)

32 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people;(Y) they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.”

33 His disciples answered, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?”

34 “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.

“Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.”

35 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. 36 Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them(Z) and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. 37 They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.(AA) 38 The number of those who ate was four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 After Jesus had sent the crowd away, he got into the boat and went to the vicinity of Magadan.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 15:9 Isaiah 29:13
  2. Matthew 15:14 Some manuscripts blind guides of the blind