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Psalm 16

Song of Trust and Security in God

A Miktam of David.

Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.(A)
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
    I have no good apart from you.”[a]

As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble ones
    in whom is all my delight.(B)

Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows;[b]
    their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
    or take their names upon my lips.(C)

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
    you hold my lot.(D)
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    I have a goodly heritage.(E)

I bless the Lord, who gives me counsel;
    in the night also my heart instructs me.(F)
I keep the Lord always before me;
    because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.(G)

Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
    my body also rests secure.(H)
10 For you do not give me up to Sheol
    or let your faithful one see the Pit.(I)

11 You show me the path of life.
    In your presence there is fullness of joy;
    in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.(J)

Footnotes

  1. 16.2 Jerome Tg: Meaning of Heb uncertain
  2. 16.4 Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

Psalm 17

Prayer for Deliverance from Persecutors

A Prayer of David.

Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry;
    give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit.
From you let my vindication come;
    let your eyes see the right.

If you try my heart, if you visit me by night,
    if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me;
    my mouth does not transgress.(A)
As for what others do, by the word of your lips
    I have avoided the ways of the violent.(B)
My steps have held fast to your paths;
    my feet have not slipped.(C)

I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
    incline your ear to me; hear my words.(D)
Wondrously show your steadfast love,
    O savior of those who seek refuge
    from their adversaries at your right hand.(E)

Guard me as the apple of the eye;
    hide me in the shadow of your wings,(F)
from the wicked who despoil me,
    my deadly enemies who surround me.
10 They close their hearts to pity;
    with their mouths they speak arrogantly.(G)
11 They flush me out;[a] now they surround me;
    they set their eyes to cast me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion eager to tear,
    like a young lion lurking in ambush.(H)

13 Rise up, O Lord, confront them, overthrow them!
    By your sword deliver my life from the wicked,(I)
14 from mortals—by your hand, O Lord
    from mortals whose portion in life is in this world.
May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them;
    may their children have more than enough;
    may they leave something over to their little ones.(J)

15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
    when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.(K)

Footnotes

  1. 17.11 Q ms Gk: MT Our steps

Paul on the Island of Malta

28 After we had reached safety, we then learned that the island was called Malta.(A) The local people showed us unusual kindness. Since it had begun to rain and was cold, they kindled a fire and welcomed all of us around it.(B) Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood and was putting it on the fire when a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. When the local people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “This man must be a murderer; though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”(C) He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.(D) They were expecting him to swell up or drop dead, but after they had waited a long time and saw that nothing unusual had happened to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god.(E)

Now in the vicinity of that place were lands belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. It so happened that the father of Publius lay sick in bed with fever and dysentery. Paul visited him and cured him by praying and putting his hands on him.(F) After this happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. 10 They bestowed many honors on us, and when we were about to sail, they put on board all the provisions we needed.

Paul Arrives at Rome

11 Three months later we set sail on a ship that had wintered at the island, an Alexandrian ship with the Twin Brothers as its figurehead.(G) 12 We put in at Syracuse and stayed there for three days; 13 then we weighed anchor and came to Rhegium. After one day there a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. 14 There we found brothers and sisters and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome.(H) 15 The brothers and sisters from there, when they heard of us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.

16 When we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.(I)

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27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away,[a] for it is written,

‘I will strike the shepherd,
    and the sheep will be scattered.’(A)

28 “But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.”(B) 29 Peter said to him, “Even though all fall away,[b] I will not.”(C) 30 Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, this day, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.”(D) 31 But he said vehemently, “Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And all of them said the same.

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

32 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 He took with him Peter and James and John and began to be distressed and agitated. 34 And he said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake.”(E) 35 And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.(F) 36 He said, “Abba,[c] Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me, yet not what I want but what you want.”(G) 37 He came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour? 38 Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial;[d] the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”(H) 39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And once more he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to say to him. 41 He came a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! The hour has come; the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.(I) 42 Get up, let us be going. Look, my betrayer is at hand.”

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Footnotes

  1. 14.27 Or stumble
  2. 14.29 Or stumble
  3. 14.36 Aramaic for Father
  4. 14.38 Or into testing

Psalm 22

Plea for Deliverance from Suffering and Hostility

To the leader: according to The Deer of the Dawn. A Psalm of David.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?(A)
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
    and by night but find no rest.(B)

Yet you are holy,
    enthroned on the praises of Israel.(C)
In you our ancestors trusted;
    they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they cried and were saved;
    in you they trusted and were not put to shame.(D)

But I am a worm and not human,
    scorned by others and despised by the people.(E)
All who see me mock me;
    they sneer at me; they shake their heads;(F)
“Commit your cause to the Lord; let him deliver—
    let him rescue the one in whom he delights!”(G)

Yet it was you who took me from the womb;
    you kept me safe on my mother’s breast.(H)
10 On you I was cast from my birth,
    and since my mother bore me you have been my God.(I)
11 Do not be far from me,
    for trouble is near,
    and there is no one to help.

12 Many bulls encircle me;
    strong bulls of Bashan surround me;(J)
13 they open wide their mouths at me,
    like a ravening and roaring lion.(K)

14 I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
    it is melted within my breast;(L)
15 my mouth[a] is dried up like a potsherd,
    and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
    you lay me in the dust of death.(M)

16 For dogs are all around me;
    a company of evildoers encircles me;
they bound my hands and feet.[b](N)
17 I can count all my bones.
They stare and gloat over me;
18 they divide my clothes among themselves,
    and for my clothing they cast lots.(O)

19 But you, O Lord, do not be far away!
    O my help, come quickly to my aid!
20 Deliver my soul from the sword,
    my life[c] from the power of the dog!(P)
21     Save me from the mouth of the lion!

From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued[d] me.(Q)
22 I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters;[e]
    in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:(R)
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!
    All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him;
    stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!(S)
24 For he did not despise or abhor
    the affliction of the afflicted;
he did not hide his face from me[f]
    but heard when I[g] cried to him.(T)

25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
    my vows I will pay before those who fear him.(U)
26 The poor[h] shall eat and be satisfied;
    those who seek him shall praise the Lord.
    May your hearts live forever!(V)

27 All the ends of the earth shall remember
    and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
    shall worship before him.[i](W)
28 For dominion belongs to the Lord,
    and he rules over the nations.(X)

29 To him,[j] indeed, shall all who sleep in[k] the earth bow down;
    before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
    and I shall live for him.[l](Y)
30 Posterity will serve him;
    future generations will be told about the Lord(Z)
31 and[m] proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,
    saying that he has done it.(AA)

Footnotes

  1. 22.15 Cn: Heb strength
  2. 22.16 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  3. 22.20 Heb my only one
  4. 22.21 Heb answered
  5. 22.22 Or kindred
  6. 22.24 Heb him
  7. 22.24 Heb he
  8. 22.26 Or afflicted
  9. 22.27 Gk Syr Jerome: Heb you
  10. 22.29 Cn: Heb They have eaten and
  11. 22.29 Cn: Heb all the fat ones
  12. 22.29 Compare Gk Syr Vg: Heb and he who cannot keep himself alive
  13. 22.31 Compare Gk: Heb it will be told about the Lord to the generation, they will come and