Psalm 19

English Standard Version

The Law of the Lord Is Perfect

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

19 ^(A)The heavens declare the glory of God,
    and the sky above^[a] proclaims his handiwork.
²Day to day pours out speech,
    and night to night reveals knowledge.
³There is no speech, nor are there words,
    whose voice is not heard.
⁴^(B)Their ^(C)voice^[b] goes out through all the earth,
    and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for ^(D)the sun,
⁵    ^(E)which comes out like ^(F)a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
    and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
⁶Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
    and its circuit to the end of them,
    and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

⁷^(G)The law of the Lord is perfect,^[c]
    ^(H)reviving the soul;
^(I)the testimony of the Lord is ^(J)sure,
    ^(K)making wise ^(L)the simple;
⁸^(M)the precepts of the Lord are right,
    rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is ^(N)pure,
    ^(O)enlightening the eyes;
⁹the fear of the Lord is clean,
    enduring forever;
the rules^[d] of the Lord are ^(P)true,
    and righteous altogether.
¹⁰More to be desired are they than ^(Q)gold,
    even much ^(R)fine gold;
^(S)sweeter also than honey
    and drippings of ^(T)the honeycomb.
¹¹Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
    ^(U)in keeping them there is great reward.

¹²^(V)Who can discern his errors?
    ^(W)Declare me innocent from ^(X)hidden faults.
¹³^(Y)Keep back your servant also from ^(Z)presumptuous sins;
    let them not have ^(AA)dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
    and innocent of great transgression.

¹⁴Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my ^(AB)rock and my ^(AC)redeemer.

Footnotes

Psalm 19:1 Hebrew the expanse; compare Genesis 1:6–8
Psalm 19:4 Or Their measuring line
Psalm 19:7 Or blameless
Psalm 19:9 Or just decrees

Isaiah 61:1-7

English Standard Version

The Year of the Lord's Favor

61 ^(A)The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
    because the Lord has ^(B)anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;^[a]
    he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
    and ^(C)the opening of the prison to those who are bound;^[b]
²^(D)to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,
    ^(E)and the day of vengeance of our God;
    to comfort all who mourn;
³to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
    ^(F)to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
^(G)the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
    the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
^(H)that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
    the planting of the Lord, ^(I)that he may be glorified.^[c]
⁴^(J)They shall build up the ancient ruins;
    they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
    the devastations of many generations.

⁵^(K)Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks;
    foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers;
⁶^(L)but you shall be called the priests of the Lord;
    they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God;
^(M)you shall eat the wealth of the nations,
    and in their glory you shall boast.
⁷^(N)Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion;
    instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot;
therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion;
    they shall have everlasting joy.

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Footnotes

Isaiah 61:1 Or afflicted
Isaiah 61:1 Or the opening [of the eyes] to those who are blind; Septuagint and recovery of sight to the blind
Isaiah 61:3 Or that he may display his beauty

Romans 7:1-6

English Standard Version

Released from the Law

7 Or do you not know, brothers^[a]—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? ²For ^(A)a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage.^[b] ³Accordingly, ^(B)she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress.

⁴Likewise, my brothers, ^(C)you also have died ^(D)to the law ^(E)through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, ^(F)in order that we may bear fruit for God. ⁵For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work ^(G)in our members ^(H)to bear fruit for death. ⁶But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the ^(I)new way of ^(J)the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.^[c]