◀ All Reading Plans / Book of Common Prayer / Ps. [83] or 23 27; Ps. 85 86; 1 Macc. 1:1–28; Rev. 19:1–10; Matt. 16:1–12 (New English Translation)

Prev Day

November 11, 2021

Next Day

Use the calendar to view readings from this devotional.

November 2021
Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30

Return to today's reading

Book of Common Prayer

Daily Old and New Testament readings based on the Book of Common Prayer.

Duration: 861 days

Psalm 83

Psalm 83^[a]

A song, a psalm of Asaph.

83 O God, do not be silent.
Do not ignore us.^[b] Do not be inactive, O God.
²For look, your enemies are making a commotion;
those who hate you are hostile.^[c]
³They carefully plot^[d] against your people,
and make plans to harm^[e] the ones you cherish.^[f]
⁴They say, “Come on, let’s annihilate them so they are no longer a nation.^[g]
Then the name of Israel will be remembered no more.”
⁵Yes,^[h] they devise a unified strategy;^[i]
they form an alliance^[j] against you.
⁶It includes^[k] the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
Moab and the Hagrites,^[l]
⁷Gebal,^[m] Ammon, and Amalek,
Philistia and the inhabitants of Tyre.
⁸Even Assyria has allied with them,
lending its strength to the descendants of Lot.^[n] (Selah)
⁹Do to them as you did to Midian^[o]—
as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River.^[p]
¹⁰They were destroyed at Endor;^[q]
their corpses were like manure^[r] on the ground.
¹¹Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,^[s]
and all their rulers like Zebah and Zalmunna,^[t]
¹²who said,^[u] “Let’s take over^[v] the pastures of God.”
¹³O my God, make them like dead thistles,^[w]
like dead weeds blown away by^[x] the wind.
¹⁴Like the fire that burns down the forest,
or the flames that consume the mountainsides,^[y]
¹⁵chase them with your gale winds,
and terrify^[z] them with your windstorm.
¹⁶Cover^[aa] their faces with shame,
so they might seek^[ab] you,^[ac] O Lord.
¹⁷May they be humiliated and continually terrified.^[ad]
May they die in shame.^[ae]
¹⁸Then they will know^[af] that you alone are the Lord,^[ag]
the Most High^[ah] over all the earth.

Footnotes

Psalm 83:1 sn Psalm 83. The psalmist asks God to deliver Israel from the attacks of foreign nations. Recalling how God defeated Israel’s enemies in the days of Deborah and Gideon, he prays that the hostile nations would be humiliated.
Psalm 83:1 tn Heb “do not be deaf.”
Psalm 83:2 tn Heb “lift up [their] head[s].” The phrase “lift up [the] head” here means “to threaten; to be hostile,” as in Judg 8:28.
Psalm 83:3 tn Heb “they make crafty a plot.”
Psalm 83:3 tn Heb “and consult together against.”
Psalm 83:3 tn The passive participle of the Hebrew verb צָפַן (tsafan, “to hide”) is used here in the sense of “treasured; cherished.”
Psalm 83:4 tn Heb “we will cause them to disappear from [being] a nation.”
Psalm 83:5 tn Or “for.”
Psalm 83:5 tn Heb “they consult [with] a heart together.”
Psalm 83:5 tn Heb “cut a covenant.”
Psalm 83:6 tn The words “it includes” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
Psalm 83:6 sn The Hagrites are also mentioned in 1 Chr 5:10, 19-20.
Psalm 83:7 sn Some identify Gebal with the Phoenician coastal city of Byblos (see Ezek 27:9, where the name is spelled differently), though others locate this site south of the Dead Sea (see BDB 148 s.v. גְּבַל; HALOT 174 s.v. גְּבַל).
Psalm 83:8 tn Heb “they are an arm for the sons of Lot.” The “arm” is here a symbol of military might.sn The descendants of Lot were the Moabites and Ammonites.
Psalm 83:9 tn Heb “do to them like Midian.”
Psalm 83:9 sn The psalmist alludes here to Gideon’s victory over the Midianites (see Judg 7-8) and to Barak’s victory over Jabin’s army, which was led by his general Sisera (Judg 4-5).
Psalm 83:10 sn Endor is not mentioned in the accounts of Gideon’s or Barak’s victories, but both battles took place in the general vicinity of the town. (See Y. Aharoni and M. Avi-Yonah, The Macmillan Bible Atlas, 46, 54.) Because Sisera and Jabin are mentioned in v. 9b, many understand them to be the subject of the verbs in v. 10, though they relate v. 10 to Gideon’s victory, which is referred to in v. 9a, 11. (See, for example, Y. Aharoni, The Land of the Bible, 263.)
Psalm 83:10 tn Heb “they were manure.” In addition to this passage, corpses are compared to manure in 2 Kgs 9:37; Jer 8:2; 9:21; 16:4; 25:33.
Psalm 83:11 sn Oreb and Zeeb were the generals of the Midianite army that was defeated by Gideon. The Ephraimites captured and executed both of them and sent their heads to Gideon (Judg 7:24-25).
Psalm 83:11 sn Zebah and Zalmunna were the Midianite kings. Gideon captured them and executed them (Judg 8:1-21).
Psalm 83:12 tn The translation assumes that “Zebah and Zalmunna” are the antecedents of the relative pronoun (“who [said]”). Another option is to take “their nobles…all their rulers” as the antecedent and to translate, “those who say.”
Psalm 83:12 tn Heb “let’s take possession for ourselves.”
Psalm 83:13 tn Or “tumbleweed.” The Hebrew noun גַּלְגַּל (galgal) refers to a “wheel” or, metaphorically, to a whirling wind (see Ps 77:18). If taken in the latter sense here, one could understand the term as a metonymical reference to dust blown by a whirlwind (cf. NRSV “like whirling dust”). However, HALOT 190 s.v. II גַּלְגַּל understands the noun as a homonym referring to a “dead thistle” here and in Isa 17:13. The parallel line, which refers to קַשׁ (qash, “chaff”), favors this interpretation.
Psalm 83:13 tn Heb “before.”
Psalm 83:14 sn The imagery of fire and flames suggests unrelenting, destructive judgment.
Psalm 83:15 tn The two imperfect verbal forms in v. 15 express the psalmist’s wish or prayer.
Psalm 83:16 tn Heb “fill.”
Psalm 83:16 tn After the preceding imperative, the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose or result (“then they will seek”).
Psalm 83:16 tn Heb “your name,” which stands here for God’s person.
Psalm 83:17 tn Heb “and may they be terrified to perpetuity.” The Hebrew expression עֲדֵי־עַד (ʿade ʿad, “to perpetuity”) can mean “forevermore” (see Pss 92:7; 132:12, 14), but here it may be used hyperbolically, for the psalmist asks that the experience of judgment might lead the nations to recognize (v. 18) and even to seek (v. 16) God.
Psalm 83:17 tn Heb “may they be ashamed and perish.” The four prefixed verbal forms in this verse are understood as jussives. The psalmist concludes his prayer with an imprecation, calling severe judgment down on his enemies. The strong language of the imprecation seems to run contrary to the positive outcome of divine judgment envisioned in v. 16b. Perhaps the language of v. 17 is overstated for effect. Another option is that v. 16b expresses an ideal, while the strong imprecation of vv. 17-18 anticipates reality. It would be nice if the defeated nations actually pursued a relationship with God, but if judgment does not bring them to that point, the psalmist asks that they be annihilated so that they might at least be forced to acknowledge God’s power.
Psalm 83:18 tn After the preceding jussives (v. 17), the prefixed verbal form with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose (“so that they may know”) or result.
Psalm 83:18 tn Heb “that you, your name [is] the Lord, you alone.”
Psalm 83:18 sn The divine title “Most High” (עֶלְיוֹן ʿelyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Pss 7:17; 9:2; 18:13; 21:7; 47:2.

Psalm 23

Psalm 23^[a]

A psalm of David.

23 The Lord is my shepherd,^[b]
I lack nothing.^[c]
²He takes me to lush pastures,^[d]
he leads me to refreshing water.^[e]
³He restores my strength.^[f]
He leads me down^[g] the right paths^[h]
for the sake of his reputation.^[i]
⁴Even when I must walk through the darkest valley,^[j]
I fear^[k] no danger,^[l]
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff reassure me.^[m]
⁵You prepare a feast before me^[n]
in plain sight of my enemies.
You refresh^[o] my head with oil;
my cup is completely full.^[p]
⁶Surely your goodness and faithfulness^[q] will pursue^[r] me all my days,^[s]
and I will live in^[t] the Lord’s house^[u] for the rest of my life.^[v]

Footnotes

Psalm 23:1 sn Psalm 23. In vv. 1-4 the psalmist pictures the Lord as a shepherd who provides for his needs and protects him from danger. The psalmist declares, “The Lord is my shepherd,” and then extends and develops that metaphor, speaking as if he were a sheep. In vv. 5-6 the metaphor changes as the psalmist depicts a great royal banquet hosted by the Lord. The psalmist is a guest of honor and recipient of divine favor, who enjoys unlimited access to the divine palace and the divine presence.
Psalm 23:1 sn The Lord is my shepherd. The opening metaphor suggests the psalmist is assuming the role of a sheep. In vv. 1b-4 the psalmist extends the metaphor and explains exactly how the Lord is like a shepherd to him. At the surface level the language can be understood in terms of a shepherd’s relationship to his sheep. The translation of vv. 1-4 reflects this level. But, of course, each statement also points to an underlying reality.
Psalm 23:1 tn The imperfect verbal form is best understood as generalizing; the psalmist highlights his typical or ongoing experience as a result of having the Lord as his shepherd (habitual present use). The next verse explains more specifically what he means by this statement.
Psalm 23:2 tn Heb “he makes me lie down in lush pastures.” The Hiphil verb יַרְבִּיצֵנִי (yarbitseni) has a causative-modal nuance here (see IBHS 445-46 §27.5 on this use of the Hiphil), meaning “allows me to lie down” (see also Jer 33:12). The point is that the shepherd takes the sheep to lush pastures and lets them eat and rest there. Both imperfect verbal forms in v. 2 are generalizing and highlight the psalmist’s typical experience.
Psalm 23:2 tn Both genitives in v. 2 indicate an attribute of the noun they modify: דֶּשֶׁא (desheʾ) characterizes the pastures as “lush” (i.e., rich with vegetation), while מְנֻחוֹת (m^enukhot) probably characterizes the water as refreshing. In this case the plural indicates an abstract quality. Some take מְנֻחוֹת in the sense of “still, calm” (i.e., as describing calm pools in contrast to dangerous torrents), but it is unlikely that such a pastoral scene is in view. Shepherds usually watered their sheep at wells (see Gen 29:2-3; Exod 2:16-19). Another option is to take מְנֻחוֹת as “resting places” and to translate, “water of/at the resting places” (i.e., a genitive of location; see IBHS 147-48 §9.5.2e).sn Within the framework of the metaphor, the psalmist/sheep is declaring in v. 2 that his shepherd provides the essentials for physical life. At a deeper level the psalmist may be referring to more than just physical provision, though that would certainly be included.
Psalm 23:3 tn The appearance of the Hebrew term נַפְשִׁי (nafshi), traditionally translated “my soul,” might suggest a spiritualized interpretation for the first line of v. 3. However, at the surface level of the shepherd/sheep metaphor, this is unlikely. When it occurs with a pronominal suffix נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v.נֶפֶשׁ 4.a). In this context, where the statement most naturally refers to the physical provision just described, the form is best translated simply “me.” The accompanying verb (a Polel form [factitive use] of שׁוּב [shuv]), if referring to the physical provision just described, carries the nuance “refresh, restore strength.”
Psalm 23:3 tn The imperfect verbal forms in v. 3 (יְשׁוֹבֵב [y^eshovev] and יַנְחֵנִי [yankheni]), like those in vv. 1-2, highlight what is typical of the shepherd/sheep relationship.
Psalm 23:3 tn The attributive genitive צֶדֶק (tsedeq) is traditionally translated “righteousness” here, as if designating a moral or ethical quality. But this seems unlikely, for it modifies מַעְגְּלֵי (maʿg^ele, “paths”). Within the shepherd/sheep metaphor, the phrase likely refers to “right” or “correct” paths, i.e., ones that lead to pastures, wells, or the fold. While צֶדֶק usually does carry a moral or ethical nuance, it can occasionally refer to less abstract things, such as weights and offerings. In this context, which emphasizes divine provision and protection, the underlying reality is probably God’s providential guidance. The psalmist is confident that God takes him down paths that will ultimately lead to something beneficial, not destructive.
Psalm 23:3 tn The Hebrew term שֵׁם (shem, “name”) refers here to the shepherd’s reputation. (The English term “name” is often used the same way.) The statement לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ (l^emaʿan sh^emo, “for the sake of his name”) makes excellent sense within the framework of the shepherd/sheep metaphor. Shepherds, who sometimes hired out their services, were undoubtedly concerned about their vocational reputation. To maintain their reputation as competent shepherds, they had to know the “lay of the land” and make sure they led the sheep down the right paths to the proper destinations. The underlying reality is a profound theological truth: God must look out for the best interests of the one he has promised to protect, because if he fails to do so, his faithfulness could legitimately be called into question and his reputation damaged.
Psalm 23:4 tn The Hebrew term צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmavet) has traditionally been understood as a compound noun meaning “shadow of death” (צֵל [tsel] + מָוֶת [mavet]; see BDB 853 s.v. צַלְמָוֶת). Other scholars prefer to vocalize the form צָלְמוּת (tsalmut) and understand it as an abstract noun (from the root צָלַם, tsalam) meaning “darkness.” An examination of the word’s usage favors the latter derivation. It is frequently associated with darkness/night and contrasted with light/morning (see Job 3:5; 10:21-22; 12:22; 24:17; 28:3; 34:22; Ps 107:10, 14; Isa 9:1; Jer 13:16; Amos 5:8). In some cases the darkness described is associated with the realm of death (Job 10:21-22; 38:17), but this is a metaphorical application of the word and does not reflect its inherent meaning. If the word does indeed mean “darkness,” it modifies גַיְא (gayʾ, “valley, ravine”) quite naturally. At the metaphorical level, v. 4 pictures the shepherd taking his sheep through a dark ravine where predators might lurk. The life-threatening situations faced by the psalmist are the underlying reality behind the imagery.
Psalm 23:4 tn The imperfect verbal forms in v. 4, as in vv. 1-3, highlight what is typical in the psalmist’s experience.
Psalm 23:4 tn The Hebrew term רָע (raʿ) is traditionally translated “evil” here, perhaps suggesting a moral or ethical nuance. But at the level of the metaphor, the word means “danger, injury, harm,” as a sheep might experience from a predator. The life-threatening dangers faced by the psalmist, especially the enemies mentioned in v. 5, are the underlying reality.
Psalm 23:4 tn The Piel of נָחַם (nakham), when used with a human object, means “comfort, console.” But here, within the metaphorical framework, it refers to the way in which a shepherd uses his implements to assure the sheep of his presence and calm their nerves. The underlying reality is the emotional stability God provides the psalmist during life threatening situations.
Psalm 23:5 sn In v. 5 the metaphor switches. (It would be very odd for a sheep to have its head anointed and be served wine.) The background for the imagery is probably the royal banquet. Ancient Near Eastern texts describe such banquets in similar terms to those employed by the psalmist. (See M. L. Barre and J. S. Kselman, “New Exodus, Covenant, and Restoration in Psalm 23, ” The Word of the Lord Shall Go Forth, 97-127.) The reality behind the imagery is the Lord’s favor. Through his blessings and protection he demonstrates to everyone, including dangerous enemies, that the psalmist has a special relationship with him.
Psalm 23:5 tn The imperfect verbal form in v. 5a carries on the generalizing mood of vv. 1-4. However, in v. 5b the psalmist switches to a perfect (דִּשַּׁנְתָּ, dishanta), which may have a generalizing force as well. But then again the perfect is conspicuous here and may be present perfect in sense, indicating that the divine host typically pours oil on his head prior to seating him at the banquet table. The verb דָשַׁן (dashan; the Piel is factitive) is often translated “anoint,” but this is misleading, for it might suggest a symbolic act of initiation into royal status. One would expect the verb מָשָׁח (mashan) in this case; דָשַׁן here describes an act of hospitality extended to guests and carries the nuance “refresh.” In Prov 15:30 it stands parallel to “make happy” and refers to the effect that good news has on the inner being of its recipient.
Psalm 23:5 tn The rare noun רְוָיָה (r^evayah) is derived from the well-attested verb רָוָה (ravah, “be saturated, drink one’s fill”). In this context, where it describes a cup, it must mean “filled up,” but not necessarily to overflowing.
Psalm 23:6 tn The noun חֶסֶד (khesed; v. 6) has been the subject of several monographs. G. R. Clark concludes that חֶסֶד “is not merely an attitude or an emotion; it is an emotion that leads to an activity beneficial to the recipient.” He explains that an act of חֶסֶד is “a beneficent action performed, in the context of a deep and enduring commitment between two persons or parties, by one who is able to render assistance to the needy party who in the circumstances is unable to help him- or herself.” (See G. R. Clark, The Word Hesed in the Hebrew Bible [JSOTSup], 267.) HALOT 336-37 s.v. defines the word as “loyalty,” or “faithfulness.” Other appropriate meanings might be “commitment” and “devotion.”
Psalm 23:6 tn The use of רָדַף (radaf, “pursue, chase”) with טוֹב וָחֶסֶד (tov vakhesed, “goodness and faithfulness”) as subject is ironic. This is the only place in the entire OT where either of these nouns appears as the subject of this verb רָדַף (radaf, “pursue”). This verb is often used to describe the hostile actions of enemies. One might expect the psalmist’s enemies (see v. 5) to chase him, but ironically God’s “goodness and faithfulness” (which are personified and stand by metonymy for God himself) pursue him instead. The word “pursue” is used outside of its normal context in an ironic manner and creates a unique, but pleasant word picture of God’s favor (or a kind God) “chasing down” the one whom he loves.
Psalm 23:6 tn Heb “all the days of my life.”
Psalm 23:6 tn The verb form וְשַׁבְתִּי (v^eshavti) is a Qal perfect (with vav [ו] consecutive), first common singular, from שׁוּב (shuv, “return”) and should be translated, “and I will return.” But this makes no sense when construed with the following phrase, “in the house of the Lord.” The term שׁוּב (shuv) appears only here with the following phrase בְּבֵית (b^evet). The form should be emended to וְשִׁבְתִּי (v^eshivti; an infinitive construct from יָשַׁב [yashav, “live”] with pronominal suffix) or to וְיָשַׁבְתִּי (v^eyashavti; a Qal perfect with vav [ו] consecutive, first common singular, from ישׁב [see BHS, note c]). In either case one could then translate, “and I will live [in the house of the Lord].” The phrase “in the house” frequently follows the verb יָשַׁב in the OT.
Psalm 23:6 tn Heb “the house of the Lord.” The phrase may be purely metaphorical here, referring to the royal palace where the royal host of v. 5 holds his banquet and lives. If one takes the phrase more literally, it would refer to the earthly tabernacle (if one accepts Davidic authorship) or the later temple (see Judg 19:18; 1 Sam 1:7, 24; 2 Sam 12:20; 1 Kgs 7:12, 40, 45, 51).
Psalm 23:6 tn The phrase אֹרֶךְ יָמִים (ʾorekh yamim, “length of days”) is traditionally translated “forever.” However, this phrase, when used elsewhere of people, usually refers to a lengthy period of time, such as one’s lifetime, and does not mean “forever” in the sense of eternity. (Cf. Deut 30:20; Job 12:12; Ps 91:16; Prov 3:2, 16; Lam 5:20.) Furthermore, the parallel phrase “all the days of my life” suggests this more limited meaning. Psalm 21:4, where the phrase is followed by “forever and ever,” may be an exception, though the juxtaposition of the phrases may be an example of intensification, where the second phrase goes beyond the limits of the first, rather than synonymity. Even if one takes both expressions as referring to eternal life, the language is part of the king’s hyperbolic description of the Lord’s blessings and should not be taken literally.

Psalm 27

Psalm 27^[a]

By David.

27 The Lord is my light^[b] and my salvation.
I fear no one.^[c]
The Lord protects my life.
I am afraid of no one.^[d]
²When evil men attack me^[e]
to devour my flesh,^[f]
when my adversaries and enemies attack me,^[g]
they stumble and fall.^[h]
³Even when an army is deployed against me,
I do not fear.^[i]
Even when war is imminent,^[j]
I remain confident.^[k]
⁴I have asked the Lord for one thing—
this is what I desire!
I want to live^[l] in the Lord’s house^[m] all the days of my life,
so I can gaze at the splendor^[n] of the Lord
and contemplate in his temple.
⁵He will surely^[o] give me shelter^[p] in the day of danger;^[q]
he will hide me in his home.^[r]
He will place me^[s] on an inaccessible rocky summit.^[t]
⁶Now I will triumph
over my enemies who surround me.^[u]
I will offer sacrifices in his dwelling place and shout for joy.^[v]
I will sing praises to the Lord.
⁷Hear me,^[w] O Lord, when I cry out.
Have mercy on me and answer me.
⁸My heart tells me to pray to you,^[x]
and I do pray to you, O Lord.^[y]
⁹Do not reject me.^[z]
Do not push your servant away in anger.
You are my deliverer.^[aa]
Do not forsake or abandon me,
O God who vindicates me.
¹⁰Even if my father and mother abandoned me,^[ab]
the Lord would take me in.^[ac]
¹¹Teach me how you want me to live,^[ad] Lord;
lead me along a level path^[ae] because of those who wait to ambush me.^[af]
¹²Do not turn me over to my enemies,^[ag]
for false witnesses who want to destroy me testify against me.^[ah]
¹³Where would I be if I did not believe I would experience
the Lord’s favor in the land of the living?^[ai]
¹⁴Rely^[aj] on the Lord!
Be strong and confident!^[ak]
Rely on the Lord!

Footnotes

Psalm 27:1 sn Psalm 27. The author is confident of the Lord’s protection and asks the Lord to vindicate him.
Psalm 27:1 sn “Light” is often used as a metaphor for deliverance and the life/blessings it brings. See Pss 37:6; 97:11; 112:4; Isa 49:6; 51:4; Mic 7:8. Another option is that “light” refers here to divine guidance (see Ps 43:3).
Psalm 27:1 tn Heb “Whom shall I fear?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one.”
Psalm 27:1 tn Heb “Of whom shall I be afraid?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one!”
Psalm 27:2 tn Heb “draw near to me.”
Psalm 27:2 sn To devour my flesh. The psalmist compares his enemies to dangerous, hungry predators (see 2 Kgs 9:36; Ezek 39:17).
Psalm 27:2 tn Heb “my adversaries and my enemies against me.” The verb “draw near” (that is, “attack”) is understood by ellipsis; see the previous line.
Psalm 27:2 tn The Hebrew verbal forms are perfects. The translation assumes the psalmist is generalizing here, but another option is to take this as a report of past experience, “when evil men attacked me…they stumbled and fell.”
Psalm 27:3 tn Heb “my heart does not fear.”
Psalm 27:3 tn Heb “if war rises up against me.”
Psalm 27:3 tn Heb “in this [i.e., “during this situation”] I am trusting.”
Psalm 27:4 tn Heb “for me to live.”
Psalm 27:4 sn The Lord’s house. This probably refers to the tabernacle (if one accepts Davidic authorship) or the temple (see Judg 19:18; 1 Sam 1:7, 24; 2 Sam 12:20; 1 Kgs 7:12, 40, 45, 51).
Psalm 27:4 tn Or “beauty.”
Psalm 27:5 tn Or “for he will.” The translation assumes the כִּי (ki) is asseverative here, rather than causal.
Psalm 27:5 tn Heb “he will hide me in his hut.”
Psalm 27:5 tn Or “trouble.”
Psalm 27:5 tn Heb “tent.”
Psalm 27:5 tn The three imperfect verb forms in v. 5 anticipate a positive response to the prayer offered in vv. 7-12.
Psalm 27:5 tn Heb “on a rocky summit he lifts me up.” The Lord places the psalmist in an inaccessible place where his enemies cannot reach him. See Ps 18:2.
Psalm 27:6 tn Heb “and now my head will be lifted up over my enemies all around me.”sn In vv. 1-3 the psalmist generalizes, but here we discover that he is facing a crisis and is under attack from enemies (see vv. 11-12).
Psalm 27:6 tn Heb “I will sacrifice in his tent sacrifices of a shout for joy” (that is, “sacrifices accompanied by a joyful shout”).
Psalm 27:7 tn Heb “my voice.”
Psalm 27:8 tc Heb “concerning you my heart says, ‘Seek my face.’” The verb form “seek” is plural, but this makes no sense here, for the psalmist is addressed. The verb should be emended to a singular form. The first person pronominal suffix on “face” also makes little sense, unless it is the voice of the Lord he hears. His “heart” is viewed as speaking, however, so it is better to emend the form to פָּנָיו (panayv, “his face”).
Psalm 27:8 tn Heb “your face, O Lord, I seek.” To “seek the Lord’s face” means to seek his favor through prayer (see 2 Sam 21:1; Pss 24:6; 105:4).
Psalm 27:9 tn Heb “do not hide your face from me.” The idiom “hide the face” can mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).
Psalm 27:9 tn Or “[source of] help.”
Psalm 27:10 tn Or “though my father and mother have abandoned me.”
Psalm 27:10 tn Heb “gather me in”; or “receive me.”
Psalm 27:11 tn Heb “teach me your way.” The Lord’s “way” refers here to the moral principles which he expects the psalmist to follow. See Ps 25:4.
Psalm 27:11 sn The level path refers to God’s moral principles (see the parallel line), which, if followed, will keep the psalmist blameless before his accusers (see v. 12).
Psalm 27:11 tn Heb “because of those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 54:5; 56:2.
Psalm 27:12 tn Heb “do not give me over to the desire of my enemies.”
Psalm 27:12 tn Heb “for they have risen up against me, lying witnesses and a testifier of violence.” The form יָפֵחַ (yafeakh) is traditionally understood as a verb meaning “snort, breathe out”: “for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty” (KJV; cf. BDB 422 s.v.). A better option is to take the form as a noun meaning “a witness” (or “testifier”). See Prov 6:19; 12:17; 14:5, 25; 19:5, 9, and Hab 2:3.
Psalm 27:13 tn In the Hebrew text the sentence is incomplete: “If I had not believed [I would] see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” The words “Where would I be” are supplied in the translation to clarify the intent of the statement.
Psalm 27:14 tn Or “wait.”
Psalm 27:14 tn Heb “be strong and let your heart be confident.”

Psalm 85-86

Psalm 85^[a]

For the music director, written by the Korahites, a psalm.

85 O Lord, you showed favor to your land;
you restored the well-being of Jacob.^[b]
²You pardoned^[c] the wrongdoing of your people;
you forgave^[d] all their sin. (Selah)
³You withdrew all your fury;
you turned back from your raging anger.^[e]
⁴Restore us, O God our deliverer.
Do not be displeased with us.^[f]
⁵Will you stay mad at us forever?
Will you remain angry throughout future generations?^[g]
⁶Will you not revive us once more?
Then your people will rejoice in you.
⁷O Lord, show us your loyal love.
Bestow on us your deliverance.
⁸I will listen to what God the Lord says.^[h]
For he will make^[i] peace with his people, his faithful followers.^[j]
Yet they must not^[k] return to their foolish ways.
⁹Certainly his loyal followers will soon experience his deliverance;^[l]
then his splendor will again appear in our land.^[m]
¹⁰Loyal love and faithfulness meet;^[n]
deliverance and peace greet each other with a kiss.^[o]
¹¹Faithfulness grows from the ground,
and deliverance looks down from the sky.^[p]
¹²Yes, the Lord will bestow his good blessings,^[q]
and our land will yield^[r] its crops.
¹³Deliverance goes^[s] before him,
and prepares^[t] a pathway for him.^[u]

Psalm 86^[v]

A prayer of David.

86 Listen,^[w] O Lord. Answer me.
For I am oppressed and needy.
²Protect me,^[x] for I am loyal.
You are my God; deliver your servant who trusts in you.
³Have mercy on me,^[y] O Lord,
for I cry out to you all day long.
⁴Make your servant^[z] glad,
for to you, O Lord, I pray.^[aa]
⁵Certainly,^[ab] O Lord, you are kind^[ac] and forgiving,
and show great faithfulness to all who cry out to you.
⁶O Lord, hear my prayer.
Pay attention to my plea for mercy.
⁷In my time of trouble I cry out to you,
for you will answer me.
⁸None can compare to you among the gods, O Lord.
Your exploits are incomparable.^[ad]
⁹All the nations, whom you created,
will come and worship you,^[ae] O Lord.
They will honor your name.
¹⁰For you are great and do amazing things.
You alone are God.
¹¹O Lord, teach me how you want me to live.^[af]
Then I will obey your commands.^[ag]
Make me wholeheartedly committed to you.^[ah]
¹²O Lord, my God, I will give you thanks with my whole heart.
I will honor your name continually.^[ai]
¹³For you will extend your great loyal love to me,^[aj]
and will deliver my life^[ak] from the depths of Sheol.^[al]
¹⁴O God, arrogant men attack me;^[am]
a gang^[an] of ruthless men, who do not respect you, seek my life.^[ao]
¹⁵But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and merciful God.
You are patient^[ap] and demonstrate great loyal love and faithfulness.^[aq]
¹⁶Turn toward me and have mercy on me.
Give your servant your strength.
Deliver this son of your female servant.^[ar]
¹⁷Show me evidence of your favor.^[as]
Then those who hate me will see it and be ashamed,^[at]
for you, O Lord, will help me and comfort me.^[au]

Footnotes

Psalm 85:1 sn Psalm 85. God’s people recall how he forgave their sins in the past, pray that he might now restore them to his favor, and anticipate renewed blessings.
Psalm 85:1 tn Heb “you turned with a turning [toward] Jacob.” The Hebrew term שְׁבוּת (sh^evut) is apparently a cognate accusative of שׁוּב (shuv). See Pss 14:7; 53:6.
Psalm 85:2 tn Heb “lifted up.”
Psalm 85:2 tn Heb “covered over.”
Psalm 85:3 tn Heb “the rage of your anger.” The phrase “rage of your anger” employs an appositional genitive. Synonyms are joined in a construct relationship to emphasize the single idea. For a detailed discussion of the grammatical point with numerous examples, see Y. Avishur, “Pairs of Synonymous Words in the Construct State (and in Appositional Hendiadys) in Biblical Hebrew,” Semitics 2 (1971): 17-81. See Pss 69:24; 78:49.
Psalm 85:4 tn Heb “break your displeasure with us.” Some prefer to emend הָפֵר (hafer, “break”) to הָסֵר (haser, “turn aside”).
Psalm 85:5 tn Heb “Will your anger stretch to a generation and a generation?”
Psalm 85:8 sn I will listen. Having asked for the Lord’s favor, the psalmist (who here represents the nation) anticipates a divine word of assurance.
Psalm 85:8 tn Heb “speak.” The idiom “speak peace” refers to establishing or maintaining peaceful relations with someone (see Gen 37:4; Zech 9:10; cf. Ps 122:8).
Psalm 85:8 tn Heb “to his people and to his faithful followers.” The translation assumes that “his people” and “his faithful followers” are viewed as identical here.
Psalm 85:8 tn Or “yet let them not.” After the negative particle אֵל (ʾel), the prefixed verbal form is jussive, indicating the speaker’s desire or wish.
Psalm 85:9 tn Heb “certainly his deliverance [is] near to those who fear him.”
Psalm 85:9 tn Heb “to dwell, glory, in our land.” “Glory” is the subject of the infinitive. The infinitive with ל (lamed), “to dwell,” probably indicates result here (“then”). When God delivers his people and renews his relationship with them, he will once more reveal his royal splendor in the land.
Psalm 85:10 tn The psalmist probably uses the perfect verbal forms in v. 10 in a dramatic or rhetorical manner, describing what he anticipates as if it were already occurring or had already occurred.
Psalm 85:10 sn Deliverance and peace greet each other with a kiss. The psalmist personifies these abstract qualities to emphasize that God’s loyal love and faithfulness will yield deliverance and peace for his people.
Psalm 85:11 sn The psalmist already sees undeniable signs of God’s faithfulness and expects deliverance to arrive soon.
Psalm 85:12 tn Heb “what is good.”
Psalm 85:12 tn Both “bestow” and “yield” translate the same Hebrew verb (נָתַן, natan). The repetition of the word emphasizes that agricultural prosperity is the direct result of divine blessing.
Psalm 85:13 tn Or “will go.”
Psalm 85:13 tn Or “will prepare.”
Psalm 85:13 tn Heb “and it prepares for a way his footsteps.” Some suggest emending וְיָשֵׂם (v^eyasem, “and prepares”) to וְשָׁלוֹם (v^eshalom, “and peace”) since “deliverance” and “peace” are closely related earlier in v. 13. This could be translated, “and peace [goes ahead, making] a pathway for his footsteps” (cf. NEB).
Psalm 86:1 sn Psalm 86. The psalmist appeals to God’s mercy as he asks for deliverance from his enemies.
Psalm 86:1 tn Heb “turn your ear.”
Psalm 86:2 tn Heb “my life.”
Psalm 86:3 tn Or “show me favor.”
Psalm 86:4 tn Heb “the soul of your servant.”
Psalm 86:4 tn Heb “I lift up my soul.”
Psalm 86:5 tn Or “for.”
Psalm 86:5 tn Heb “good.”
Psalm 86:8 tn Heb “and there are none like your acts.”
Psalm 86:9 tn Or “bow down before you.”
Psalm 86:11 tn Heb “teach me your way.” The Lord’s “way” refers here to the moral principles he expects the psalmist to follow. See Pss 25:4; 27:11.
Psalm 86:11 tn Heb “I will walk in your truth.” The Lord’s commandments are referred to as “truth” here because they are a trustworthy and accurate expression of the divine will. See Ps 25:5.
Psalm 86:11 tn Heb “Bind my heart to the fearing of your name.” The verb translated “bind” occurs only here in the Piel stem. It appears twice in the Qal, meaning “be joined” in both cases (Gen 49:6; Isa 14:20). To “fear” God’s name means to have a healthy respect for him which in turn motivates one to obey his commands (see Pss 61:5; 102:15).
Psalm 86:12 tn Or “forever.”
Psalm 86:13 tn Heb “for your loyal love [is] great over me.”
Psalm 86:13 tn Or “for he will have delivered my life.” The verb form indicates a future perfect here.
Psalm 86:13 tn Or “lower Sheol.”
Psalm 86:14 tn Heb “rise up against me.”
Psalm 86:14 tn Or “assembly.”
Psalm 86:14 tn Heb “seek my life and do not set you before them.” See Ps 54:3.
Psalm 86:15 tn Heb “slow to anger.”
Psalm 86:15 tn Heb “and great of loyal love and faithfulness.”sn The psalmist’s confession of faith in this verse echoes Exod 34:6.
Psalm 86:16 tn Heb “the son of your female servant.” The phrase “son of a female servant” (see also Ps 116:16) is used of a son born to a secondary wife or concubine (Exod 23:12). In some cases the child’s father is the master of the house (see Gen 21:10, 13; Judg 9:18). The phrase may be used metaphorically and idiomatically to emphasize the psalmist’s humility before the Lord and his status as the Lord’s servant. Or it may be a reference to the psalmist’s own mother who also was a servant of the Lord.
Psalm 86:17 tn Heb “Work with me a sign for good.” The expression “work a sign” also occurs in Judg 6:17.
Psalm 86:17 tn After the imperative in the preceding line (“work”), the prefixed verb forms with prefixed vav (ו) conjunctive indicate purpose or result.
Psalm 86:17 tn The perfect verbal forms are understood here as dramatic/rhetorical, expressing the psalmist’s certitude that such a sign from the Lord will be followed by his intervention. Another option is to understand the forms as future perfects (“for you, O Lord, will have helped me and comforted me”).

Error: '1 Maccabees 1:1-28' not found for the version: New English Translation

Revelation 19:1-10

19 After these things I heard what sounded like the loud voice of a vast throng in heaven, saying,

“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
²because his judgments are true and just.^[a]
For he has judged^[b] the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality,
and has avenged the blood of his servants^[c] poured out by her own hands!”^[d]

³Then^[e] a second time the crowd shouted, “Hallelujah!” The smoke rises from her forever and ever.^[f] ⁴The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures threw themselves to the ground^[g] and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne, saying: “Amen! Hallelujah!”

⁵Then^[h] a voice came from the throne, saying:

“Praise our God
all you his servants,
and all you who fear him,
both the small and the great!”

The Wedding Celebration of the Lamb

⁶Then^[i] I heard what sounded like the voice of a vast throng, like the roar of many waters and like loud crashes of thunder. They were shouting:^[j]

“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God,^[k] the All-Powerful,^[l] reigns!
⁷Let us rejoice^[m] and exult
and give him glory,
because the wedding celebration of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
⁸She was permitted to be dressed in bright, clean, fine linen”^[n] (for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints).^[o]

⁹Then^[p] the angel^[q] said to me, “Write the following: Blessed are those who are invited to the banquet at the wedding celebration of the Lamb!” He also said to me, “These are the true words of God.” ¹⁰So^[r] I threw myself down^[s] at his feet to worship him, but^[t] he said, “Do not do this!^[u] I am only^[v] a fellow servant^[w] with you and your brothers and sisters^[x] who hold to the testimony about^[y] Jesus. Worship God, for the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

Footnotes

Revelation 19:2 tn Compare the similar phrase in Rev 16:7.
Revelation 19:2 tn Or “has punished.” See BDAG 568 s.v. κρίνω 5.b.α, describing the OT background which involves both the vindication of the innocent and the punishment of the guilty.
Revelation 19:2 tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.
Revelation 19:2 tn Grk “from her hand” (referring to her responsibility in causing the blood of God’s followers to be shed).
Revelation 19:3 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
Revelation 19:3 tn Or “her smoke ascends forever and ever.”
Revelation 19:4 tn Grk “creatures fell down.” BDAG 815 s.v. πίπτω 1.b.α.ב. has “fall down, throw oneself to the ground as a sign of devotion or humility, before high-ranking persons or divine beings.”
Revelation 19:5 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
Revelation 19:6 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
Revelation 19:6 tn Grk “like the voice of a large crowd…saying.” Because of the complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the words “They were.”
Revelation 19:6 tc Several mss (א² P 1611 2053 2344 M^K lat) read “the Lord our God” (κύριος ὁ θεός ἡμῶν, kurios ho theos hēmōn). Other significant mss (A 1006 1841), however, omit the “our” (ἡμῶν). Further, certain mss (051 M^A) omit “Lord” (κύριος), while others (including א*) change the order of the statement to “God our Lord” (ὁ θεός ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν). The expression “the Lord God, the All-Powerful” occurs in 6 other places in Revelation (1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22) and the pronoun “our” is never used. Scribes familiar with the expression in this book, and especially with the frequent κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ (kurios ho theos ho pantokratōr; “the Lord God, the All-Powerful”) in the OT Prophets (LXX; cf. Jer 39:19; Hos 12:6; Amos 3:13; 4:13; 5:8, 14, 15, 16, 27; 9:5, 6, 15; Nah 3:5; Zech 10:3), would naturally omit the pronoun. Its presence may have arisen due to liturgical motivations or to conform to the expression “our God” in 19:1, 5, but this seems much less likely than an aversion to using the pronoun here and only here in the Greek Bible in the fuller title κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ.
Revelation 19:6 tn On this word BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…(ὁ) κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ π.…Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22…κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν ὁ π. Rv 19:6.”
Revelation 19:7 tn This verb and the next two verbs are hortatory subjunctives (giving exhortations).
Revelation 19:8 tn On the term translated “fine linen,” BDAG 185 s.v. βύσσινος states, “made of fine linen, subst. τὸ β. fine linen, linen garment…Rv 18:12…16; 19:8, 14.”
Revelation 19:8 sn This phrase is treated as a parenthetical explanation by the author.
Revelation 19:9 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
Revelation 19:9 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Revelation 19:10 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s announcement.
Revelation 19:10 tn Grk “I fell down at his feet.” BDAG 815 s.v. πίπτω 1.b.α.ב. has “fall down, throw oneself to the ground as a sign of devotion or humility, before high-ranking persons or divine beings.”
Revelation 19:10 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
Revelation 19:10 tn On the elliptical expression ὅρα μή (hora mē) BDAG 720 s.v. ὁράω B.2 states: “Elliptically…ὅρα μή (sc. ποιήσῃς) watch out! don’t do that! Rv 19:10; 22:9.”
Revelation 19:10 tn The lowliness of a slave is emphasized in the Greek text with the emphatic position of σύνδουλος (sundoulos). The use of “only” helps to bring this nuance out in English.
Revelation 19:10 tn Grk “fellow slave.” See the note on the word “servants” in v. 2.
Revelation 19:10 tn The Greek term “brother” literally refers to family relationships, but here it is used in a broader sense to connote familial relationships within the family of God (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a).
Revelation 19:10 tn The genitive ᾿Ιησοῦ (Iēsou) has been translated as an objective genitive here. A subjective genitive, also possible, would produce the meaning “who hold to what Jesus testifies.”

Matthew 16:1-12

The Demand for a Sign

16 Now when the Pharisees^[a] and Sadducees^[b] came to test Jesus,^[c] they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.^[d] ²He^[e] said, “When evening comes you say, ‘It will be fair weather, because the sky is red,’ ³and in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, because the sky is red and darkening.’^[f] You know how to judge correctly the appearance of the sky,^[g] but you cannot evaluate the signs of the times. ⁴A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” Then^[h] he left them and went away.

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees

⁵When the disciples went to the other side, they forgot to take bread. ⁶“Watch out,” Jesus said to them, “beware of the yeast of the Pharisees^[i] and Sadducees.”^[j] ⁷So^[k] they began to discuss this among themselves, saying, “It is because we brought no bread.” ⁸When Jesus learned of this,^[l] he said, “You who have such little faith! Why are you arguing^[m] among yourselves about having no bread? ⁹Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the 5,000, and how many baskets you took up? ¹⁰Or the seven loaves for the 4,000 and how many baskets you took up? ¹¹How could you not understand that I was not speaking to you about bread? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!” ¹²Then they understood that he had not told them to be on guard against the yeast in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

New English Translation (NET)

Prev Day

Top

Next Day

Use the calendar to view readings from this devotional.

Log in to read this devotional and:

Book of Common Prayer

Psalm 83[a]

A song, a psalm of Asaph.

Footnotes

Psalm 23[a]

A psalm of David.

Footnotes

Psalm 27[a]

By David.

Footnotes

Psalm 85[a]

For the music director, written by the Korahites, a psalm.

Psalm 86[v]

A prayer of David.

Footnotes

The Wedding Celebration of the Lamb

Footnotes

The Demand for a Sign

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees

Footnotes

Psalm 83^[a]

Psalm 23^[a]

Psalm 27^[a]

Psalm 85^[a]

Psalm 86^[v]