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Psalm 111

God’s Works and God’s Word

Opening Praise

Praise the Lord.[a]

I will thank the Lord with all my heart
    in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.

God’s Works

Great are the deeds of the Lord.
They are studied by all who delight in them.
Glorious and majestic is his work,
and his righteousness stands forever.
He has set up a memorial to his wonders.
Gracious and compassionate is the Lord.
He gives food to those who fear him.
He remembers his covenant forever.
He has declared the power of his deeds to his people,
    to give them the nations as their possession.
The works of his hands are truth and justice.

God’s Word

All his precepts are trustworthy,
steadfast forever and ever,
done in truth and uprightness.
He sent redemption for his people.
He commanded his covenant forever.
Holy and awesome is his name.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning[b] of wisdom.
All who do his precepts have good understanding.

Closing Praise

His praise stands forever.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 111:1 Hebrew hallelu Yah
  2. Psalm 111:10 Or foundation or prerequisite

Is this the kind of fast that I would choose:
    a day when a person afflicts himself
    and bows his head like a reed
    and makes his bed on sackcloth and ashes?
Do you call this a fast, a day to gain the Lord’s favor?

On the contrary, isn’t this the kind of fast that I would choose:
    to loosen the chains of wickedness,
    to tear apart the ropes of a yoke,
    to release the oppressed so they go free,
    and to tear every yoke to pieces?
Isn’t a true fast that you share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless and afflicted into a house?
Yes, when you see a naked person, you are to cover him,
and do not hide yourself from your own flesh and blood.

Then your light will break forth like dawn,
and your healing will spring up quickly.
Your righteousness will go out ahead of you,
and the Glory of the Lord will follow you.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer.
You will cry out, and he will say, “Here I am!”
If you remove the bar of the yoke from among you,
and if you stop finger-pointing and speaking wickedly,

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Salt and Light

13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its flavor, how will it become salty again? Then it is no good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. 14 You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket. No, they put it on a stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 In the same way let your light shine in people’s presence, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Jesus Fulfills the Old Testament

17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy them but to fulfill them. 18 Amen[a] I tell you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not even the smallest letter, or even part of a letter, will in any way pass away from the Law until everything is fulfilled. 19 So whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 Indeed I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and experts in the law, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 5:18 Usually, people say Amen at the end of a prayer. But Jesus used this Hebrew word at the beginning of a statement, which was unique. The inspired writer simply transliterated the Hebrew word that Jesus spoke, instead of using a Greek term. This translation does the same in English. The basic meaning is I solemnly tell you the truth.