Psalm 4-6

New International Version

Psalm 4^[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.

¹Answer me^(A) when I call to you,
my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;^(B)
have mercy^(C) on me and hear my prayer.^(D)

²How long will you people turn my glory^(E) into shame?^(F)
How long will you love delusions and seek false gods^[b]?^[c]^(G)
³Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant^(H) for himself;
the Lord hears^(I) when I call to him.

⁴Tremble and^[d] do not sin;^(J)
    when you are on your beds,^(K)
    search your hearts and be silent.
⁵Offer the sacrifices of the righteous
    and trust in the Lord.^(L)

⁶Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”
Let the light of your face shine on us.^(M)
⁷Fill my heart^(N) with joy^(O)
when their grain and new wine^(P) abound.

⁸In peace^(Q) I will lie down and sleep,^(R)
for you alone, Lord,
make me dwell in safety.^(S)

Psalm 5^[e]

For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.

¹Listen^(T) to my words, Lord,
    consider my lament.^(U)
²Hear my cry for help,^(V)
    my King and my God,^(W)
    for to you I pray.

³In the morning,^(X) Lord, you hear my voice;
    in the morning I lay my requests before you
    and wait expectantly.^(Y)
⁴For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
    with you, evil people^(Z) are not welcome.
⁵The arrogant^(AA) cannot stand^(AB)
    in your presence.
You hate^(AC) all who do wrong;
⁶    you destroy those who tell lies.^(AD)
The bloodthirsty and deceitful
    you, Lord, detest.
⁷But I, by your great love,
    can come into your house;
in reverence^(AE) I bow down^(AF)
    toward your holy temple.^(AG)

⁸Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness^(AH)
    because of my enemies—
    make your way straight^(AI) before me.
⁹Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
    their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;^(AJ)
    with their tongues they tell lies.^(AK)
¹⁰Declare them guilty, O God!
    Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,^(AL)
    for they have rebelled^(AM) against you.
¹¹But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
    let them ever sing for joy.^(AN)
Spread your protection over them,
    that those who love your name^(AO) may rejoice in you.^(AP)

¹²Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;^(AQ)
you surround them^(AR) with your favor as with a shield.^(AS)

Psalm 6^[f]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith.^[g] A psalm of David.

¹Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger^(AT)
    or discipline me in your wrath.
²Have mercy on me,^(AU) Lord, for I am faint;^(AV)
    heal me,^(AW) Lord, for my bones are in agony.^(AX)
³My soul is in deep anguish.^(AY)
    How long,^(AZ) Lord, how long?

⁴Turn,^(BA) Lord, and deliver me;
save me because of your unfailing love.^(BB)
⁵Among the dead no one proclaims your name.
Who praises you from the grave?^(BC)

⁶I am worn out^(BD) from my groaning.^(BE)

All night long I flood my bed with weeping^(BF)
and drench my couch with tears.^(BG)
⁷My eyes grow weak^(BH) with sorrow;
they fail because of all my foes.

⁸Away from me,^(BI) all you who do evil,^(BJ)
    for the Lord has heard my weeping.
⁹The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;^(BK)
    the Lord accepts my prayer.
¹⁰All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish;^(BL)
    they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.^(BM)

Footnotes

Psalm 4:1 In Hebrew texts 4:1-8 is numbered 4:2-9.
Psalm 4:2 Or seek lies
Psalm 4:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 4.
Psalm 4:4 Or In your anger (see Septuagint)
Psalm 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1-12 is numbered 5:2-13.
Psalm 6:1 In Hebrew texts 6:1-10 is numbered 6:2-11.
Psalm 6:1 Title: Probably a musical term

Acts 9:22-43

New International Version

²²Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.^(A)

²³After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him,^(B) ²⁴but Saul learned of their plan.^(C) Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. ²⁵But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.^(D)

²⁶When he came to Jerusalem,^(E) he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. ²⁷But Barnabas^(F) took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him,^(G) and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.^(H) ²⁸So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews,^[a]^(I) but they tried to kill him.^(J) ³⁰When the believers^(K) learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea^(L) and sent him off to Tarsus.^(M)

³¹Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria^(N) enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.^(O)

Aeneas and Dorcas

³²As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people^(P) who lived in Lydda. ³³There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. ³⁴“Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you.^(Q) Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. ³⁵All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon^(R) saw him and turned to the Lord.^(S)

³⁶In Joppa^(T) there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good^(U) and helping the poor. ³⁷About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room.^(V) ³⁸Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples^(W) heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”

³⁹Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows^(X) stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.

⁴⁰Peter sent them all out of the room;^(Y) then he got down on his knees^(Z) and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.”^(AA) She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. ⁴¹He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. ⁴²This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.^(AB) ⁴³Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.^(AC)