Psalm 5

New International Version

Psalm 5^[a]

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

¹Listen^(A) to my words, Lord,
    consider my lament.^(B)
²Hear my cry for help,^(C)
    my King and my God,^(D)
    for to you I pray.

³In the morning,^(E) Lord, you hear my voice;
    in the morning I lay my requests before you
    and wait expectantly.^(F)
⁴For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
    with you, evil people^(G) are not welcome.
⁵The arrogant^(H) cannot stand^(I)
    in your presence.
You hate^(J) all who do wrong;
⁶    you destroy those who tell lies.^(K)
The bloodthirsty and deceitful
    you, Lord, detest.
⁷But I, by your great love,
    can come into your house;
in reverence^(L) I bow down^(M)
    toward your holy temple.^(N)

⁸Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness^(O)
    because of my enemies—
    make your way straight^(P) before me.
⁹Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
    their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;^(Q)
    with their tongues they tell lies.^(R)
¹⁰Declare them guilty, O God!
    Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,^(S)
    for they have rebelled^(T) against you.
¹¹But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
    let them ever sing for joy.^(U)
Spread your protection over them,
    that those who love your name^(V) may rejoice in you.^(W)

¹²Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;^(X)
you surround them^(Y) with your favor as with a shield.^(Z)

Footnotes

Psalm 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1-12 is numbered 5:2-13.

Lamentations 2:13-17

New International Version

¹³What can I say for you?^(A)
    With what can I compare you,
    Daughter^(B) Jerusalem?
To what can I liken you,
    that I may comfort you,
    Virgin Daughter Zion?^(C)
Your wound is as deep as the sea.^(D)
    Who can heal you?

¹⁴The visions of your prophets
    were false^(E) and worthless;
they did not expose your sin
    to ward off your captivity.^(F)
The prophecies they gave you
    were false and misleading.^(G)

¹⁵All who pass your way
    clap their hands at you;^(H)
they scoff^(I) and shake their heads^(J)
    at Daughter Jerusalem:^(K)
“Is this the city that was called
    the perfection of beauty,^(L)
    the joy of the whole earth?”^(M)

¹⁶All your enemies open their mouths
    wide against you;^(N)
they scoff and gnash their teeth^(O)
    and say, “We have swallowed her up.^(P)
This is the day we have waited for;
    we have lived to see it.”^(Q)

¹⁷The Lord has done what he planned;
    he has fulfilled^(R) his word,
    which he decreed long ago.^(S)
He has overthrown you without pity,^(T)
    he has let the enemy gloat over you,^(U)
    he has exalted the horn^[a] of your foes.^(V)

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Footnotes

Lamentations 2:17 Horn here symbolizes strength.

Acts 13:1-12

New International Version

13 ¹Now in the church at Antioch^(A) there were prophets^(B) and teachers:^(C) Barnabas,^(D) Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,^(E) Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod^(F) the tetrarch) and Saul. ²While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,^(G) “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work^(H) to which I have called them.”^(I) ³So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them^(J) and sent them off.^(K)

On Cyprus

⁴The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit,^(L) went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.^(M) ⁵When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God^(N) in the Jewish synagogues.^(O) John^(P) was with them as their helper.

⁶They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer^(Q) and false prophet^(R) named Bar-Jesus, ⁷who was an attendant of the proconsul,^(S) Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. ⁸But Elymas the sorcerer^(T) (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul^(U) from the faith.^(V) ⁹Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit,^(W) looked straight at Elymas and said, ¹⁰“You are a child of the devil^(X) and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?^(Y) ¹¹Now the hand of the Lord is against you.^(Z) You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.”^(AA)

Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. ¹²When the proconsul^(AB) saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

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