Psalm 39

New International Version

Psalm 39^[a]

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

¹I said, “I will watch my ways^(A)
    and keep my tongue from sin;^(B)
I will put a muzzle on my mouth^(C)
    while in the presence of the wicked.”
²So I remained utterly silent,^(D)
    not even saying anything good.
But my anguish^(E) increased;
³    my heart grew hot^(F) within me.
While I meditated,^(G) the fire^(H) burned;
    then I spoke with my tongue:

⁴“Show me, Lord, my life’s end
    and the number of my days;^(I)
    let me know how fleeting^(J) my life is.^(K)
⁵You have made my days^(L) a mere handbreadth;
    the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Everyone is but a breath,^(M)
    even those who seem secure.^[b]

⁶“Surely everyone goes around^(N) like a mere phantom;^(O)
in vain they rush about,^(P) heaping up wealth^(Q)
without knowing whose it will finally be.^(R)

⁷“But now, Lord, what do I look for?
    My hope is in you.^(S)
⁸Save me^(T) from all my transgressions;^(U)
    do not make me the scorn^(V) of fools.
⁹I was silent;^(W) I would not open my mouth,^(X)
    for you are the one who has done this.^(Y)
¹⁰Remove your scourge from me;
    I am overcome by the blow^(Z) of your hand.^(AA)
¹¹When you rebuke^(AB) and discipline^(AC) anyone for their sin,
    you consume^(AD) their wealth like a moth^(AE)—
    surely everyone is but a breath.^(AF)

¹²“Hear my prayer, Lord,
    listen to my cry for help;^(AG)
    do not be deaf^(AH) to my weeping.^(AI)
I dwell with you as a foreigner,^(AJ)
    a stranger,^(AK) as all my ancestors were.^(AL)
¹³Look away from me, that I may enjoy life again
    before I depart and am no more.”^(AM)

Footnotes

Psalm 39:1 In Hebrew texts 39:1-13 is numbered 39:2-14.
Psalm 39:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 11.

Ezekiel 17:1-10

New International Version

Two Eagles and a Vine

17 The word of the Lord came to me: ²“Son of man, set forth an allegory and tell it to the Israelites as a parable.^(A) ³Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: A great eagle^(B) with powerful wings, long feathers and full plumage of varied colors came to Lebanon.^(C) Taking hold of the top of a cedar, ⁴he broke off^(D) its topmost shoot and carried it away to a land of merchants, where he planted it in a city of traders.

⁵“‘He took one of the seedlings of the land and put it in fertile soil. He planted it like a willow by abundant water,^(E) ⁶and it sprouted and became a low, spreading vine. Its branches^(F) turned toward him, but its roots remained under it. So it became a vine and produced branches and put out leafy boughs.^(G)

⁷“‘But there was another great eagle with powerful wings and full plumage. The vine now sent out its roots toward him from the plot where it was planted and stretched out its branches to him for water.^(H) ⁸It had been planted in good soil by abundant water so that it would produce branches,^(I) bear fruit and become a splendid vine.’

⁹“Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Will it thrive? Will it not be uprooted and stripped of its fruit so that it withers? All its new growth will wither. It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it up by the roots.^(J) ¹⁰It has been planted,^(K) but will it thrive? Will it not wither completely when the east wind strikes it—wither away in the plot where it grew?^(L)’”

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Romans 2:12-16

New International Version

¹²All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law^(A) will be judged by the law. ¹³For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey^(B) the law who will be declared righteous. ¹⁴(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law,^(C) they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. ¹⁵They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) ¹⁶This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets^(D) through Jesus Christ,^(E) as my gospel^(F) declares.