Glorious Things of You Are Spoken

A Psalm of (A)the Sons of Korah. A Song.

87 On (B)the holy mount (C)stands the city he founded;
    the Lord (D)loves the gates of Zion
    more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
(E)Glorious things of you are spoken,
    O (F)city of God. Selah

Among those who (G)know me I mention (H)Rahab and Babylon;
    behold, Philistia and Tyre, with (I)Cush[a]
    “This one was born there,” they say.
And of Zion it shall be said,
    “This one and that one were born in her”;
    for the Most High himself will (J)establish her.
The Lord records as he (K)registers the peoples,
    “This one was born there.” Selah

(L)Singers and (M)dancers alike say,
    “All my (N)springs are in you.”

I Cry Out Day and Night Before You

A Song. A Psalm of (O)the Sons of Korah. To the choirmaster: according to (P)Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil[b] of (Q)Heman the Ezrahite.

88 O Lord, (R)God of my salvation,
    I (S)cry out day and night before you.
Let my prayer come before you;
    (T)incline your ear to my cry!

For my soul is full of troubles,
    and (U)my life draws near to (V)Sheol.
I am counted among those who (W)go down to the pit;
    I am a man who has no strength,
like one set loose among the dead,
    like the slain that lie in the grave,
like those whom (X)you remember no more,
    for they are (Y)cut off from your hand.
You have put me in (Z)the depths of the pit,
    in the (AA)regions dark and (AB)deep.
Your wrath (AC)lies heavy upon me,
    and you overwhelm me with (AD)all your waves. Selah

You have caused (AE)my companions to shun me;
    you have made me (AF)a horror[c] to them.
I am (AG)shut in so that I cannot escape;
    (AH)my eye grows dim through sorrow.
Every day I call upon you, O Lord;
    I (AI)spread out my hands to you.
10 Do you work wonders for the dead?
    (AJ)Do the departed rise up to praise you? Selah
11 Is your steadfast love declared in the grave,
    or your faithfulness in Abaddon?
12 Are your (AK)wonders known in (AL)the darkness,
    or your righteousness in the land of (AM)forgetfulness?

13 But I, O Lord, cry (AN)to you;
    (AO)in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 O Lord, why (AP)do you cast my soul away?
    Why (AQ)do you hide your face from me?
15 Afflicted and close to death from my youth up,
    I suffer your terrors; I am helpless.[d]
16 Your wrath has swept over me;
    your (AR)dreadful assaults destroy me.
17 They (AS)surround me like a flood (AT)all day long;
    they (AU)close in on me together.
18 You have caused (AV)my beloved and my friend to shun me;
    my companions have become darkness.[e]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 87:4 Probably Nubia
  2. Psalm 88:1 Probably musical or liturgical terms
  3. Psalm 88:8 Or an abomination
  4. Psalm 88:15 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
  5. Psalm 88:18 Or darkness has become my only companion

Psalm 87

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

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

Glorious things are said of you,
    city of God:[a](C)
“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)
Indeed, of Zion it will be said,
    “This one and that one were born in her,
    and the Most High himself will establish her.”
The Lord will write in the register(H) of the peoples:
    “This one was born in Zion.”

As 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.

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

I am overwhelmed with troubles(M)
    and my life draws near to death.(N)
I am counted among those who go down to the pit;(O)
    I am like one without strength.(P)
I 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.

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

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

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

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

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 87:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 6.
  2. Psalm 87:4 A poetic name for Egypt
  3. Psalm 87:4 That is, the upper Nile region
  4. 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.”
  5. Psalm 88:1 In Hebrew texts 88:1-18 is numbered 88:2-19.
  6. Psalm 88:1 Title: Possibly a tune, “The Suffering of Affliction”
  7. Psalm 88:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  8. Psalm 88:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 10.
  9. Psalm 88:11 Hebrew Abaddon

Spiritual Gifts

12 Now (A)concerning[a] spiritual gifts,[b] brothers,[c] I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that (B)when you were pagans (C)you were led astray to (D)mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I want you to understand that (E)no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is (F)accursed!” and (G)no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.

Now (H)there are varieties of gifts, but (I)the same Spirit; and (J)there are varieties of service, but (K)the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is (L)the same God who empowers them all in everyone. (M)To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of (N)wisdom, and to another the utterance of (O)knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another (P)faith by the same Spirit, to another (Q)gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another (R)the working of miracles, to another (S)prophecy, to another (T)the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another (U)various kinds of tongues, to another (V)the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, (W)who apportions to each one individually (X)as he wills.

One Body with Many Members

12 For just as (Y)the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, (Z)so it is with Christ. 13 For (AA)in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—(AB)Jews or Greeks, slaves[d] or free—and (AC)all were made to drink of one Spirit.

14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, (AD)God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, (AE)as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts,[e] yet one body.

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, (AF)all rejoice together.

27 Now (AG)you are the body of Christ and individually (AH)members of it. 28 And (AI)God has appointed in the church first (AJ)apostles, second (AK)prophets, third teachers, then (AL)miracles, then (AM)gifts of healing, (AN)helping, (AO)administrating, and (AP)various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But (AQ)earnestly desire the higher gifts.

And I will show you a still more excellent way.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 12:1 The expression Now concerning introduces a reply to a question in the Corinthians' letter; see 7:1
  2. 1 Corinthians 12:1 Or spiritual persons
  3. 1 Corinthians 12:1 Or brothers and sisters
  4. 1 Corinthians 12:13 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface
  5. 1 Corinthians 12:20 Or members; also verse 22

Concerning Spiritual Gifts

12 Now about the gifts of the Spirit,(A) brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.(B) You know that when you were pagans,(C) somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.(D) Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,”(E) and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,”(F) except by the Holy Spirit.(G)

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit(H) distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone(I) it is the same God(J) at work.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.(K) To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom,(L) to another a message of knowledge(M) by means of the same Spirit, to another faith(N) by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing(O) by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers,(P) to another prophecy,(Q) to another distinguishing between spirits,(R) to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a](S) and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b] 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit,(T) and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

Unity and Diversity in the Body

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body,(U) so it is with Christ.(V) 13 For we were all baptized(W) by[c] one Spirit(X) so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free(Y)—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.(Z) 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.(AA)

15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed(AB) the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.(AC) 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.(AD)

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

27 Now you are the body of Christ,(AE) and each one of you is a part of it.(AF) 28 And God has placed in the church(AG) first of all apostles,(AH) second prophets,(AI) third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing,(AJ) of helping, of guidance,(AK) and of different kinds of tongues.(AL) 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues[d]?(AM) Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire(AN) the greater gifts.

Love Is Indispensable

And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 12:10 Or languages; also in verse 28
  2. 1 Corinthians 12:10 Or languages; also in verse 28
  3. 1 Corinthians 12:13 Or with; or in
  4. 1 Corinthians 12:30 Or other languages