Old/New Testament
For the director of music. A miktam of David when he had run away from Saul into the cave. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.”
57 Have mercy on me, God. Have mercy on me.
I go to you for safety.
I will find safety in the shadow of your wings.
There I will stay until the danger is gone.
2 I cry out to God Most High.
I cry out to God, and he shows that I am right.
3 He answers from heaven and saves me.
He puts to shame those who chase me.
He shows his love and that he is faithful.
4 Men who are like lions are all around me.
I am forced to lie down among people who are like hungry animals.
Their teeth are like spears and arrows.
Their tongues are like sharp swords.
5 God, may you be honored above the heavens.
Let your glory be over the whole earth.
6 My enemies spread a net to catch me by the feet.
I felt helpless.
They dug a pit in my path.
But they fell into it themselves.
7 God, my heart feels secure.
My heart feels secure.
I will sing and make music to you.
8 My spirit, wake up!
Harp and lyre, wake up!
I want to sing and make music before the sun rises.
9 Lord, I will praise you among the nations.
I will sing about you among the people of the earth.
10 Great is your love. It reaches to the heavens.
Your truth reaches to the skies.
11 God, may you be honored above the heavens.
Let your glory be over the whole earth.
For the director of music. A miktam of David to the tune of “Do Not Destroy.”
58 Are you rulers really fair when you speak?
Do you judge people honestly?
2 No, in your hearts you plan to be unfair.
With your hands you do terrible things on the earth.
3 Even from birth those who are evil go down the wrong path.
From the day they are born they go the wrong way and spread lies.
4 Their words are like the poison of a snake.
They are like the poison of a cobra that has covered up its ears.
5 It won’t listen to a snake charmer’s tune,
even if the charmer plays very well.
6 God, break the teeth in the mouths of those sinners!
Lord, tear out the sharp teeth of those lions!
7 Let those people disappear like water that flows away.
When they draw their bows, let their arrows fall short of the target.
8 Let them be like a slug that melts away as it moves along.
Let them be like a baby that is born dead and never sees the sun.
9 Evil people will be swept away before burning thorns can heat a pot.
And it doesn’t matter if the thorns are green or dry.
10 Godly people will be glad when those who have hurt them are paid back.
They will dip their feet in the blood of those who do evil.
11 Then people will say,
“The godly will get their reward.
There really is a God who judges the earth.”
For the director of music. A miktam of David when Saul had sent men to watch David’s house. Saul sent the men to kill David. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.”
59 God, save me from my enemies.
Keep me safe from people who are attacking me.
2 Save me from those who do evil.
Save me from people who want to kill me.
3 See how they hide and wait for me!
Lord, angry people plan to harm me,
even though I haven’t hurt them in any way or sinned against them.
4 I haven’t done anything wrong to them. But they are ready to attack me.
Rise up and help me! Look at what I’m up against!
5 Lord God who rules over all, rise up. God of Israel,
punish all the nations.
Don’t show any mercy to those sinful people
who have turned against me.
6 My enemies are like a pack of barking dogs
that come back to the city in the evening.
They prowl around the city.
7 Listen to what pours out of their mouths.
The words from their lips are like swords.
They think, “Who can hear us?”
8 But you laugh at them, Lord.
You make fun of all those nations.
9 You give me strength. I look to you.
God, you are like a fort to me. 10 You are my God, and I can depend on you.
God will march out in front of me.
He will let me look down on those who tell lies about me.
11 Lord, you are like a shield that keeps us safe.
Don’t kill my enemies all at once.
If you do, my people will forget about it.
Use your power to pull my enemies up by the roots like weeds.
Destroy them.
12 They have sinned with their mouths.
Their lips have spoken evil words.
They have cursed me and lied.
Let them be caught in their pride.
13 Burn them up in your anger.
Burn them up until there isn’t anything left of them.
Then everyone from one end of the earth to the other will know
that God rules over the people of Jacob.
14 My enemies are like a pack of barking dogs
that come back into the city in the evening.
They prowl around the city.
15 They wander around looking for food.
They groan if they don’t find something that will satisfy them.
16 But I will sing about your strength.
In the morning I will sing about your love.
You are like a fort to me.
You keep me safe in times of trouble.
17 You give me strength. I sing praise to you.
God, you are like a fort to me. You are my God, and I can depend on you.
Abraham’s Faith Made Him Right With God
4 What should we say about these things? What did Abraham, the father of our people, discover about being right with God? 2 Did he become right with God because of something he did? If so, he could brag about it. But he couldn’t brag to God. 3 What do we find in Scripture? It says, “Abraham believed God. God accepted Abraham’s faith, and so his faith made him right with God.” (Genesis 15:6)
4 When a person works, their pay is not considered a gift. It is owed to them. 5 But things are different with God. He makes ungodly people right with himself. If people trust in him, their faith is accepted even though they do not work. Their faith makes them right with God. 6 King David says the same thing. He tells us how blessed people are when God makes them right with himself. They are blessed because they don’t have to do anything in return. David says,
7 “Blessed are those
whose lawless acts are forgiven.
Blessed are those
whose sins are taken away.
8 Blessed is the person
whose sin the Lord never counts against them.” (Psalm 32:1,2)
9 Is that blessing only for those who are circumcised? Or is it also for those who are not circumcised? We have been saying that God accepted Abraham’s faith. So his faith made him right with God. 10 When did it happen? Was it after Abraham was circumcised, or before? It was before he was circumcised, not after! 11 He was circumcised as a sign of the covenant God had made with him. It showed that his faith had made him right with God before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the father of all believers who have not been circumcised. God accepts their faith. So their faith makes them right with him. 12 And Abraham is also the father of those who are circumcised and believe. So just being circumcised is not enough. Those who are circumcised must also follow the steps of our father Abraham. He had faith before he was circumcised.
13 Abraham and his family received a promise. God promised that Abraham would receive the world. It would not come to him because he obeyed the law. It would come because of his faith, which made him right with God. 14 Do those who depend on the law receive the promise? If they do, faith would mean nothing. God’s promise would be worthless. 15 The law brings God’s anger. Where there is no law, the law can’t be broken.
16 The promise is based on God’s grace. The promise comes by faith. All of Abraham’s children will certainly receive the promise. And it is not only for those who are ruled by the law. Those who have the same faith that Abraham had are also included. He is the father of us all. 17 It is written, “I have made you a father of many nations.” (Genesis 17:5) God considers Abraham to be our father. The God that Abraham believed in gives life to the dead. Abraham’s God also creates things that did not exist before.
18 When there was no reason for hope, Abraham believed because he had hope. He became the father of many nations, exactly as God had promised. God said, “That is how many children you will have.” (Genesis 15:5) 19 Abraham did not become weak in his faith. He accepted the fact that he was past the time when he could have children. At that time Abraham was about 100 years old. He also realized that Sarah was too old to have children. 20 But Abraham kept believing in God’s promise. He became strong in his faith. He gave glory to God. 21 He was absolutely sure that God had the power to do what he had promised. 22 That’s why “God accepted Abraham because he believed. So his faith made him right with God.” (Genesis 15:6) 23 The words “God accepted Abraham’s faith” were written not only for Abraham. 24 They were written also for us. We believe in the God who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. So God will accept our faith and make us right with himself. 25 Jesus was handed over to die for our sins. He was raised to life in order to make us right with God.
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