Psalm 119:1–88
א ALEPH
1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the Lord.
2 Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
and who seek Him with all their heart.
3 They also do no wrong;
they walk in His ways.
4 You have commanded us
to keep Your precepts diligently.
5 Oh, that my ways were established
to keep Your statutes!
6 Then I shall not be ashamed,
when I have my focus on all Your commandments.
7 I will praise You with an upright heart,
when I have learned Your righteous judgments.
8 I will keep Your statutes;
do not completely abandon me.
ב BETH
9 How shall a young man keep his way pure?
By keeping it according to Your word.
10 With my whole heart I seek You;
do not allow me to wander from Your commandments.
11 Your word I have hidden in my heart,
that I might not sin against You.
12 Blessed are You, O Lord;
teach me Your statutes.
13 With my lips I declare
all the decrees of Your mouth.
14 I rejoice in the way of Your testimonies,
as much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on Your precepts
and keep my eyes on Your ways.
16 I will delight in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your word.
ג GIMEL
17 Deal kindly with Your servant, that I may live
and keep Your word.
18 Open my eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things from Your law.
19 I am a sojourner in the land;
do not hide Your commandments from me.
20 My soul is consumed all the time
with a longing for Your decrees.
21 You have rebuked the proud, those cursed,
who depart from Your commandments.
22 Remove from me reproach and contempt,
for I have kept Your testimonies.
23 Even if princes sit and conspire against me,
Your servant will meditate on Your statutes.
24 Your testimonies are my delight
and my counselors.
ד DALETH
25 My soul clings to the dust;
revive me according to Your word.
26 I have declared my ways, and You heard me;
teach me Your statutes.
27 Make me to understand the way of Your precepts;
then I shall contemplate on Your wondrous works.
28 My soul collapses on account of grief;
strengthen me according to Your word.
29 Remove from me the way of falsehood,
and graciously grant me Your law.
30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
Your judgments I have laid before me.
31 I have stayed with Your testimonies, O Lord;
may I not be put to shame.
32 I will run in the way of Your commandments,
when You set my heart free.
ה HE
33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes,
and I shall keep it to the end.
34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law
and observe it with my whole heart.
35 Lead me in the path of Your commandments,
for I delight in them.
36 Incline my heart unto Your testimonies,
and not for unjust gain.
37 Turn away my eyes from beholding worthlessness,
and revive me in Your way.
38 Establish Your word to Your servant,
so that You are feared.
39 Turn away my reproach that I dread,
for Your judgments are good.
40 Behold, I have a longing for Your precepts;
revive me in Your righteousness.
ו WAW
41 Let Your mercies come to me, O Lord,
even Your deliverance according to Your word.
42 So I shall have an answer for him who reproaches me,
for I trust in Your word.
43 Do not take the word of truth out of my mouth,
for I have hoped in Your judgments.
44 So I shall keep Your law continually,
forever and ever.
45 I will walk in an open space,
for I seek Your precepts.
46 I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings
and will not be ashamed.
47 I will delight in Your commandments,
which I have loved.
48 My hands I will lift up unto Your commandments, which I have loved;
I will meditate on Your statutes.
ז ZAYIN
49 Remember Your word to Your servant,
on which You have caused me to hope.
50 This is my comfort in my affliction,
for Your word revives me.
51 The proud ones have derided me,
yet I have not forsaken Your law.
52 I remembered Your judgments of old, O Lord,
and I have comforted myself.
53 Fury has taken hold of me because of the wicked
who forsake Your law.
54 Your statutes have been my songs
in the house of my temporary dwelling.
55 I have remembered Your name, O Lord, in the night,
and have kept Your law.
56 This is my blessing,
because I have kept Your precepts.
ח HETH
57 You are my portion, O Lord;
I have said that I would keep Your words.
58 I seek Your favor with my whole heart;
be merciful to me according to Your word.
59 I consider my ways,
and I turn my feet to Your testimonies.
60 I made haste, and I did not delay
to keep Your commandments.
61 The bands of the wicked have trapped me,
but I have not forgotten Your law.
62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You,
because of Your righteous judgments.
63 I am a companion of all who fear You,
and of those who keep Your precepts.
64 The earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy;
teach me Your statutes.
ט TETH
65 You have been good to Your servant,
O Lord, according to Your word.
66 Teach me good discernment and knowledge,
for I have believed Your commandments.
67 Before I was afflicted I wandered,
but now I keep Your word.
68 You are good and do good;
teach me Your statutes.
69 The proud have spoken lies against me,
but I keep Your precepts with my whole heart.
70 Their heart is as thick as fat,
but I delight in Your law.
71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
that I might learn Your statutes.
72 The law from Your mouth is better to me
than thousands of gold and silver coins.
י YODH
73 Your hands have made me and fashioned me;
give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
74 Those who fear You will be glad when they see me,
because I have hoped in Your word.
75 I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are right,
and that You in faithfulness have afflicted me.
76 Let Your merciful kindness comfort me,
according to Your word to Your servant.
77 Let Your compassion come to me, that I may live,
for Your law is my delight.
78 Let the proud be ashamed, for they have been wicked to me in falsehood,
but I will meditate on Your precepts.
79 Let those who fear You turn to me,
that they might know Your testimonies.
80 Let my heart be blameless in Your statutes,
that I may not be ashamed.
כ KAPH
81 My soul longs for Your deliverance,
but I hope in Your word.
82 My eyes are weary for Your word,
saying, “When will You comfort me?”
83 For I have become like a wineskin dried in the smoke,
yet I have not forgotten Your statutes.
84 How many days are given to Your servant?
When will You provide judgment on those who persecute me?
85 The proud have dug pits for me,
and they do not live in accordance to Your law.
86 All Your commandments are faithful;
I am persecuted without cause; help me!
87 They have almost consumed me on the earth,
but I have not abandoned Your precepts.
88 Revive me according to Your lovingkindness,
that I may keep the testimony from Your mouth.
1 Corinthians 7:21–40
21 Were you called while a servant? Do not worry about it. But if you may become free, do so. 22 For he who is called in the Lord while a servant is the Lord’s freeman. Likewise, he who is called while free is Christ’s servant. 23 You were bought at a price. Do not be the servants of men. 24 Brothers, let every man, in whatever condition he is called, remain there with God.
25 Now concerning virgins, I have no command from the Lord. Yet I will give my judgment as one who has obtained mercy from the Lord to be faithful. 26 I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress, that it is good for a man to remain as he is. 27 Are you committed to a wife? Do not seek to be uncommitted. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you marry, you have not sinned. And if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless they will have trouble in this life, but I would spare you that.
29 But this I say, brothers, the time is short. It remains that those who have wives should be as though they had none; 30 those who weep, as though they did not weep; those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; those who buy, as though they possessed nothing; 31 and those who use this world, as though they did not make full use of it. For the form of this world is passing away.
32 But I prefer that you have no concern. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. 33 But he who is married cares for the things of the world, how he may please his wife. 34 There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. 35 I say this for your own benefit, not to put any restraint upon you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction.
36 If any man thinks that he is behaving improperly toward his virgin, and if she is past the flower of her youth, and passions so require, let him do what he will. He does not sin. Let them marry. 37 Nevertheless he who stands steadfast in his heart without necessity, and has power over his own will, and has so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does well. 38 So then he who gives her in marriage does well, but he who gives her not in marriage does better.
39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband lives. But if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will, but only in the Lord. 40 But in my judgment she is happier if she so remains as she is. And I think that I have the Spirit of God.