Restore us, God Almighty;
    make your face shine on us,
    that we may be saved.(A)

You transplanted a vine(B) from Egypt;
    you drove out(C) the nations and planted(D) it.
You cleared the ground for it,
    and it took root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shade,
    the mighty cedars with its branches.
11 Its branches reached as far as the Sea,[a]
    its shoots as far as the River.[b](E)

12 Why have you broken down its walls(F)
    so that all who pass by pick its grapes?
13 Boars from the forest ravage(G) it,
    and insects from the fields feed on it.
14 Return to us, God Almighty!
    Look down from heaven and see!(H)
Watch over this vine,
15     the root your right hand has planted,
    the son[c] you have raised up for yourself.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 80:11 Probably the Mediterranean
  2. Psalm 80:11 That is, the Euphrates
  3. Psalm 80:15 Or branch

23 “How can you say, ‘I am not defiled;(A)
    I have not run after the Baals’?(B)
See how you behaved in the valley;(C)
    consider what you have done.
You are a swift she-camel
    running(D) here and there,
24 a wild donkey(E) accustomed to the desert,(F)
    sniffing the wind in her craving—
    in her heat who can restrain her?
Any males that pursue her need not tire themselves;
    at mating time they will find her.
25 Do not run until your feet are bare
    and your throat is dry.
But you said, ‘It’s no use!(G)
    I love foreign gods,(H)
    and I must go after them.’(I)

26 “As a thief is disgraced(J) when he is caught,
    so the people of Israel are disgraced—
they, their kings and their officials,
    their priests(K) and their prophets.(L)
27 They say to wood,(M) ‘You are my father,’
    and to stone,(N) ‘You gave me birth.’
They have turned their backs(O) to me
    and not their faces;(P)
yet when they are in trouble,(Q) they say,
    ‘Come and save(R) us!’
28 Where then are the gods(S) you made for yourselves?
    Let them come if they can save you
    when you are in trouble!(T)
For you, Judah, have as many gods
    as you have towns.(U)

29 “Why do you bring charges against me?
    You have all(V) rebelled against me,”
declares the Lord.
30 “In vain I punished your people;
    they did not respond to correction.(W)
Your sword has devoured your prophets(X)
    like a ravenous lion.

31 “You of this generation, consider the word of the Lord:

“Have I been a desert to Israel
    or a land of great darkness?(Y)
Why do my people say, ‘We are free to roam;
    we will come to you no more’?(Z)
32 Does a young woman forget her jewelry,
    a bride her wedding ornaments?
Yet my people have forgotten(AA) me,
    days without number.
33 How skilled you are at pursuing(AB) love!
    Even the worst of women can learn from your ways.
34 On your clothes is found
    the lifeblood(AC) of the innocent poor,
    though you did not catch them breaking in.(AD)
Yet in spite of all this
35     you say, ‘I am innocent;(AE)
    he is not angry with me.’
But I will pass judgment(AF) on you
    because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’(AG)
36 Why do you go about so much,
    changing(AH) your ways?
You will be disappointed by Egypt(AI)
    as you were by Assyria.
37 You will also leave that place
    with your hands on your head,(AJ)
for the Lord has rejected those you trust;
    you will not be helped(AK) by them.

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14 Do everything without grumbling(A) or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless(B) and pure, “children of God(C) without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”[a](D) Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ(E) that I did not run(F) or labor in vain.(G) 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering(H) on the sacrifice(I) and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.(J) 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

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Footnotes

  1. Philippians 2:15 Deut. 32:5

No Confidence in the Flesh

Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again,(A) and it is a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs,(B) those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision,(C) we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus,(D) and who put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reasons for such confidence.(E)

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more:

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