Old/New Testament
Psalm 123
Looking for God’s Favor
A song of ascents.
1 I lift my eyes to You,
the One enthroned in heaven.(A)
2 Like a servant’s eyes on his master’s hand,
like a servant girl’s eyes on her mistress’s hand,
so our eyes are on the Lord our God
until He shows us favor.(B)
3 Show us favor, Lord, show us favor,
for we’ve had more than enough contempt.(C)
4 We’ve had more than enough
scorn from the arrogant
and contempt from the proud.(D)
Psalm 124
The Lord Is on Our Side
A Davidic song of ascents.
1 If the Lord had not been on our side—
let Israel say—
2 If the Lord had not been on our side(E)
when men attacked us,(F)
3 then they would have swallowed us alive
in their burning anger against us.(G)
4 Then the waters would have engulfed us;
the torrent would have swept over us;
5 the raging waters would have swept over us.(H)
6 Praise the Lord,
who has not let us be ripped apart by their teeth.(I)
7 We have escaped like a bird from the hunter’s net;
the net is torn, and we have escaped.(J)
8 Our help is in the name of Yahweh,
the Maker of heaven and earth.(K)
Psalm 125
Israel’s Stability
A song of ascents.
1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion.
It cannot be shaken; it remains forever.(L)
2 Jerusalem—the mountains surround her.
And the Lord surrounds His people,
both now and forever.(M)
3 The scepter of the wicked will not remain
over the land allotted to the righteous,
so that the righteous will not apply their hands to injustice.(N)
4 Do what is good, Lord, to the good,
to those whose hearts are upright.(O)
5 But as for those who turn aside to crooked ways,
the Lord will banish them with the evildoers.(P)
Peace be with Israel.(Q)
Warnings from Israel’s Past
10 Now I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers(A) were all under the cloud,(B) all passed through the sea,(C) 2 and all were baptized(D) into Moses(E) in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food,(F) 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from a spiritual rock(G) that followed them, and that rock was Christ.(H) 5 But God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness.(I)
6 Now these things became examples for us, so that we will not desire(J) evil things as they did.[a](K) 7 Don’t become idolaters(L) as some of them were; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to play.[b](M)[c] 8 Let us not commit sexual immorality(N) as some of them did,[d] and in a single day 23,000 people fell dead.(O) 9 Let us not test Christ as some of them did[e] and were destroyed by snakes.(P) 10 Nor should we complain(Q) as some of them did,[f](R) and were killed by the destroyer.[g](S) 11 Now these things happened to them as examples, and they were written as a warning to us,(T) on whom the ends of the ages(U) have come.(V) 12 So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall.(W) 13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful,(X) and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape(Y) so that you are able to bear it.
Warning against Idolatry
14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 15 I am speaking as to wise people. Judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup(Z) of blessing(AA) that we give thanks for, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread(AB) that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one(AC) body, for all of us share that one bread. 18 Look at the people of Israel.[h] Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in what is offered on the altar?(AD)
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