Old/New Testament

To the Overcomer, A Psalm of David.

¹ ¶ Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man; preserve me from the man of violence.

² Who devise evil in their heart; they are continually gathered together for war.

³ They have sharpened their tongue like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.

⁴ Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the man of violence, who have purposed to overthrow my steps.

⁵ The proud have hid a snare for me and cords; they have spread a net; on the path they have set snares for me. Selah.

⁶ I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.

⁷ O GOD the Lord, the strength of my saving health, cover thou my head in the day of battle.

⁸ ¶ Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; do not further his wicked thought lest they exalt themselves. Selah.

⁹ As for the head of those that compass me about, let the perversion of their own lips cover them.

¹⁰ Let burning coals fall upon them; let them be cast into the fire, into deep pits, that they not rise up again.

¹¹ The man with an evil tongue shall not be established in the earth; evil shall hunt the man of violence to overthrow him.

¹² I know that the LORD will effect the judgment of the poor and the judgment of the destitute.

¹³ Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name; the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

A Psalm of David.

¹ ¶ LORD, I have called unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.

² Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense, the gift of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

³ Set a watch, O LORD, upon my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

⁴ Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to do works with ungodliness with the men that work iniquity, and let me not eat of their dainties.

⁵ ¶ Let the righteous smite me in mercy, and let him reprove me: and let not a flattering evil prince anoint my head, for my prayer shall ever be against his evil.

⁶ Their judges shall be thrown down from strong places; they shall hearken unto my words; for they are sweet.

⁷ Our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol, as when one cuts and cleaves wood upon the earth.

⁸ Therefore mine eyes look unto thee, O GOD the Lord; in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.

⁹ Keep me from the hands of the snare which they have laid for me, and from the snares of the workers of iniquity.

¹⁰ Let the wicked fall together into their own nets, whilst I pass on ahead forever.

Maschil of David; A Prayer when he was in the cave.

¹ ¶ I shall cry unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice shall I ask the LORD for mercy.

² I shall pour out my complaint before him; before him I shall tell of my trouble.

³ When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou didst know my path. In the way in which I walked have they secretly laid a snare for me.

⁴ ¶ I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no one that would know me; I had no refuge; no one cared for my soul.

⁵ I cried unto thee, O LORD; I said, Thou art my hope and my portion in the land of the living.

⁶ Attend unto my cry, for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.

⁷ Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name; the righteous shall feast with me; when thou shalt have weaned me.

14 ¶ Follow after charity and earnestly pursue spiritual gifts, but above all, that ye may prophesy.

² For he that speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not unto men, but unto God, for no one understands him, even though by the Spirit he speaks mysteries.

³ But he that prophesies speaks unto men for edification and exhortation and comfort.

⁴ He that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself, but he that prophesies edifies the congregation. {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones}

⁵ I would that ye all spoke with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied, for greater is he that prophesies than he that speaks with tongues, unless he interprets, that the congregation {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} may receive edifying.

⁶ ¶ Now, brothers, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either with revelation or with knowledge or with prophecy or with doctrine?

⁷ And even things without life giving sound, whether flute or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is played or harped?

⁸ For if the trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

⁹ So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue a clear and definite word, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.

¹⁰ There are many kinds of distinct voices in the world, and nothing is dumb.

¹¹ Therefore, if I ignore the virtue of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaks as a barbarian, and he that speaks shall be a barbarian unto me.

¹² Even so ye, forasmuch as ye desire the things of the Spirit, earnestly pursue excellence unto the edification of the congregation. {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones}

¹³ Therefore, let him that speaks in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.

¹⁴ For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

¹⁵ ¶ What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also; I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

¹⁶ Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupies the place of the ignorant say, Amen, at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understands not what thou sayest?

¹⁷ For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.

¹⁸ I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all;

¹⁹ yet in the congregation {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

²⁰ Brothers, be not children in understanding, howbeit in malice be ye children; but in understanding be perfect.