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Psalm 57-59
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Psalm 57-59
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Psalm 57
Praise and Assurance under Persecution
To the leader: Do Not Destroy. Of David. A Miktam, when he fled from Saul, in the cave.
1 Be merciful to me, O God; be merciful to me,
for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
until the destroying storms pass by.(A)
2 I cry to God Most High,
to God who fulfills his purpose for me.(B)
3 He will send from heaven and save me;
he will put to shame those who trample on me. Selah
God will send forth his steadfast love and his faithfulness.(C)
4 I lie down among lions
that greedily devour[a] human prey;
their teeth are spears and arrows,
their tongues sharp swords.(D)
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens.
Let your glory be over all the earth.(E)
6 They set a net for my steps;
my soul was bowed down.
They dug a pit in my path,
but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah(F)
7 My heart is steadfast, O God;
my heart is steadfast.
I will sing and make melody.(G)
8 Awake, my soul!
Awake, O harp and lyre!
I will awake the dawn.(H)
9 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.(I)
10 For your steadfast love is as high as the heavens;
your faithfulness extends to the clouds.(J)
11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens.
Let your glory be over all the earth.(K)
Psalm 58
Prayer for Vengeance
To the leader: Do Not Destroy. Of David. A Miktam.
1 Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods?
Do you judge people fairly?(L)
2 No, in your hearts you devise wrongs;
your hands deal out violence on earth.(M)
3 The wicked go astray from the womb;
they err from their birth, speaking lies.(N)
4 They have venom like the venom of a serpent,
like the deaf adder that stops its ear,(O)
5 so that it does not hear the voice of charmers
or of the cunning enchanter.(P)
6 O God, break the teeth in their mouths;
tear out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!(Q)
7 Let them vanish like water that runs away;
like grass let them be trodden down[b] and wither.(R)
8 Let them be like the snail that dissolves into slime,
like the untimely birth that never sees the sun.(S)
9 Sooner than your pots can feel the heat of thorns,
whether green or ablaze, may he sweep them away!(T)
10 The righteous will rejoice when they see vengeance done;
they will bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.(U)
11 People will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous;
surely there is a God who judges[c] on earth.”(V)
Psalm 59
Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies
To the leader: Do Not Destroy. Of David. A Miktam, when Saul ordered his house to be watched in order to kill him.
1 Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
protect me from those who rise up against me.(W)
2 Deliver me from those who work evil;
from the bloodthirsty, save me.(X)
3 Even now they lie in wait for my life;
the mighty stir up strife against me.
For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord,(Y)
4 for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.
Rouse yourself, come to my help and see!(Z)
5 You, Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel.
Awake to punish all the nations;
spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah(AA)
6 Each evening they come back
howling like dogs
and prowling about the city.(AB)
7 There they are, bellowing with their mouths,
with sharp words[d] on their lips,
for “Who,” they think,[e] “will hear us?”(AC)
8 But you laugh at them, O Lord;
you hold all the nations in derision.(AD)
9 O my strength, I will watch for you,
for you, O God, are my fortress.(AE)
10 My God in his steadfast love will meet me;
my God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.(AF)
11 Do not kill them, or my people may forget;
make them totter by your power and bring them down,
O Lord, our shield.(AG)
12 For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips,
let them be trapped in their pride.
For the cursing and lies that they utter,(AH)
13 consume them in wrath;
consume them until they are no more.
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
that God rules over Jacob. Selah(AI)
14 Each evening they come back
howling like dogs
and prowling about the city.(AJ)
15 They roam about for food
and growl if they do not get their fill.
Psalm 57-59
New International Version
Psalm 57-59
New International Version
Psalm 57[a](A)
For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[b] When he had fled from Saul into the cave.(B)
1 Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
for in you I take refuge.(C)
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings(D)
until the disaster has passed.(E)
2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God, who vindicates me.(F)
3 He sends from heaven and saves me,(G)
rebuking those who hotly pursue me—[c](H)
God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.(I)
4 I am in the midst of lions;(J)
I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.(K)
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.(L)
6 They spread a net for my feet(M)—
I was bowed down(N) in distress.
They dug a pit(O) in my path—
but they have fallen into it themselves.(P)
7 My heart, O God, is steadfast,
my heart is steadfast;(Q)
I will sing and make music.
8 Awake, my soul!
Awake, harp and lyre!(R)
I will awaken the dawn.
9 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.(S)
Psalm 58[d]
For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[e]
1 Do you rulers indeed speak justly?(V)
Do you judge people with equity?
2 No, in your heart you devise injustice,(W)
and your hands mete out violence on the earth.(X)
3 Even from birth the wicked go astray;
from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.
4 Their venom is like the venom of a snake,(Y)
like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
5 that will not heed(Z) the tune of the charmer,(AA)
however skillful the enchanter may be.
6 Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;(AB)
Lord, tear out the fangs of those lions!(AC)
7 Let them vanish like water that flows away;(AD)
when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.(AE)
8 May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,(AF)
like a stillborn child(AG) that never sees the sun.
9 Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns(AH)—
whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.[f](AI)
10 The righteous will be glad(AJ) when they are avenged,(AK)
when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.(AL)
11 Then people will say,
“Surely the righteous still are rewarded;(AM)
surely there is a God who judges the earth.”(AN)
Psalm 59[g]
For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[h] When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house(AO) in order to kill him.
1 Deliver me from my enemies, O God;(AP)
be my fortress against those who are attacking me.(AQ)
2 Deliver me from evildoers(AR)
and save me from those who are after my blood.(AS)
3 See how they lie in wait for me!
Fierce men conspire(AT) against me
for no offense or sin of mine, Lord.
4 I have done no wrong,(AU) yet they are ready to attack me.(AV)
Arise to help me; look on my plight!(AW)
5 You, Lord God Almighty,
you who are the God of Israel,(AX)
rouse yourself(AY) to punish all the nations;(AZ)
show no mercy to wicked traitors.[i](BA)
6 They return at evening,
snarling like dogs,(BB)
and prowl about the city.
7 See what they spew from their mouths(BC)—
the words from their lips are sharp as swords,(BD)
and they think, “Who can hear us?”(BE)
8 But you laugh at them, Lord;(BF)
you scoff at all those nations.(BG)
9 You are my strength,(BH) I watch for you;
you, God, are my fortress,(BI)
10 my God on whom I can rely.
God will go before me
and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
11 But do not kill them, Lord our shield,[j](BJ)
or my people will forget.(BK)
In your might uproot them
and bring them down.(BL)
12 For the sins of their mouths,(BM)
for the words of their lips,(BN)
let them be caught in their pride.(BO)
For the curses and lies they utter,
13 consume them in your wrath,
consume them till they are no more.(BP)
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
that God rules over Jacob.(BQ)
14 They return at evening,
snarling like dogs,
and prowl about the city.
15 They wander about for food(BR)
and howl if not satisfied.
16 But I will sing(BS) of your strength,(BT)
in the morning(BU) I will sing of your love;(BV)
for you are my fortress,(BW)
my refuge in times of trouble.(BX)
17 You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
you, God, are my fortress,
my God on whom I can rely.(BY)
Footnotes
- Psalm 57:1 In Hebrew texts 57:1-11 is numbered 57:2-12.
- Psalm 57:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 57:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 6.
- Psalm 58:1 In Hebrew texts 58:1-11 is numbered 58:2-12.
- Psalm 58:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 58:9 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
- Psalm 59:1 In Hebrew texts 59:1-17 is numbered 59:2-18.
- Psalm 59:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 59:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 13.
- Psalm 59:11 Or sovereign
Romans 4
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Romans 4
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Example of Abraham
4 What then are we to say was gained by[a] Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.(A) 3 For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed[b] God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.”(B) 4 Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due.(C) 5 But to one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness. 6 So also David pronounces a blessing on those to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven
and whose sins are covered;(D)
8 blessed is the one against whom the Lord will not reckon sin.”
9 Is this blessing, then, pronounced only on the circumcised or also on the uncircumcised? We say, “Faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness.” 10 How then was it reckoned to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after but before he was circumcised. 11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith[c] while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the ancestor of all who believe[d] without being circumcised and who thus have righteousness reckoned to them,(E) 12 and likewise the ancestor of the circumcised who are not only circumcised but follow the example of the faith that our ancestor Abraham had before he was circumcised.
God’s Promise Realized through Faith
13 For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith.(F) 14 For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law, neither is there transgression.(G)
16 For this reason the promise depends on faith, in order that it may rest on grace, so that it may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (who is the father of all of us,(H) 17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”), in the presence of the God in whom he believed,[e] who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.(I) 18 Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “So shall your descendants be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already[f] as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), and the barrenness of Sarah’s womb.(J) 20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.(K) 22 Therefore “it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” 23 Now the words, “it was reckoned to him,” were written not for his sake alone(L) 24 but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe[g] in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,(M) 25 who was handed over for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.(N)
Romans 4
New International Version
Romans 4
New International Version
Abraham Justified by Faith
4 What then shall we say(A) that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh,(B) discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God.(C) 3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[a](D)
4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift(E) but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.(F) 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are those
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”[b](G)
9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised?(H) We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.(I) 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.(J) So then, he is the father(K) of all who believe(L) but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
13 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise(M) that he would be heir of the world,(N) but through the righteousness that comes by faith.(O) 14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless,(P) 15 because the law brings wrath.(Q) And where there is no law there is no transgression.(R)
16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace(S) and may be guaranteed(T) to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.(U) 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”[c](V) He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life(W) to the dead and calls(X) into being things that were not.(Y)
18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations,(Z) just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”[d](AA) 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead(AB)—since he was about a hundred years old(AC)—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.(AD) 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened(AE) in his faith and gave glory to God,(AF) 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.(AG) 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”(AH) 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us,(AI) to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him(AJ) who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.(AK) 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins(AL) and was raised to life for our justification.(AM)
Footnotes
- Romans 4:3 Gen. 15:6; also in verse 22
- Romans 4:8 Psalm 32:1,2
- Romans 4:17 Gen. 17:5
- Romans 4:18 Gen. 15:5
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
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