Psalm 143-145
Contemporary English Version
(A psalm by David.)
A Prayer in Time of Danger
1 Listen, Lord, as I pray!
You are faithful and honest
and will answer my prayer.
2 (A) I am your servant.
Don't try me in your court,
because no one is innocent
by your standards.
3 My enemies are chasing me,
crushing me in the ground.
I am in total darkness,
like someone long dead.
4 I have given up hope,
and I feel numb all over.
5 I remember to think about
the many things you did
in years gone by.
6 Then I lift my hands in prayer,
because my soul is a desert,
thirsty for water from you.
7 Please hurry, Lord,
and answer my prayer.
I feel hopeless.
Don't turn away
and leave me here to die.
8 Each morning let me learn
more about your love
because I trust you.
I come to you in prayer,
asking for your guidance.
9 Please rescue me
from my enemies, Lord!
I come to you for safety.[a]
10 You are my God. Show me
what you want me to do,
and let your gentle Spirit
lead me in the right path.
11 Be true to your name, Lord,
and keep my life safe.
Use your saving power
to protect me from trouble.
12 I am your servant.
Show how much you love me
by destroying my enemies.
(By David.)
A Prayer for the Nation
1 I praise you, Lord!
You are my mighty rock,[b]
and you teach me
how to fight my battles.
2 You are my friend, my fortress,
where I am safe.
You are my shield,
and you made me the ruler
of our people.[c]
3 (B) Why do we humans mean anything
to you, our Lord?
Why do you care about us?
4 We disappear like a breath;
we last no longer
than a faint shadow.
5 Open the heavens like a curtain
and come down, Lord.
Touch the mountains
and make them send up smoke.
6 Use your lightning as arrows
to scatter my enemies
and make them run away.
7 Reach down from heaven
and set me free.
Save me from the mighty flood
8 of those lying foreigners
who never tell the truth.
9 In praise of you, our God,
I will sing a new song,
while playing my harp.
10 By your power, kings win wars,
and your servant David is saved
from deadly swords.
11 Won't you keep me safe
from those lying foreigners
who never tell the truth?
12 Let's pray that our young sons
will grow like strong plants
and that our daughters
will be as lovely as columns
in the corner of a palace.
13 May our barns be filled
with all kinds of crops.
May our fields be covered
with sheep by the thousands,
14 and every cow have calves.[d]
Don't let our city be captured
or any of us be taken away,
and don't let cries of sorrow
be heard in our streets.
15 Our Lord and our God,
you give these blessings
to all who worship you.
(By David for praise.)
The Lord Is Kind and Merciful
1 I will praise you,
my God and King,
and always honor your name.
2 I will praise you each day
and always honor your name.
3 You are wonderful, Lord,
and you deserve all praise,
because you are much greater
than anyone can understand.
4 Each generation will announce
to the next your wonderful
and powerful deeds.
5 I will keep thinking about
your marvelous glory
and your mighty miracles.[e]
6 Everyone will talk about
your fearsome deeds,
and I will tell all nations
how great you are.
7 They will celebrate and sing
about your matchless mercy
and your power to save.
8 You are merciful, Lord!
You are kind and patient
and always loving.
9 You are good to everyone,
and you take care
of all your creation.
10 All creation will thank you,
and your loyal people
will praise you.
11 They will tell about
your marvelous kingdom
and your power.
12 Then everyone will know about
the mighty things you do
and your glorious kingdom.
13 Your kingdom will never end,
and you will rule forever.
Our Lord, you keep your word
and do everything you say.[f]
14 When someone stumbles or falls,
you give a helping hand.
15 Everyone depends on you,
and when the time is right,
you provide them with food.
16 By your own hand you satisfy
the desires of all who live.
17 Our Lord, everything you do
is kind and thoughtful,
18 and you are near to everyone
whose prayers are sincere.
19 You satisfy the desires
of all your worshipers,
and you come to save them
when they ask for help.
20 You take care of everyone
who loves you,
but you destroy the wicked.
21 I will praise you, Lord,
and everyone will respect
your holy name forever.
Notas al pie
- 143.9 I … safety: Or “You are my hiding place.”
- 144.1 mighty rock: See the note at 18.2.
- 144.2 of our people: Some Hebrew manuscripts and ancient translations have “of the nations.”
- 144.14 have calves: Or “grow fat.”
- 145.5 and … miracles: One Hebrew manuscript and two ancient translations have “as others tell about your mighty miracles.”
- 145.13 Our … say: These words are found in one Hebrew manuscript and two ancient translations.
Psalm 143-145
New International Version
Psalm 143
A psalm of David.
1 Lord, hear my prayer,(A)
listen to my cry for mercy;(B)
in your faithfulness(C) and righteousness(D)
come to my relief.
2 Do not bring your servant into judgment,
for no one living is righteous(E) before you.
3 The enemy pursues me,
he crushes me to the ground;
he makes me dwell in the darkness(F)
like those long dead.(G)
4 So my spirit grows faint within me;
my heart within me is dismayed.(H)
5 I remember(I) the days of long ago;
I meditate(J) on all your works
and consider what your hands have done.
6 I spread out my hands(K) to you;
I thirst for you like a parched land.[a]
7 Answer me quickly,(L) Lord;
my spirit fails.(M)
Do not hide your face(N) from me
or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,(O)
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way(P) I should go,
for to you I entrust my life.(Q)
9 Rescue me(R) from my enemies,(S) Lord,
for I hide myself in you.
10 Teach me(T) to do your will,
for you are my God;(U)
may your good Spirit
lead(V) me on level ground.(W)
11 For your name’s sake,(X) Lord, preserve my life;(Y)
in your righteousness,(Z) bring me out of trouble.
12 In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;(AA)
destroy all my foes,(AB)
for I am your servant.(AC)
Psalm 144
Of David.
1 Praise be to the Lord my Rock,(AD)
who trains my hands for war,
my fingers for battle.
2 He is my loving God and my fortress,(AE)
my stronghold(AF) and my deliverer,
my shield,(AG) in whom I take refuge,
who subdues peoples[b](AH) under me.
3 Lord, what are human beings(AI) that you care for them,
mere mortals that you think of them?
4 They are like a breath;(AJ)
their days are like a fleeting shadow.(AK)
5 Part your heavens,(AL) Lord, and come down;(AM)
touch the mountains, so that they smoke.(AN)
6 Send forth lightning(AO) and scatter(AP) the enemy;
shoot your arrows(AQ) and rout them.
7 Reach down your hand from on high;(AR)
deliver me and rescue me(AS)
from the mighty waters,(AT)
from the hands of foreigners(AU)
8 whose mouths are full of lies,(AV)
whose right hands(AW) are deceitful.(AX)
9 I will sing a new song(AY) to you, my God;
on the ten-stringed lyre(AZ) I will make music to you,
10 to the One who gives victory to kings,(BA)
who delivers his servant David.(BB)
From the deadly sword(BC) 11 deliver me;
rescue me(BD) from the hands of foreigners(BE)
whose mouths are full of lies,(BF)
whose right hands are deceitful.(BG)
12 Then our sons in their youth
will be like well-nurtured plants,(BH)
and our daughters will be like pillars(BI)
carved to adorn a palace.
13 Our barns will be filled(BJ)
with every kind of provision.
Our sheep will increase by thousands,
by tens of thousands in our fields;
14 our oxen(BK) will draw heavy loads.[c]
There will be no breaching of walls,(BL)
no going into captivity,
no cry of distress in our streets.(BM)
15 Blessed is the people(BN) of whom this is true;
blessed is the people whose God is the Lord.
Psalm 145[d]
A psalm of praise. Of David.
1 I will exalt you,(BO) my God the King;(BP)
I will praise your name(BQ) for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise(BR) you
and extol your name(BS) for ever and ever.
3 Great(BT) is the Lord and most worthy of praise;(BU)
his greatness no one can fathom.(BV)
4 One generation(BW) commends your works to another;
they tell(BX) of your mighty acts.(BY)
5 They speak of the glorious splendor(BZ) of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.[e](CA)
6 They tell(CB) of the power of your awesome works—(CC)
and I will proclaim(CD) your great deeds.(CE)
7 They celebrate your abundant goodness(CF)
and joyfully sing(CG) of your righteousness.(CH)
9 The Lord is good(CK) to all;
he has compassion(CL) on all he has made.
10 All your works praise you,(CM) Lord;
your faithful people extol(CN) you.(CO)
11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom(CP)
and speak of your might,(CQ)
12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts(CR)
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.(CS)
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,(CT)
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The Lord is trustworthy(CU) in all he promises(CV)
and faithful in all he does.[f]
14 The Lord upholds(CW) all who fall
and lifts up all(CX) who are bowed down.(CY)
15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food(CZ) at the proper time.
16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desires(DA) of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous(DB) in all his ways
and faithful in all he does.(DC)
18 The Lord is near(DD) to all who call on him,(DE)
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desires(DF) of those who fear him;(DG)
he hears their cry(DH) and saves them.(DI)
20 The Lord watches over(DJ) all who love him,(DK)
but all the wicked he will destroy.(DL)
Notas al pie
- Psalm 143:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
- Psalm 144:2 Many manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls, Aquila, Jerome and Syriac; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text subdues my people
- Psalm 144:14 Or our chieftains will be firmly established
- Psalm 145:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which (including verse 13b) begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
- Psalm 145:5 Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac (see also Septuagint); Masoretic Text On the glorious splendor of your majesty / and on your wonderful works I will meditate
- Psalm 145:13 One manuscript of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac (see also Septuagint); most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text do not have the last two lines of verse 13.
1 Corinthians 14:21-40
Contemporary English Version
21 (A) In the Scriptures the Lord says,
“I will use strangers
who speak unknown languages
to talk to my people.
They will speak to them
in foreign languages,
but still my people
won't listen to me.”
22 Languages others don't know may mean something to unbelievers, but not to the Lord's followers. Prophecy, on the other hand, is for followers, not for unbelievers. 23 Suppose everyone in your worship service started speaking unknown languages, and some outsiders or some unbelievers come in. Won't they think you are crazy? 24 But suppose all of you are prophesying when those unbelievers and outsiders come in. They will realize that they are sinners, and they will want to change their ways because of what you are saying. 25 They will tell what is hidden in their hearts. Then they will kneel down and say to God, “We are certain that you are with these people.”
Worship Must Be Orderly
26 My friends, when you meet to worship, you must do everything for the good of everyone there. That's how it should be when someone sings or teaches or tells what God has said or speaks an unknown language or explains what the language means. 27 No more than two or three of you should speak unknown languages during the meeting. You must take turns, and someone should always be there to explain what you mean. 28 If no one can explain, you must keep silent in church and speak only to yourself and to God.
29 Two or three persons may prophesy, and everyone else must listen carefully. 30 If someone sitting there receives a message from God, the speaker must stop and let the other person speak. 31 Let only one person speak at a time, then all of you will learn something and be encouraged. 32 A prophet should be willing to stop and let someone else speak. 33 God wants everything to be done peacefully and in order.
When God's people meet in church, 34 the women must not be allowed to speak. They must keep quiet and listen, as the Law of Moses teaches. 35 If there is something they want to know, they can ask their husbands when they get home. It is disgraceful for women to speak in church.
36 God's message did not start with you people, and you are not the only ones it has reached.
37 If you think of yourself as a prophet or a spiritual person, you will know I am writing only what the Lord has commanded. 38 So don't pay attention to anyone who ignores what I am writing. 39 My friends, be eager to prophesy and don't stop anyone from speaking languages that others don't know. 40 But do everything properly and in order.
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1 Corinthians 14:21-40
New International Version
21 In the Law(A) it is written:
“With other tongues
and through the lips of foreigners
I will speak to this people,
but even then they will not listen to me,(B)
says the Lord.”[a]
22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy,(C) however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?(D) 24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25 as the secrets(E) of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”(F)
Good Order in Worship
26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters?(G) When you come together, each of you(H) has a hymn,(I) or a word of instruction,(J) a revelation, a tongue(K) or an interpretation.(L) Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.(M) 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.
29 Two or three prophets(N) should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.(O) 30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.(P) 33 For God is not a God of disorder(Q) but of peace(R)—as in all the congregations(S) of the Lord’s people.(T)
34 Women[b] should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak,(U) but must be in submission,(V) as the law(W) says. 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.[c]
36 Or did the word of God(X) originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? 37 If anyone thinks they are a prophet(Y) or otherwise gifted by the Spirit,(Z) let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.(AA) 38 But if anyone ignores this, they will themselves be ignored.[d]
39 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager(AB) to prophesy,(AC) and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly(AD) way.
Notas al pie
- 1 Corinthians 14:21 Isaiah 28:11,12
- 1 Corinthians 14:34 Or peace. As in all the congregations of the Lord’s people, 34 women
- 1 Corinthians 14:35 In a few manuscripts these verses come after verse 40.
- 1 Corinthians 14:38 Some manuscripts But anyone who is ignorant of this will be ignorant
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