Old/New Testament
Psalm 116
Thanks to God for Deliverance
1 I love the Lord because he has heard
my appeal for mercy.(A)
2 Because he has turned his ear to me,
I will call out to him as long as I live.(B)
3 The ropes of death were wrapped around me,
and the torments of Sheol overcame me;
I encountered trouble and sorrow.(C)
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“Lord, save me!” (D)
5 The Lord is gracious and righteous;
our God is compassionate.(E)
6 The Lord guards the inexperienced;
I was helpless, and he saved me.(F)
7 Return to your rest, my soul,
for the Lord has been good to you.(G)
8 For you, Lord, rescued me from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling.(H)
9 I will walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.(I)
10 I believed, even when I said,
“I am severely oppressed.”(J)
11 In my alarm I said,
“Everyone is a liar.”(K)
12 How can I repay the Lord
for all the good he has done for me?(L)
13 I will take the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord.(M)
14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.(N)
15 The death of his faithful ones
is valuable in the Lord’s sight.(O)
16 Lord, I am indeed your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your female servant.
You have loosened my bonds.(P)
17 I will offer you a thanksgiving sacrifice
and call on the name of the Lord.(Q)
18 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people,(R)
19 in the courts of the Lord’s house—
within you, Jerusalem.(S)
Hallelujah!
Psalm 117
Universal Call to Praise
1 Praise the Lord, all nations!
Glorify him, all peoples!(T)
2 For his faithful love to us is great;
the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever.(U)
Hallelujah!
Psalm 118
Thanksgiving for Victory
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his faithful love endures forever.(V)
2 Let Israel say,
“His faithful love endures forever.”(W)
3 Let the house of Aaron say,
“His faithful love endures forever.”(X)
4 Let those who fear the Lord say,
“His faithful love endures forever.”(Y)
5 I called to the Lord in distress;(Z)
the Lord answered me
and put me in a spacious place.[a](AA)
6 The Lord is for me; I will not be afraid.
What can a mere mortal do to me?(AB)
7 The Lord is my helper;
therefore, I will look in triumph on those who hate me.(AC)
8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in humanity.(AD)
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in nobles.(AE)
10 All the nations surrounded me;
in the name of the Lord I destroyed them.(AF)
11 They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me;
in the name of the Lord I destroyed them.(AG)
12 They surrounded me like bees;(AH)
they were extinguished like a fire among thorns;
in the name of the Lord I destroyed them.(AI)
13 They[b] pushed me hard to make me fall,
but the Lord helped me.(AJ)
14 The Lord is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.(AK)
15 There are shouts of joy and victory
in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand performs valiantly!(AL)
16 The Lord’s right hand is raised.
The Lord’s right hand performs valiantly!” (AM)
17 I will not die, but I will live
and proclaim what the Lord has done.(AN)
18 The Lord disciplined me severely
but did not give me over to death.(AO)
19 Open the gates of righteousness for me;
I will enter through them
and give thanks to the Lord.(AP)
20 This is the Lord’s gate;
the righteous will enter through it.(AQ)
21 I will give thanks to you
because you have answered me
and have become my salvation.(AR)
22 The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.(AS)
23 This came from the Lord;
it is wondrous in our sight.(AT)
24 This is the day the Lord has made;
let’s rejoice and be glad in it.(AU)
25 Lord, save us!
Lord, please grant us success!(AV)
26 He who comes in the name
of the Lord is blessed.(AW)
From the house of the Lord we bless you.(AX)
27 The Lord is God and has given us light.
Bind the festival sacrifice with cords
to the horns of the altar.(AY)
28 You are my God, and I will give you thanks.
You are my God; I will exalt you.(AZ)
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his faithful love endures forever.(BA)
Principles of Marriage
7 Now in response to the matters you wrote[a] about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.”[b] 2 But because sexual immorality is so common,[c](A) each man should have sexual relations with his own wife,(B) and each woman should have sexual relations with her own husband. 3 A husband should fulfill his marital duty(C) to his wife, and likewise a wife to her husband. 4 A wife does not have the right over her own body, but her husband does. In the same way, a husband does not have the right over his own body, but his wife does. 5 Do not deprive(D) one another—except when you agree for a time, to devote yourselves to[d] prayer. Then come together again; otherwise, Satan may tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7 I wish that all people were as I am. But each has his own gift(E) from God, one person has this gift, another has that.
A Word to the Unmarried
8 I say to the unmarried[e] and to widows:(F) It is good for them if they remain as I am. 9 But if they do not have self-control,(G) they should marry, since it is better to marry(H) than to burn with desire.
About Married People
10 To the married I give this command(I)—not I, but the Lord—a wife is not to leave[f] her husband. 11 But if she does leave, she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband—and a husband is not to divorce his wife.(J) 12 But I (not the Lord) say to the rest: If any brother(K) has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 Also, if any woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce her husband. 14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy(L) by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy by the husband.[g] Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is they are holy. 15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave. A brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you[h] to live in peace. 16 Wife, for all you know, you might save your husband. Husband, for all you know, you might save your wife.[i]
Various Situations of Life
17 Let each one live his life in the situation the Lord assigned when God called(M) him.[j] This is what I command in all the churches. 18 Was anyone already circumcised when he was called? He should not undo his circumcision. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? He should not get circumcised. 19 Circumcision does not matter and uncircumcision does not matter. Keeping God’s commands is what matters.
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