Old/New Testament
35 1 So long as Saul was enemy to David, all that had any authority under him, to flatter their king (as is the course of the world) did also most cruelly persecute David: against whom he prayeth God to plead and to avenge his cause, 8 that they may be taken in their nets and snares, which they laid for him, that his innocency may be declared, 27 and that the innocent, which taketh part with him, may rejoice and praise the Name of the Lord, that thus delivereth his servant. 28 And so he promiseth to speak forth the justice of the Lord, and to magnify his Name all the days of his life.
A Psalm of David.
1 Plead thou my [a]cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight thou against them that fight against me.
2 [b]Lay hand upon the shield and buckler, and stand up for my help.
3 Bring out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me, say unto my [c]soul, I am thy salvation.
4 Let them be confounded and put to shame, that seek after my soul: let them be turned back, and brought to confusion, that imagine mine hurt.
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind, and let the Angel of the Lord [d]scatter them.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the Angel of the Lord persecute them.
7 For [e]without cause they have hid the pit and their net for me: without cause have they dug a pit for my soul.
8 Let destruction come upon [f]him at unawares, and let his net, that he hath laid privily, take him: let him fall into [g]the same destruction.
9 Then my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
10 All my [h]bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him, that is too strong for him! yea, the poor and him that is in misery, from him that spoileth him!
11 [i]Cruel witnesses did rise up: they asked of me things that I knew not.
12 They rewarded me evil for good, to [j]have spoiled my soul.
13 Yet I, when they were sick, I was clothed with a sack: I humbled my soul with fasting: and [k]my prayer was turned upon my bosom.
14 I behaved myself as to my friend, or as to my brother: I humbled myself, mourning as one that bewaileth his mother.
15 But in mine [l]adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: the abjects assembled themselves against me, and I knew not: they tare [m]me, and ceased not,
16 With the false scoffers at [n]banquets, gnashing their teeth against me.
17 Lord, how long wilt thou behold this? deliver my soul from their tumult, even my desolate soul from the lions.
18 So will I give thee thanks in a great Congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
19 Let not them that are mine enemies unjustly rejoice over me, neither let them [o]wink with the eye, that hate me without a cause.
20 For they speak not as friends: but they imagine deceitful words against the [p]quiet of the land.
21 And they gaped on me with their mouths, saying, Aha, aha, [q]our eye hath seen.
22 Thou hast seen it, O Lord: keep not silence: be not far from me, O Lord.
23 Arise and wake to my judgment, even to my cause, my God, and my Lord.
24 Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy [r]righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me.
25 Let them not say in their hearts, [s]O our soul rejoice: neither let them say, We have devoured him.
26 Let them be confounded, and put to shame [t]together, that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed [u]with confusion and shame, that lift up themselves against me.
27 But let them be joyful and glad, [v]that love my righteousness: yea, let them say always, Let the Lord be magnified, which loveth the [w]prosperity of his servant.
28 And my tongue shall utter thy righteousness, and thy praise every day.
36 1 The Prophet grievously vexed by the wicked, doth complain of their malicious wickedness. 6 Then he turneth to consider the unspeakable goodness of God toward all creatures. 9 But specially towards his children, that by the faith thereof he may be comforted and assured of his deliverance by this ordinary course of God’s work. 12 Who in the end destroyeth the wicked, and saveth the just.
To him that excelleth. A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord.
1 Wickedness saith to the wicked man, [x]even in mine heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For he [y]flattereth himself in his own eyes, while his iniquity is found worthy to be hated.
3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and [z]deceit: he hath left off to understand and to do good.
4 He [aa]imagineth mischief upon his bed: he setteth himself upon a way, that is not good, and doth not abhor evil.
5 Thy [ab]mercy, O Lord, reacheth unto the heavens, and thy faithfulness unto the clouds.
6 Thy righteousness is like the [ac]mighty mountains: thy judgments are like a great [ad]deep: thou Lord, dost save man and beast.
7 How excellent is thy mercy, O God! therefore the children of men trust under the shadow of thy wings.
8 They shall be [ae]satisfied with the fatness of thine house, and thou shalt give them drink out of the river of thy pleasures.
9 For with thee is the well of life, and in thy light shall we see light.
10 Extend thy loving-kindness unto them that [af]know thee, and thy righteousness unto them that are upright in heart.
11 Let not the [ag]foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked men move me.
12 [ah]There they are fallen that work iniquity: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise.
25 1 Festus succeeding Felix, 6 commandeth Paul to be brought forth. 11 Paul appealeth unto Caesar. 14 Festus openeth Paul’s matter to king Agrippa, 23 and bringeth him before him, 27 that he may understand his cause.
1 When [a]Festus was then come into the province, after three days he went up from Caesarea unto Jerusalem.
2 Then the high Priest, and the chief of the Jews appeared before him against Paul: and they besought him,
3 And desired favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem: and they laid wait to kill him by the way.
4 But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would shortly depart thither.
5 Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, come down with us: and if there be any wickedness in the man, let them accuse him.
6 ¶ [b]Now when he had tarried among them no more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day sat in the judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought.
7 And when he was come, the Jews which were come from Jerusalem, stood about him and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, whereof [c]they could make no plain proof,
8 Forasmuch as he answered, that he had neither offended anything against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor against Caesar.
9 [d]Yet Festus willing to get favor of the Jews, answered Paul and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?
10 Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews I have done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.
11 For if I have done wrong, or committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things, whereof they accuse me, no man, to pleasure them, can deliver me to them: I appeal unto Caesar.
12 Then when Festus had spoken with the Council, he answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.
13 ¶ [e]And after certain days, King [f]Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea to salute Festus.
14 And when they had remained there many days, Festus declared Paul’s cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in prison by Felix,
15 Of whom when I came to Jerusalem, the high Priests and Elders of the Jews informed me, and desired to have judgment against him.
16 To whom I answered, that it is not the manner of the Romans for favor to [g]deliver any man to the death, before that he which is accused, have the accusers before him, and have place to defend himself, concerning the crime.
17 Therefore when they were come hither, without delay the day following I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.
18 Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought no crime of such things as I supposed:
19 [h]But had certain questions against him of their own [i]superstitions, and of one Jesus which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
20 And because I doubted of such manner of question, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things.
21 But because he appealed to be reserved to the examination of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept, till I might send him to Caesar.
22 [j]Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. Tomorrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.
23 And on the morrow when Agrippa was come, and Bernice with great [k]pomp, and were entered into the Common hall with the chief captains and chief men of the city, at Festus’s commandment Paul was brought forth.
24 And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have called upon me, both at Jerusalem, and here, crying, that he ought not to live any longer.
25 Yet have I found nothing worthy of death, that he hath committed: nevertheless, seeing that he hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.
26 Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my [l]lord: wherefore I have brought him forth unto you, and especially unto thee, King Agrippa, that after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.
27 For me thinketh it unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not to show the causes which are laid against him.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.