Book Four

From Everlasting to Everlasting

A (A)Prayer of Moses, the (B)man of God.

90 Lord, you have been our (C)dwelling place[a]
    in all generations.
(D)Before the (E)mountains were brought forth,
    or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
    (F)from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

You return man to dust
    and say, (G)“Return, (H)O children of man!”[b]
For (I)a thousand years in your sight
    are but as (J)yesterday when it is past,
    or as (K)a watch in the night.

You (L)sweep them away as with a flood; they are like (M)a dream,
    like (N)grass that is renewed in the morning:
in (O)the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
    in the evening it (P)fades and (Q)withers.

For we are brought to an end by your anger;
    by your wrath we are dismayed.
You have (R)set our iniquities before you,
    our (S)secret sins in the light of your presence.

For all our days pass away under your wrath;
    we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10 The years of our life are seventy,
    or even by reason of strength eighty;
yet their span[c] is but toil and trouble;
    they are soon gone, and we fly away.
11 Who considers the power of your anger,
    and your wrath according to the fear of you?

12 (T)So teach us to number our days
    that we may get a heart of wisdom.
13 (U)Return, O Lord! (V)How long?
    Have (W)pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us in the (X)morning with your steadfast love,
    that we may (Y)rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have (Z)afflicted us,
    and for as many years as we have seen evil.
16 Let your (AA)work be shown to your servants,
    and your glorious power to their children.
17 Let the (AB)favor[d] of the Lord our God be upon us,
    and establish (AC)the work of our hands upon us;
    yes, establish the work of our hands!

My Refuge and My Fortress

91 He who dwells in (AD)the shelter of the Most High
    will abide in (AE)the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say[e] to the Lord, “My (AF)refuge and my (AG)fortress,
    my God, in whom I (AH)trust.”

For he will deliver you from (AI)the snare of the fowler
    and from the deadly pestilence.
He will (AJ)cover you with his pinions,
    and under his (AK)wings you will (AL)find refuge;
    his (AM)faithfulness is (AN)a shield and buckler.
(AO)You will not fear (AP)the terror of the night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
    nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
You will only look with your eyes
    and (AQ)see the recompense of the wicked.

Because you have made the Lord your (AR)dwelling place—
    the Most High, who is my (AS)refuge[f]
10 (AT)no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
    (AU)no plague come near your tent.

11 (AV)For he will command his (AW)angels concerning you
    to (AX)guard you in all your ways.
12 On their hands they will bear you up,
    lest you (AY)strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on (AZ)the lion and the (BA)adder;
    the young lion and (BB)the serpent you will (BC)trample underfoot.

14 “Because he (BD)holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
    I will protect him, because he (BE)knows my name.
15 When he (BF)calls to me, I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble;
    I will rescue him and (BG)honor him.
16 With (BH)long life I will satisfy him
    and (BI)show him my salvation.”

How Great Are Your Works

A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath.

92 (BJ)It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
    to sing praises to your name, (BK)O Most High;
to declare your (BL)steadfast love in (BM)the morning,
    and your (BN)faithfulness by (BO)night,
to the music of (BP)the lute and (BQ)the harp,
    to the melody of (BR)the lyre.
For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your (BS)work;
    at (BT)the works of your hands I sing for joy.

How (BU)great are your works, O Lord!
    Your (BV)thoughts are very (BW)deep!
The stupid man cannot know;
    the fool cannot understand this:
that though (BX)the wicked sprout like grass
    and all (BY)evildoers flourish,
they are doomed to destruction forever;
    but you, O Lord, are (BZ)on high forever.
For behold, your enemies, O Lord,
    for behold, your enemies shall perish;
    all evildoers shall be (CA)scattered.

10 But you have exalted my (CB)horn like that of (CC)the wild ox;
    you have (CD)poured over me[g] fresh oil.
11 My (CE)eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
    my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.

12 (CF)The righteous flourish like the palm tree
    and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the Lord;
    they flourish in (CG)the courts of our God.
14 They still bear fruit in old age;
    they are ever full of sap and green,
15 (CH)to declare that the Lord is upright;
    he is my (CI)rock, and there is (CJ)no unrighteousness in him.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 90:1 Some Hebrew manuscripts (compare Septuagint) our refuge
  2. Psalm 90:3 Or of Adam
  3. Psalm 90:10 Or pride
  4. Psalm 90:17 Or beauty
  5. Psalm 91:2 Septuagint He will say
  6. Psalm 91:9 Or For you, O Lord, are my refuge! You have made the Most High your dwelling place
  7. Psalm 92:10 Compare Syriac; the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain

BOOK IV

Psalms 90–106

Psalm 90

A prayer of Moses the man of God.

Lord, you have been our dwelling place(A)
    throughout all generations.
Before the mountains were born(B)
    or you brought forth the whole world,
    from everlasting to everlasting(C) you are God.(D)

You turn people back to dust,
    saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”(E)
A thousand years in your sight
    are like a day that has just gone by,
    or like a watch in the night.(F)
Yet you sweep people away(G) in the sleep of death—
    they are like the new grass of the morning:
In the morning it springs up new,
    but by evening it is dry and withered.(H)

We are consumed by your anger
    and terrified by your indignation.
You have set our iniquities before you,
    our secret sins(I) in the light of your presence.(J)
All our days pass away under your wrath;
    we finish our years with a moan.(K)
10 Our days may come to seventy years,(L)
    or eighty,(M) if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,(N)
    for they quickly pass, and we fly away.(O)
11 If only we knew the power of your anger!
    Your wrath(P) is as great as the fear that is your due.(Q)
12 Teach us to number our days,(R)
    that we may gain a heart of wisdom.(S)

13 Relent, Lord! How long(T) will it be?
    Have compassion on your servants.(U)
14 Satisfy(V) us in the morning with your unfailing love,(W)
    that we may sing for joy(X) and be glad all our days.(Y)
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
    for as many years as we have seen trouble.
16 May your deeds be shown to your servants,
    your splendor to their children.(Z)

17 May the favor[a] of the Lord our God rest on us;
    establish the work of our hands for us—
    yes, establish the work of our hands.(AA)

Psalm 91

Whoever dwells in the shelter(AB) of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow(AC) of the Almighty.[b]
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge(AD) and my fortress,(AE)
    my God, in whom I trust.”

Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare(AF)
    and from the deadly pestilence.(AG)
He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;(AH)
    his faithfulness will be your shield(AI) and rampart.
You will not fear(AJ) the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.(AK)

If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm(AL) will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels(AM) concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;(AN)
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.(AO)
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.(AP)

14 “Because he[c] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.(AQ)
16 With long life(AR) I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.(AS)

Psalm 92[d]

A psalm. A song. For the Sabbath day.

It is good to praise the Lord
    and make music(AT) to your name,(AU) O Most High,(AV)
proclaiming your love in the morning(AW)
    and your faithfulness at night,
to the music of the ten-stringed lyre(AX)
    and the melody of the harp.(AY)

For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord;
    I sing for joy(AZ) at what your hands have done.(BA)
How great are your works,(BB) Lord,
    how profound your thoughts!(BC)
Senseless people(BD) do not know,
    fools do not understand,
that though the wicked spring up like grass
    and all evildoers flourish,
    they will be destroyed forever.(BE)

But you, Lord, are forever exalted.

For surely your enemies(BF), Lord,
    surely your enemies will perish;
    all evildoers will be scattered.(BG)
10 You have exalted my horn[e](BH) like that of a wild ox;(BI)
    fine oils(BJ) have been poured on me.
11 My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries;
    my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes.(BK)

12 The righteous will flourish(BL) like a palm tree,
    they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;(BM)
13 planted in the house of the Lord,
    they will flourish in the courts of our God.(BN)
14 They will still bear fruit(BO) in old age,
    they will stay fresh and green,
15 proclaiming, “The Lord is upright;
    he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.(BP)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 90:17 Or beauty
  2. Psalm 91:1 Hebrew Shaddai
  3. Psalm 91:14 That is, probably the king
  4. Psalm 92:1 In Hebrew texts 92:1-15 is numbered 92:2-16.
  5. Psalm 92:10 Horn here symbolizes strength.

The Remnant of Israel

11 I ask, then, (A)has God rejected his people? By no means! For (B)I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham,[a] a member of the tribe of Benjamin. (C)God has not rejected his people whom he (D)foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? (E)“Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” But what is God's reply to him? (F)“I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too at the present time there is (G)a remnant, chosen by grace. (H)But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

What then? (I)Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest (J)were hardened, as it is written,

(K)“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
    (L)eyes that would not see
    and ears that would not hear,
down to this very day.”

And David says,

(M)“Let their table become a snare and a trap,
    a stumbling block and a retribution for them;
10 let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
    and bend their backs forever.”

Gentiles Grafted In

11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass (N)salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion[b] mean!

13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as (O)I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and (P)thus save some of them. 15 For if their rejection means (Q)the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? 16 (R)If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

17 But if (S)some of the branches were broken off, and you, (T)although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root[c] of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19 Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you (U)stand fast through faith. So (V)do not become proud, but (W)fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 11:1 Or one of the offspring of Abraham
  2. Romans 11:12 Greek their fullness
  3. Romans 11:17 Greek root of richness; some manuscripts richness

The Remnant of Israel

11 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means!(A) I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham,(B) from the tribe of Benjamin.(C) God did not reject his people,(D) whom he foreknew.(E) Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”[a]?(F) And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”[b](G) So too, at the present time there is a remnant(H) chosen by grace.(I) And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works;(J) if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain.(K) The elect among them did, but the others were hardened,(L) as it is written:

“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
    eyes that could not see
    and ears that could not hear,(M)
to this very day.”[c](N)

And David says:

“May their table become a snare and a trap,
    a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
10 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,(O)
    and their backs be bent forever.”[d](P)

Ingrafted Branches

11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all!(Q) Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles(R) to make Israel envious.(S) 12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles,(T) how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!

13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles,(U) I take pride in my ministry 14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy(V) and save(W) some of them. 15 For if their rejection brought reconciliation(X) to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?(Y) 16 If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits(Z) is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

17 If some of the branches have been broken off,(AA) and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others(AB) and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.(AC) 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith.(AD) Do not be arrogant,(AE) but tremble.(AF) 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 11:3 1 Kings 19:10,14
  2. Romans 11:4 1 Kings 19:18
  3. Romans 11:8 Deut. 29:4; Isaiah 29:10
  4. Romans 11:10 Psalm 69:22,23