Old/New Testament
Psalm 143[a]
A Prayer in Distress
1 A psalm of David.
Lord, hear my prayer;
in your faithfulness listen to my pleading;
answer me in your righteousness.
2 Do not enter into judgment with your servant;
before you no one can be just.(A)
3 The enemy has pursued my soul;
he has crushed my life to the ground.(B)
He has made me dwell in darkness
like those long dead.(C)
4 My spirit is faint within me;
my heart despairs.(D)
5 I remember the days of old;
I ponder all your deeds;
the works of your hands I recall.(E)
6 I stretch out my hands toward you,
my soul to you like a parched land.(F)
Selah
7 Hasten to answer me, Lord;
for my spirit fails me.
Do not hide your face from me,
lest I become like those descending to the pit.(G)
8 In the morning let me hear of your mercy,
for in you I trust.
Show me the path I should walk,
for I entrust my life to you.(H)
9 Rescue me, Lord, from my foes,
for I seek refuge in you.
10 Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God.
May your kind spirit guide me
on ground that is level.
11 For your name’s sake, Lord, give me life;
in your righteousness lead my soul out of distress.
12 In your mercy put an end to my foes;
all those who are oppressing my soul,
for I am your servant.(I)
Psalm 144[b]
A Prayer for Victory and Prosperity
1 Of David.
I
[c]Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
who trains my hands for battle,
my fingers for war;
2 My safeguard and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield, in whom I take refuge,
who subdues peoples under me.
II
3 [d]Lord, what is man that you take notice of him;
the son of man, that you think of him?(J)
4 [e]Man is but a breath,
his days are like a passing shadow.(K)
5 [f]Lord, incline your heavens and come down;
touch the mountains and make them smoke.(L)
6 Flash forth lightning and scatter my foes;
shoot your arrows and rout them.
7 Reach out your hand from on high;
deliver me from the many waters;
rescue me from the hands of foreign foes.
8 Their mouths speak untruth;
their right hands are raised in lying oaths.[g]
9 O God, a new song I will sing to you;
on a ten-stringed lyre I will play for you.(M)
10 You give victory to kings;
you delivered David your servant.(N)
From the menacing sword 11 deliver me;
rescue me from the hands of foreign foes.
Their mouths speak untruth;
their right hands are raised in lying oaths.
III
12 May our sons be like plants(O)
well nurtured from their youth,
Our daughters, like carved columns,
shapely as those of the temple.
13 May our barns be full
with every kind of store.
May our sheep increase by thousands,
by tens of thousands in our fields;
may our oxen be well fattened.
14 May there be no breach in the walls,
no exile, no outcry in our streets.(P)
15 Blessed the people so fortunate;
blessed the people whose God is the Lord.(Q)
Psalm 145[h]
The Greatness and Goodness of God
1 Praise. Of David.
I will extol you, my God and king;
I will bless your name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless you;
I will praise your name forever and ever.(R)
3 Great is the Lord and worthy of much praise,(S)
whose grandeur is beyond understanding.
4 One generation praises your deeds to the next
and proclaims your mighty works.(T)
5 They speak of the splendor of your majestic glory,
tell of your wonderful deeds.(U)
6 They speak of the power of your awesome acts
and recount your great deeds.(V)
7 They celebrate your abounding goodness
and joyfully sing of your justice.
8 The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in mercy.(W)
9 The Lord is good to all,
compassionate toward all your works.(X)
10 All your works give you thanks, Lord
and your faithful bless you.(Y)
11 They speak of the glory of your reign
and tell of your mighty works,
12 Making known to the sons of men your mighty acts,
the majestic glory of your rule.
13 Your reign is a reign for all ages,
your dominion for all generations.(Z)
The Lord is trustworthy in all his words,
and loving in all his works.
14 The Lord supports all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.(AA)
15 The eyes of all look hopefully to you;
you give them their food in due season.(AB)
16 You open wide your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 The Lord is just in all his ways,
merciful in all his works.(AC)
18 The Lord is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.(AD)
19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.(AE)
20 The Lord watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he destroys.(AF)
21 My mouth will speak the praises of the Lord;
all flesh will bless his holy name forever and ever.
21 It is written in the law:
“By people speaking strange tongues
and by the lips of foreigners
I will speak to this people,
and even so they will not listen to me,(A)
says the Lord.” 22 Thus, tongues are a sign not for those who believe but for unbelievers, whereas prophecy is not for unbelievers but for those who believe.
23 [a]So if the whole church meets in one place and everyone speaks in tongues, and then uninstructed people or unbelievers should come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds?(B) 24 But if everyone is prophesying, and an unbeliever or uninstructed person should come in, he will be convinced by everyone and judged by everyone, 25 and the secrets of his heart will be disclosed, and so he will fall down and worship God, declaring, “God is really in your midst.”(C)
Rules of Order. 26 [b]So what is to be done, brothers? When you assemble, one has a psalm, another an instruction, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Everything should be done for building up.(D) 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let it be two or at most three, and each in turn, and one should interpret. 28 But if there is no interpreter, the person should keep silent in the church and speak to himself and to God.
29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others discern. 30 But if a revelation is given to another person sitting there, the first one should be silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged. 32 Indeed, the spirits of prophets are under the prophets’ control, 33 since he is not the God of disorder but of peace.
As in all the churches of the holy ones,[c] 34 women should keep silent in the churches, for they are not allowed to speak, but should be subordinate, as even the law says.(E) 35 But if they want to learn anything, they should ask their husbands at home. For it is improper for a woman to speak in the church. 36 Did the word of God go forth from you? Or has it come to you alone?
37 If anyone thinks that he is a prophet or a spiritual person, he should recognize that what I am writing to you is a commandment of the Lord. 38 If anyone does not acknowledge this, he is not acknowledged. 39 So, [my] brothers, strive eagerly to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues, 40 but everything must be done properly and in order.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.