BOOK 2

Thirsting for God in Trouble and Exile.

For the music director. A [a]Maskil of the sons of Korah.

42 As the deer [b]pants for the water brooks,
So my soul [c](A)pants for You, God.
My soul (B)thirsts for God, for the (C)living God;
When shall I come and [d](D)appear before God?
My (E)tears have been my food day and night,
While they (F)say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
I remember these things and (G)pour out my soul within me.
For I (H)used to go over with the multitude and walk them to the house of God,
With a voice of (I)joy and thanksgiving, a multitude celebrating a festival.

(J)Why are you [e](K)in despair, my soul?
And why are you (L)restless within me?
(M)Wait for God, for I will [f]again praise [g]Him
For the [h](N)help of His [i]presence, my God.
My soul is [j]in despair within me;
Therefore I (O)remember You from (P)the land of the Jordan
And the [k]peaks of (Q)Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls;
All Your (R)breakers and Your waves have passed over me.
The Lord will (S)send His goodness in the daytime;
And His song will be with me (T)in the night,
A prayer to (U)the God of my life.

I will say to God (V)my rock, “Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go about (W)mourning [l]because of the (X)oppression of the enemy?”
10 As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries taunt me,
While they (Y)say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
11 (Z)Why are you [m]in despair, my soul?
And why are you restless within me?
Wait for God, for I will again praise [n]Him
For the [o]help of His presence, my God.

Notas al pie

  1. Psalm 42 Title Possibly Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
  2. Psalm 42:1 Lit longs for
  3. Psalm 42:1 Lit longs for
  4. Psalm 42:2 Some mss see the face of God
  5. Psalm 42:5 Lit dissolved away
  6. Psalm 42:5 Or still
  7. Psalm 42:5 Some ancient versions Him, the help of my face and my God
  8. Psalm 42:5 Or saving acts of
  9. Psalm 42:5 Or presence. O my God, my soul...
  10. Psalm 42:6 Or dissolved away
  11. Psalm 42:6 Lit Hermons
  12. Psalm 42:9 Or while the enemy oppresses
  13. Psalm 42:11 Or dissolved away
  14. Psalm 42:11 As in some ancient mss, cf. v 5; MT Him, the help of my face and my God
  15. Psalm 42:11 Or saving acts of

BOOK II

Psalms 42–72

Psalm 42[a][b]

For the director of music. A maskil[c] of the Sons of Korah.

As the deer(A) pants for streams of water,(B)
    so my soul pants(C) for you, my God.
My soul thirsts(D) for God, for the living God.(E)
    When can I go(F) and meet with God?
My tears(G) have been my food
    day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”(H)
These things I remember
    as I pour out my soul:(I)
how I used to go to the house of God(J)
    under the protection of the Mighty One[d]
with shouts of joy(K) and praise(L)
    among the festive throng.(M)

Why, my soul, are you downcast?(N)
    Why so disturbed(O) within me?
Put your hope in God,(P)
    for I will yet praise(Q) him,
    my Savior(R) and my God.(S)

My soul is downcast within me;
    therefore I will remember(T) you
from the land of the Jordan,(U)
    the heights of Hermon(V)—from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep(W)
    in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
    have swept over me.(X)

By day the Lord directs his love,(Y)
    at night(Z) his song(AA) is with me—
    a prayer to the God of my life.(AB)

I say to God my Rock,(AC)
    “Why have you forgotten(AD) me?
Why must I go about mourning,(AE)
    oppressed(AF) by the enemy?”(AG)
10 My bones suffer mortal agony(AH)
    as my foes taunt(AI) me,
saying to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”(AJ)

11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.(AK)

Notas al pie

  1. Psalm 42:1 In many Hebrew manuscripts Psalms 42 and 43 constitute one psalm.
  2. Psalm 42:1 In Hebrew texts 42:1-11 is numbered 42:2-12.
  3. Psalm 42:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  4. Psalm 42:4 See Septuagint and Syriac; the meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.

The Lord, an Abundant Helper.

146 [a]Praise [b]the Lord!
(A)Praise the Lord, my soul!
I will praise the Lord (B)while I live;
I will (C)sing praises to my God while I [c]have my being.
(D)Do not trust in noblemen,
In [d]mortal (E)man, in whom there is (F)no salvation.
His (G)spirit departs, he (H)returns to [e]the earth;
On that very day his (I)plans perish.
(J)Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
Whose (K)hope is in the Lord his God,
Who (L)made heaven and earth,
The (M)sea and everything that is in them;
Who (N)keeps [f]faith forever;
Who (O)executes justice for the oppressed;
Who (P)gives food to the hungry.
The Lord (Q)frees the prisoners.

The Lord (R)opens the eyes of those who are blind;
The Lord (S)raises up those who are bowed down;
The Lord (T)loves the righteous.
The Lord (U)watches over strangers;
He [g](V)supports the fatherless and the widow,
But He [h]thwarts (W)the way of the wicked.
10 The Lord will (X)reign forever,
Your God, Zion, to all generations.
[i]Praise [j]the Lord!

Notas al pie

  1. Psalm 146:1 Or Hallelujah!
  2. Psalm 146:1 Heb Yah
  3. Psalm 146:2 Lit still am
  4. Psalm 146:3 Lit a son of man
  5. Psalm 146:4 Lit his earth
  6. Psalm 146:6 Or truth
  7. Psalm 146:9 Or relieves
  8. Psalm 146:9 Lit bends
  9. Psalm 146:10 Or Hallelujah!
  10. Psalm 146:10 Heb Yah

Psalm 146

Praise the Lord.[a]

Praise the Lord,(A) my soul.

I will praise the Lord all my life;(B)
    I will sing praise(C) to my God as long as I live.(D)
Do not put your trust in princes,(E)
    in human beings,(F) who cannot save.
When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;(G)
    on that very day their plans come to nothing.(H)
Blessed are those(I) whose help(J) is the God of Jacob,
    whose hope is in the Lord their God.

He is the Maker of heaven(K) and earth,
    the sea, and everything in them—
    he remains faithful(L) forever.
He upholds(M) the cause of the oppressed(N)
    and gives food to the hungry.(O)
The Lord sets prisoners free,(P)
    the Lord gives sight(Q) to the blind,(R)
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,(S)
    the Lord loves the righteous.(T)
The Lord watches over the foreigner(U)
    and sustains the fatherless(V) and the widow,(W)
    but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

10 The Lord reigns(X) forever,
    your God, O Zion, for all generations.

Praise the Lord.

Notas al pie

  1. Psalm 146:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 10

Isaac Settles in Gerar

26 Now there was (A)a famine in the land, besides the previous famine that had occurred in the days of Abraham. So Isaac went to Gerar, to (B)Abimelech king of the Philistines. And the Lord (C)appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; (D)stay in the land of which I shall tell you. Live for a time in this land and (E)I will be with you and (F)bless you, for (G)to you and to your [a]descendants I will give all these lands, and I will establish (H)the oath which I swore to your father Abraham. (I)I will multiply your [b]descendants as the stars of heaven, and will give your [c]descendants all these lands; and (J)by your [d]descendants all the nations of the earth [e]shall be blessed, because Abraham [f](K)obeyed Me and fulfilled his duty to Me, and kept My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”

So Isaac lived in Gerar.

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Notas al pie

  1. Genesis 26:3 Lit seed
  2. Genesis 26:4 Lit seed
  3. Genesis 26:4 Lit seed
  4. Genesis 26:4 Lit seed
  5. Genesis 26:4 Or bless themselves
  6. Genesis 26:5 Lit listened diligently to My voice

Isaac and Abimelek(A)

26 Now there was a famine in the land(B)—besides the previous famine in Abraham’s time—and Isaac went to Abimelek king of the Philistines(C) in Gerar.(D) The Lord appeared(E) to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt;(F) live in the land where I tell you to live.(G) Stay in this land for a while,(H) and I will be with you(I) and will bless you.(J) For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands(K) and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham.(L) I will make your descendants(M) as numerous as the stars in the sky(N) and will give them all these lands,(O) and through your offspring[a] all nations on earth will be blessed,[b](P) because Abraham obeyed me(Q) and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees(R) and my instructions.(S) So Isaac stayed in Gerar.(T)

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Notas al pie

  1. Genesis 26:4 Or seed
  2. Genesis 26:4 Or and all nations on earth will use the name of your offspring in blessings (see 48:20)

12 Now Isaac sowed in that land and [a]reaped in the same year a hundred times as much. And (A)the Lord blessed him, 13 and the man (B)became rich, and continued to grow [b]richer until he became very [c]wealthy; 14 for (C)he had possessions of flocks [d]and herds, and a great household, so that the Philistines envied him. 15 Now (D)all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up [e]by filling them with dirt. 16 Then Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are [f](E)too powerful for us.” 17 So Isaac departed from there and camped in the Valley of Gerar, and [g]settled there.

Argument over the Wells

18 Then Isaac dug again the wells of water which [h]had been dug in the days of his father Abraham, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham; and he [i]gave them the same names which his father had [j]given them. 19 But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of [k]flowing water, 20 the herdsmen of Gerar (F)quarreled with the herdsmen of Isaac, saying, “The water is ours!” So he named the well [l]Esek, because they argued with him. 21 Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over it too, so he named it [m]Sitnah. 22 Then he moved away from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it; so he named it [n]Rehoboth, for he said, “[o](G)At last the Lord has made [p]room for us, and we will be (H)fruitful in the land.”

23 And he went up from there to (I)Beersheba. 24 And the Lord (J)appeared to him the same night and said,

(K)I am the God of your father Abraham;
(L)Do not fear, for I am with you.
I (M)will bless you and multiply your [q]descendants,
For the sake of My servant Abraham.”

25 So he built an (N)altar there and called upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent there; and there Isaac’s servants dug a well.

Covenant with Abimelech

26 Then (O)Abimelech came to him from Gerar [r]with his adviser Ahuzzath, and Phicol the commander of his army. 27 Isaac said to them, “(P)Why have you come to me, since you hate me and have sent me away from you?” 28 They said, “We have seen plainly (Q)that the Lord has been with you; so we said, ‘An oath must now be taken [s]by us,’ that is, [t]by you and us. So let us make a covenant with you, 29 that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you [u]and have done to you nothing but good, and have sent you away in peace. You are now the (R)blessed of the Lord.” 30 Then (S)he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. 31 In the morning they got up early and [v](T)exchanged oaths; then Isaac sent them away, and they left him in peace. 32 Now it came about on the same day, that Isaac’s servants came in and told him about the well which they had dug, and said to him, “We have found water.” 33 So he called it [w]Shibah; therefore the name of the city is (U)Beersheba to this day.

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Notas al pie

  1. Genesis 26:12 Lit found
  2. Genesis 26:13 Lit great
  3. Genesis 26:13 Lit great
  4. Genesis 26:14 Lit and possessions of herds
  5. Genesis 26:15 Lit and filled them
  6. Genesis 26:16 Lit much mightier than we
  7. Genesis 26:17 Lit dwelt
  8. Genesis 26:18 Lit they had dug
  9. Genesis 26:18 Lit called their names as the names
  10. Genesis 26:18 Lit called
  11. Genesis 26:19 Lit living
  12. Genesis 26:20 I.e., argument
  13. Genesis 26:21 I.e., accusation
  14. Genesis 26:22 I.e., broad places
  15. Genesis 26:22 Lit Truly now
  16. Genesis 26:22 Or broad
  17. Genesis 26:24 Lit seed
  18. Genesis 26:26 Lit and his confidential friend
  19. Genesis 26:28 Lit between us
  20. Genesis 26:28 Lit between us and you
  21. Genesis 26:29 Lit and just as we
  22. Genesis 26:31 Lit swore one to another
  23. Genesis 26:33 Meaning uncertain, perhaps oath

12 Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold,(A) because the Lord blessed him.(B) 13 The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy.(C) 14 He had so many flocks and herds and servants(D) that the Philistines envied him.(E) 15 So all the wells(F) that his father’s servants had dug in the time of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up,(G) filling them with earth.

16 Then Abimelek said to Isaac, “Move away from us;(H) you have become too powerful for us.(I)

17 So Isaac moved away from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar,(J) where he settled. 18 Isaac reopened the wells(K) that had been dug in the time of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died, and he gave them the same names his father had given them.

19 Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there. 20 But the herders of Gerar quarreled(L) with those of Isaac and said, “The water is ours!”(M) So he named the well Esek,[a] because they disputed with him. 21 Then they dug another well, but they quarreled(N) over that one also; so he named it Sitnah.[b] 22 He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth,[c](O) saying, “Now the Lord has given us room(P) and we will flourish(Q) in the land.”

23 From there he went up to Beersheba.(R) 24 That night the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham.(S) Do not be afraid,(T) for I am with you;(U) I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants(V) for the sake of my servant Abraham.”(W)

25 Isaac built an altar(X) there and called on the name of the Lord.(Y) There he pitched his tent, and there his servants dug a well.(Z)

26 Meanwhile, Abimelek had come to him from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his personal adviser and Phicol the commander of his forces.(AA) 27 Isaac asked them, “Why have you come to me, since you were hostile to me and sent me away?(AB)

28 They answered, “We saw clearly that the Lord was with you;(AC) so we said, ‘There ought to be a sworn agreement between us’—between us and you. Let us make a treaty(AD) with you 29 that you will do us no harm,(AE) just as we did not harm you but always treated you well and sent you away peacefully. And now you are blessed by the Lord.”(AF)

30 Isaac then made a feast(AG) for them, and they ate and drank. 31 Early the next morning the men swore an oath(AH) to each other. Then Isaac sent them on their way, and they went away peacefully.

32 That day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well(AI) they had dug. They said, “We’ve found water!” 33 He called it Shibah,[d] and to this day the name of the town has been Beersheba.[e](AJ)

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Notas al pie

  1. Genesis 26:20 Esek means dispute.
  2. Genesis 26:21 Sitnah means opposition.
  3. Genesis 26:22 Rehoboth means room.
  4. Genesis 26:33 Shibah can mean oath or seven.
  5. Genesis 26:33 Beersheba can mean well of the oath and well of seven.

17 (A)Obey your leaders and submit to them—for (B)they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account—so that they may do this with joy, not [a]groaning; for this would be unhelpful for you.

18 (C)Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a (D)good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things. 19 And I urge you all the more to do this, (E)so that I may be restored to you more quickly.

Benediction

20 Now may (F)the God of peace, who (G)brought up from the dead the (H)great Shepherd of the sheep [b]through (I)the blood of the (J)eternal covenant, that is, Jesus our Lord, 21 (K)equip you in every good thing to do His will, (L)working in us that (M)which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, (N)to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

22 But (O)I urge you, (P)brothers and sisters, [c]listen patiently to [d]this (Q)word of exhortation, for (R)I have written to you briefly. 23 Know that (S)our brother Timothy has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I will see you. 24 Greet (T)all of your leaders and all the [e](U)saints. Those from (V)Italy greet you.

25 (W)Grace be with you all.

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Notas al pie

  1. Hebrews 13:17 Or sighing
  2. Hebrews 13:20 Lit in
  3. Hebrews 13:22 Or listen to
  4. Hebrews 13:22 Lit the
  5. Hebrews 13:24 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people

17 Have confidence in your leaders(A) and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you(B) as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

18 Pray for us.(C) We are sure that we have a clear conscience(D) and desire to live honorably in every way. 19 I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.(E)

Benediction and Final Greetings

20 Now may the God of peace,(F) who through the blood of the eternal covenant(G) brought back from the dead(H) our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,(I) 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will,(J) and may he work in us(K) what is pleasing to him,(L) through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.(M)

22 Brothers and sisters, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for in fact I have written to you quite briefly.(N)

23 I want you to know that our brother Timothy(O) has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you.

24 Greet all your leaders(P) and all the Lord’s people. Those from Italy(Q) send you their greetings.

25 Grace be with you all.(R)

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53 [[[a]And everyone went to his home.

The Adulterous Woman

But Jesus went to (A)the Mount of Olives. And early in the morning He came again into the temple area, and all the people were coming to Him; and (B)He sat down and began teaching them. Now the scribes and the Pharisees *brought a woman caught in the act of adultery, and after placing her in the center of the courtyard, they *said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the Law, (C)Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” Now they were saying this to (D)test Him, (E)so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. When they persisted in asking Him, (F)He straightened up and said to them, (G)He who is without sin among you, let him be the (H)first to throw a stone at her.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Now when they heard this, they began leaving, one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman where she was, in the center of the courtyard. 10 And (I)straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” 11 She said, “No one, [b]Lord.” And Jesus said, (J)I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on do not (K)sin any longer.”]]

Notas al pie

  1. John 7:53 Later mss add the story of the adulterous woman, numbering it as John 7:53-8:11
  2. John 8:11 Or Sir


[The earliest manuscripts and many other ancient witnesses do not have John 7:53—8:11. A few manuscripts include these verses, wholly or in part, after John 7:36, John 21:25, Luke 21:38 or Luke 24:53.]

53 Then they all went home, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.(A)

At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.(B) The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women.(C) Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap,(D) in order to have a basis for accusing him.(E)

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone(F) at her.”(G) Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

11 “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,”(H) Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”(I)