Psalm 1-4

English Standard Version

Book One

The Way of the Righteous and the Wicked

1 Blessed is the man^[a]
    who ^(A)walks not in ^(B)the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in ^(C)the way of sinners,
    nor ^(D)sits in ^(E)the seat of ^(F)scoffers;
²but his ^(G)delight is in the law^[b] of the Lord,
    and on his ^(H)law he meditates day and night.

³He is like ^(I)a tree
    planted by ^(J)streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
    and its ^(K)leaf does not wither.
^(L)In all that he does, he prospers.
⁴The wicked are not so,
    but are like ^(M)chaff that the wind drives away.

⁵Therefore the wicked ^(N)will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in ^(O)the congregation of the righteous;
⁶for the Lord ^(P)knows ^(Q)the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

The Reign of the Lord's Anointed

2 ^(R)Why do ^(S)the nations rage^[c]
    and the peoples plot in vain?
²The kings of the earth set themselves,
    and the rulers take counsel together,
    against the Lord and against his ^(T)Anointed, saying,
³“Let us ^(U)burst their bonds apart
    and cast away their cords from us.”

⁴He who ^(V)sits in the heavens ^(W)laughs;
    the Lord holds them in derision.
⁵Then he will speak to them in his ^(X)wrath,
    and terrify them in his fury, saying,
⁶“As for me, I have ^(Y)set my King
    on ^(Z)Zion, my ^(AA)holy hill.”

⁷I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, ^(AB)“You are my Son;
    today I have begotten you.
⁸Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
    and ^(AC)the ends of the earth your possession.
⁹You shall ^(AD)break^[d] them with ^(AE)a rod of iron
    and dash them in pieces like ^(AF)a potter's vessel.”

¹⁰Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
    be warned, O rulers of the earth.
¹¹^(AG)Serve the Lord with ^(AH)fear,
    and ^(AI)rejoice with ^(AJ)trembling.
¹²^(AK)Kiss ^(AL)the Son,
    lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
    for his ^(AM)wrath is quickly kindled.
^(AN)Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Save Me, O My God

A Psalm of David, ^(AO)when he fled from Absalom his son.

3 O Lord, ^(AP)how many are my foes!
Many are ^(AQ)rising against me;
²many are saying of my soul,
^(AR)“There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah^[e]

³But you, O Lord, are ^(AS)a shield ^(AT)about me,
my glory, and ^(AU)the lifter of my head.
⁴I ^(AV)cried aloud to the Lord,
and he ^(AW)answered me from his ^(AX)holy hill. Selah

⁵I ^(AY)lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
⁶I ^(AZ)will not be afraid of many thousands of people
who have ^(BA)set themselves against me all around.

⁷^(BB)Arise, O Lord!
Save me, O my God!
For you ^(BC)strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you ^(BD)break the teeth of the wicked.

⁸^(BE)Salvation belongs to the Lord;
your blessing be on your people! Selah

Answer Me When I Call

To the ^(BF)choirmaster: with ^(BG)stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

4 Answer me when I call, O God of my ^(BH)righteousness!
You have ^(BI)given me relief when I was in distress.
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!

²O men,^[f] how long shall my honor be turned into shame?
How long will you love vain words and seek after ^(BJ)lies? Selah
³But know that the Lord has ^(BK)set apart ^(BL)the godly for himself;
the Lord hears when I call to him.

⁴^(BM)Be angry,^[g] and do not sin;
^(BN)ponder in your own hearts ^(BO)on your beds, and be silent. Selah
⁵Offer ^(BP)right sacrifices,
and put your ^(BQ)trust in the Lord.

⁶There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?
^(BR)Lift up ^(BS)the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”
⁷You have put ^(BT)more joy in my heart
than they have when their grain and wine abound.

⁸In peace I will both ^(BU)lie down and sleep;
for you alone, O Lord, make me ^(BV)dwell in safety.

Footnotes

Psalm 1:1 The singular Hebrew word for man (ish) is used here to portray a representative example of a godly person; see Preface
Psalm 1:2 Or instruction
Psalm 2:1 Or nations noisily assemble
Psalm 2:9 Revocalization yields (compare Septuagint) You shall rule
Psalm 3:2 The meaning of the Hebrew word Selah, used frequently in the Psalms, is uncertain. It may be a musical or liturgical direction
Psalm 4:2 Or O men of rank
Psalm 4:4 Or Be agitated

2 Peter 1

English Standard Version

Greeting

1 Simeon^[a] Peter, a servant^[b] and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have obtained ^(A)a faith of equal standing with ours ^(B)by the righteousness of our ^(C)God and Savior Jesus Christ:

²^(D)May grace and peace be multiplied to you ^(E)in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Confirm Your Calling and Election

³His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him ^(F)who called us to^[c] his own glory and excellence,^[d] ⁴by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become ^(G)partakers of the divine nature, ^(H)having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. ⁵For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith ^(I)with virtue,^[e] and virtue ^(J)with knowledge, ⁶and knowledge with self-control, and self-control ^(K)with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, ⁷and godliness ^(L)with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection ^(M)with love. ⁸For if these qualities^[f] are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or ^(N)unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he ^(O)is blind, having forgotten that he was ^(P)cleansed from his former sins. ¹⁰Therefore, brothers,^[g] be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and ^(Q)election, for if you practice these qualities ^(R)you will never fall. ¹¹For in this way there will be richly provided for you ^(S)an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

¹²Therefore I intend ^(T)always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in ^(U)the truth that you have. ¹³I think it right, as long as I am in this ^(V)body,^[h] ^(W)to stir you up by way of reminder, ¹⁴^(X)since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, ^(Y)as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. ¹⁵And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

Christ's Glory and the Prophetic Word

¹⁶For we did not follow ^(Z)cleverly devised ^(AA)myths when we made known to you ^(AB)the power and ^(AC)coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but ^(AD)we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. ¹⁷For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, ^(AE)“This is my beloved Son,^[i] with whom I am well pleased,” ¹⁸we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on ^(AF)the holy mountain. ¹⁹And ^(AG)we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention ^(AH)as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until ^(AI)the day ^(AJ)dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, ²⁰knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. ²¹For ^(AK)no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God ^(AL)as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Footnotes

2 Peter 1:1 Some manuscripts Simon
2 Peter 1:1 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface
2 Peter 1:3 Or by
2 Peter 1:3 Or virtue
2 Peter 1:5 Or excellence; twice in this verse
2 Peter 1:8 Greek these things; also verses 9, 10, 12
2 Peter 1:10 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters
2 Peter 1:13 Greek tent; also verse 14
2 Peter 1:17 Or my Son, my (or the) Beloved