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Psalm 81-83
Contemporary English Version
Psalm 81-83
Contemporary English Version
(By Asaph for the music leader.[a])
God Makes Us Strong
1 Be happy and shout to God
who makes us strong!
Shout praises to the God
of Jacob.
2 Sing as you play tambourines
and the lovely sounding
stringed instruments.
3 (A) Sound the trumpets and start
the New Moon Festival.[b]
We must also celebrate
when the moon is full.
4 This is the law in Israel,
and it was given to us
by the God of Jacob.
5 The descendants of Joseph
were told to obey it,
when God led them out
from the land of Egypt.
In a voice unknown to me,
I heard someone say:
6 “I lifted the burden
from your shoulder
and took the heavy basket
from your hands.
7 (B) When you were in trouble,
I rescued you,
and from the thunderclouds,
I answered your prayers.
Later I tested you
at Meribah Spring.[c]
8 “Listen, my people,
while I, the Lord,
correct you!
Israel, if you would only
pay attention to me!
9 (C) Don't worship foreign gods
or bow down to gods
you know nothing about.
10 I am the Lord your God.
I rescued you from Egypt.
Just ask, and I will give you
whatever you need.
11 “But, my people, Israel,
you refused to listen,
and you would have nothing
to do with me!
12 So I let you be stubborn
and keep on following
your own advice.
13 “My people, Israel,
if only you would listen
and do as I say!
14 I, the Lord, would quickly
defeat your enemies
with my mighty power.
15 Everyone who hates me
would come crawling,
and that would be the end
of them.
16 But I would feed you
with the finest bread
and with the best honey[d]
until you were full.”
(A psalm by Asaph.)
Please Do Something, God!
1 When all the other gods[e]
have come together,
the Lord God judges them
and says:
2 “How long will you
keep judging unfairly
and favoring evil people?
3 Be fair to the poor
and to orphans.
Defend the helpless
and everyone in need.
4 Rescue the weak and homeless
from the powerful hands
of heartless people.
5 “None of you know
or understand a thing.
You live in darkness,
while the foundations
of the earth tremble.[f]
6 (D) “I, the Most High God, say
that all of you are gods[g]
and also my own children.
7 But you will die,
just like everyone else,
including powerful rulers.”
8 Do something, God!
Judge the nations of the earth;
they belong to you.
(A song and a psalm by Asaph.)
God Rules All the Earth
1 Our God, don't just sit there,
silently doing nothing!
2 Your hateful enemies
are turning against you
and rebelling.
3 They are sly, and they plot
against those you treasure.
4 They say, “Let's wipe out
the nation of Israel
and make sure that no one
remembers its name!”
5 All of them fully agree
in their plans against you,
and among them are
6 Edom and the Ishmaelites;
Moab and the Hagrites;
7 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek;
Philistia and Phoenicia.[h]
8 Even Assyria has joined forces
with Moab and Ammon.[i]
9 (E) Our Lord, punish all of them
as you punished Midian.
Destroy them, as you destroyed
Sisera and Jabin
at Kishon Creek 10 near Endor,
and let their bodies rot.
11 (F) Treat their leaders as you did
Oreb and Zeeb,
Zebah and Zalmunna.
12 All of them said, “We'll take
God's valuable land!”
13 Our God, scatter them around
like dust in a whirlwind.
14 Just as flames destroy forests
on the mountains,
15 pursue and terrify them
with storms of your own.
16 Make them blush with shame,
until they turn and worship
you, our Lord.
17 Let them be forever ashamed
and confused.
Let them die in disgrace.
18 Make them realize that you
are the Lord Most High,
the only ruler of earth!
Footnotes
- Psalm 81 leader: See the note at Psalm 8.
- 81.3 New Moon Festival: Celebrated on the first day of each new moon, which was the beginning of the month. But this may refer to either the New Year celebration or the Harvest Festival. “The moon is full” suggests a festival in the middle of the month.
- 81.7 Meribah Spring: When the people of Israel complained to Moses about the need for water, God commanded Moses to strike a rock with his walking stick, and water came out. The place was then named Massah (“test”) and Meribah (“complaining”).
- 81.16 the best honey: The Hebrew text has “honey from rocks,” referring to honey taken from beehives in holes or cracks in large rocks.
- 82.1 the other gods: This probably refers to the gods of the nations that God defeated, but it could refer to God's servants (angels) in heaven or even to human rulers.
- 82.5 foundations … tremble: In ancient times it was believed that the earth was flat and supported by columns.
- 82.6 all of you are gods: See the note at 82.1.
- 83.7 Phoenicia: The Hebrew text has “Tyre,” the main city in Phoenicia.
- 83.8 Moab and Ammon: The Hebrew text has “the descendants of Lot,” whose older daughter was the mother of the Moabites and whose younger daughter was the mother of the Ammonites (see Genesis 19.30-38).
Psalm 81-83
New International Version
Psalm 81-83
New International Version
Psalm 81[a]
For the director of music. According to gittith.[b] Of Asaph.
1 Sing for joy to God our strength;
shout aloud to the God of Jacob!(A)
2 Begin the music, strike the timbrel,(B)
play the melodious harp(C) and lyre.(D)
3 Sound the ram’s horn(E) at the New Moon,(F)
and when the moon is full, on the day of our festival;
4 this is a decree for Israel,
an ordinance of the God of Jacob.(G)
5 When God went out against Egypt,(H)
he established it as a statute for Joseph.
I heard an unknown voice say:(I)
6 “I removed the burden(J) from their shoulders;(K)
their hands were set free from the basket.
7 In your distress you called(L) and I rescued you,
I answered(M) you out of a thundercloud;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.[c](N)
8 Hear me, my people,(O) and I will warn you—
if you would only listen to me, Israel!
9 You shall have no foreign god(P) among you;
you shall not worship any god other than me.
10 I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up out of Egypt.(Q)
Open(R) wide your mouth and I will fill(S) it.
11 “But my people would not listen to me;
Israel would not submit to me.(T)
12 So I gave them over(U) to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own devices.
13 “If my people would only listen to me,(V)
if Israel would only follow my ways,
14 how quickly I would subdue(W) their enemies
and turn my hand against(X) their foes!
15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe(Y) before him,
and their punishment would last forever.
16 But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;(Z)
with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
Psalm 82
A psalm of Asaph.
2 “How long will you[d] defend the unjust
and show partiality(AC) to the wicked?[e](AD)
3 Defend the weak and the fatherless;(AE)
uphold the cause of the poor(AF) and the oppressed.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
5 “The ‘gods’ know nothing, they understand nothing.(AG)
They walk about in darkness;(AH)
all the foundations(AI) of the earth are shaken.
6 “I said, ‘You are “gods”;(AJ)
you are all sons of the Most High.’
7 But you will die(AK) like mere mortals;
you will fall like every other ruler.”
Psalm 83[f]
A song. A psalm of Asaph.
1 O God, do not remain silent;(AO)
do not turn a deaf ear,
do not stand aloof, O God.
2 See how your enemies growl,(AP)
how your foes rear their heads.(AQ)
3 With cunning they conspire(AR) against your people;
they plot against those you cherish.(AS)
4 “Come,” they say, “let us destroy(AT) them as a nation,(AU)
so that Israel’s name is remembered(AV) no more.”
5 With one mind they plot together;(AW)
they form an alliance against you—
6 the tents of Edom(AX) and the Ishmaelites,
of Moab(AY) and the Hagrites,(AZ)
7 Byblos,(BA) Ammon(BB) and Amalek,(BC)
Philistia,(BD) with the people of Tyre.(BE)
8 Even Assyria(BF) has joined them
to reinforce Lot’s descendants.[g](BG)
9 Do to them as you did to Midian,(BH)
as you did to Sisera(BI) and Jabin(BJ) at the river Kishon,(BK)
10 who perished at Endor(BL)
and became like dung(BM) on the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,(BN)
all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,(BO)
12 who said, “Let us take possession(BP)
of the pasturelands of God.”
Footnotes
- Psalm 81:1 In Hebrew texts 81:1-16 is numbered 81:2-17.
- Psalm 81:1 Title: Probably a musical term
- Psalm 81:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
- Psalm 82:2 The Hebrew is plural.
- Psalm 82:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
- Psalm 83:1 In Hebrew texts 83:1-18 is numbered 83:2-19.
- Psalm 83:8 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
Romans 11:19-36
Contemporary English Version
Romans 11:19-36
Contemporary English Version
19 Maybe you think those branches were cut away, so you could be put in their place. 20 That's true enough. But they were cut away because they did not have faith, and you are where you are because you do have faith. So don't be proud, but be afraid. 21 If God cut away those natural branches, couldn't he do the same to you?
22 Now you see both how kind and how hard God can be. He was hard on those who fell, but he was kind to you. And he will keep on being kind to you, if you keep on trusting in his kindness. Otherwise, you will be cut away too.
23 If those other branches will start having faith, they will be made a part of that tree again. God has the power to put them back. 24 After all, it wasn't natural for branches to be cut from a wild olive tree and to be made part of a cultivated olive tree. So it is much more likely that God will join the natural branches back to the cultivated olive tree.
The People of Israel Will Be Brought Back
25 My friends, I don't want you Gentiles to be too proud of yourselves. So I will explain the mystery of what has happened to the people of Israel. Some of them have become stubborn, and they will stay like that until the complete number of you Gentiles has come in. 26 (A) In this way all of Israel will be saved, as the Scriptures say,
“From Zion someone will come
to rescue us.
Then Jacob's descendants
will stop being evil.
27 (B) This is what the Lord
has promised to do
when he forgives their sins.”
28 The people of Israel are treated as God's enemies, so the good news can come to you Gentiles. But they are still the chosen ones, and God loves them because of their famous ancestors. 29 God doesn't take back the gifts he has given or disown the people he has chosen.
30 At one time you Gentiles rejected God. But now Israel has rejected God, and you have been shown mercy. 31 And because of the mercy shown to you, they will also be shown mercy. 32 All people have disobeyed God, and that's why he treats them as prisoners. But he does this, so that he can have mercy on all of them.
33 (C) Who can measure the wealth and wisdom and knowledge of God? Who can understand his decisions or explain what he does?
34 (D) “Has anyone known
the thoughts of the Lord
or given him advice?
35 (E) Has anyone loaned
something to the Lord
that must be repaid?”
36 (F) Everything comes from the Lord. All things were made because of him and will return to him. Praise the Lord forever! Amen.
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Romans 11:19-36
New International Version
Romans 11:19-36
New International Version
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.(A) Do not be arrogant,(B) but tremble.(C) 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
22 Consider therefore the kindness(D) and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue(E) in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.(F) 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.(G) 24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree,(H) how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
All Israel Will Be Saved
25 I do not want you to be ignorant(I) of this mystery,(J) brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited:(K) Israel has experienced a hardening(L) in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in,(M) 26 and in this way[a] all Israel will be saved.(N) As it is written:
“The deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this is[b] my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”[c](O)
28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies(P) for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs,(Q) 29 for God’s gifts and his call(R) are irrevocable.(S) 30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient(T) to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now[d] receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience(U) so that he may have mercy on them all.
Doxology
33 Oh, the depth of the riches(V) of the wisdom and[e] knowledge of God!(W)
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!(X)
34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?”[f](Y)
35 “Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay them?”[g](Z)
36 For from him and through him and for him are all things.(AA)
To him be the glory forever! Amen.(AB)
Footnotes
- Romans 11:26 Or and so
- Romans 11:27 Or will be
- Romans 11:27 Isaiah 59:20,21; 27:9 (see Septuagint); Jer. 31:33,34
- Romans 11:31 Some manuscripts do not have now.
- Romans 11:33 Or riches and the wisdom and the
- Romans 11:34 Isaiah 40:13
- Romans 11:35 Job 41:11
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