Psalm 87-88

New International Version

Psalm 87

Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. A song.

¹He has founded his city on the holy mountain.^(A)
²The Lord loves the gates of Zion^(B)
more than all the other dwellings of Jacob.

³Glorious things are said of you,
    city of God:^[a]^(C)
⁴“I will record Rahab^[b]^(D) and Babylon
    among those who acknowledge me—
Philistia^(E) too, and Tyre^(F), along with Cush^[c]—
    and will say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’”^[d]^(G)
⁵Indeed, of Zion it will be said,
    “This one and that one were born in her,
    and the Most High himself will establish her.”
⁶The Lord will write in the register^(H) of the peoples:
    “This one was born in Zion.”

⁷As they make music^(I) they will sing,
“All my fountains^(J) are in you.”

Psalm 88^[e]

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth.^[f] A maskil^[g] of Heman the Ezrahite.

¹Lord, you are the God who saves me;^(K)
day and night I cry out^(L) to you.
²May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry.

³I am overwhelmed with troubles^(M)
    and my life draws near to death.^(N)
⁴I am counted among those who go down to the pit;^(O)
    I am like one without strength.^(P)
⁵I am set apart with the dead,
    like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
    who are cut off^(Q) from your care.

⁶You have put me in the lowest pit,
    in the darkest depths.^(R)
⁷Your wrath^(S) lies heavily on me;
    you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.^[h]^(T)
⁸You have taken from me my closest friends^(U)
    and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined^(V) and cannot escape;^(W)
⁹    my eyes^(X) are dim with grief.

I call^(Y) to you, Lord, every day;
    I spread out my hands^(Z) to you.
¹⁰Do you show your wonders to the dead?
    Do their spirits rise up and praise you?^(AA)
¹¹Is your love declared in the grave,
    your faithfulness^(AB) in Destruction^[i]?
¹²Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
    or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?

¹³But I cry to you for help,^(AC) Lord;
in the morning^(AD) my prayer comes before you.^(AE)
¹⁴Why, Lord, do you reject^(AF) me
and hide your face^(AG) from me?

¹⁵From my youth^(AH) I have suffered^(AI) and been close to death;
    I have borne your terrors^(AJ) and am in despair.^(AK)
¹⁶Your wrath^(AL) has swept over me;
    your terrors^(AM) have destroyed me.
¹⁷All day long they surround me like a flood;^(AN)
    they have completely engulfed me.
¹⁸You have taken from me friend^(AO) and neighbor—
    darkness is my closest friend.

Footnotes

Psalm 87:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 6.
Psalm 87:4 A poetic name for Egypt
Psalm 87:4 That is, the upper Nile region
Psalm 87:4 Or “I will record concerning those who acknowledge me: / ‘This one was born in Zion.’ / Hear this, Rahab and Babylon, / and you too, Philistia, Tyre and Cush.”
Psalm 88:1 In Hebrew texts 88:1-18 is numbered 88:2-19.
Psalm 88:1 Title: Possibly a tune, “The Suffering of Affliction”
Psalm 88:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 88:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 10.
Psalm 88:11 Hebrew Abaddon

Romans 13

New International Version

Submission to Governing Authorities

13 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities,^(A) for there is no authority except that which God has established.^(B) The authorities that exist have been established by God. ²Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted,^(C) and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. ³For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.^(D) ⁴For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.^(E) ⁵Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.^(F)

⁶This is also why you pay taxes,^(G) for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. ⁷Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes;^(H) if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Love Fulfills the Law

⁸Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.^(I) ⁹The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”^[a]^(J) and whatever other command there may be, are summed up^(K) in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^[b]^(L) ¹⁰Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.^(M)

The Day Is Near

¹¹And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come^(N) for you to wake up from your slumber,^(O) because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. ¹²The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.^(P) So let us put aside the deeds of darkness^(Q) and put on the armor^(R) of light. ¹³Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness,^(S) not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.^(T) ¹⁴Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ,^(U) and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.^[c]^(V)

Footnotes

Romans 13:9 Exodus 20:13-15,17; Deut. 5:17-19,21
Romans 13:9 Lev. 19:18
Romans 13:14 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.