The Passion Translation New Testament With Psalms, Proverbs and Song of Songs (2017) by Brian Simmons - PDFCOFFEE.COM (2025)

The Passion Translation® New Testament with Psalms, Proverbs, and Song of Songs Translated from Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic texts by Dr. Brian Simmons Published by BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC BroadStreetPublishing.com thePassionTranslation.com The Passion Translation and TPT are registered trademarks of Stairway M inistries. Copyright © 2017 BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except as noted below, without permission in writing from the publisher. The text from The Passion Translation® New Testament with Psalms, Proverbs, and Song of Songs may be quoted in any form (written, visual, electronic, or audio), up to and inclusive of 250 verses or less, without written permission from the publisher, provided that the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible, nor do verses quoted account for 20 percent or more of the total text of the work in which they are quoted, and the verses are not being quoted in a

commentary or other biblical reference work. When quoted, one of the following credit lines must appear on the copyright page of the work: Scripture quotations marked TPT are from The Passion Translation® . Copyright © 2017 by BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC. Used by permission. All rights reserved. thePassionTranslation.com . All Scripture quotations are from The Passion Translation® . Copyright © 2017 by BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC. Used by permission. All rights reserved. thePassionTranslation.com . When quotations from TPT are used in non-salable media, such as church bulletins, sermons, newsletters, or projected in worship settings, a complete copyright notice is not required, but the initials TPT must appear at the end of each quotation. Quotations in excess of these guidelines or other permission requests must be approved in writing by BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC. Please send requests through the contact form at thePassionTranslation.com/permissions .

For information about bulk sales or customized editions of The Passion Translation, please contact [emailprotected] . The publisher and TPT team have worked diligently and prayerfully to present this version of The Passion Translation Bible with excellence and accuracy. However, all translations of the Bible are subject to human limitations and imperfections. If you find a mistake in the Bible text or footnotes, please contact the publisher at [emailprotected] . ISBN: 978-1-4245-5529-1 (black faux leather) ISBN: 978-1-4245-5530-7 (brown faux leather) ISBN: 978-1-4245-5532-1 (pink faux leather) ISBN: 978-1-4245-5531-4 (purple faux leather) ISBN: 978-1-4245-5569-7 (red faux leather) ISBN: 978-1-4245-5564-2 (hardcover ivory) ISBN: 978-1-4245-5585-7 (hardcover floral) ISBN: 978-1-4245-5586-4 (hardcover slate) ISBN: 978-1-4245-5533-8 (e-book) Printed in China 17 18 19 20 5 4 3 2 1

CONTENTS About The Passion Translation

PSALMS, PROVERBS, AND SONG OF SONGS Psalms Introduction Book 1 The Genesis Psalms 1 The Tree of Life 2 The Coronation of the King 3 Covered by the Glory 4 An Evening Prayer for Help 5 Song of the Clouded Dawn 6 A Cry for Healing 7 Song for the Slandered Soul 8 God’s Splendor 9 Triumphant Thanks

10 The Cry of the Oppressed 11 Song of the Steadfast 12 Song for the New Day 13 Prayer Turns Depression into Delight 14 God Looks Down from Heaven 15 Living in the Shining Place 16 The Golden Secret 17 A Cry for Justice 18 I Love You, Lord 19 God’s Witnesses 20 A Song of Trust 21 Through Your Strength 22 A Prophetic Portrait of the Cross 23 The Good Shepherd 24 The Glorious King 25 Don’t Fail Me, God! 26 Declare Me Innocent 27 Fearless Faith 28 My Strength and Shield 29 The Glory-God Thunders 30 He Healed Me 31 How Great Is Your Goodness 32 Forgiven 33 A Song of Praise 34 God’s Goodness

35 Rescue Me 36 The Blessing of the Wise 37 A Song of Wisdom 38 A Groan before the Throne 39 A Cry for Help 40 A Joyful Salvation 41 I Need You, Lord Book 2 The Exodus Psalms 42 A Cry for Revival 43 Light and Truth 44 Wake Up, Lord, We’re in Trouble 45 The Wedding Song 46 God on Our Side 47 The King of All the Earth 48 Beautiful Zion 49 Wisdom Better Than Wealth 50 God Has Spoken 51 Pardon and Purity 52 The Fate of Cynics 53 The Wickedness of the World 54 Defend Me 55 Betrayed 56 Trusting in God 57 Triumphant Faith

58 Judge of the Judges 59 Protect Me 60 Has God Forgotten Us? 61 Prayer for Protection 62 Unshakable Faith 63 Thirsting for God 64 The Destroyer Destroyed 65 What a Savior 66 Thank You, Lord 67 It’s Time to Praise Him 68 A Song of Triumph 69 A Cry of Distress 70 A Cry for Help 71 The Psalm of Old Age 72 The Righteous King Book 3 The Leviticus Psalms 73 God’s Justice 74 We Need You Now 75 A Cup in God’s Hand 76 Awe-Inspiring Power 77 God of Comfort 78 Lessons from History 79 Prayer in a Time of National Disaster 80 Rescue and Restore

81 For the Feast of Tabernacles 82 True Justice 83 God, Don’t Be Silent 84 Longing for God 85 Mercy and Truth 86 A Prayer of Faith 87 Fountains of Joy 88 Save Me from This Sorrow 89 Will You Reject Us Forever? Book 4 The Numbers Psalms 90 God, the Eternal 91 Safe and Secure 92 A Sunday Morning Song of Praise 93 The Majesty of God 94 God of Vengeance 95 It’s Time to Sing 96 King of the World 97 God Rules Over All 98 Sing a New Song 99 God of Holiness 100 Praise God 101 Integrity 102 From Tears to Praise 103 Our Father’s Love

104 Our Creator’s Compassion 105 God’s Wonderful Works 106 God Is Good BOOK 5 The Deuteronomy Psalms 107 God’s Constant Love 108 A Prayer for God’s Help 109 God, It’s Time for Vengeance 110 Messiah, King, and Priest 111 Celebrate God’s Greatness 112 The Triumph of Faith 113 God Is Kind 114 A Song for Passover 115 The One True God 116 I’m Saved 117 Glorious Praise 118 Glorious Thanksgiving 119 The Words of God 120 God Helped Me 121 God Protects Us 122 Jerusalem 123 A Prayer for Mercy 124 Victory 125 God’s Surrounding Presence 126 Restored

127 God and His Gifts 128 The Blessings of the Lord 129 Persecuted But Not Defeated 130 Out of the Depths 131 My Heart Is Meek 132 David’s Dynasty 133 Unity 134 The Night Watch 135 His Wonderful Works 136 His Saving Love 137 The Song of Our Captivity 138 The Divine Presence 139 You Know All About Me 140 A Prayer for Protection 141 An Evening Prayer 142 My Only Hope 143 My Humble Prayer 144 Rescue Me 145 God’s Greatness 146 Our True Help 147 Our Amazing God 148 The Cosmic Chorus of Praise 149 Triumphant Praise 150 The Hallelujah Chorus

Proverbs Introduction One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen Sixteen Seventeen Eighteen Nineteen Twenty Twenty-One Twenty-Two Twenty-Three

Twenty-Four Twenty-Five Twenty-Six Twenty-Seven Twenty-Eight Twenty-Nine Thirty Thirty-One Song of Songs Introduction One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight

THE NEW TESTAMENT Matthew Introduction

One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen Sixteen Seventeen Eighteen Nineteen Twenty Twenty-One Twenty-Two Twenty-Three Twenty-Four Twenty-Five

Twenty-Six Twenty-Seven Twenty-Eight Mark Introduction One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen Sixteen Luke Introduction One

Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen Sixteen Seventeen Eighteen Nineteen Twenty Twenty-One Twenty-Two Twenty-Three Twenty-Four John

Introduction One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen Sixteen Seventeen Eighteen Nineteen Twenty Twenty-One Acts Introduction

One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen Sixteen Seventeen Eighteen Nineteen Twenty Twenty-One Twenty-Two Twenty-Three Twenty-Four Twenty-Five

Twenty-Six Twenty-Seven Twenty-Eight Romans Introduction One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen Sixteen 1 Corinthians Introduction One

Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen Sixteen 2 Corinthians Introduction One Two Three Four Five Six Seven

Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Galatians Introduction One Two Three Four Five Six Ephesians Introduction One Two Three Four Five Six Philippians

Introduction One Two Three Four Colossians Introduction One Two Three Four 1 Thessalonians Introduction One Two Three Four Five 2 Thessalonians Introduction One Two Three

1 Timothy Introduction One Two Three Four Five Six 2 Timothy Introduction One Two Three Four Titus Introduction One Two Three Philemon Introduction Hebrews

Introduction One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen James (Jacob) Introduction One Two Three Four Five 1 Peter Introduction One

Two Three Four Five 2 Peter Introduction One Two Three 1 John Introduction One Two Three Four Five 2 John Introduction 3 John Introduction Jude (Judah)

Introduction Revelation Introduction One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen Sixteen Seventeen Eighteen Nineteen Twenty Twenty-One

Twenty-Two Your Personal Invitation to Follow Jesus Bible Reading Plan About the Translator

ABOUT THE PASSION TRANSLATION The message of God’s story is timeless; the Word of God doesn’t change. But the methods by which that story is communicated should be timely; the vessels that steward God’s Word can and should change. One of those timely methods is Bible translation. Bible translations are both a gift and a problem. They give us the words God spoke through his servants, but words can be poor containers for revelation because they leak! The meanings of words change from one generation to the next. Meaning is influenced by culture, background, and many other details. Just imagine how differently the Hebrew authors of the Old Testament saw the world three thousand years ago from the way we see it today! There is no such thing as a truly literal translation

of the Bible, for there is not an equivalent language that perfectly conveys the meaning of the biblical text. It must be understood in its original cultural and linguistic settings. This problem is best addressed when we seek to transfer meaning, not merely words, from the original text to the receptor language. The purpose of the Passion Translation is to reintroduce the passion and fire of the Bible to the English reader. It doesn’t merely convey the literal meaning of words. It expresses God’s passion for people and his world by translating the original, lifechanging message of God’s Word for modern readers. You will notice at times we’ve italicized certain words or phrases. These high-lighted portions are not in the original Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic manuscripts but are implied from the context. We’ve made these implications explicit for the sake of narrative clarity and to better convey the meaning of God’s Word. This is a common practice by mainstream translations. We’ve also chosen to translate certain names in their original Hebrew or Greek form to better convey their cultural meaning and significance. For instance,

some translations of the Bible have substituted Jacob with James and Judah with Jude. Both Greek and Aramaic leave these Hebrew names in their original form. Therefore, this translation uses those cultural names. God longs to have his Word expressed in every language in a way that would unlock the passion of his heart. Our goal is to trigger inside every Englishspeaking reader an overwhelming response to the truth of the Bible. This is a heart-level translation, from the passion of God’s heart to the passion of your heart. We pray this version of God’s Word will kindle in you a burning desire for him and his heart, while impacting the church for years to come. Please visit thePassionTranslation.com for more information about the Passion Translation.

P SALMS , P ROVERBS , AND S ONG OF S ONGS

PSALMS Introduction AT A GLANCE Author : Multiple authors, including David, Solomon, the Asaphites, the Kohrites, and Moses Audience : Originally Israel, but Psalms speak to humanity in general Date : From the Monarchy to Postexilic eras Type of Literature : Poems, which reflect several types: wisdom, lament, prayer, praise, blessings, liturgy, and prophetic oracles Major Themes : Prayer, praise, wisdom, prophecy, lamentation, and Jesus Christ Outline: The Psalms are really five books in one. Moses gave us the five books of the Law called the Pentateuch; David gives us the five books of the Psalms. Each division ends with a doxology

that includes the words “Amen and Amen.” The last division ends with Ps. 150 as the doxology, forming an appropriate conclusion to this “Pentateuch of David.” These five divisions have been compared to the first five books of the Bible: Psalms 1–41 (Genesis) — Psalms of man and creation Psalms 42–72 (Exodus) — Psalms of suffering and redemption Psalms 73–89 (Leviticus) — Psalms of worship and God’s house Psalms 90–106 (Numbers) — Psalms of our pilgrimage on earth Psalms 107–150 (Deuteronomy) — Psalms of praise and the Word

ABOUT PSALMS I have loved the Psalms for over forty years. They have been my comfort and joy, leading me to the place where worship flows. When discouraged or downcast, I have never failed to take new strength from reading the Psalms. They charge my batteries and fill my sails. In fact, they seem to grow even

more powerful as I grow older. Their thunder stirs me; their sweet melodies move me into the sacred emotions of a heart on fire. The dark rain clouds of grief turn to bright rainbows of hope just from meditating on David’s soul-subduing songs. The Psalms find the words that express our deepest and strongest emotions, no matter what the circumstances. Every emotion of our hearts is reflected in the Psalms. Reading the Psalms will turn sighing into singing and trouble into triumph. The word praise is found 189 times in this book. There is simply nothing that touches my heart like the Psalms. Thousands of years ago my deepest feelings were put to music—this is what we all delightfully discover when reading the Psalms! A contemporary name for the book of Psalms could be Poetry on Fire ! These 150 poetic masterpieces give us an expression of faith and worship. They become a mirror to the heart of God’s people in our quest to experience God’s presence. Much of Christianity has become so intellectualized that our emotions and artistic creativity are often set aside as unimportant in the worship of God. The Psalms free us to become emotional, passionate, sincere worshipers. It is time to sing the Psalms!

PURPOSE The Psalms are clearly poetic. They are praises placed inside of poetry. Everyone who reads the Psalms realizes how filled with emotion they are! You will never be bored in reading the poetry that spills out of a fiery, passionate heart. These verses contain both poetry and music that touch the heart deeply, enabling you to encounter the heart of God through your emotional and creative senses.

AUTHOR AND AUDIENCE Most of these poetic masterpieces come to us from David, King of Israel. He wrote them during specific periods of his life: when he was on the run from Saul, grateful for the Lord’s protection and provision, scared for his future, mournful over his sin, and praising God with uplifted hands. Other authors include David’s son Solomon, Moses, the Asaphite temple singers, and Korahite priests. While they were written during specific periods in the history of Israel—from the monarchy to the postexilic eras—they connect to our own time as much as they reflect their time. So in many ways these poems are written to you and me. The original

audience was the children of Israel, but the Psalms reflect the hopes and dreams, fears and failures of humanity in general.

MAJOR THEMES Poetry of Praise. The Psalms are pure praise, inspired by the breath of God. Praise is a matter of life and breath. As long as we have breath we are told to praise the Lord. The Psalms release a flood of God-inspired insights that will lift heaviness off the human heart. The Psalms are meant to do to you what they did to David: they will bring you from your cave of despair into the glad presence of the King who likes and enjoys you. Poetry of Prayer. Mixed with intercession, the Psalms become the fuel for our devotional life. Each psalm is a prayer. The early church recited and sang the Psalms regularly. Many contemporary worship songs have been inspired by this book of prayerpoetry! Poetry of Wisdom. The Psalms unlock mysteries and parables, for in the purest praise is the cryptic language of a wise messenger. The wisdom of God is contained in these 150 keys; you have a key chain

with master keys to unlock God’s storehouse of wisdom and revelation. It is the “harp” (anointed worship) that releases divine secrets. Read carefully Ps. 49:4 : “I will break open mysteries with my music, and my song will release riddles solved.” Poetry of Prophecy. Prophetic insights rest upon the Psalms. David’s harp brings revelation and understanding to the people. Singers who tap into the insights of the Psalms will bring forth truths in their songs, which will break the hearts of people and release divine understanding to the church. The prophets must become musicians and the musicians must become prophets for the key of David to be given to the church. Poetry of Christ. As with every part of the Old Testament, we are called to read the Psalms in two ways: (1) as the original audience heard them in their ancient Hebrew world; and (2) as the fulfillment of messianic prophesies, submitting by faith that these poems point to Jesus Christ. Therefore, at one level, these poems are all about him. There are 150 Psalms and each of them reveals a special and unique aspect of the God-Man, Christ Jesus. We could say every Psalm is messianic in that they find their fulfillment in Christ. Looking backward in light of Christ’s

revelation, we see they all point to our Lord Jesus, whom God has chosen as King over all. Since these songs are all about Jesus, one of the keys to understanding the Psalms is to look for Jesus within its pages. Luke 24:44 says: “I told you that everything written about me would be fulfilled, including all the prophecies from the law of Moses through the Psalms and the writings of the prophets —that they would all find their fulfillment.” There are many secrets about Jesus waiting to be discovered here!

PSALMS Poetry on Fire BOOK 1 THE GENESIS PSALMS Psalms of man and creation

1 T HE T REE OF L IFE a 1

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What delight comes to those b who follow God’s ways! c They won’t walk in step with the wicked, nor share the sinner’s way, nor be found sitting in the scorner’s seat. Their pleasure and passion is remaining true to the Word of “I Am,”

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meditating day and night in his true revelation of light. d They will be standing firm like a flourishing tree planted by God’s design, e deeply rooted by the brooks of bliss, bearing fruit in every season of their lives. They are never dry, never fainting, ever blessed, ever prosperous. f But how different are the wicked. All they are is dust in the wind— driven away to destruction! The wicked will not endure the day of judgment, for God will not defend them. Nothing they do will succeed or endure for long, for they have no part with those who walk in truth. But how different it is for the righteous! The Lord embraces their paths as they move forward while the way of the wicked lead only to doom.

Although we cannot be sure, it is possible that Ezra compiled the Psalms and wrote Ps. 1 as an “introduction” to the Psalter. Others believe it was written by David or

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Jeremiah. 1:1 The Hebrew text is actually “that One” and refers prophetically to the Lord Jesus Christ, our Tree of Life. Every one of us who belongs to “that One” can also walk in the light of this psalm. 1:1 Ps. 1 is the contrast of those who follow God’s ways and those who choose their own path. Read through this psalm with the purpose of learning how to live with God in first place. 1:2 Or “Torah.” 1:3 Or “transplanted.” That is, God planted our lives from where we were into a place of blessing. See Ps. 92:13–14 . 1:3 The metaphors found in this verse can be paraphrased as “No matter what he sets out to do, he brings it to a successful conclusion.”

2 T HE C ORONATION OF THE K ING Act I – The Nations Speak 1 How dare the nations plan a rebellion. Their foolish plots are futile! a 2 Look at how the power brokers of the world rise up to hold their summit as the rulers scheme and confer together against Yahweh and his Anointed King, saying:

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“Let’s come together and break away from the Creator. Once and for all let’s cast off these controlling chains of God and his Christ!” b

Act II – God Speaks 4 God-Enthroned c merely laughs at them; the Sovereign One mocks their madness! 5 Then with the fierceness of his fiery anger he settles the issue d and terrifies them to death e with these words: 6 “I myself have poured out my King on Zion, f my holy mountain. g Act III – The Son Speaks 7 “I will reveal the eternal purpose of God. For he has decreed over me, ‘You are my favored Son. And as your Father I have crowned you as my King Eternal. Today I became your Father. 8 Ask me h to give you the nations and I will do it,

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and they shall become your legacy. Your domain will stretch to the ends of the earth. And you will shepherd them i with unlimited authority, crushing their rebellion as an iron rod smashes jars of clay!’”

Act IV – The Holy Spirit Speaks 10 Listen to me, all you rebel-kings and all you upstart judges of the earth. Learn your lesson j while there’s still time . 11 Serve and worship the awe-inspiring God. Recognize his greatness and bow before him, trembling with reverence in his presence. k 12 Fall facedown before him and kiss the Son l before his anger is roused against you. Remember that his wrath can be quickly kindled! But many blessings are waiting for all who turn aside to hide themselves in him!

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2:1 Or “Why are they devising emptiness?” 2:3 The word found here for “Christ” is the Hebrew word for “M essiah” or “ Anointed One.”

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2:4 The Aramaic is Maryah , the Aramaic form of YHWH or Lord Jehovah. 2:5 Or “In good time he drives them away.” 2:5 Or “snorts with anger.” The Hebrew word ‘ aph (fiery anger) is a homonym that also means “nose.” 2:6 The word Zion is found 157 times in the Bible and 38 times in the Psalms. 2:6 For the believer today, Zion is not only a place but also a realm where Christ is enthroned. Jesus was “poured out” as a consecrated offering. 2:8 Or in the M asoretic text, “Ask wealth of me.” 2:9 As translated from the Septuagint. 2:10 Or “Do what is wise.” 2:11 Or “Rejoice with trembling.” The Hebrew word for “rejoice” means “to spin around with excited emotions” or “to twirl.” 2:12 Or “be ruled by the Son.” The Hebrew word for “kiss” is nashaq and can also mean “to be ruled by” or “be in subjection to” (the Son). Yet another possible translation of this difficult verse is “be armed with purity.”

3 C OVERED BY THE G LORY King David’s song when he was forced to flee from Absalom, his own son

The Humbling of a King 1 Lord, I have so many enemies, so many who are against me. 2 Listen to how they whisper their slander against me, saying: “Look! He’s hopeless! Even God can’t save him from this!” Pause in his presence a

The Help of God 3 But in the depths of my heart I truly know that you, Yahweh, have become my Shield; You take me and surround me with yourself. b Your glory covers me continually. c You lift high my head when I bow low in shame. 4 I have cried out to you, Yahweh, from your holy presence. d You send me a Father’s help. Pause in his presence

The Song of Safety 5 So now I’ll lie down and sleep like a baby— then I’ll awake in safety, for you surround me with

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your glory. Even though dark powers prowl e around me, I won’t be afraid.

The Secret of Strength 7 I simply cry out to you: “Rise up and help me, Lord! Come and save me!” And you will slap them in the face, breaking the power of their words to harm me. f 8 My true hero comes to my rescue , for the Lord alone is my Savior. g What a feast of favor and bliss he gives his people! Pause in his presence

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3:2 This is the Hebrew word Selah , a puzzling word to translate. M ost scholars believe it is a musical term for pause or rest. It is used seventy-one times in the Psalms as an instruction to the music leader to pause and ponder in God’s presence. An almost identical word, Sela , means “a massive rock cliff.” It is said that when Selah is spoken, the words are carved in stone in the throne room of the heavens. b 3:3 M any translations render this “You are a shield around me.” The ancient Hebrew can be translated “You, O Lord,

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are my taker” (Augustine). The implication is that God shields us by taking us into himself. Jesus Christ is the taker of humanity, the one who was made flesh. He not only took our nature, he also took our sins that he might take us into glory. 3:3 Or “my glory.” 3:4 Or “from your holy hill.” 3:6 Or “military troops.” 3:7 Or “You broke the teeth of the wicked.” 3:8 The Hebrew word used sixty times in the Psalms for deliverance is Yeshuah , a variant form of the name for Jesus. This is pointing us to where our salvation is found.

4 A N E VENING P RAYER FOR H ELP For the Pure and Shining One a For the end, b a melody by King David 1 God, you are my righteousness, my champion defender. Answer me when I cry for help! Whenever I was in distress, you enlarged me. c I’m being squeezed again—I need your kindness right away! Grant me your grace, hear my prayer, and set me

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free! Listen to me, you elite among men: How long will you defame my honor d and drag it down into shame? Will you ever stop insulting me? How long will you set your heart on shadows, chasing your lies and delusions? Pause in his presence

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May we never forget that the Lord works wonders e for every one of his devoted lovers. And this is how I know that he will answer my every prayer. Tremble in awe before the Lord, and do not sin against him. Be still upon your bed and search your heart before him. f Pause in his presence

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Bring to Yahweh the sacrifice of righteousness and put your trust in him. Lord, prove them wrong when they say, “God can’t help you!” Let the light of your radiant face break through and shine upon us! The intense pleasure you give me

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surpasses the gladness of harvest time, even more than when the harvesters gaze upon their ripened grain and when their new wine overflows. Now, because of you, Lord, I will lie down in peace and sleep comes at once, for no matter what happens, I will live unafraid!

The Hebrew word used here, found in the inscription of fifty-four Psalms, is usually rendered as “choirmaster” or “chief director of music.” It is taken from the root word for “shining” or “brilliant” (i.e., purity, holiness). Another way to translate “choirmaster” is “the shining one” or “the one who glitters from afar.” Jesus Christ is the chief musician of all eternity who sings in the midst of his people ( Heb. 12:2 ). As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is “stringed instruments” or “smiting.” 4:1 Or “You created room for me.” 4:2 Or “my glorious one.” 4:3 There is considerable variation in possible translations from different manuscripts. Some manuscripts read “The Lord sets apart a faithful one for himself.” Another possible translation is “The Lord has revealed to me his marvelous

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love.” 4:4 Or “M editate on your bed and repent [lament].” It is always wise at the end of every day to cleanse our hearts in God’s grace and mercy.

5 S ONG OF THE C LOUDED D AWN For the Pure and Shining One For her who receives the inheritance, a by King David Morning Watch 1 Listen, Yahweh, to my passionate prayer! b Can’t you hear my groaning? 2 Don’t you hear how I’m crying out to you? My King and my God, consider my every word, for I am calling out to you. 3 At each and every sunrise you will hear my voice as I prepare my sacrifice of prayer to you. c Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on the altar and wait for your fire to fall upon my heart . d Making It Right 4 I know that you, God, are never pleased with

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lawlessness, and evil ones will never be invited as guests in your house. Boasters collapse, unable to survive your scrutiny, for your hatred of evildoers is clear. You will make an end of all those who lie. How you hate their hypocrisy and despise all who love violence!

Multitude of Mercy 7 But I know that you will welcome me into your house, for I am covered by your covenant of mercy and love. So I come to your sanctuary e with deepest awe to bow in worship and adore you. 8 Yahweh, lead me in the pathways of your pleasure just like you promised me you would, or else my enemies will conquer me. Smooth out your road in front of me, straight and level so that I will know where to walk. Multitude of Sins

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For you can’t trust anything they say. Their hearts are nothing but deep pits of destruction, drawing people into their darkness with their speeches. f They are smooth-tongued deceivers who flatter with their words. 10 Declare them guilty, O God! Let their own schemes be their downfall! Let the guilt of their sins collapse on top of them, for they rebel against you. Multitude of Blessings 11 But let them all be glad, those who turn aside to hide themselves in you. May they keep shouting for joy forever! Overshadow them in your presence as they sing and rejoice. Then every lover of your name will burst forth with endless joy. 12 Lord, how wonderfully you bless the righteous. Your favor wraps around each one and covers them under your canopy of kindness and joy.

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The Hebrew word used here is neliloth or flutes. It can also be translated “inheritances.” The early church father Augustine translated this: “For her who receives the inheritance,” meaning the church of Jesus Christ. The Father told the Son in Ps. 2 to ask for his inheritance; here we see it is the church that receives what Jesus asks for. We receive our inheritance of eternal life through the death and resurrection of the Son of God. The Septuagint reads “For the end,” also found in numerous inscriptions of the Psalms. 5:1 Or “M y words—give them a hearing, Lord!” 5:3 The Hebrew word for “prepare” is ‘arak , a priestly term for lighting the altar fire, preparing a sacrifice, and laying it out in order upon the altar to be consumed. 5:3 Implied in the concept of preparing the morning sacrifice. The Aramaic text states, “At dawn I shall be ready and shall appear before you.” The Hebrew can also be translated “I’ll be on the watchtower (for the answer to come).” See Pss. 59:16 ; 88:13 ; Hab. 2:1. 5:7 Or “I come to the temple of your holiness.” 5:9 Or “Their throat is an open grave.”

6 A C RY FOR H EALING a For the Pure and Shining One

A song for the end, sung for the new day by King David 1 No, Lord! Don’t condemn me. Don’t punish me in your fiery anger. 2 Please deal gently with me; show me mercy, for I’m sick and frail. I’m fading away with weakness. Heal me, for I’m falling apart. 3 How long until you take away this pain in my body and in my soul? Lord, I’m trembling in fear! 4 Turn to me and deliver my life because I know you love and desire to have me as your very own. 5 How can I be any good to you dead? For those who are in the graveyards sing no songs. In the darkness of death who remembers you? How could I bring you praise if I’m buried in a tomb? 6 I’m exhausted and worn-out with my weeping. I endure weary, sleepless nights filled with moaning, soaking my pillow with my tears. 7 My eyes of faith won’t focus anymore, for sorrow

fills my heart. There are so many enemies who come against me! 8 Go away! Leave me, all you workers of wickedness! For the Lord has turned to listen to my thunderous cry. 9 Yes! The Lord my healer has heard all my pleading and has taken hold of my prayers and answered them all. 10 Now it’s my enemies who have been shamed. Terror-stricken, they will turn back again, knowing the bitterness of sudden disgrace!

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Ps. 6 is a part of the daily prayer ritual of religious Jews.

7 S ONG FOR THE S LANDERED S OUL A passionate song to the Lord To the tune of “Breaking the Curse of Cush, the Benjamite,” by King David 1 O Lord my God, I turn aside to hide my soul in you. I trust you to save me from all those

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who pursue and persecute me. Don’t leave me helpless! Don’t let my foes fall upon me like fierce lions with teeth bared. Can’t you see how they want to rip me to shreds, dragging me away to tear my soul to pieces? Lord, if I were doing evil things, that would be different, for then I would be guilty, deserving all of this. If I have wronged someone at peace with me, if I have betrayed a friend, repaying evil for good, or if I have unjustly harmed my enemy, Then it would be right for you to let my enemy pursue and overtake me. In fact, let them grind me into the ground. Let them take my life from me and drag my dignity in the dust! Pause in his presence

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Now, Lord, let your anger arise against the anger of my enemies. Awaken your fury and stand up for me! Decree that justice be done against my foes. Gather all the people around you. Return to your place on high to preside over them

and once more occupy the throne of judgment. You are the Exalted One who judges the people, so vindicate me publicly and restore my honor and integrity. Before all the people declare me innocent. 9 Once and for all, end the evil tactics of the wicked! Reward and prosper the cause of the righteous, for you are the righteous God, the soul searcher, who looks deep into every heart to examine the thoughts and motives. 10 God, your wrap-around presence is my protection and my defense. You bring victory to all who reach out for you. 11 Righteousness is revealed every time you judge. Because of the strength of your forgiveness, a your anger does not break out every day, even though you are a righteous judge. 12–13 Yet if the wicked do not repent, you will not relent with your wrath, slaying them with your shining sword. You are the conqueror with an arsenal of lethal weapons that you’ve prepared for them. You have bent and strung your bow, 8

making your judgment-arrows shafts of burning fire. 14–15 Look how the wicked conceive their evil schemes. They go into labor with their lies and give birth to trouble. They dig a pit for others to fall into, not knowing that they will be the very ones who will fall into their own pit of failure. 16 For you, God, will see to it that every pit-digger who works to trap and harm others will be trapped and harmed by his own treachery. 17 But I will give all my thanks to you, Lord, for you make everything right in the end. I will sing my highest praise to the God of the Highest Place! b

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7:11 As translated from the Septuagint. 7:17 Or “to Adonai Elyon.”

8 G OD ’ S S PLENDOR

For the Pure and Shining One Set to the melody of “For the Feast of Harvest,” a by King David 1 Lord, your name is so great and powerful! People everywhere see your splendor. Your glorious majesty streams from the heavens, filling the earth with the fame of your name! 2 You have built a stronghold by the songs of babies. Strength rises up with the chorus of singing children. This kind of praise has the power to shut Satan’s mouth. Childlike worship will silence b the madness of those who oppose you. 3 Look at the splendor of your skies, your creative genius glowing in the heavens. When I gaze at your moon and your stars, mounted like jewels in their settings, I know you are the fascinating artist who fashioned it all! But when I look up and see such wonder and workmanship above, I have to ask you this question: 4 Compared to all this cosmic glory , c

why would you bother with puny, mortal man or be infatuated with Adam’s sons? 5 Yet what honor you have given to men, created only a little lower than Elohim, d crowned like kings and queens e with glory and magnificence. 6 You have delegated to them mastery over all you have made, making everything subservient to their authority, placing earth itself under the feet of your imagebearers. f 7–8 All the created order and every living thing of the earth, sky, and sea— the wildest beasts and all the sea creatures— everything is in submission to Adam’s sons . 9 Lord, your name is so great and powerful. People everywhere see your majesty! What glory streams from the heavens, filling the earth with the fame of your name!

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This inscription in the Septuagint is “To the director over the wine vats.” b 8:2 There may be a vast difference between the glory of

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the heavens and the little mouths of children and babies, yet by both the majestic name of the Lord is revealed. It is amazing that perfected praises do not rise to God from the cherubim or seraphim, but from children and babies, the weakest of humanity. 8:4 David looked away from the darkness of earth and saw the divine order of the universe. This psalm is meant to join the earth to the heavens and to bring the heavenly glory into the earth, making the heavens and the earth one. 8:5 This is the same Hebrew word used for the CreatorGod in Gen. 1:1. 8:5 The concept of kings and queens is implied in the text by the word crowned . 8:6 The Septuagint translation of 8:5–7 is quoted in Heb. 2:6–8 . Today, all things are not yet under our feet. Even mosquitoes still come to defeat us. But there will be a time of restoration because of Christ’s redemption, when everything will rest beneath our authority. See Isa. 11:6–9; 65:25; M att. 19:28 ; Rev. 20:4–6 .

9 T RIUMPHANT T HANKS For the Pure and Shining One To the tune of “The Secrets of the Son,” David

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by King

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Lord, I will worship you with extended hands as my whole heart explodes with praise! I will tell everyone everywhere about your wonderful works and how your marvelous miracles exceed expectations! I will jump for joy and shout in triumph as I sing your song and make music for the Most High God. For when you appear, I worship while all of my enemies run in retreat. They stumble and perish before your presence. For you have stood up for my cause and vindicated me when I needed you the most. From your righteous throne you have given me justice. With a blast of your rebuke nations are destroyed. You obliterated their names forever and ever. The Lord thundered and our enemies have been cut off, vanished in everlasting ruins. All their cities have been destroyed— even the memory of them has been erased. But the Lord of eternity, our mighty God, lives and

reigns forever! He sits enthroned as King ready to render his verdicts and judge all with righteousness. 8 He will issue his decrees of judgment, deciding what is right for the entire world, dispensing justice to all. 9 All who are oppressed may come to you as a shelter in the time of trouble, a perfect hiding place. 10 May everyone who knows your mercy keep putting their trust in you, for they can count on you for help no matter what. O Lord, you will never, no never, neglect those who come to you. 11 Listen, everyone! Sing out your praises to the God who lives and rules within Zion! Tell the world about all the miracles he has done! 12 He tracks down killers and avenges bloodshed, but he will never forget the ones forgotten by others, hearing every one of their cries for justice. 13 So now, O Lord, don’t forget me. Have mercy on me. Take note of how I’ve been humiliated

at the hands of those who hate me. Bring me back again from the brink, from the very gates of death. 14 Save me! Bring me to the spiritual gates of Zion b so I can bring you the shout of praise you deserve. 15 For the godless nations get trapped in the very snares they set for others. The hidden trap they set for the weak has snapped shut upon themselves—guilty! 16 The Lord is famous for this: his justice will punish the wicked. While they are digging a pit for others, they are actually setting the terms for their own judgment. They will fall into their own pit. Consider the truth of this and pause in his presence c 17

Don’t forget this: all the wicked will one day fall into the darkness of death’s domain and remain there, including the nations that forget God and reject his ways. 18 He will not ignore forever all the needs of the poor, for those in need shall not always be crushed. Their hopes shall be fulfilled, for God sees it all !

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Lord, won’t you now arise to judge and punish the nations who defy you? Aren’t you fed up with their rebellion? 20 Make them tremble in fear before your presence. Place a lawgiver over them. Make them know that they are only puny, frail humans who must give account to you! Pause in his presence

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As translated by Augustine, an early church father. The Hebrew is “to the death of the Son.” b 9:14 Or “Daughter Gates of Zion.” c 9:16 The Hebrew word higayon means “to consider the truth of the matter.”

10 T HE C RY OF THE O PPRES S ED a 1

Lord, you seem so far away when evil is near! Why do you stand so far off as though you don’t care? Why have you hidden yourself when I need you

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the most? The arrogant in their elitist pride persecute the poor and helpless. May you pour out upon them the very evil they’ve planned against others! How they brag and boast of their cravings, exalting the greedy. They congratulate themselves as they despise you. These arrogant ones, so smug and secure! In their delusion the wicked boast, saying, “God doesn’t care about what we do. There’s nothing to worry about! Our wealth will last a lifetime.” So seemingly successful are they in their schemes, prosperous in all their plans and scoffing at any restraint. They boast that neither God nor men will bring them down. They sneer at all their enemies, saying in their hearts, “We’ll have success in all we do and never have to face trouble”— never realizing that they are speaking this in vain. Their mouths spout out cursing, lies, and threats.

Only trouble and turmoil come from all their plans. Like beasts lurking in the shadows of the city they crouch silently in ambush for the people to pass by. Pouncing on the poor, they catch them in their snare to murder their prey in secret as they plunder their helpless victims. 10 They crush the lowly as they fall beneath their brutal blows, watching their victims collapse in defeat! 11 Then they say to themselves, “The Lofty One is not watching while we do this. He doesn’t even care! We can get away with it!” 12 Now is the time to arise, Lord! Crush them once and for all! Don’t forget the forgotten and the helpless. 13 How dare the wicked think they’ll escape judgment, believing that you would not call them to account for all their ways. Don’t let the wicked get away with their contempt of you! 14 Lord, I know you see all that they’re doing, 8–9

noting their each and every deed. You know the trouble and turmoil they’ve caused. Now punish them thoroughly for all that they’ve done! The poor and helpless ones trust in you, Lord, for you are famous for being the helper of the fatherless. I know you won’t let them down. 15 Break the power of the wicked and all their strongarm tactics. Search them out and destroy them for the evil things they’ve done. 16 You, Lord, are King forever and ever! You will see to it that all the nations perish from your land. 17 Lord, you know and understand all the hopes of the humble and will hear their cries and comfort their hearts, helping them all! 18 The orphans and the oppressed will be terrified no longer, for you will bring them justice, and no one will trouble them.

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It is likely that Pss. 9 and 10 were originally one psalm. Eight Hebrew manuscripts unite them as well as the Aramaic, Septuagint, and the Latin Vulgate. The Catholic Bible is based on the Latin Vulgate and therefore has a different numbering for the Psalms.

11 S ONG OF THE S TEADFAS T For the Pure and Shining One, by King David 1–2 Lord, don’t you hear what my well-meaning friends keep saying to me: “Run away while you can! Fly away like a bird to hide in the mountains for safety. For your enemies have prepared a trap for you! They plan to destroy you with their slander and deceitful lies. Can’t you see them hiding in their place of darkness and shadows? They’re set against you and all those who live upright lives.” But don’t they know, Lord, that I have made you my only hiding place? Don’t they know that I always trust in you?

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What can the righteous accomplish when truth’s pillars are destroyed and law and order collapse? Yet the Eternal One is never shaken — a he is still found in his temple of holiness, reigning as Lord and King over all. He is closely watching everything that happens. And with a glance, his eyes examine every heart. b For his heavenly rule will prevail over all. He will test both the righteous and the wicked , exposing each heart . God’s very soul detests those who love to resort to violence. He will rain down upon them judgment for their sins. A scorching wind will be their portion and lot in life. But remember this: the Righteous Lord loves what is right and just, and every godly one will come into his presence and gaze upon his face!

11:4 This is an implied contrast made explicit from the text. This psalm shows the contrast between what can be

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shaken and what is unshakable. 11:4 The actual Hebrew is “his eyelids.” Some see the “eyelid” as the lid of the ark of covenant, which was the mercy seat.

12 S ONG FOR THE N EW D AY For the Pure and Shining One A song of smiting, sung for the new day by King David a 1 Help, Lord! Save us! For godly ones are swiftly disappearing. Where are the dependable, principled ones? They’re a vanishing breed! 2 Everyone lies, everyone flatters, and everyone deceives. Nothing but empty talk, smooth talk, and doubletalk. Where are the truthful? 3–4 I know the Lord will not deal gently with people like that! You will destroy every proud liar who says, “We lie all we want. Our words are our weapons, and we won’t be held

accountable. Who can stop us?” May the Lord cut off their twisted tongues and seal their lying lips. May they all be silenced—those who boast and brag with their high-minded talk about doing whatever they want. 5 But the Lord says, “Now I will arise! I will defend the poor, those who were plundered, the oppressed, and the needy who groan for help. I will arise to rescue and protect them!” 6 For every word God speaks is sure and every promise pure. His truth is tested, found to be flawless, and ever faithful. It’s as pure as silver refined seven times in a crucible of clay. b 7–8 Lord, you will keep us forever safe, out of the reach of the wicked. Even though they strut and prowl, tolerating and celebrating what is worthless and vile, you will still lift up those who are yours!

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The events surrounding this psalm could be the killing of the priests by Saul in 1 Sam. 22:17–19. Saul ordered the death of “eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.” The killing rampage continued until an entire community of priests had been slaughtered with their women and children. This great evil marked David from that day forward. The inscription found in the Septuagint is “The Eighth Psalm of David.” b 12:6 The clay furnace is the heart of man. We are the earthen vessels inside which God has placed his flawless words. His words test us, they try us, and they refine us, seven times over, until they are purified and assimilated into our spirits. The fire of testing purifies us as vessels to carry the Word within our hearts.

13 P RAYER T URNS ELIGHT

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EPRES S ION INTO

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For the Pure and Shining One, by King David 1 I’m hurting, Lord—will you forget me forever? b How much longer, Lord? Will you look the other way when I’m in need? c 2 How much longer must I cling to this constant

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grief? I’ve endured this shaking of my soul. So how much longer will my enemy have the upper hand? It’s been long enough! Take a good look at me, God, and answer me! Breathe your life into my spirit. Bring light to my eyes in this pitch-black darkness or I will sleep the sleep of death. Don’t let my enemy proclaim, “I’ve prevailed over him.” For all my adversaries will celebrate when I fall. Lord, I have always trusted in your kindness, so answer me . I will yet celebrate with passion and joy when your salvation d lifts me up. I will sing my song of joy to you, the Most High, for in all of this you have strengthened my soul. My enemies say that I have no Savior, but I know that I have one in you!

Some believe David composed this shortly after being anointed to be the king of Israel. David knew greatness was

his destiny, but he struggled with the persecution and challenges that came before his exaltation. In the wilderness David trusts and prays his way out. b 13:1 This is the psalm that describes the journey from self to God, from despair to delight, from feeling abandoned to feeling affirmed. It begins with pain and ends with praise. M oaning gives way to music. We each can take comfort in what David experienced. c 13:1 David feels as though God is hiding his face from his cries. David is left alone to wrestle with his doubts, feeling as though his patience can hold on no longer. Have you ever been there? d 13:5 The term for “salvation” is yeshu’sh , which is nearly identical to Jesus, our Salvation . Our Savior plans blessings and hope for each of us as we trust in him.

14 G OD L OOKS D OWN FROM H EAVEN a For the Pure and Shining One, by King David 1 Only the withering soul b would say to himself, “There is no God.” Anyone who thinks like this is corrupt and callous, depraved and detestable, devoid of what is good. 2 The Lord looks down in love, bending over heaven’s balcony,

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looking over all of Adam’s sons and daughters. He’s looking to see if there is anyone who acts wisely, any who are searching for God and wanting to please him. But no, everyone has wandered astray, walking stubbornly toward evil. Not one is good; he can’t even find one. Look how they live in luxury while exploiting my people! Won’t these workers of wickedness ever learn? They don’t ever even think of praying to God. But just look at them now, in panic, trembling with terror. For the Lord is on the side of the generation of loyal lovers. The Lord is always the safest place for the poor when the workers of wickedness oppress them. How I wish that Israel’s rescue would arise from the midst of Zion! When his people are restored, Jacob’s joy will break forth and Israel will be glad!

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With few differences, Ps. 14 and Ps. 53 are nearly identical. Ps. 14 is practical; Ps. 53 is prophetic. Ps. 14 deals with the past, Ps. 53 with the future. b 14:1 Or “fool.” The word for “fool” comes from a Hebrew word meaning “withering.” If we make no room for God, we have withered hearts, our moral sense of righteousness is put to sleep, and the noble aspirations of the heart shrivel up and die.

15 L IVING IN THE S HINING P LACE a A poetic song, by King David 1 Lord, who dares to dwell with you? Who presumes the privilege of being close to you, living next to you in your shining place of glory? b Who are those who daily dwell in the life of the Holy Spirit? c 2 They are passionate and wholehearted, always sincere and always speaking the truth— for their hearts are trustworthy. 3 They refuse to slander d or insult others; they’ll never listen to gossip or rumors, nor would they ever harm another with their words.

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They will speak out passionately against evil and evil workers while commending the faithful ones who follow after the truth. They make firm commitments and follow through, even at great cost. They never crush others with exploitation or abuse and they would never be bought with a bribe against the innocent. They will never be shaken; they will stand firm forever.

Perhaps David’s prophetic minstrels sang this song of instruction as they laid the ark to rest in David’s tent. It is a song that reveals who will dwell in God’s holy presence and who will live with him in heaven’s glory. It actually is a description of Zion’s perfect M an, Christ Jesus, and all those who are transformed into his image ( Rom. 8:29 ). b 15:1 The Hebrew word for “sanctuary” is taken from a root word for “shining place.” c 15:1 This psalm gives us David’s Sermon on the M ount. If we will dwell in the Holy Place, there must first be a holy place in our spirits where God dwells. God’s guests must submit to the holiness that lives there. There is etiquette for

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God’s house revealed in this psalm. 15:3 The Hebrew word for “slander,” ragal , means to spy on someone and look for evil to use against him.

16 T HE G OLDEN S ECRET A precious song, engraved in gold, by King David a 1 Keep me safe, O mighty God. I run for dear life to you, my safe place. 2 So I said to the Lord God, “You are my Maker, my Mediator, and my Master. Any good thing you find in me has come from you.” b 3 And he said to me , “My holy lovers are wonderful, my majestic ones, my glorious ones, fulfilling all my desires.” 4 Yet there are those who yield to their weakness, c and they will have troubles and sorrows unending. I never gather with such ones, d nor give them honor in any way. 5 Lord, I have chosen you alone as my inheritance. You are my prize, my pleasure, and my portion. I leave my destiny and its timing in your hands. e

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Your pleasant path leads me to pleasant places. I’m overwhelmed by the privileges that come with following you, for you have given me the best! 7 The way you counsel and correct me makes me praise you more, for your whispers in the night give me wisdom, showing me what to do next. 8 Because you are close to me and always available, my confidence will never be shaken, for I experience your wrap-around presence every moment. 9 My heart and soul explode with joy—full of glory! Even my body will rest confident and secure. 10 For you will not abandon me to the realm of death, nor will you allow your Holy One to experience corruption. f 11 For you bring me a continual revelation of resurrection life, the path to the bliss that brings me face-to-face with you. g

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The Hebrew word used in the inscription is michtam .

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There are many variations of translation for this word. Here are the major ones: golden, graven, a permanent writing, precious, hidden, or jewel. The Septuagint renders this “a sculptured writing of gold”; other translations call it a “golden poem.” Perhaps the most accepted translation of michtam is “engraved in gold.” This speaks of the divine nature engraved into our hearts by the Word. A new humanity is now stamped with God-life, engraved in his golden glory. 16:2 The Aramaic text states, “M y goodness is found in your presence.” 16:4 As translated from the Septuagint. 16:4 As translated from the Septuagint. 16:5 Implied in the text. The Aramaic reads “You are restoring my inheritance to me.” 16:10 Or “the pit.” This is likely a metaphor for Sheol. 16:11 There is no Hebrew word for “presence.” When the Psalmist wanted to speak of God’s presence, he used the Hebrew word for “face.”

17 A C RY FOR J US TICE A priestly prayer, by King David 1 Listen to me, Lord. Hear the passionate prayer of this honest man.

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It’s my piercing cry for justice! My cause is just and my need is real. I’ve done what’s right and my lips speak truth. Lord, I always live my life before your face, so examine and exonerate me. Vindicate me and show the world I’m innocent. For in a visitation of the night you inspected my heart and refined my soul in fire until nothing vile was found in me. I’ve wanted my words and my ways to always agree. Following your word has kept me from wrong. Your ways have molded my footsteps, keeping me from going down the forbidden paths of the destroyer. My steps follow in the tracks of your chariot wheels, always staying in their path, never straying from your way. You will answer me, God; I know you always will, like you always do as you listen with love to my every prayer. Magnify the marvels of your mercy to all who seek you. a

Make your Pure One wonderful to me, b like you do for all those who turn aside to hide themselves in you. 8 Protect me from harm; keep an eye on me like you would a child c reflected in the twinkling of your eye. Yes, hide me within the shelter of your embrace, under your outstretched wings. d 9 Protect me there from all my foes. For there are many who surround my soul to completely destroy me. 10 They are pitiless, heartless—hard as nails, swollen with pride and filled with arrogance! 11 See how they close in on me, waiting for the chance to throw me to the ground. e 12 They’re like lions eager to tear me apart, like young and fearless lions lurking in secret, so ferocious and cruel—ready to rip me to shreds. 13 Arise, God, and confront them! Challenge them with your might! f Free me from their clutches and rescue me from their rage. 14 Throw them down to the ground, those who live for only this life on earth.

Thrust them out of their prosperity and into their portion in eternity, leaving their wealth and wickedness behind! 15 As for me, because I am innocent I will see g your face until I see you for who you really are. Then I will awaken with your form and be fully satisfied, h fulfilled in the revelation of your glory in me!

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17:7 As translated from the Septuagint. 17:7 As translated from the Aramaic. 17:8 Or “daughter.” 17:8 This could also be a reference to the mercy seat, where sacred blood was sprinkled in the Holy of Holies. There the golden cherubim overshadowed all who entered the divine chamber (Ex. 25:18–20). e 17:11 This is also what the soldiers did to Jesus. They threw him to the ground and nailed him to the cross. f 17:13 The word used here is sword . An alternative translation would be “Rescue my soul from the wicked one, who is your sword.” The wicked are sometimes God’s tools to execute his judgments (Isa. 10:5; Jer. 51:20). g 17:15 The Hebrew word for “gaze,” chaza , means “to see

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a vision.” 17:15 The Aramaic can be translated “I will be satisfied when your faith is awakened.”

18 I L OVE Y OU , L ORD Praises sung to the Pure and Shining One, by King David, his servant, a composed when the Lord rescued David from all his many enemies, including from the brutality of Saul b 1 Lord, I passionately love you and I’m bonded to you! c I want to embrace you, d for now you’ve become my power! 2 You’re as real to me as bedrock beneath my feet, like a castle on a cliff, my forever firm fortress, my mountain of hiding, my pathway of escape, my tower of rescue where none can reach me. My secret strength and shield around me, you are salvation’s ray of brightness shining on the hillside, e always the champion of my cause.

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All I need to do is to call to you, singing to you, the praiseworthy God. When I do, I’m safe and sound in you. 4–5 For when the ropes of death wrapped around me and terrifying torrents of destruction overwhelmed me, f taking me to death’s door, to doom’s domain, 6 I cried out to you in my distress, the delivering God, and from your temple-throne you heard my troubled cry. My sobs came right into your heart and you turned your face to rescue me. g 7 The earth itself shivered and shook. It reeled and rocked before him. As the mountains trembled, they melted away! For his anger was kindled, burning on my behalf. 8 Fierce flames leapt from his mouth, erupting with blazing, burning coals as smoke and fire encircled him. 9–10 He stretched heaven’s curtain open and came to my defense. Swiftly he rode to earth as the stormy sky was lowered. He rode a chariot of thunderclouds amidst thick

darkness, a cherub his steed as he swooped down, soaring on the wings of Spirit-wind. 11 Wrapped and hidden in the thick-cloud darkness, his thunder-tabernacle surrounded him. He hid himself in mystery-darkness; the dense rain clouds were his garments. 12 Suddenly the brilliance of his presence broke through with lightning bolts and with a mighty storm from heaven— like a tempest dropping coals of fire. 13 The Lord thundered, the great God above every god spoke with his thunder-voice from the skies. What fearsome hailstones and flashes of fire were before him! 14 He released his lightning-arrows, and routed my foes. See how they ran and scattered in fear! 15 Then with his mighty roar he laid bare the foundations of the earth, uncovering the secret source of the sea. The hidden depths of land and sea were exposed by the hurricane-blast of his hot breath.

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He then reached down from heaven, all the way from the sky to the sea. He reached down into my darkness to rescue me! He took me out of my calamity and chaos and drew me to himself, taking me from the depths of my despair! 17 Even though I was helpless in the hands of my hateful, strong enemy, h you were good to deliver me. 18 When I was at my weakest, my enemies attacked — but the Lord held on to me. 19 His love broke open the way and he brought me into a beautiful broad place. i He rescued me—because his delight is in me! j 20 He rewarded me for doing what’s right and staying pure. 21 I will follow his commands and never stop. I’ll not sin by ceasing to follow him, no matter what. 22 For I’ve kept my eyes focused on his righteous words and I’ve obeyed everything that he’s told me to do. 23 I’ve done my best to be blameless and to follow all

his ways, keeping my heart pure. 24 I’ve kept my integrity by surrendering to him. And so the Lord has rewarded me with his blessing. This is the treasure I discovered when I kept my heart clean before his eyes. 25 Lord, it is clear to me now that how we live will dictate how you deal with us. k Good people will taste your goodness, Lord. And to those who are loyal to you, you love to prove that you are loyal and true. 26 And for those who are purified, they find you always pure. But you’ll outwit the crooked and cunning with your craftiness. 27 To the humble you bring heaven’s deliverance. But the proud and haughty you disregard. 28 God, all at once you turned on a floodlight for me! You are the revelation-light in my darkness, and in your brightness I can see the path ahead. 29 With you as my strength I can crush an enemy horde, advancing through every stronghold that stands in

front of me. What a God you are! Your path for me has been perfect! All your promises have proven true. What a secure shelter for all those who turn to hide themselves in you! You are the wrap-around God giving grace to me. l 31 Could there be any other god like you? You are the only God to be worshiped, for there is not a more secure foundation to build my life upon than you. 32 You have wrapped me in power, and now you’ve shared with me your perfection. 33 Through you I ascend to the highest peaks of your glory to stand in the heavenly places, strong and secure in you. 34 You’ve trained me with the weapons of warfareworship; now I’ll descend into battle with power to chase and conquer my foes. 35 You empower me for victory with your wraparound presence. Your power within makes me strong to subdue, 30

and by stooping down in gentleness you strengthened me and made me great! 36 You’ve set me free from captivity and now I’m standing complete, ready to fight some more! 37 I caught up with my enemies and conquered them, and didn’t turn back until the war was won! 38 I pinned them to the ground and broke them to pieces. I finished them once and for all; they’re as good as dead. 39 You’ve placed your armor upon me and defeated my enemies, making them bow low at my feet. 40 You’ve made them all turn tail and run, for through you I’ve destroyed them all! Forever silenced, they’ll never taunt me again. 41 They shouted for help but not one dared to rescue them. They shouted to God but he refused to answer them. 42 So I pulverized them to powder and cast them to the wind. I swept them away like dirt on the floor.

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You gave me victory on every side, for look how the nations come to serve me. Even those I’ve never heard of come and bow at my feet. 44 As soon as they heard of me they submitted to me. Even the rebel foreigners obey my every word. 45 Their rebellion fades away as they come near; trembling in their strongholds, they come crawling out of their hideouts. Cringing in fear before me, their courage is gone. 46 The Almighty is alive and conquers all! Praise is lifted high to the unshakable God! Towering over all, my Savior-God is worthy to be praised! 47 Look how he pays back harm to all who harm me, subduing all the people who come against me. 48 He rescues me from my enemies; he lifts me up high and keeps me out of reach, far from the grasp of my violent foe. 49 This is why I thank God with high praises! I will sing my song to the highest God, so all among the nations will hear me. 50 You have appointed me king and rescued me time and time again with your magnificent

miracles. You’ve been merciful and kind to me, your anointed one. This favor will be forever seen upon your loving servant, David, and to all my descendants!

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This magnificent poem is so important to the Holy Spirit that it appears twice in the Bible. You will find it again in 2 Sam. 22. b Or “the paw of Saul.” He was like a beast that chased David until his death. c 18:1 David doesn’t employ the common Hebrew word for “love,” ‘ahav , but instead uses the Hebrew word for “pity” or “mercy.” How could David have mercy for God? The word he uses, raham , is the word used for a mother who loves and pities her child so much it manifests with a deep love and emotional bond. This concept, although difficult to convey in English, is brought forth as David is saying, “I love you passionately and my life is forever bonded to you!” d 18:1 The Hebrew word used here for “love” is not the usual word to describe love. It is a fervent and passionate word that carries the thought of embrace and touch. It could actually be translated “Lord, I want to hug you!” Haven’t

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you ever felt like that? 18:2 The Hebrew word for “horn” (i.e., horn of my salvation) comes from a root word meaning “ray of brightness” or “hillside.” The translator has chosen to include both concepts in the translation. 18:4–5 Or “waves of Sheol [death] engulfed me.” See 2 Sam. 22:5. 18:6 This scene is not only a poetic portrayal of how God answered David’s prayer, but also a picture of the sufferings of a greater Son of David, Jesus, who hung on the cross with cries of agony. God heard him and shook the planet as thick clouds covered the sun. 18:17 Death is our strong enemy. Only through Christ are we delivered from its grip. 18:19 This could be the throne room of heaven. 18:19 Here in verses 16–19 you can see the glorious resurrection of Christ as the Father reached down and kissed the Son with life and love. Read it again and think of Christ in the tomb being raised by the Father. 18:25 This is a summary of the passage, implied in the text. 18:30 The Hebrew word used here for “shield” means “to wrap around in protection.” God himself is our shield of grace.

19 G OD ’ S W ITNES S ES For the Pure and Shining One A poem of praise by King David, his loving servant God’s Story in the Skies 1 God’s splendor is a tale that is told; his testament is written in the stars. a Space itself speaks his story every day through the marvels of the heavens. His truth is on tour in the starry vault of the sky, showing his skill in creation’s craftsmanship. 2 Each day gushes out its message b to the next, night with night whispering its knowledge to all. 3 Without a sound, without a word, without a voice being heard, 4 Yet all the world can see its story. Everywhere its gospel c is clearly read so all may know. 5 What a heavenly home God has set for the sun, shining in the superdome of the sky! See how he leaves his celestial chamber each morning, radiant as a bridegroom ready for his wedding, like a day-breaking champion eager to run his

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course. He rises on one horizon, completing his circuit on the other, warming lives and lands with his heat.

God’s Story in the Scriptures 7 God’s Word is perfect in every way; how it revives our souls! His laws lead us to truth, and his ways change the simple into wise. 8 His teachings make us joyful and radiate his light; his precepts are so pure! His commands, how they challenge us to keep close to his heart! The revelation-light of his word makes my spirit shine radiant. 9 Every one of the Lord’s commands is right; following them brings cheer. d Nothing he says ever needs to be changed. 10 The rarest treasures of life are found in his truth. That’s why I prize God’s word like others prize the finest gold. Nothing brings the soul such sweetness as seeking his living words.

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For they warn us, his servants, and keep us from following the wicked way, giving a lifetime guarantee: great success to every obedient soul! 12 Without this revelation-light , how would I ever detect the waywardness of my heart? e Lord, forgive my hidden flaws whenever you find them. 13 Keep cleansing me, God, and keep me from my secret, selfish sins; may they never rule over me! For only then will I be free from fault and remain innocent of rebellion. 14 So may the words of my mouth, my meditationthoughts, and every movement of my heart be always pure and pleasing, acceptable before your eyes, my only Redeemer, my Protector-God. f

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19:1 Or “The heavens are continually rehearsing the glory of God.”

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19:2 Or “speaks its prophecy.” 19:4 Literal translation from the Aramaic. There are many who believe that constellations (Heb. mazzarot ) of the sky bring us the revelation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. A message is being given without words, sound, or a voice. See Job 38:31–33. d 19:9 As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is “The fear of the Lord is clean.” e 19:12 The word waywardness is taken from the Hebrew word for “errors.” f 19:14 Or “my rock (of protection).”

20 A S ONG OF T RUS T For the Pure and Shining One For the end times, by King David a 1 In your day of danger may the Lord answer and deliver you. May the name of the God of Jacob b set you safely on high! 2 May supernatural help be sent from his sanctuary. May he support you from Zion’s fortress! 3 May he remember every gift you have given him and celebrate every sacrifice of love you have

shown him. Pause in his presence 4 5

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May God give you every desire of your heart and carry out your every plan as you go to battle . When you succeed, we will celebrate and shout for joy. Flags will fly when victory is yours! Yes, God will answer your prayers and we will praise him! I know God gives me all that I ask for and brings victory to his anointed king. My deliverance cry will be heard in his holy heaven. By his mighty hand miracles will manifest through his saving strength. Some find their strength in their weapons and wisdom, but my miracle deliverance can never be won by men. Our boast is in the Lord our God, who makes us strong and gives us victory! Our enemies will not prevail; they will only collapse and perish in defeat while we will rise up, full of

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courage. Give victory to our king, O God! The day we call on you, give us your answer!

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The inscription for Ps. 20–22 is “For the End Times,” as translated from the Septuagint. b 20:1 Jacob was one transformed by God’s grace, changed from a schemer who took from others into Israel, God’s prince.

21 T HROUGH Y OUR S TRENGTH For the end time, to the Pure and Shining One King David’s poem of praise 1 Lord, because of your strength the king is strong. Look how he rejoices in you! a He bursts out with a joyful song because of your victory! 2 For you have given him his heart’s desire, anything and everything he asks for. You haven’t withheld a thing from your betrothed one.

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Rich blessings overflow with every encounter with you, and you placed a royal crown of gold upon his head. 4 He wanted resurrection—you have given it to him and more! The days of his blessing stretch on one after another, forever! 5 You have honored him and made him famous. Glory garments are upon him, and you surround him with splendor and majesty. 6 Your victory heaps blessing after blessing upon him. What joy and bliss he tastes, rejoicing before your face! 7 For the king trusts endlessly in you, and he will never stumble, never fall. Your forever-love never fails and holds him firm. 8 Your almighty hands have captured your foes. You uncovered all who hate you and you seized them. 9–10 When you appear before them, unveiling the radiance of your face , they will be consumed by the fierce fire of your

presence. Flames will swallow them up. They and their descendants will be destroyed by an unrelenting fire. 11 We will watch them fail, for these are ones who plan their evil schemes against the Lord. 12 They will turn and run at the sight of your judgment-arrow aimed straight at their hearts. 13 Rise up and put your might on display! By your strength we will sing and praise your glorious power!

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21:1 Think of this song as a praise song to Jesus, our true King.

22 A P ROPHETIC P ORTRAIT OF THE C ROS S For the Pure and Shining One King David’s song of anguish To the tune of “The Deer at the Dawning of the

Day” b 1 God, my God! Why would you abandon me now? c 2 Why do you remain distant, refusing to answer d my tearful cries in the day and my desperate cries for your help in the night? I can’t stop sobbing. Where are you, my God? 3 Yet I know that you are most holy; it’s indisputable. You are God-Enthroned, surrounded with songs, living among the shouts of praise of your princely people. 4 Our fathers’ faith was in you— through the generations they trusted and believed in you and you came through. 5 Every time they cried out to you in their despair, you were faithful to deliver them; you didn’t disappoint them. 6 But look at me now; I am like a woeful worm, crushed, and I’m bleeding crimson. e I don’t even look like a man anymore. I’ve been abused, despised, and scorned by everyone!

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Mocked by their jeers, despised with their sneers, as all the people poke fun at me, spitting their insults, 8 saying, “Is this the one who trusted in God? Is this the one who claims God is pleased with him? Now let’s see if your God will come to your rescue! We’ll just see how much he delights in you!” 9 Lord, you delivered me safely from my mother’s womb. You are the one who cared for me ever since I was a baby. 10 Since the day I was born, I’ve been placed in your custody. You’ve cradled me throughout my days. I’ve trusted in you and you’ve always been my God. 11 So don’t leave me now; stay close to me! For trouble is all around me and there’s no one else to help me. 12 I’m surrounded by many violent foes; mighty forces of evil are swirling around me who want to break me to bits and destroy me. f

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Curses pour from their mouths! They’re like ravenous, roaring lions tearing their prey. 14 Now I’m completely exhausted; I’m spent. Every joint of my body has been pulled apart. My courage has vanished and my inward parts have melted away. 15 I’m so thirsty and parched—dry as a bone. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. And now you’ve left me in the dust for dead. 16 They have pierced my hands and my feet. Like a pack of wild dogs they tear at me, swirling around me with their hatred. They gather around me like lions to pin g my hands and feet. 17 All my bones stick out. Look at how they all gloat over me and stare! 18 With a toss of the dice they divide my clothes among themselves, gambling for my garments! 19 Lord, my God, please don’t stay far away. For you are my only might and strength. Won’t you come quickly to my rescue? 20 Give me back my life.

Save me from this violent death. Save my precious one and only h from the power of these demons! i 21 Save me from all the power of the enemy, from this roaring lion raging against me and the power of his dark horde. 22 I will praise your name before all my brothers; as my people gather I will praise you in their midst. j 23

Lovers of Yahweh, praise him! Let all the true seed of Jacob glorify him with your praises. Stand in awe of him, all you princely people, the offspring of Israel! 24 For he has not despised my cries of deep despair. He’s my first responder to my sufferings, and he didn’t look the other way when I was in pain. He was there all the time, listening to the song of the afflicted. 25 You’re the reason for my praise; it comes from you and goes to you. I will keep my promise to praise you before all who fear you

among the congregation of your people. I will invite the poor and broken, and they will come and eat until satisfied. Bring Yahweh praise and you will find him. Your hearts will overflow with life forever! 27 From the four corners of the earth, the peoples of the world will remember and return to the Lord. Every nation will come and worship him. 28 For the Lord is King of all, who takes charge of all the nations. 29 There they are! They’re worshiping! The wealthy of this world will feast in fellowship with him right alongside the humble of heart, bowing down to the dust, forsaking their own souls. They will all come and worship this worthy King! 30 His spiritual seed k shall serve him. Future generations will hear from us about the wonders of the Sovereign Lord. 31 His generation yet to be born will glorify him. And they will all declare, “It is finished!” 26

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Thirty-three prophecies from this psalm were fulfilled when Jesus was on the cross. This could be an amazing picture of Christ giving birth at the cross to a generation of his seed. They are like children of God born in the dawning of that resurrection morning. 22:1 When Jesus quoted these words while dying on the cross, he was identifying himself as the one David wrote about in this psalm. It is a breathtaking portrayal of what Jesus endured through his suffering for us. The psalm ends with another quotation of Jesus on the cross: “It is finished!” 22:2 David uses poetic nuance here, for the word answer ( ‘anah ) is also a Hebrew homonym for “affliction.” 22:6 The Hebrew word for “worm” is tola , which is also the word for “crimson” or “scarlet.” Tola was a certain worm in the M iddle East that, when crushed, bled a crimson color so strong it was used as a dye for garments. Jesus was not saying he was a despised worm, but that he will bleed as he is crushed for our sins. 22:12 M any translations have here “strong bulls of Bashan.” The root word for “bull” means “to break or destroy.” The word Bashan , although known as a fertile land northeast of the Sea of Galilee, is also a word for “serpent.” These represent the many demonic spirits who came against the Son of God as he was being crucified. 22:16 Or “to maul” or “to pierce.”

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22:20 Or “unique” or “darling.” Each of us is that one and only child and “unique darling” mentioned here in this psalm. See also Song 6:9 . On the cross, Jesus—like a deer giving birth at the dawning light (see inscription of Ps. 22 )—cared less that his body was being torn apart and more about our protection and salvation. He prayed for us as he faced the death of the cross. i 22:20 The Hebrew text uses the word dogs , which implies evil spirits who were bent on destroying Jesus on the cross. The Hebrew word for “dog” is taken from a root word meaning “to attack.” j 22:22 Between verse 21 and verse 22 the glorious resurrection of Jesus takes place. The music is elevated to a higher key as victory is sounded forth. “M y people gather” is a reference to the church that was birthed through his resurrection glory. (See also v. 25 .) k 22:30 Jesus, our crucified Savior, had no natural offspring. These are the sons and daughters who were birthed by the work of the cross.

23 T HE G OOD S HEPHERD David’s poetic praise to God a 1 The Lord is my best friend and my shepherd. I always have more than enough.

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He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love. c His tracks take me to an oasis of peace, the quiet brook of bliss. That’s where he restores and revives my life. d He opens before me pathways to God’s pleasure and leads me along in his footsteps of righteousness e so that I can bring honor to his name. Lord, even when your path takes me through the valley of deepest darkness, fear will never conquer me, for you already have! You remain close to me and lead me through it all the way. Your authority is my strength and my peace. f The comfort of your love takes away my fear. I’ll never be lonely, for you are near . You become my delicious feast even when my enemies dare to fight. You anoint me with the fragrance of your Holy Spirit; g you give me all I can drink of you until my heart overflows. So why would I fear the future?

For your goodness and love pursue me all the days of my life. Then afterward, when my life is through, I’ll return to your glorious presence to be forever with you!

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M ost scholars conclude that Ps. 23 was written by David when he was a young shepherd serving his father, Jesse, while he was keeping watch over sheep near Bethlehem. He was most likely sixteen or seventeen years old. The other psalm that he wrote when but a young lad was Ps. 19 . Those are two good psalms to memorize and meditate upon if you want to have the heart of the giant killer. b 23:1 The word most commonly used for “shepherd” is ra‘ah , which is also the Hebrew word for “best friend.” The translation includes both meanings. c 23:2 The Greek word for “love” is agape , which is a merging of two words and two concepts. Ago means “to lead like a shepherd,” and pao is a verb that means “to rest.” Love is our Shepherd leading us to the place of true rest in his heart. d 23:3 Or “He causes my life [or soul, Heb. nephesh ] to return.” So often life drains out of us through our many activities, but David found that God restores our well-being by pursuing what pleases God and resting in him.

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23:3 Or “circular paths of righteousness.” It is a common trait for sheep on the hillsides of Israel to circle their way up higher. They eventually form a path that keeps leading them higher. This is what David is referring to here. Each step we take following our Shepherd will lead us higher, even though it may seem we are going in circles. f 23:4 Or “Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” g 23:5 The word oil becomes a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

24 T HE G LORIOUS K ING David’s poetic praise to God a 1 God claims the world as his. Everything and everyone belongs to him! 2 He’s the one who pushed back oceans to let the dry ground appear, planting firm foundations for the earth. 3 Who, then, ascends into the presence of the Lord? b And who has the privilege of entering into God’s Holy Place? 4 Those who are clean—whose works and ways are pure, whose hearts are true and sealed by the truth, those who never deceive, whose words are sure.

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They will receive the Lord’s blessing and righteousness given by the Savior-God. They will stand before God, for they seek the pleasure of God’s face, c the God of Jacob. Pause in his presence

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So wake up, you living gateways! Lift up your heads, you ageless doors of destiny! Welcome the King of Glory, for he is about to come through you. 8 You ask, “Who is this Glory-King?” The Lord, armed and ready for battle, the Mighty One, invincible in every way! 9 So wake up, you living gateways, and rejoice! d Fling wide, you ageless doors of destiny! Here he comes; the King of Glory is ready to come in. 10 You ask, “Who is this King of Glory?” He is the Lord of Victory, armed and ready for battle, the Mighty One, the invincible commander of heaven’s hosts! Yes, he is the King of Glory! Pause in his presence

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The Septuagint adds “for the Sabbath.” 24:3 Or “hill of the Lord.” 24:6 The Hebrew is plural (“faces”). 24:9 The Hebrew text says, “Lift up your heads,” which is a figure of speech for rejoicing. We are the living gateways who rejoice as the Lord draws near to us from his temple.

25 D ON ’ T F AIL M E , G OD ! a King David’s poetic praise to God 1 Forever I will lift up my soul into your presence, Lord. 2 Be there for me, God, for I keep trusting in you. Don’t allow my foes to gloat over me or the shame of defeat to overtake me. 3 For how could anyone be disgraced when he has entwined his heart with you? But they will all be defeated and ashamed when they harm the innocent. 4 Lord, direct me throughout my journey so I can experience your plans for my life. Reveal the life-paths that are pleasing to you. 5 Escort me along the way; take me by the hand and

teach me. For you are the God of my increasing salvation; I have wrapped my heart into yours! b 6–7 Forgive my failures as a young man, and overlook the sins of my immaturity. Give me grace, Lord! Always look at me through your eyes of love— your forgiving eyes of mercy and compassion. When you think of me, see me as one you love and care for. How good you are to me! 8 When people turn to you, they discover how easy you are to please—so faithful and true! Joyfully you teach them the proper path, even when they go astray. 9 Keep showing the humble your path, and lead them into the best decision. Bring revelation-light that trains them in the truth. 10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who follow the ways of his covenant. 11 For the honor of your name, Lord, never count my sins, and forgive them all— lift their burden off of my life! c

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But still one question remains: How do I live in the holy fear of God? Show me the right path to take. 13 Then prosperity and favor will be my portion, and my descendants will inherit all that is good. 14 There’s a private place reserved for the lovers of God, where they sit near him and receive the revelation-secrets of his promises. d 15 Rescue me, Lord, for you’re my only hero. 16 Sorrows fill my heart as I feel helpless, mistreated — I’m all alone and in misery! Come closer to me now, Lord, for I need your mercy. 17 Turn to me, for my problems seem to be going from bad to worse. Only you can free me from all these troubles! 18 Until you lift this burden, the burden of all my sins, my troubles and trials will be more than I can handle. Can’t you feel my pain? 19 Vicious enemies hate me. There are so many, Lord. Can’t you see?

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Will you protect me from their power against me? Let it never be said that I trusted you and you didn’t come to my rescue. 21 Your perfection and faithfulness are my bodyguards, for you are my hope and I trust in you as my only protection. 22 Zealously, God, we ask you to come save Israel from all her troubles, for you provide the ransom price for your people! e

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Ps. 25–39 are fifteen poetic songs about bringing pure worship before God. Ps. 25–29 speak of our confidence to worship God. Ps. 30–34 point us to receiving life eternal from our Hero-God. The last five, Pss. 35–39 , bring us to the importance of personal purity and holiness before God as we worship him in truth. b 25:5 The Hebrew word most commonly translated as “wait” (wait upon the Lord) is qavah, which also means “to tie together by twisting” or “to entwine” or “to wrap tightly.” This is a beautiful concept of waiting upon God, not as something passive, but entwining our hearts with him and his purposes. c 25:11 The Hebrew word used here for “forgive” or

“pardon” is a rare word used only twice in the Old Testament and comes from a root word meaning “to lift off a burden.” d 25:14 Or “covenant.” e 25:22 Ps. 25 is an acrostic psalm; that is, in the Hebrew text every verse begins with a progressive letter of the alphabet. It is considered a poetic device of Hebrew literature. Go back through the psalm and notice how almost every verse begins with the next letter of our English alphabet. See if you can find them. ( X was not included.)

26 D ECLARE M E I NNOCENT King David’s poetic praise to God 1 You be my judge and declare me innocent! Clear my name, for I have tried my best to keep your laws and to trust you without wavering. 2 Lord, you can scrutinize me. Refine my heart and probe my every thought. Put me to the test and you’ll find it’s true. 3 I will never lose sight of your love for me. Your faithfulness has steadied my steps. 4 I won’t keep company with tricky, two-faced men,

nor will I go the way of those who defraud with hidden motives. 5 I despise the sinner’s hangouts, refusing to even enter them. You won’t find me walking among the wicked. 6–7 When I come before you, I’ll come clean, a approaching your altar with songs of thanksgiving, singing the songs of your mighty miracles. 8 Lord, I love your home, this place of dazzling glory, bathed in the splendor and light of your presence! 9 Don’t treat me as one of these scheming sinners who plot violence against the innocent. 10 Look how they devise their wicked plans, holding the innocent hostage for ransom. 11 I’m not like them, Lord—not at all. Save me, redeem me with your mercy, for I have chosen to walk only in what is right. 12 I will proclaim it publicly in every congregation, and because of you, Lord, I will take my stand on righteousness alone!

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26:6–7 Or “I wash my hands in innocence.”

27 F EARLES S F AITH David’s poetic praise to God before he was anointed king a 1 The Lord is my revelation-light to guide me along the way; b he’s the source of my salvation to defend me every day. I fear no one! I’ll never turn back and run from you, Lord; surround and protect me. 2 When evil ones come to destroy me, they will be the ones who turn back. 3 My heart will not be afraid even if an army rises to attack. I know that you are there for me, so I will not be shaken. 4 Here’s the one thing I crave from God, the one thing I seek above all else: I want the privilege of living with him every moment in his house, c finding the sweet loveliness of his face, filled with awe, delighting in his glory and grace. I want to live my life so close to him

that he takes pleasure in my every prayer. In his shelter in the day of trouble, that’s where you’ll find me, for he hides me there in his holiness. He has smuggled me into his secret place, where I’m kept safe and secure— out of reach from all my enemies. Triumphant now, I’ll bring him my offerings of praise, singing and shouting with ecstatic joy! Yes, listen and you can hear the fanfare of my shouts of praise to the Lord! 7 God, hear my cry. Show me your grace. Show me mercy, and send the help I need! 8 Lord, when you said to me, “Seek my face,” my inner being responded, “I’m seeking your face with all my heart.” 9 So don’t hide yourself, Lord, when I come to find you. d You’re the God of my salvation; how can you reject your servant in anger? You’ve been my only hope, so don’t forsake me now when I need you! 10 My father and mother abandoned me. I’m like an 5–6

orphan! But you took me in and made me yours. e 11 Now teach me all about your ways and tell me what to do. Make it clear for me to understand, for I am surrounded by waiting enemies. 12 Don’t let them defeat me, Lord. You can’t let me fall into their clutches! They keep accusing me of things I’ve never done while they plot evil against me. 13 Yet I totally trust you to rescue me one more time, so that I can see once again how good you are while I’m still alive! 14 Here’s what I’ve learned through it all: Don’t give up; don’t be impatient; be entwined as one with the Lord. f Be brave and courageous, and never lose hope. Yes, keep on waiting—for he will never disappoint you!

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Inscription from the Septuagint. 27:1 See also John 1:5 , 9 ; 1 John 1:5 . 27:4 A temple had not yet been built when David wrote

this psalm. He is saying that he longs to be surrounded with God’s presence, enclosed and encircled with holiness. d 27:9 The Septuagint is “Don’t overlook me.” e 27:10 Every child needs four things: acceptance, focused attention, guidance, and protection. All four of these emotional needs are met by God ( vv. 7–14 ). f 27:14 Or “wait upon the Lord.” See Ps. 25:5 footnote.

28 M Y S TRENGTH AND S HIELD David’s poetic praise to God 1 I’m pleading with you, Lord, help me! a Don’t close your ears to my cry, for you’re my defender. If you continue to remain aloof and refuse to answer me, I might as well give up and die. 2 Can’t you see me turning toward your mercy seat as I lift my hands in surrendered prayer? Now, Lord, please listen to my cry. 3 Don’t allow me to be punished along with the wicked— these hypocrites who speak sweetly to their neighbors’ faces

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while holding evil against them in their hearts. Go ahead and punish them as they deserve. Let them be paid back for all their evil plans in proportion to their wickedness. Since they don’t care anything about you, or about the great things you’ve done, take them down like an old building being demolished, never again to be rebuilt. But may your name be blessed and built up! For you have answered my passionate cry for mercy. You are my strength and my shield from every danger. When I fully trust in you, help is on the way. I jump for joy and burst forth with ecstatic, passionate praise! I will sing songs of what you mean to me! You will be the inner strength of all your people, the mighty protector of all, the saving strength for all your anointed ones. Keep protecting and cherishing your chosen ones; in you they will never fall. Like a shepherd going before us, keep leading us

forward, forever carrying us in your arms!

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28:1 This psalm was likely written when David was exiled because of the rebellion of his son Absalom. He was not longing and looking for his throne but for God’s throne ( v. 2 ).

29 T HE G LORY -G OD T HUNDERS King David’s poetic praise to God for the last days The Feast of Tabernacles a 1 Proclaim his majesty, all you mighty champions, you sons of Almighty God, giving all the glory and strength back to him! 2 Be in awe before his majesty. Be in awe before such power and might! Come worship wonderful Yahweh, arrayed in all his splendor, bowing in worship as he appears in all his holy beauty. Give him the honor due his name.

Worship him wearing the glory-garments of your holy, priestly calling! 3–4 The voice of the Lord echoes through the skies and seas. The Glory-God reigns as he thunders in the clouds. So powerful is his voice, so brilliant and bright, how majestic as he thunders over the great waters! b 5

His tympanic thunder topples the strongest of trees. His symphonic sound splinters the mighty forests. 6 Now he moves Zion’s d mountains by the might of his voice, e shaking the snowy peaks with his earsplitting sound! 7 The lightning-fire flashes, striking as he speaks. 8 God reveals himself when he makes the fault lines quake, shaking deserts, speaking his voice. 9 God’s mighty voice makes the deer to give birth. f His thunderbolt voice lays the forest bare. In his temple all fall before him with each one shouting, “Glory, glory, the God of glory!” g 10 Above the furious flood, h the Enthroned One

reigns, the King-God rules with eternity at his side. 11 This is the one who gives his strength and might to his people. This is the Lord giving us his kiss of peace. i

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The additional words of the inscription are found in the Septuagint. Ps. 29 is one of the loveliest poems ever written. It is pure and unrestrained praise. The name Yahweh (Jehovah) is found eighteen times in eleven verses. David was a prophetic seer, and this psalm can properly be interpreted to speak of God’s majesty revealed in the last days. 29:3–4 The sea (great waters) is a term often used in the Bible to symbolize the “sea of humanity.” See Isa. 57:20; Rev. 17:15 . 29:5 Trees in the Bible are symbols used for men. The strongest of men are toppled and bowed down when the Glory-God speaks. 29:6 Or “Sirion” (M ount Hermon), an ancient term for M ount Zion. See Ps. 133 . 29:6 The “voice of the Lord” is used seven times (the seven thunders) in this psalm. 29:9 Or “God’s mighty voice makes the oaks to whirl.”

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29:9 The Septuagint reads “Those who give him glory he carries to his house.” h 29:10 The Hebrew word for “flood” is found thirteen times in the Bible and is always used in connection to man’s rebellion and turning away from God. Thirteen is the biblical number signifying apostasy. Sitting as king, he rules even over the dark flood of evil to make it end. i 29:11 In Jewish synagogues this psalm is read on the first day of the feast of Pentecost. The Christian church was born on Pentecost two thousand years ago when the mighty “storm” of the Spirit came into the upper room. See Acts 2 . The last word of this psalm is peace . It begins with a storm, but God brings his people peace even in the midst of storms.

30 H E H EALED M E King David’s poetic praise to God A song for the Feast of Dedication of the dwelling place 1 Lord, I will exalt you and lift you high, for you have lifted me up on high! Over all my boasting, gloating enemies, you made me to triumph. 2 O Lord, my healing God,

I cried out for a miracle and you healed me! You brought me back from the brink of death, from the depths below. Now here I am, alive and well, fully restored! 4 O sing and make melody, you steadfast lovers of God. Give thanks to him every time you reflect on his holiness! 5 I’ve learned that his anger lasts for a moment, but his loving favor lasts a lifetime! a We may weep through the night, but at daybreak it will turn into shouts of ecstatic joy. 6–7 I remember boasting, “I’ve got it made! Nothing can stop me now! I’m God’s favored one; he’s made me steady as a mountain!” But then suddenly, you hid your face from me. I was panic-stricken and became depressed. 8 Still I cried out to you, Lord God. I shouted out for mercy, saying, 9 “What would you gain in my death, if I were to go down to the depths of darkness? Will a grave sing your song? 3

How could death’s dust declare your faithfulness?” So hear me now, Lord; show me your famous mercy. O God, be my Savior and rescue me! 11 Then he broke through and transformed all my wailing into a whirling dance of ecstatic praise! He has torn the veil and lifted from me the sad heaviness of mourning. He wrapped me in the glory garments of gladness. 12 How could I be silent when it’s time to praise you? Now my heart sings out loud, bursting with joy— a bliss inside that keeps me singing, “I can never thank you enough!” 10

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30:5 The Septuagint says, “There is wrath in his anger but life in his will [promise].”

31 H OW G REAT I S Y OUR G OODNES S For the Pure and Shining One A song of poetic praise, by King David

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I trust you, Lord, to be my hiding place. Don’t let me down. Don’t let my enemies bring me to shame. Come and rescue me, for you are the only God who always does what is right. 2 Rescue me quickly when I cry out to you. At the sound of my prayer may your ear be turned to me. Be my strong shelter and hiding place on high. Pull me into victory and breakthrough. 3–4 For you are my high fortress, where I’m kept safe. You are to me a stronghold of salvation. When you deliver me out of this peril, it will bring glory to your name. As you guide me forth I’ll be kept safe from the hidden snares of the enemy— the secret traps that lie before me— for you have become my rock of strength. 5 Into your hands I now entrust my spirit. a O Lord, the God of faithfulness, you have rescued and redeemed me. 6 I despise these deceptive illusions, all this pretense and nonsense, for I worship only you.

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In mercy you have seen my troubles and you have cared for me; even during this crisis in my soul I will be radiant with joy, filled with praise for your love and mercy. 8 You have kept me from being conquered by my enemy; you broke open the way to bring me to freedom, b into a beautiful, broad place. c 9 O Lord, help me again! Keep showing me such mercy. For I am in anguish, always in tears, and I’m worn-out with weeping. I’m becoming old because of grief; my health is broken. 10 I’m exhausted! My life is spent with sorrow, my years with sighing and sadness. Because of all these troubles, I have no more strength. My inner being d is so weak and frail. 11 My enemies say, “You are nothing!” Even my friends and neighbors hold me in contempt! They dread seeing me

and they look the other way when I pass by. I am totally forgotten, buried away like a dead man, discarded like a broken dish thrown in the trash. 13 I overheard their whispered threats, the slander of my enemies. I’m terrified as they plot and scheme to take my life. 14 I’m desperate, Lord! I throw myself upon you, for you alone are my God! 15 My life, my every moment, my destiny—it’s all in your hands. So I know you can deliver me from those who persecute me relentlessly. 16 Let your shining face shine on me. Let your undying love and glorious grace save me from all this gloom. 17 As I call upon you, let my shame and disgrace be replaced by your favor once again. But let shame and disgrace fall instead upon the wicked— those going to their own doom, drifting down in silence to the dust of death. 18 At last their lying lips will be muted in their graves. For they are arrogant, filled with contempt and 12

conceit as they speak against the godly. 19 Lord, how wonderful you are! You have stored up so many good things for us, like a treasure chest heaped up and spilling over with blessings— all for those who honor and worship you! Everybody knows what you can do for those who turn and hide themselves in you. 20 So hide all your beloved ones in the sheltered, secret place before your face. Overshadow them by your glory-presence. Keep them from these accusations, the brutal insults of evil men. Tuck them safely away in the tabernacle where you dwell. 21 The name of the Lord is blessed and lifted high! For his marvelous miracle of mercy protected me when I was overwhelmed by my enemies. 22 I spoke hastily when I said, “The Lord has deserted me.” For in truth, you did hear my prayer and came to rescue me. 23 Listen to me, all you godly ones: Love the Lord with passion!

The Lord protects and preserves all those who are loyal to him. But he pays back in full all those who reject him in their pride. 24 So cheer up! Take courage all you who love him. Wait for him to break through for you, all who trust in him!

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31:5 This was quoted by Jesus as he was dying on the cross. See M att. 27:50 . b 31:8 This is a picture of the stone rolled away from the tomb of Jesus. c 31:8 This could be the throne room where Jesus ascended after his death. d 31:10 The Hebrew text says, “M y bones grow weak.” Bones in the Bible are symbols of our inner being.

32 F ORGIVEN A poem of insight and instruction, by King David a 1 How happy and fulfilled are those whose rebellion has been forgiven, b those whose sins are covered by blood .

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How blessed and relieved are those who have confessed their corruption c to God! For he wipes their slates clean and removes hypocrisy from their hearts. Before I confessed my sins, I kept it all inside; my dishonesty devastated my inner life, causing my life to be filled with frustration, irrepressible anguish, and misery. The pain never let up, for your hand of conviction was heavy on my heart. My strength was sapped, my inner life dried up like a spiritual drought within my soul. Pause in his presence

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Then I finally admitted to you all my sins, refusing to hide them any longer. I said, “My life-giving God, I will openly acknowledge my evil actions.” And you forgave me! All at once the guilt of my sin washed away and all my pain disappeared!

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This is what I’ve learned through it all: All believers should confess their sins to God; do it every time God has uncovered you

Pause in his presence

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in the time of exposing. For if you do this, when sudden storms of life overwhelm, you’ll be kept safe. d Lord, you are my secret hiding place, protecting me from these troubles, surrounding me with songs of gladness! Your joyous shouts of rescue release my breakthrough. Pause in his presence

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I hear the Lord saying, “I will stay close to you, instructing and guiding you along the pathway for your life. I will advise you along the way and lead you forth with my eyes as your guide. So don’t make it difficult; don’t be stubborn when I take you where you’ve not been before. Don’t make me tug you and pull you along. Just come with me!” 10 So my conclusion is this: Many are the sorrows and frustrations of those who don’t come clean with God. But when you trust in the Lord for forgiveness, his wrap-around love will surround you.

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So celebrate the goodness of God! He shows this kindness to everyone who is his. Go ahead—shout for joy, all you upright ones who want to please him!

David wrote this psalm after he seduced the wife of his most loyal soldier, then had him killed to try to keep her pregnancy a secret. This sin with Bathsheba brought great disgrace to David, yet he finds complete forgiveness in God’s mercy. The apostle Paul chose the first two verses of Ps. 32 to support the important doctrine of salvation by grace through faith. See Rom. 4:5–8 . This was Saint Augustine’s favorite psalm. He had it written on the wall near his bed before he died so he could meditate upon it. b 32:1 The Hebrew word for “forgiven” means “lifted off.” Sin’s guilt is a burden that must be lifted off our souls. The Septuagint says, “because they have not hidden their sins.” c 32:2 David uses three Hebrew words to describe sin in these first two verses: rebellion , sins (failures, falling short), and corruption (crookedness, the twisting of right standards). d 32:6 Prov. 2:13 is a good commentary on this verse.

33 A S ONG OF P RAIS E Poetic praise, by King David a 1 It’s time to sing and shout for joy! Go ahead, all you redeemed ones, do it! Praise him with all you have, for praise looks lovely on the lips of God’s lovers. 2 Play the guitar as you lift your praises loaded with thanksgiving. Sing and make joyous music with all you’ve got inside. 3 Compose new melodies b that release new praises to the Lord. Play his praises on instruments with the anointing and skill he gives you. Sing and shout with passion; make a spectacular sound of joy— 4 For God’s Word is something to sing about! He is true to his promises, his word can be trusted, and everything he does is reliable and right. 5 The Lord loves seeing justice on the earth. Anywhere and everywhere you can find his faithful, unfailing love! 6 All he had to do was speak by his Spirit-wind

command, and God created the heavenlies. Filled with galaxies and stars, the vast cosmos he wonderfully made. 7 His voice scooped out the seas. The ocean depths he poured into vast reservoirs. 8 Now, with breathtaking wonder, let everyone worship Yahweh, this awe-inspiring Creator. 9 Words he breathed and worlds were birthed. “Let there be,” and there it was— Springing forth the moment he spoke. No sooner said than done! 10 With his breath he scatters the schemes of nations who oppose him; they will never succeed. 11 His destiny-plan for the earth stands sure. His forever-plan remains in place and will never fail. 12 Blessed and prosperous is that nation who has God as their Lord! They will be the people he has chosen for his own. 13–15 The Lord looks over us from where he rules in heaven.

Gazing into every heart from his lofty dwelling place, he observes all the peoples of the earth. The Creator of our hearts considers and examines everything we do. 16 Even if a king has the best-equipped army, it would never be enough to save him. Even if the best warrior went to battle, he could not be saved simply by his strength alone. 17 Human strength and the weapons of man are false hopes for victory; they may seem mighty but they will always disappoint. 18 The eyes of the Lord are upon even the weakest worshipers who love him— those who wait in hope and expectation for the strong, steady love of God. 19 God will deliver them from death, even the certain death of famine, with no one to help. 20 The Lord alone is our radiant hope and we trust in him with all our hearts. His wrap-around presence will strengthen us. 21 As we trust, we rejoice with an uncontained joy

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flowing from Yahweh! Let your love and steadfast kindness overshadow us continually, for we trust and we wait upon you!

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M ost manuscripts have no inscription for this psalm. However, ancient Qumran evidence suggests this is the original inscription that was later omitted. b 33:3 There are seven new songs mentioned in the Bible. Six are in the Psalms (33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1) and one in Isaiah (42:10).

34 G OD ’ S G OODNES S A song by King David composed after his escape from the king when he pretended to be insane 1 Lord! I’m bursting with joy over what you’ve done for me! My lips are full of perpetual praise. 2 I’m boasting of you and all your works, so let all who are discouraged take heart.

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Join me, everyone! Let’s praise the Lord together. Let’s make him famous! Let’s make his name glorious to all. Listen to my testimony: I cried to God in my distress and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears! Gaze upon him, join your life with his, and joy will come. Your faces will glisten with glory. You’ll never wear that shame-face again. When I had nothing, desperate and defeated, I cried out to the Lord and he heard me, bringing his miracle-deliverance when I needed it most. a The angel of the Lord stooped down to listen as I prayed, encircling me, empowering me, and showing me how to escape. He will do this for everyone who fears God. Drink deeply of the pleasures of this God. b Experience for yourself the joyous mercies he gives to all who turn to hide themselves in him.

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Worship in awe and wonder, all you who’ve been made holy! For all who fear him will feast with plenty. 10 Even the strong and the wealthy c grow weak and hungry, but those who passionately pursue the Lord will never lack any good thing. 11 Come, children of God, and listen to me. I’ll share the lesson I’ve learned of fearing the Lord. d 12–13 Do you want to live a long, good life, enjoying the beauty that fills each day? Then never speak a lie or allow wicked words to come from your mouth. 14 Keep turning your back on every sin, and make “peace” your life motto. Practice being at peace with everyone. e 15 The Lord sees all we do; he watches over his friends day and night. His godly ones receive the answers they seek whenever they cry out to him. 16 But the Lord has made up his mind to oppose evildoers and to wipe out even the memory of them

from the face of the earth. Yet when holy lovers of God cry out to him with all their hearts, the Lord will hear them and come to rescue them from all their troubles. 18 The Lord is close to all whose hearts are crushed by pain, and he is always ready to restore the repentant one. 19 Even when bad things happen to the good and godly ones, the Lord will save them and not let them be defeated by what they face. 20 God will be your bodyguard to protect you when trouble is near. Not one bone will be broken. 21 But the wicked commit slow suicide. For they hate and persecute the lovers of God. Make no mistake about it, God will hold them guilty and punish them; they will pay the penalty! 22 But the Lord has paid for the freedom of his servants, and he will freely pardon those who love him. 17

He will declare them free and innocent when they turn to hide themselves in him.

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34:6 David wrote this psalm at perhaps the lowest point in his life. He was alone. He had to part from Jonathan, his dearest friend. He was being chased by Saul and his paid assassins. He had run to hide in the cave of Adullam (meaning “their prey”). Yet the beautiful sounds of praise were heard echoing in his cavern. This is a lesson for all of us: we praise our way out of our difficulties into his light. 34:8 M any translations read “Taste and see.” The Hebrew root word for “see” is taken from a word that means “to drink deeply.” 34:10 Following the ancient versions (Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate), this phrase is translated “rich ones.” M odern translations read “young lions.” 34:11 See 1 Peter 3:10–12 . 34:14 Twice the Hebrew uses the word shalom . This word means much more than peace. It means wholeness, wellness, well-being, safe, happy, friendly, favor, completeness, to make peace, peace offering, secure, to prosper, to be victorious, to be content, tranquil, quiet, and restful. The pictographic symbols for the word shalom ( shin , lamed , vav , mem ) read “Destroy the authority that binds to chaos.” The noun shalom is derived from the verbal root

shalam , which means “to restore,” in the sense of replacing or providing what is needed in order to make someone or something whole and complete. So shalom is used to describe those of us who have been provided all that is needed to be whole and complete and break off all authority that would attempt to bind us to chaos.

35 R ES CUE M E A poetic song, by King David a Part One – David, a Warrior 1 O Lord, fight for me! Harass the hecklers, accuse my accusers. Fight those who fight against me. 2–3 Put on your armor, Lord; take up your shield and protect me. Rise up, mighty God! Grab your weapons of war and block the way of the wicked who come to fight me. Stand for me when they stand against me! Speak over my soul: “I am your strong Savior!” b 4 Humiliate those who seek my harm. Defeat them all! Frustrate their plans to defeat me and drive them back.

Disgrace them all as they have devised their plans to disgrace me. 5 Blow them away like dust in the wind, with the Angel of Almighty God driving them back! 6 Make the road in front of them nothing but slippery darkness, with the Angel of the Lord behind them, chasing them away! 7 For though I did nothing wrong to them, they set a trap for me, wanting me to fall and fail. 8 Surprise them with your ambush, Lord, and catch them in the very trap they set for me. Let them be the ones to fail and fall into destruction! 9 Then my fears will dissolve into limitless joy; my whole being will overflow with gladness because of your mighty deliverance. 10 Everything inside of me will shout it out: “There’s no one like you, Lord!” For look at how you protect the weak and helpless from the strong and heartless who oppress them. Part Two – David, a Witness

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They are malicious men, hostile witnesses of wrong. They rise up against me, accusers appearing out of nowhere. 12 When I show them mercy, they bring me misery. I’m forsaken and forlorn, like a motherless child. 13 I even prayed over them when they were sick. I was burdened and bowed low with fasting and interceded for their healing, and I didn’t stop praying. 14 I grieved for them, heavyhearted, as though they were my dearest family members or my good friends who were sick, nearing death, needing prayer. 15 But when I was the one who tripped up and stumbled, they came together to slander me, rejoicing in my time of trouble, tearing me to shreds with their lies and betrayal. 16 These nameless ruffians, mocking me like godless fools at a feast— how they delight in throwing mud on my name. 17 God, how long can you just stand there doing

nothing? Now is the time to act. Rescue me from these brutal men, for I am being torn to shreds by these beasts who are out to get me. Save me from their rage, their cruel grasp. 18 Then I will praise you wherever I go. c And when everyone gathers for worship, I will lift up your praise with a shout in front of the largest crowd I can find! Part Three – David, a Worshiper 19 Don’t let those who fight me for no reason be victorious. Don’t let them succeed, these heartless haters who come against me with their gloating sneers. 20 They are the ones who would never seek peace as friends, for they are ever devising deceit against the innocent ones who mind their own business. 21 They open their mouths with ugly grins, gloating with glee over my every fault. “Look,” they say, “we caught him red-handed!

We saw him fall with our own eyes!” But my caring God, you have been there all along. You have seen their hypocrisy. God, don’t let them get away with this. Don’t walk away without doing something. 23 Now is the time to awake! Rise up, Lord! Vindicate me, my Lord and my God! 24 You have every right to judge me, Lord, according to your righteousness, but don’t let them rejoice over me when I stumble. 25–26 Let them all be ashamed of themselves, humiliated when they rejoice over my every blunder. Shame them, Lord, when they say, “We saw what he did. Now we have him right where we want him. Let’s get him while he’s down!” Make them look ridiculous when they exalt themselves over me. May they all be disgraced and dishonored! 27 But let all my true friends shout for joy, all those who know and love what I do for you. Let them all say, “The Lord is great, and he delights in the prosperity of his servant.” 22

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Then I won’t be able to hold it in— everyone will hear my joyous praises all day long! Your righteousness will be the theme of my glorysong of praise!

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This is the first of seven Psalms in which David cried out for vengeance upon his enemies ( Pss. 52 , 58 , 59 , 69 , 109 , and 137 ). b 35:2–3 The Aramaic word used here is found thirty-three times in the Psalms and is clearly Savior . Although a New Testament concept, David had a deep understanding almost one thousand years before the Savior was born that God would become his Savior. The Hebrew word for “Savior,” Yasha , is very similar to the name Jesus, Yeshua. c 35:18 The Septuagint says, “M y only child, I will save you from the lions.”

36 T HE B LES S ING OF THE W IS E A poetic song, by King David, the servant of the Lord 1 The rebellion of sin speaks as an oracle of God, speaking deeply to the conscience of wicked men. a

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Yet they are still eager to sin , for the fear of God is not before their eyes. See how they flatter themselves, unable to detect and detest their sins. They are crooked and conceited, convinced they can get away with anything. Their wicked words are nothing but lies. Wisdom is far from them. Goodness is both forgotten and forsaken. They lie awake at night to hatch their evil plots, always planning their schemes of darkness, and never once do they consider the evil of their ways. But you, O Lord, your mercy-seat love is limitless, reaching higher than the highest heavens. Your great faithfulness is infinite, stretching over the whole earth. Your righteousness is unmovable, just like the mighty mountains. Your judgments are as full of wisdom as the oceans are full of water. Your tender care and kindness leave no one forgotten, not a man nor even a mouse.

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O God, how extravagant is your cherishing love! All mankind can find a hiding place b under the shadow of your wings. 8 All may drink of the anointing c from the abundance of your house. All may drink their fill from the delightful springs of Eden. d 9 To know you is to experience a flowing fountain, drinking in your life, springing up to satisfy. In the light of your holiness we receive the light of revelation. e 10 Lord, keep pouring out your unfailing love on those who are near you. Release more of your blessings to those who are loyal to you. 11 Don’t let these proud boasters trample me down; don’t let them push me around by the sheer strength of their wickedness. 12 There they lie in the dirt, these evil ones, thrown down to the ground, never to arise again!

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36:1 Or “The heart of the wicked is rebellious to the core.”

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36:7 Or “They will be satisfied [or watered] in the abundance of your house.” c 36:8 The Hebrew word for “abundance” is actually butterfat or oil . It is a symbol of the anointing of the Holy Spirit. d 36:8 Or “Eden’s rivers of pleasure.” The garden of Eden had flowing rivers of delight. Eden means “pleasure.” The Hebrew word used here is the plural form of Eden, Edens . e 36:9 See John 1:4 .

37 A S ONG OF W IS DOM Poetic praise, by King David a 1 Don’t follow after the wicked ones or be jealous of their wealth. Don’t think for a moment they’re better off than you. 2 They and their short-lived success will soon shrivel up and quickly fade away like grass clippings in the hot sun. 3 Keep trusting in the Lord and do what is right in his eyes. Fix your heart on the promises of God and you will be secure,

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feasting on his faithfulness. Make God the utmost delight and pleasure of your life, b and he will provide for you what you desire the most. Give God the right to direct your life, c and as you trust him along the way you’ll find he pulled it off perfectly! He will appear as your righteousness, d as sure as the dawning of a new day. He will manifest as your justice, as sure and strong as the noonday sun. Quiet your heart in his presence and pray; keep hope alive as you long for God to come through for you. And don’t think for a moment that the wicked in their prosperity are better off than you. Stay away from anger and revenge. Keep envy far from you, for it only leads you into lies. For one day the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will live safe and sound with blessings overflowing.

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Just a little while longer and the ungodly will vanish; you will look for them in vain. 11 But the humble of heart will inherit every promise e and enjoy abundant peace. 12 Let the wicked keep plotting against the godly with all their sneers and arrogant jeers. 13 God doesn’t lose any sleep over them and he knows their day is coming! 14 Evil ones take aim on the poor and helpless; they are ready to slaughter those who do right. 15 But the Lord will turn all their weapons of wickedness back on themselves, piercing their pride-filled hearts until they are the helpless. 16 It is much better to have little combined with much of God than to have the fabulous wealth of the wicked and nothing else. 17 For the Lord takes care of all his forgiven ones while the strength of the evil will surely slip away. 18 Day by day the Lord watches the good deeds of the godly

and he prepares for them his forever-reward. Even in a time of disaster he will watch over them, and they will always have more than enough no matter what happens. 20 All the enemies of God will perish. For the wicked have only a momentary value, a fading glory. Then one day they vanish! Here today, gone tomorrow. 21 They break their promises, borrowing money but never paying it back. The good man returns what he owes with some extra besides. 22 The Lord’s blessed ones receive it all in the end, but the cursed ones will be cut off with nothing to show for themselves. 23 The steps of the God-pursuing ones follow firmly in the footsteps of the Lord, and God delights in every step they take to follow him. 24 If they stumble badly they will still survive, for the Lord lifts them up with his hands. 25 I was once young, but now I’m old. Not once have I found a lover of God forsaken by 19

him, nor have any of their children gone hungry. 26 Instead, I’ve found the godly ones to be the generous ones who give freely to others. Their children are blessed and become a blessing. 27 If you truly want to dwell forever in God’s presence, forsake evil and do what is right in his eyes. 28 The Lord loves it when he sees us walking in his justice. He will never desert his devoted lovers; they will be kept forever in his faithful care. But the descendants of the wicked will be banished. 29 The faithful lovers of God will inherit the earth and enjoy every promise of God’s care, dwelling in peace forever. 30 God-lovers make the best counselors. Their words possess wisdom and are right and trustworthy. 31 The ways of God are in their hearts and they won’t swerve from the paths of steadfast righteousness. 32 Evil ones spy on the godly ones, stalking them

to find something they could use to accuse them. They’re out for the kill! 33 But God will foil all their plots. The godly will not stand condemned when brought to trial. 34 So don’t be impatient for the Lord to act; keep moving forward steadily in his ways, and he will exalt you at the right time . And when he does, you will possess every promise, including your full inheritance. You’ll watch with your own eyes and see the wicked lose everything. 35 I’ve already seen this happen. Once I saw a wicked and violent man overpower all who were around him, a domineering tyrant with his pride and oppressive ways. 36 Then he died and was forgotten. Now no one cares that he is gone forever. 37 But you can tell who are the blameless and spiritually mature. What a different story with them! The godly ones will have a peaceful, prosperous future

with a happy ending. Every evil sinner will be destroyed, obliterated. They’ll be utter failures with no future! 39 But the Lord will be the Savior of all who love him. Even in their time of trouble God will live in them as strength. 40 Because of their faith in him, their daily portion will be a Father’s help and deliverance from evil. This is true for all who turn to hide themselves in him! 38

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Ps. 37 is an acrostic psalm, with every other verse beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. 37:4 The word delight means “to be soft or tender.” 37:5 The Hebrew uses the word commit , which means “to roll over your burdens on the Lord.” 37:6 The Hebrew verb found here is also used for giving birth. Perhaps this is a reference to the birth of Christ, our righteousness. 37:11 Jesus said it this way: “The meek will inherit the earth.” See M att. 5:5 .

38 A G ROAN BEFORE THE T HRONE A poetic lament to remember, by King David a 1 O Lord, don’t punish me angrily for what I’ve done. Don’t let my sin inflame your wrath against me. 2 For the arrows of your conviction have pierced me deeply. Your blows have struck my soul and crushed me. 3 Now my body is sick. My health is totally broken because of your anger, and it’s all due to my sins! 4 I’m overwhelmed, swamped, and submerged beneath the heavy burden of my guilt. It clings to me and won’t let me go. 5 My rotting wounds are a witness against me. They are severe and getting worse, reminding me of my failure and folly. 6 I am completely broken because of what I’ve done. Gloom is all around me. My sins have bent me over to the ground. 7–8 My inner being is shriveled up; my self-confidence crushed. Sick with fever, I’m left exhausted. Now I’m cold as a corpse and nothing is left inside

me but great groaning filled with anguish. 9 Lord, you know all my desires and deepest longings. My tears are liquid words and you can read them all. 10–11 My heart beats wildly, my strength is sapped, and the light of my eyes is going out. My friends stay far away from me, avoiding me like the plague. Even my family wants nothing to do with me. 12 Meanwhile my enemies are out to kill me, plotting my ruin, speaking of my doom as they spend every waking moment planning how to finish me off. 13–14 I’m like a deaf man who no longer hears. I can’t even speak up, and words fail me; I have no argument to counter their threats. 15 Lord, the only thing I can do is wait and put my hope in you. I wait for your help, my God. 16 So hear my cry and put an end to their strutting in pride, who gloat when I stumble in pain. 17 I’m slipping away and on the verge of a

breakdown, with nothing but sorrow and sighing. b 18 I confess all my sin to you; I can’t hold it in any longer. My agonizing thoughts punish me for my wrongdoing; I feel condemned as I consider all I’ve done. 19 My enemies are many. They hate me and persecute me, though I’ve done nothing against them to deserve it. 20 I show goodness to them and get repaid evil in return. And they hate me even more when I stand for what is right. 21 So don’t forsake me now, Lord! Don’t leave me in this condition. 22 God, hurry to help me, run to my rescue! For you’re my Savior and my only hope!

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The Septuagint has in the inscription “To be remembered on the Sabbath.” b 38:17 The Septuagint reads “I am prepared for all of their

whips—prepared to suffer.”

39 A C RY FOR H ELP For the Pure and Shining One A song of praising, by King David a 1–2 Here’s my life motto, the truth I live by: I will guard my ways for all my days. I will speak only what is right, guarding what I speak. Like a watchman guards against an attack of the enemy, I’ll guard and muzzle my mouth when the wicked are around me. I will remain silent and will not grumble or speak out of my disappointment. But the longer I’m silent the more my pain grows worse! 3–4 My heart burned with a fire within me, and my thoughts eventually boiled over until they finally came rolling out of my mouth. “Lord, help me to know how fleeting my time on earth is. Help me to know how limited is my life

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and that I’m only here but for a moment more. What a brief time you’ve given me to live! b Compared to you my lifetime is nothing at all! Nothing more than a puff of air, I’m gone so swiftly. So too are the grandest of men; they are nothing but a fleeting shadow!” Pause in his presence

We live our lives like those living in shadows. c All our activities and energies are spent for things that pass away. We gather, we hoard, we cling to our things, only to leave them all behind for who knows who. 7 And now, God, d I’m left with one conclusion: my only hope is to hope in you alone! 8 Save me from being overpowered by my sin; don’t make me a disgrace before the degenerate. 9 Lord, I’m left speechless and I have no excuse, so I’ll not complain any longer. Now I know you’re the one who is behind it all. 10 But I can’t take it much longer. Spare me these blows from your discipline-rod. For if you are against me, I will waste away to nothing. 6

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No one endures when you rebuke and discipline us for our sins. Like a cobweb is swept away with a wave of the hand, you sweep away all that we once called dear. How fleeting and frail our lives! We’re nothing more than a puff of air. Pause in his presence

12

Lord, listen to all my tender cries. Read my every tear, like liquid words that plead for your help. I feel all alone at times, like a stranger to you, passing through this life just like all those before me. 13 Don’t let me die without restoring joy and gladness to my soul. May your frown over my failure become a smile over my success.

a

The Hebrew inscription includes the name Jeduthun, which can be translated “praising.” b 39:5 Interestingly, the Hebrew word for “short” in this verse is “a handbreadth,” or the span of a man’s hand. Our

c d

life’s duration is compared to a mere six-inch span! 39:6 Or “like phantoms going to and fro.” 39:7 The Aramaic is M aryah, the Aramaic form of YHWH or Lord Jehovah.

40 A J OYFUL S ALVATION For the Pure and Shining One A song of poetic praise, by King David 1 I waited and waited and waited some more, patiently, knowing God would come through for me. Then, at last, he bent down and listened to my cry. 2 He stooped down to lift me out of danger from the desolate pit I was in, out of the muddy mess I had fallen into. Now he’s lifted me up into a firm, secure place and steadied me while I walk along his ascending path. 3 A new song for a new day rises up in me every time I think about how he breaks through for me! Ecstatic praise pours out of my mouth until everyone hears how God has set me free.

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Many will see his miracles; they’ll stand in awe of God and fall in love with him! Blessing after blessing comes to those who love and trust the Lord. They will not fall away, for they refuse to listen to the lies of the proud. O Lord, our God, no one can compare with you. Such wonderful works and miracles are all found with you! And you think of us all the time with your countless expressions of love— far exceeding our expectations! It’s not sacrifices that really move your heart. Burnt offerings, sin offerings—that’s not what brings you joy. But when you open my ears and speak deeply to me, I become your willing servant, your prisoner of love for life. a So I said, “Here I am! I’m coming to you as a sacrifice , b for in the prophetic scrolls of your book you have written about me.

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I delight to fulfill your will, my God, for your living words are written upon the pages of my heart.” 9 I tell everyone everywhere the truth of your righteousness. And you know I haven’t held back in telling the message to all. 10 I don’t keep it a secret or hide the truth. I preach of your faithfulness and kindness, proclaiming your extravagant love to the largest crowd I can find! 11 So Lord, don’t hold back your love or withhold your tender mercies from me. Keep me in your truth and let your compassion overflow to me no matter what I face. 12 Evil surrounds me; problems greater than I can solve come one after another. Without you, I know I can’t make it. My sins are so many! I’m so ashamed to lift my face to you. For my guilt grabs me and stings my soul until I am weakened and spent.

13

Please, Lord! Come quickly and rescue me! Take pleasure in showing me your favor and restore me. 14 Let all who seek my life be humiliated! Let them be confused and ashamed, God. Scatter those who wish me evil; they just want me dead. 15 Scoff at every scoffer and cause them all to be utter failures. Let them be ashamed and horrified by their complete defeat. 16 But let all who passionately seek you erupt with excitement and joy over what you’ve done! Let all your lovers rejoice continually in the Savior, c saying, “How great and glorious is our God!” 17 Lord, in my place of weakness and need, I ask again: Will you come and help me? I know I’m always in your thoughts. You are my true Savior and hero, so don’t delay to deliver me now, for you are my God.

a

40:6 The Septuagint is “a body you have prepared for me.” The Hebrew says, “You have pierced my ear.” This is a Hebraic reference to being a bond servant whose ear has been pierced by his master to signify a desire to serve for life. See Ex. 21:1–6; Isa. 50:5; Heb. 10:5 . b 40:7 Implied in the context. See Heb. 10:5–7 . c 40:16 This verse contains the root word for Yeshua in Hebrew.

41 I N EED Y OU , L ORD King David’s poetic song for the Pure and Shining One 1 God always blesses those who are kind to the poor and helpless. They’re the first ones God helps when they find themselves in any trouble. 2 The Lord will preserve and protect them. They’ll be honored and esteemed a while their enemies are defeated. 3 When they are sick, God will restore them, lying upon their bed of suffering. He will raise them up again and restore them back

to health. So in my sickness I say to you, “Lord, be my kind healer. Heal my body and soul; heal me, God! For I have confessed my sins to you.” b 5 But those who hate me wish the worst for me, saying, “When will he die and be forgotten?” 6 And when these “friends” come to visit me with their pious sympathy and their hollow words and with hypocrisy hidden in their hearts, I can see right through it all. For they come merely to gather gossip about me, using all they find to mock me with malicious hearts of slander. 7 They are wicked whisperers who imagine the worst for me, repeating their rumors, saying, 8 “He got what he deserved; it’s over for him! The spirit of infirmity c is upon him and he’ll never get over this illness.” 9 Even my ally, my friend, has turned against me. He was one I totally trusted with my life, sharing supper with him, d 4

and now he shows me nothing but betrayal and treachery. He has sold me as an enemy. e 10 So Lord, please don’t desert me when I need you! Give me grace and get me back on my feet so I can triumph over them all. 11 Then I’ll know you’re pleased with me when you allow me to taste of victory over all my foes. 12 Now stand up for me and don’t let me fall, for I’ve walked with integrity. Keep me before your face forever. 13 Everyone praise the Lord God of Israel, always and forever! For he is from eternity past and will remain for the eternity to come. That’s the way it will be forever. Faithful is our King! Amen! f

a b c

41:2 Or “They will be blessed in the land.” 41:4 Or “For I have sinned against you.” 41:8 Or “a thing of Belial” or “an affliction from the abandoned one.”

d

41:9 In the culture of that day, sharing a meal together was a sign of covenant friendship. e 41:9 The Hebrew literally reads “He lifted up his heel against me.” This is a powerful figure of speech meaning he was sold as an enemy and was treated treacherously. This verse was quoted, in part, by Jesus at the Last Supper ( John 13:18 ). f 41:13 Some scholars believe this last verse was added as a “doxology of praise,” marking the end of the first book of Psalms. The word amen means “Faithful is our King!”

BOOK 2 THE EXODUS PSALMS Psalms of suffering and redemption

42 A C RY FOR R EVIVAL a For the Pure and Shining One A contemplative poem for instruction, by the prophetic singers of Korah’s clan b 1 I long to drink of you, O God, drinking deeply from the streams of pleasure flowing from your presence. My longings overwhelm me for more of you! c 2 My soul thirsts, pants, and longs for the living God. I want to come and see the face of God. 3 Day and night my tears keep falling and my heart keeps crying for your help while my enemies mock me over and over, saying, “Where is this God of yours? Why doesn’t he help you ?” 4 So I speak over my heartbroken soul,

“Take courage. Remember when you used to be right out front leading the procession of praise when the great crowd of worshipers gathered to go into the presence of the Lord? You shouted with joy as the sound of passionate celebration filled the air and the joyous multitude of lovers honored the festival of the Lord!” 5 So then, my soul, why would you be depressed? Why would you sink into despair? Just keep hoping and waiting on God, your Savior. For no matter what, I will still sing with praise, for living before his face is my saving grace! 6 Here I am depressed and downcast. Yet I will still remember you as I ponder the place where your glory streams down from the mighty mountaintops, lofty and majestic— the mountains of your awesome presence . d 7 My deep need calls out to the deep kindness of your love. Your waterfall of weeping sent waves of sorrow over my soul, carrying me away, cascading over me like a thundering cataract. 8 Yet all day long God’s promises of love pour over me.

Through the night I sing his songs, for my prayer to God has become my life. 9 I will say to God, “You are my mountain of strength; how could you forget me? Why must I suffer this vile oppression of my enemies— these heartless tormentors who are out to kill me?” 10 Their wounding words pierce my heart over and over while they say, “Where is this God of yours?” 11 So I say to my soul, “Don’t be discouraged. Don’t be disturbed. For I know my God will break through for me.” Then I’ll have plenty of reasons to praise him all over again. Yes, living before his face is my saving grace!

a

Ps. 42 and 43 were originally composed as one psalm and later made into two. b Korah was the great-grandson of Levi. The sons of Korah were a family of Levitical singers. David chose them to preside over the music of the tabernacle-tent on M ount Zion.

c

42:1 The literal Hebrew is “as the deer pants for the riverbank [water’s edge].” The translation takes the metaphor of a hunted deer and puts it into terms that transfer the meaning into today’s context. David is describing the passion and longing he has that is yet unfulfilled. d 42:6 The Hebrew text contains Mount Hermon and Mount Mizar , considered to be sacred mountains in the Hebrew culture. Hermon means lofty and majestic. Mizar means littleness.

43 L IGHT AND T RUTH For the Pure and Shining One, by the prophetic singers of Korah’s clan a A contemplative poem for instruction 1 God, clear my name. Plead my case against the unjust charges of these ungodly workers of wickedness. Deliver me from these lying degenerates. 2 For you are where my strength comes from b and my protector, so why would you leave me now? Must I be covered with gloom

while the enemy comes after me, gloating with glee? 3 Pour into me the brightness of your daybreak! Pour into me your rays of revelation-truth! Let them comfort and gently lead me onto the shining path, showing the way into your burning presence, into your many sanctuaries of holiness. 4 Then I will come closer to your very altar until I come before you, the God of my ecstatic joy! I will praise you with the harp that plays in my heart, to you, my God, my magnificent God! 5 Then I will say to my soul, “Don’t be discouraged; don’t be disturbed, for I fully expect my Savior-God to break through for me. Then I’ll have plenty of reasons to praise him all over again.” Yes, living before his face is my saving grace!

a

Although there is no inscription for this psalm, it was

b

originally part of Ps. 42 . 43:2 Or “God of my strength.”

44 W AKE U P , L ORD , W E ’ RE IN T ROUBLE

For the Pure and Shining One, by the prophetic singers of Korah’s clan A contemplative poem for instruction The Past 1–2 God, we’ve heard about all the glorious miracles you’ve done for our ancestors in days gone by. They told us about the ancient times, how by your power you drove out the ungodly nations from this land, crushing all their strongholds and giving the land to us. Now the people of Israel cover the land from one end to the other, all because of your grace and power ! 3 Our forefathers didn’t win these battles by their own strength or their own skill or strategy. But it was through the shining forth of your

4 5

6 7 8

radiantpresence and the display of your mighty power. You loved to give them victory, for you took great delight in them. You are my God, my King! It’s now time to decree majesties for Jacob! Through your glorious name and your awesome power we can push through to any victory and defeat every enemy. For I will not trust in the weapons of the world; a I know they will never save me. Only you will be our Savior from all our enemies. All those who hate us you have brought to shame. So now I constantly boast in you. I can never thank you enough! Pause in his presence

The Present 9 But you have turned your back on us; you walked off and left us! You’ve rejected us, tossing us aside in humiliating shame. You don’t go before us anymore in our battles.

10

We retreat before our enemies in defeat, for you are no longer helping us. Those who hate us have invaded our land and plundered our people. 11 You have treated us like sheep in the slaughter pen, ready to be butchered. You’ve scattered us to the four winds. 12 You have sold us as slaves for nothing! You have counted us, your precious ones, as worthless. 13 You have caused our neighbors to despise and scorn us. All that are around us mock and curse us. 14 You have made us the butt of their jokes. Disliked by all, we are the laughingstock of the people. 15–16 There’s no escape from this constant curse, this humiliation! We are despised, jeered, overwhelmed by shame, and overcome at every turn by our hateful and heartless enemies. 17 Despite all of this, we have not forgotten you; we have not broken covenant with you. 18 We have not betrayed you; our hearts are still

yours. Our steps have not strayed from your path. 19 Yet you have crushed us, leaving us in this wilderness place of misery and desperation . b With nowhere else to turn, death’s dark door seems to be the only way out. 20–21 If we had forsaken your holy name, wouldn’t you know it? You’d be right in leaving us. If we had worshiped before other gods, no one would blame you for punishing us. God, you know our every heart secret. You know we still want you! 22 Because of you we face death threats every day. Like martyrs we are dying daily. We are seen as lambs lined up to be slaughtered as sacrifices. The Future 23 So wake up, Lord God! Why would you sleep when we’re in trouble? Are you forsaking us forever? 24 You can’t hide your face any longer from us!

How could you forget our agonizing sorrow? Now we lay facedown, sinking into the dust of death, the quicksand of the grave. 26 Arise, awake, and come to help us, O Lord. Let your unfailing love save us from this sorrow! 25

a b

44:6 Or “bow and sword.” 44:19 Or “in this place of jackals.”

45 T HE W EDDING S ONG For the Pure and Shining One, by the prophetic singers of Korah’s clan A contemplative song of instruction for the Loved One To the melody of “Lilies” a 1 My heart is on fire, boiling over with passion. Bubbling up within me are these beautiful lyrics as a lovely poem to be sung for the King. Like a river bursting its banks, I’m overflowing with words,

spilling out into this sacred story.

b

His Royal Majesty 2 Beautiful! Beautiful! Beyond the sons of men! c Elegant grace pours out through every word you speak. d Truly God has anointed you, his favored one, for eternity! 3 Now strap your lightning-sword of judgment upon your side, O mighty warrior, so majestic! You are full of beauty and splendor as you go out to war! 4 In your glory and grandeur go forth in victory! Through your faithfulness and meekness the cause of truth and justice will stand. Awe-inspiring miracles are accomplished by your power, leaving everyone dazed and astonished! 5 Your wounding leaves men’s hearts defeated as they fall before you broken. 6 Your glory-kingdom, O God, endures forever, for you are enthroned to rule with a justice-scepter in your hand!

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You are passionate for righteousness and you hate lawlessness. This is why God, your God, crowns you with bliss above your fellow kings. He has anointed you, more than any other, with his oil of fervent joy, the very fragrance of heaven’s gladness. Your royal robes release the scent of suffering love for your bride; e the odor of aromatic incense is upon you. f From the pure and shining place, g lovely music that makes you glad is played for your pleasure.

Her Royal Majesty 9 The daughters of kings, women of honor, are maidens in your courts. And standing beside you, glistening in your pure and golden glory, is the beautiful bride-to-be! h 10 Now listen, daughter, pay attention, and forget about your past. Put behind you every attachment to the familiar, even those who once were close to you! 11 For your royal Bridegroom is ravished by your

beautiful brightness. Bow in reverence before him, for he is your Lord! 12 Wedding presents pour in from those of great wealth. i The royal friends of the Bridegroom shower you with gifts. 13 As the princess bride enters the palace, how glorious she appears within the holy chamber, robed with a wedding dress embroidered with pure gold! 14 Lovely and stunning she leads the procession with all her bridesmaids j as they come before you, her Bridegroom King. 15 What a grand, majestic entrance! A joyful, glad procession as they enter the palace gates! 16 Your many sons will one day be kings, just like their Father. They will sit on royal thrones all around the world. 17 I will make sure the fame of your name is honored in every generation as all the people praise you, giving you thanks forever and ever!

a

b c d e

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g

h i

Lilies in the Bible are metaphors of God’s precious people. See Song 2:1–2 ; Hos. 14:5; Luke 12:27–28 . M any believe this was the wedding song composed for Solomon as he married the princess of Egypt. But the language is so lofty and glorious that we see one greater than Solomon in its verses. This is a song of the wedding of Jesus and his Bride, the church. 45:1 The Hebrew is literally “M y tongue is the pen of a skillful [inspired] scribe.” 45:2 Or “You are the most wonderful and winsome of all men.” 45:2 See John 6:68 and 7:46 . 45:8 The Hebrew word myrrh is taken from a root word that means “suffering.” Jewish rabbis refer to myrrh as “tears from a tree,” a symbol of suffering love. 45:8 The text reads “aloes and cassia.” Both are equated with the anointing spice, the incense burned in the Holy Place. 45:8 Or “from the ivory palaces.” This is an obvious reference to the Holy Place, as our High Priest comes from the chamber of glory to be with us. The word ivory is taken from a Hebrew word for “white and glistening.” 45:9 Or “queen.” 45:12 The Hebrew text is literally “the daughter of Tyre.” This was symbolic of the merchants of the earth, those possessing great wealth.

j

45:14 Or “virgins.” See Rev. 14:1–4 and 2 Cor. 11:2 .

46 G OD ON O UR S IDE For the Pure and Shining One, by the prophetic singers of Korah’s clan A poetic song to the melody of “Hidden Things” a 1 God, you’re such a safe and powerful place to find refuge! You’re a proven help in time of trouble— more than enough and always available whenever I need you. 2 So we will never fear even if every structure of support b were to crumble away. We will not fear even when the earth quakes and shakes, moving mountains and casting them into the sea. 3 For the raging roar of stormy winds and crashing waves cannot erode our faith in you. Pause in his presence 4

God has a constantly flowing river whose sparkling

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streams bring joy and delight to his people. His river flows right through the city of God Most High, into his holy dwelling places. c God is in the midst of his city, d secure and never shaken. At daybreak his help will be seen with the appearing of the dawn. When the nations are in uproar with their tottering kingdoms, God simply raises his voice and the earth begins to disintegrate before him. Here he comes ! The Commander! The mighty Lord of Angel Armies is on our side. The God of Jacob fights for us! Pause in his presence

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Everyone look! Come and see the breathtaking wonders of our God. For he brings both ruin and revival . He’s the one who makes conflicts end throughout the earth,

breaking and burning every weapon of war. Surrender your anxiety! e Be silent and stop your striving and you will see that I am God. I am the God above all the nations, and I will be exalted throughout the whole earth. 11 Here he stands! The Commander! The mighty Lord of Angel Armies is on our side! The God of Jacob fights for us! 10

Pause in his presence

a

b c

d e

As translated in the Septuagint. Other versions read “for the maidens.” Ps. 46 is known as one of the Songs of Zion. The others are Psalms 48, 76, 84, 87, and 122. These are psalms that praise Jerusalem as God’s dwelling place. 46:2 Or “earth itself.” 46:4 The plural “dwelling places” points to believers today. Each believer is now the holy dwelling place of God. God’s river flows into us and through us. 46:5 This is a reference to Jerusalem, but today God calls his church a “city” on a hill. 46:10 The Septuagint reads “relax.”

47 T HE K ING OF A LL THE E ARTH For the Pure and Shining One, by the prophetic singers of Korah’s clan A poetic song 1 Go ahead and celebrate! Come on and clap your hands, everyone! Shout to God with the raucous sounds of joy! 2 The Lord God Most High is astonishing, awesome beyond words! He’s the formidable and powerful King over all the earth. 3 He’s the one who conquered the nations before us and placed them all under our feet. 4 He’s marked out our inheritance ahead of time, putting us in the front of the line, honoring Jacob, the one he loves. a Pause in his presence 5 6

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God arises with the earsplitting shout of his people! God goes up with a trumpet blast! Sing and celebrate! Sing some more, celebrate some more! Sing your highest song of praise to our King! For God is the triumphant King; the powers of earth

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are all his. So sing your celebration songs of highest praise to the glorious Enlightened One! Our God reigns over every nation. He reigns on his holy throne over all. All the nobles and princes, the loving servants of the God of Abraham, they all gather to worship. Every warrior’s shield is now lowered as surrendered trophies before this King. He has taken his throne, high and lofty, exalted over all!

47:4 Or “the pride of Jacob.” The Septuagint says, “the beauty of Jacob.”

48 B EAUTIFUL Z ION A poetic song, for the prophetic singers of Korah’s clan 1 There are so many reasons to describe God as wonderful!

So many reasons to praise him with unlimited praise! a 2 Zion-City is his home; he lives on his holy mountain — high and glorious, joy filled and favored. Zion-Mountain looms in the farthest reaches of the north, b the city of our incomparable King! 3 This is his divine abode, an impenetrable citadel, for he is known to dwell in the highest place. 4–6 See how the mighty kings united to come against Zion, yet when they saw God manifest in front of their eyes, they were stunned. Trembling, they all fled away, gripped with fear. c Seized with panic, they doubled up in frightful anguish like a woman in the labor pains of childbirth. 7 Like a hurricane blowing and breaking the invading ships, d God blows upon them and breaks them to pieces. 8 We have heard about these wonders, and then we saw them with our own eyes.

For this is the city of the Commander of Angel Armies, the city of our God, safe and secure forever! Pause in his presence 9

Lord, as we worship you in your temple, we recall over and over your kindness to us and your unending love. 10 The fame of your name echoes throughout the entire world, accompanied with praises. Your right hand is full of victory. 11 So let the people of Zion rejoice with gladness; let the daughters of praise leap for joy! e For God will see to it that you are judged fairly. 12–13 Circle Zion; count her towers. Consider her walls, climb her palaces, and then go and tell the coming generation of the care and compassion of our God. 14 Yes, this is our God, our great God forever. He will lead us onward until the end, through all time, beyond death, and into eternity!

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d e

48:1 This psalm was written to commemorate the defeat of the Assyrian army in the days of King Hezekiah. 48:2 Or “the sides of the north,” a metaphor to describe God’s heavenly home. See also Isa. 14:13. 48:4–6 This no doubt refers to the night the angel of the Lord descended into the ranks of the Assyrians and killed 185,000 men. See Isa. 37:36. 48:7 Or “ships of Tarshish.” 48:11 Or “the daughters of Judah.”

49 W IS DOM B ETTER T HAN W EALTH For the Pure and Shining One A poetic song, by the prophetic singers of Korah’s clan 1–2 Listen, one and all! Both rich and poor together, all over the world— everyone listen to what I have to say! 3 For wisdom will come from my mouth; words of insight and understanding will be heard from the musings of my heart. 4 I will break open mysteries with my music, and my song will release riddles solved. 5 There’s no reason to fear when troubling times

come, even when you’re surrounded with problems and persecutors who chase at your heels. a 6–7 They trust in their treasures and boast in their riches, yet not one of them, though rich as a king, could rescue his own brother from the guilt of his sins. Not one could give God the ransom price for the soul of another, let alone for himself. 8–9 A soul’s redemption is too costly and precious for anyone to pay with earthly wealth. The price to pay is never enough to purchase eternal life for even one, to keep them out of hell. 10–11 The brightest and best, along with the foolish and senseless, God sees that they all will die one day, leaving their houses and wealth to others. Even though they name streets and lands after themselves, b hoping to have their memory endure beyond the grave, legends in their own minds, their home address is now the cemetery!

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The honor of man is short-lived and fleeting. There’s little difference between man and beast, for both will one day perish. 13 Such is the path of foolish men and those who quote everything they say, for they are here today and gone tomorrow! Pause in his presence 14

A shepherd called “Death” herds them, leading them like mindless sheep straight to hell. Yet at daybreak you will find the righteous ruling in their place. Every trace of them will be gone forever, with all their “glory” lost in the darkness of their doom. 15 But I know the loving God will redeem my soul, raising me up from the dark power of death, taking me as his bridal partner. c Pause in his presence 16

So don’t be disturbed when you see the rich surround you with the “glory” of their wealth on full display. 17 For when they die they will carry nothing with them, and their riches will not follow them beyond the

grave. Though they have the greatest rewards of this world and all applaud them for their accomplishments, they will follow those who have gone before them and go straight into the realm of darkness, where they never ever see the light again. 20 So this is the way of mortal man— honored for a moment, yet without eternal insight, like a beast that will one day perish. 18–19

a

49:5 This phrase contains a variant form of the name Jacob, which means “heel grabber.” b 49:10–11 Or “They read their names in the ground.” c 49:15 Or “He will offer his hand to me in marriage.”

50 G OD H AS S POKEN A poetic song of Asaph, the gatherer a 1 The God of gods, the mighty Lord himself, has spoken! He shouts out over all the people of the earth

in every brilliant sunrise and every beautiful sunset, saying, “Listen to me!” 2 God’s glory-light shines out of the Zion-realm b with the radiance of perfect beauty. 3 With the rumble of thunder he approaches; he will not be silent, for he comes with an earsplitting sound! All around him are furious flames of fire, and preceding him is the dazzling blaze of his glory. 4 Here he comes to judge his people! He summons his court with heaven and earth as his jury, saying, 5 “Gather all my lovers, my godly ones whose hearts are one with me— those who have entered into my holy covenant by sacrifices upon the altar.” 6 And the heavens declare his justice: “God himself will be their judge, and he will judge them with righteousness!” Pause in his presence 7

“Listen to me, O my people! Listen well, for I am your God! I am bringing you to trial and here are my charges. c

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I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices, which you continually bring to my altar. 9 Do I need your young bull or goats from your fields as if I were hungry ? 10–11 Every animal of field and forest belongs to me, the Creator. I know every movement of the birds in the sky, and every animal of the field is in my thoughts. The entire world and everything it contains is mine. 12–13 If I were hungry, do you think I would tell you? For all that I have created, the fullness of the earth, is mine. Am I fed by your sacrifices? Of course not! 14 Why don’t you bring me the sacrifices I desire? Bring me your true and sincere thanks, and show your gratitude by keeping your promises to me, the Most High. 15 Honor me by trusting in me in your day of trouble. Cry aloud to me, and I will be there to rescue you. 16 And now I speak to the wicked. Listen to what I have to say to you! What right do you have to presume to speak for me

and claim my covenant promises as yours? For you have hated my instruction and disregarded my words, throwing them away as worthless! 18 You forget to condemn the thief or adulterer. You are their friend, running alongside them into darkness. 19–20 The sins of your mouth multiply evil. You have a lifestyle of lies, devoted to deceit as you speak against others, even slandering those of your own household! 21 All this you have done and I kept silent, so you thought that I was just like you, sanctioning evil. But now I will bring you to my courtroom and spell out clearly my charges before you. 22 This is your last chance, my final warning. Your time is up! Turn away from all this evil, or the next time you hear from me will be when I am coming to pass sentence upon you. I will snatch you away and no one will be there to help you escape my judgment. 17

23

The life that pleases me is a life lived in the gratitude of grace, always choosing to walk with me in what is right. This is the sacrifice I desire from you. If you do this, more of my salvation will unfold for you.”

a

Asaph’s name means “gatherer.” Like David, Asaph was anointed with the spirit of prophecy and wrote twelve psalms ( Pss. 50 and 73–83 ). b 50:2 The Aramaic text can be translated “Out of Zion God has shown a glorious crown.” c 50:7 This summons to judgment is not against the heathen nations but against God’s people. See 1 Peter 4:17 .

51 P ARDON AND P URITY For the Pure and Shining One A prayer of confession when the prophet Nathan exposed King David’s adultery with Bathsheba a David’s Confession

1–2

God, give me mercy from your fountain of forgiveness! I know your abundant love is enough to wash away my guilt. Because your compassion is so great, take away this shameful guilt of sin. Forgive the full extent of my rebellious ways, and erase this deep stain on my conscience. b 3–4 For I’m so ashamed. I feel such pain and anguish within me. I can’t get away from the sting of my sin against you, Lord! Everything I did, I did right in front of you, for you saw it all. Against you, and you above all, have I sinned. Everything you say to me is infallibly true and your judgment conquers me. 5 Lord, I have been a sinner from birth, from the moment my mother conceived me. 6 I know that you delight to set your truth deep in my spirit. c So come into the hidden places of my heart and teach me wisdom.

David’s Cleansing 7 Purify my conscience! Make this leper clean again! Wash me in your love until I am pure in heart. e 8 Satisfy me in your sweetness, and my song of joy will return. The places within me you have crushed will rejoice in your healing touch. f 9 Hide my sins from your face; g erase all my guilt by your saving grace. 10 Create a new, clean heart within me. h Fill me with pure thoughts and holy desires, ready to please you. i 11 May you never reject me! May you never take from me your sacred Spirit! David’s Consecration 12 Let my passion for life be restored, tasting joy j in every breakthrough you bring to me. Hold me close to you with a willing spirit that obeys whatever you say. 13 Then I can show to other guilty ones how loving and merciful you are. They will find their way back home to you, knowing that you will forgive them.

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O God, my saving God, deliver me fully from every sin, even the sin that brought bloodguilt. k Then my heart will once again be thrilled to sing the passionate songs of joy and deliverance! 15 Lord God, unlock my heart, unlock my lips, and I will overcome with my joyous praise! 16 For the source of your pleasure is not in my performance or the sacrifices I might offer to you. 17 The fountain of your pleasure is found in the sacrifice of my shattered heart before you. You will not despise my tenderness as I humbly bow down at your feet. 18 Because you favor Zion, do what is good for her. Be the protecting wall around Jerusalem. 19 And when we are fully restored, you will rejoice and take delight in every offering of our lives as we bring our sacrifices of righteousness before you in love! l

a

This psalm is based on the incident that is recorded in 2

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e f

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Sam. 12–13. This is a psalm of confession that has been sung for ages. Imagine composing a song about your failure and making it public for all time. David was not so much concerned about what the people thought but what God thought. He wanted to be clean before God. 51:1–2 Or “Wash me.” David uses the Hebrew word kabas , which is used for washing clothes, not bathing. David is asking for his royal robes to be cleansed from the stains of his actions and publicly restored. 51:6 The Hebrew word bat-ţūhôt , although difficult to translate, can mean “something that is covered over, hidden, or concealed.” You could paraphrase this as “You desire light in my darkness” or “You want truth to expose my secrets.” 51:7 The Hebrew text contains the word hyssop . This was a bushy plant used for sprinkling blood on a healed leper to ceremonially cleanse him for the worship of God. See Lev. 14:3–7 and Num. 19. 51:7 Or “Wash me with the snow from above so I can be whitened.” 51:8 In this beautiful verse, the “broken places” are literally “broken bones.” Our bones speak allegorically of our inner being, our emotional strength. 51:9 David was not just ashamed of what others would think but that he had been seen by God. True remorse has no thought about reputation but righteousness. 51:10 The word used for “create” takes us back to Gen. 1,

i j

k

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and it means to create from nothing. David knew he had no goodness without God placing it within him. David wanted a new creation heart, not just the old one changed. 51:10 Or “renew a reliable spirit in my inner being.” 51:12 The Hebrew word for “joy” comes from two Hebrew roots: one means “bright” and the other means “lily [whiteness].” David wanted to taste a joy that was bright, pure, and as beautiful as a lily. 51:14 Or simply “blood.” David could be asking God to spare his life from death (lit. “blood”; that is, deliverance from death because of his sin). 51:19 Or “Then they will offer up bulls on your altar.”

52 T HE F ATE OF C YNICS For the Pure and Shining One A song of instruction by King David composed when Doeg, the Edomite, betrayed David to Saul, saying, “David has come to the house of Ahimilech!” a 1 You call yourself a mighty man, a big shot? Why do you boast in the evil you have done? Yet God’s loyal love will protect me and carry the day! 2 Listen, O deceiver, trickster of others:

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Your words are wicked, harming and hurting all who hear them. You love evil and hate what is good and right. You would rather lie than tell the truth. Pause in his presence

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You love to distort, devour, and deceive, using your sly tongue to spin the truth. But the Almighty will strike you down forever! He will pull you up by your roots and drag you away to the darkness of death. Pause in his presence

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The godly will see all this and will be awestruck. Then they will laugh at the wicked, saying, “See what happens to those great in their own eyes who don’t trust in the Most High to save them! Look how they trusted only in their wealth and made their living from wickedness.” b But I am like a flourishing olive tree, anointed in the house of God. c I trust in the unending love of God; his passion toward me is forever and ever. Because it is finished d I will be praising you forever and giving you thanks.

Before all your godly lovers I will proclaim your beautiful name!

a

For this episode in David’s life, see 1 Sam. 21:1–9; 22:9– 23. The Edomites, although close relatives to the Hebrews, were bitter enemies to God’s people. In spite of Doeg’s lineage, he became a high-ranking official in Saul’s kingdom. Herod the Great, who slaughtered the babes of Bethlehem, was an Edomite. At the time David wrote this psalm, Saul had already attempted to kill him sixteen times. Ahimilech, the caretaker of the sword of Goliath, was a descendant of Eli. b 52:7 Or “and was strong in his destruction.” c 52:8 The olive tree was the source of the sacred anointing oil. d 52:9 Or “You have acted [finished it].”The words “It is finished” were the last words of Jesus on the cross.

53 T HE W ICKEDNES S OF THE W ORLD For the Pure and Shining One A contemplative song of instruction to the tune of “The Dancings of Mourning” a

Only the withering soul would say to himself, b “There’s no God for me!” Anyone who thinks like that is corrupt and callous; depraved and detestable, they are devoid of what is good. 2 The Lord looks down in love, bending over heaven’s balcony. God looks over all of Adam’s sons and daughters, looking to see if there are any who are wise with insight— any who search for him, wanting to please him. 3 But no, all have wandered astray, walking stubbornly toward evil. Not one is good; he can’t even find one! 4 Look how they live in luxury while exploiting my people. Won’t these workers of wickedness ever learn! They never even think of praying to God. 5 Soon, unheard-of terror will seize them while in their sins. God himself will one day scatter the bones of those who rose up against you. c Doomed and rejected, they will be put to shame, for God has despised them. 1

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Oh, I wish our time of rescue were already here. Oh, that God would come forth now— d arising from the midst of his Zion-people to save and restore his very own. When God fully restores his people, Jacob will rejoice and Israel will be filled with gladness!

Or “The Dance of M ourning.” This could have been a footnote to Ps. 52 instead of an inscription for Ps. 53 . If so, read Ps. 52 and imagine the dancing that broke loose when David and his mighty men knew that Doeg had been judged by God for his murderous betrayal. b 53:1 The word for “fool” comes from a Hebrew word meaning “withering.” If we make no room for God, we have withered hearts, our moral sense of righteousness is put to sleep, and the noble aspirations of the heart shrivel up and die. Ps. 53 clearly speaks of the downfall of those who oppose Israel. Ps. 14 and Ps. 53 are nearly similar psalms. Ps. 14 deals with God’s verdict, while Ps. 53 speaks of God’s vengeance. If God says it once, it is to believed. If he says it twice, it demands our utmost attention! c 53:5 This could refer to the scattering of the armies of Sennacherib in the days of Hezekiah. See 2 Kings 18–19.

d

53:6 This is considered to be an ecphonesis, a rhetorical literary device that amplifies the emotion of the text. It is equivalent to an emotional outburst. Clearly, this is a passionate psalm.

54 D EFEND M E For the Pure and Shining One, David’s contemplative song of instruction A song of derision a when the Ziphites betrayed David to Saul, saying, “David is hiding among us; come and get him!” 1 God, deliver me by your mighty name! Come with your glorious power and save me! 2 Listen to my prayer; turn your ears to my cry! 3 These violent men have risen up against me; heartless, ruthless men b who care nothing about God seek to take my life. Pause in his presence 4

But the Lord God has become my divine helper. He leans into my heart and lays his hands upon me!

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God will see to it that those who sow evil will reap

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evil. So Lord, in your great faithfulness, destroy them once and for all! Lord, I will offer myself freely, and everything I am I give to you. I will worship and praise your name, O Lord, for it is precious to me. Through you I’m saved—rescued from every trouble. I’ve seen with my eyes the defeat of my enemies. I’ve triumphed over them all!

The Hebrew word used here and translated in some versions as “stringed instrument” can also be rendered “a song of mocking.” This is a psalm for anyone who feels betrayed, rejected, and in a difficult situation with no one at his side. b 54:3 Or “foreigners.” c 54:4 The word used here is uphold or sustain . It comes from a root word that means “to lean upon or to lay hands upon.” The translation uses both concepts in this verse.

55 B ETRAYED To the Pure and Shining One King David’s song of derision, for instruction 1 God, listen to my prayer! Don’t hide your heart from me when I cry out to you! 2–3 Come close to me and give me your answer. Here I am, moaning and restless. I’m preoccupied with the threats of my enemies and crushed by the pressure of their opposition. They surround me with trouble and terror. In their fury they rise up against me in an angry uproar. 4 My heart is trembling inside my chest as the terror of death seizes me. 5 Fear and dread overwhelm me. I shudder before the horror I face. 6 I say to myself, “If only I could fly away from all of this! If only I could run away to the place of rest and peace. 7 I would run far away where no one could find me, escaping to a wilderness retreat.”

Pause in his presence 8

I will hurry off to hide in the higher place, into my shelter, safe from this raging storm and tempest. 9 God, confuse them until they quarrel with themselves. Destroy them with their own violent strife and slander. They have divided the city with their discord. 10 Though they patrol the walls night and day against invaders, the real danger is within the city. It’s the misery and strife in the hearts of its people. 11 Murder is in their midst. Wherever you turn you find trouble and ruin. 12 It wasn’t an enemy who taunted me. If it was my enemy, filled with pride and hatred, then I could have endured it. I would have just run away. 13 But it was you, my intimate friend—one like a brother to me. It was you, my advisor, a the companion I walked with and worked with! 14 We once had sweet fellowship with each other.

We worshiped in unity as one, celebrating together with God’s people. b 15 Now desolation and darkness has come upon you. May you and all those like you descend into the pit of destruction! Since evil has been your home, may evil now bury you alive! 16 But as for me, I will call upon the Lord to save me, and I know he will! 17 Every evening I will explain my need to him. Every morning I will move my soul toward him. Every waking hour I will worship only him, and he will hear and respond to my cry. 18 Though many wish to fight and the tide of battle turns against me, by your power I will be safe and secure; peace will be my portion. 19 God himself will hear me! God-Enthroned through everlasting ages, the God of unchanging faithfulness— he will put them in their place, all those who refuse to love and revere him! Pause in his presence 20

I was betrayed by my friend, though I lived in

peace with him. While he was stretching out his hand of friendship, he was secretly breaking every promise he had ever made to me! 21 His words were smooth and charming. Yet his heart was disloyal and full of hatred— his words soft as silk while all the time scheming my demise. 22 So here’s what I’ve learned through it all: Leave all your cares and anxieties at the feet of the Lord, and measureless grace will strengthen you. 23 He will watch over his lovers, never letting them slip or be overthrown. He will send all my enemies to the pit of destruction. Murderers, liars, and betrayers will face an untimely death. My life’s hope and trust is in you, and you’ll never fail to rescue me!

a

55:13 The Greek word in the Septuagint can be translated as “a seer [prophet].”

b

55:14 David is speaking of Ahithophel, who had once been his friend and advisor, only to betray him. This is foreshadowing of what happened between Jesus and Judas.

56 T RUS TING IN G OD For the Pure and Shining One King David’s golden song of instruction composed when the Philistines captured him in Gath, to the tune of “The Oppression of the Princes to Come” a 1 Lord, show me your kindness and mercy, for these men oppose and oppress me all day long. 2 Not a day goes by but that somebody harasses me. So many in their pride trample me under their feet. b 3 But in the day that I’m afraid, I lay all my fears before you and trust in you with all my heart. 4 What harm could a man bring to me? With God on my side I will not be afraid of what comes. The roaring praises of God fill my heart, and I will always triumph as I trust his promises. 5 Day after day cruel critics distort my words; constantly they plot my collapse.

6

Lurking in the dark, waiting, spying on my movements in secret to take me by surprise, ready to take my life. 7 They don’t deserve to get away with this! Look at their wickedness, their injustice, Lord. In your fierce anger cast them down to defeat. 8 You’ve kept track of all my wandering and my weeping. You’ve stored my many tears in your bottle—not one will be lost. For they are all recorded in your book of remembrance. c 9 The very moment I call to you for a father’s help the tide of battle turns and my enemies flee. This one thing I know: God is on my side! 10 I trust in the Lord. And I praise him! I trust in the Word of God. And I praise him! 11 What harm could man do to me? With God on my side I will not be afraid of what comes. My heart overflows with praise to God and for his promises. I will always trust in him. 12 So I’m thanking you with all my heart,

with gratitude for all you’ve done. I will do everything I’ve promised you, Lord. 13 For you have saved my soul from death and my feet from stumbling so that I can walk before the Lord bathed in his life-giving light.

a b

Or “the distant dove of silence.” 56:2 The Septuagint says, “They war with me in the high places.” c 56:8 See also M al. 3:16.

57 T RIUMPHANT F AITH To the Pure and Shining One King David’s golden song of instruction composed when he hid from Saul in a cave a To the tune of “Do Not Destroy” 1 Please, God, show me mercy! Open your grace-fountain for me, for you are my soul’s true shelter. I will hide beneath the shadow of your embrace,

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under the wings of your cherubim, until this terrible trouble is past. I will cry out to you, the God of the highest heaven, the mighty God, who performs all these wonders for me. From heaven he will send a father’s help to save me. He will trample down those who trample me. Pause in his presence

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He will always show me love by his gracious and constant care. I am surrounded by these fierce and brutal men. They are like lions just wanting to tear me to shreds. Why must I continue to live among these seething terrorists, breathing out their angry threats and insults against me? Lord God, be exalted as you soar throughout the heavens. May your shining glory be seen in the skies! Let it be seen high above over all the earth! For they have set a trap b for me. Frantic fear has me overwhelmed. But look! The very trap they set for me

has sprung shut upon themselves instead of me! Pause in his presence 7

My heart, O God, is quiet and confident. Now I can sing with passion your wonderful praises! 8 Awake, O my soul, with the music of his splendorsong! Arise, my soul, and sing his praises! My worship will awaken the dawn, greeting the daybreak with my songs of light ! 9 Wherever I go I will thank you, my God. Among all the nations they will hear my praise songs to you. 10 Your love is so extravagant it reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness so astonishing it stretches to the sky! 11 Lord God, be exalted as you soar throughout the heavens. May your shining glory be shown in the skies! Let it be seen high above all the earth!

a

This incident is recorded in 1 Sam. 24.

b

57:6 The Septuagint says, “They have dug a cesspool in front of me.”

58 J UDGE OF THE J UDGES For the Pure and Shining One King David’s golden song of instruction To the tune of “Do Not Destroy” 1–2 God’s justice? You high and mighty politicians know nothing about it! Which one of you has walked in justice toward others? Which one of you has treated everyone right and fair? Not one! You only give “justice” in exchange for a bribe. For the right price you let others get away with murder. 3–4 Wicked wanderers even from the womb, that’s who you are! Lying with your words, your teaching is poison. a 5 Like cobras closing their ears to the most expert of the charmers, you strike out against all who are near .

6

O God, break their fangs; shatter the teeth of these ravenous lions! 7 Let them disappear like water falling on thirsty ground. Let all their weapons be useless. 8 Let them be like snails dissolving into the slime. Let them be cut off, never seeing the light of day! 9 God will sweep them away so fast that they’ll never know what hit them. b 10 The godly will celebrate in the triumph of good over evil. And the lovers of God will trample the wickedness of the wicked under their feet! 11 Then everyone will say, “There is a God who judges the judges” and “There is a great reward in loving God!”

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58:3–4 The Hebrew says, “venom of a serpent,” which is a clear metaphor for wrong teaching. b 58:9 The Hebrew here is recognized by nearly every scholar to be one of the most difficult verses in the Psalms to translate.

59 P ROTECT M E For the Pure and Shining One King David’s song of instruction composed when Saul set an ambush for him at his home a To the tune of “Do Not Destroy” 1 My God, protect me! Keep me safe from all my enemies, for they’re coming to kill me. Put me in a high place out of their reach— a place so high that these assassins will never find me. 2 Save me from these murdering men, these bloodthirsty killers. 3 See how they set an ambush for my life. They’re fierce men ready to launch their attack against me. O Lord, I’m innocent; protect me ! 4 I’ve done nothing to deserve this, yet they are already plotting together to kill me. Arise, Lord, see what they’re scheming, and come and meet with me. 5 Awaken, O God of Israel! Commander of Angel Armies,

arise to punish these treacherous people who oppose you! Don’t go soft on these hardcase killers! Pause in his presence 6

After dark they came to spy, sneaking around the city, snarling, prowling like a pack of stray dogs in the night— 7 boiling over with rage, shouting out their curses, convinced that they’ll never get caught. 8 But you, Lord, break out laughing at their plans, amused by their arrogance, scoffing at their sinful ways. 9 My strength is found when I wait upon you. Watch over me, God, for you are my mountain fortress; you set me on high! 10 The God of passionate love will meet with me. My God will empower me to rise in triumph over my foes. 11 Don’t kill them; stagger them all with a vivid display of power. And scatter them with your armies of angels, O mighty God, our protector!

Use your awesome power to make them wanderers and vagabonds and then bring them down. 12 They are nothing but proud, cursing liars. They sin in every word they speak, boasting in their blasphemies! 13 May your wrath be kindled to destroy them; finish them off! Make an end of them and their deeds until they are no more! Let them all know and learn that God is the ruler over Jacob, the God-King over all the earth! Pause in his presence 14

Here they come again— prowling, growling like a pack of stray dogs in the city. 15 Drifting, devouring, and coming in for the kill, they refuse to sleep until they’ve eaten their fill. 16 But as for me, your strength shall be my song of joy. At each and every sunrise, my lyrics of your love will fill the air! For you have been my glory-fortress,

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a stronghold in my day of distress. O my strength, I sing with joy your praises. O my stronghold, I sing with joy your song! O my Savior, I sing with joy the lyrics of your faithful love for me!

This incident is recorded in 1 Sam. 19:11–18.

60 H AS G OD F ORGOTTEN U S ? To the Pure and Shining One King David’s poem for instruction a composed when he fought against the Syrians with the outcome still uncertain and Joab turned back to kill 12,000 descendants of Esau in the Valley of Salt To the tune of “Lily of the Covenant” 1 God, it seems like you walked off and left us! Why have you turned against us? You have been angry with us. O Lord, we plead, come back and help us as a father .

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The earth quivers and quakes before you, splitting open and breaking apart. Now come and heal it, for it is shaken to its depths. You have taught us hard lessons and made us drink the wine of bewilderment. You have given miraculous signs to those who love you. As we follow you we fly the flag of truth, and all who love the truth will rally to it. Pause in his presence

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Come to your beloved ones and gently draw us out. For Lord, you save those whom you love. Come with your might and strength! 6–7 Then I heard the Lord speak in his holy splendor. From his sanctuary I heard the Lord promise: “In my triumph I will be the one to measure out the portion of my inheritance to my people, and I will secure the land as I promised you. Shechem, Succoth, Gilead, Manasseh, they are all still mine!” he says. “Judah will continue to produce kings and lawgivers, and Ephraim will produce great warriors.

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Moab will become my lowly servant. Edom will likewise serve my purposes. I will lift up a shout of victory over the land of Philistia! 9 But who will bring my triumph into the strong city? Who will lead me into Edom’s fortresses?” b 10 Have you really rejected us, refusing to fight our battles? 11 Give us a father’s help when we face our enemies. For to trust in any man is an empty hope. 12 With God’s help we will fight like heroes and he will trample down our every foe!

a

Or “According to Shushan Eduth. A M ikhtam of David, to teach.” There is no scholary consensus about what Shushan Eduth means. Some have concluded it refers to a specific tune or possibly an instrument, but it remains a mystery. b 60:9 Edom is a variant form of the name Adam.

61 P RAYER FOR P ROTECTION

To the Pure and Shining One A song for the guitar by King David 1 O God, hear my prayer. Listen to my heart’s cry. 2 For no matter where I am, even when I’m far from home, I will cry out to you for a father’s help. When I’m feeble and overwhelmed by life, guide me into your glory, where I am safe and sheltered. 3 Lord, you are a paradise of protection to me. You lift me high above the fray. None of my foes can touch me when I’m held firmly in your wrap-around presence! 4 Keep me in this glory. Let me live continually under your splendorshadow, hiding my life in you forever. Pause in his presence 5

You have heard my sweet resolutions to love and serve you, for I am your beloved. And you have given me an inheritance of rich treasures, which you give to all your lovers.

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You treat me like a king, giving me a full and abundant life, years and years of reigning, a like many generations rolled into one. I will live enthroned with you forever! Guard me, God, with your unending, unfailing love. Let me live my days walking in grace and truth before you. And my praises will fill the heavens forever, fulfilling my vow to make every day a love gift to you!

61:6 Or “add to the days of the king.”

62 U NS HAKABLE F AITH To the Pure and Shining One King David’s melody of love’s celebration a 1 I stand silently to listen for the one I love, waiting as long as it takes for the Lord to rescue me.

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For God alone has become my Savior. He alone is my safe place; his wrap-around presence always protects me. For he is my champion defender; there’s no risk of failure with God. So why would I let worry paralyze me, even when troubles multiply around me? But look at these who want me dead, shouting their vicious threats at me! The moment they discover my weakness they all begin plotting to take me down. Liars, hypocrites, with nothing good to say. All of their energies are spent on moving me from this exalted place. Pause in his presence

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I am standing in absolute stillness, silent before the one I love, waiting as long as it takes for him to rescue me. Only God is my Savior, and he will not fail me. For he alone is my safe place. His wrap-around presence always protects me as my champion defender. There’s no risk of failure with God! So why would I let worry paralyze me,

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even when troubles multiply around me? God’s glory is all around me! His wrap-around presence is all I need, for the Lord is my Savior, my hero, and my lifegiving strength. Join me, everyone! Trust only in God every moment! Tell him all your troubles and pour out your heartlongings to him. Believe me when I tell you—he will help you! Pause in his presence

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Before God all the people of the earth, high or low, are like smoke that disappears, like a vapor that quickly vanishes away. Compared to God they’re nothing but vanity, nothing at all! 10 The wealth of the world is nothing to God. So if your wealth increases, don’t be boastful or put your trust in your money. And don’t you think for a moment that you can get away with stealing by overcharging others just to get more for yourself ! 11 God said to me once and for all,

“All the strength and power you need flows from me!” And again I heard it clearly said, 12 “All the love you need is found in me!” And it’s true that you repay people for what they do.

a

The inscription includes the name Jeduthun, which means “one who praises.”

63 T HIRS TING FOR G OD For the Pure and Shining One King David’s song when he was exiled in the Judean wilderness 1 O God of my life, I’m lovesick for you in this weary wilderness. I thirst with the deepest longings to love you more, with cravings in my heart that can’t be described. Such yearning grips my soul for you, my God! 2 I’m energized every time I enter your heavenly sanctuary to seek more of your

power and drink in more of your glory. 3 For your tender mercies mean more to me than life itself. How I love and praise you, God! 4 Daily I will worship you passionately and with all my heart. My arms will wave to you like banners of praise. 5 I overflow with praise when I come before you, for the anointing of your presence satisfies me like nothing else. You are such a rich banquet of pleasure to my soul. 6–7 I lie awake each night thinking of you and reflecting on how you help me like a father. I sing through the night under your splendorshadow, offering up to you my songs of delight and joy! 8 With passion I pursue and cling to you. Because I feel your grip on my life, I keep my soul close to your heart. 9 Those who plot to destroy me shall descend into the darkness of hell. 10 They will be consumed by their own evil and become nothing more than dust under our feet.

a 11

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These liars will be silenced forever! But with the anointing of a king I will dance and rejoice along with all his lovers who trust in him.

63:10 Or “food for foxes.”

64 T HE D ES TROYER D ES TROYED For the Pure and Shining One King David’s song 1–2 Lord, can’t you hear my cry, my bitter complaint? Keep me safe from this band of criminals and from the conspiracy of these wicked men. They gather in their secret counsel to destroy me. 3–4 Can’t you hear their slander, their lies? Their words are like poison-tipped arrows shot from the shadows. They are unafraid and have no fear of consequences. 5 They set their traps against us in secret;

they strengthen one another, saying, “No one can see us. Who can stop us?” They’re nothing more than unruly mobs joined in their unholy alliance, 6 searching out new opportunities to pervert justice— deceivers scheming together their ill-conceived plot as they plan the “perfect crime.” How unsearchable is their endless evil, trying desperately to hide the deep darkness of their hearts. 7 But all the while God has his own fire-tipped arrows! Suddenly, without warning, they will be pierced and struck down. 8 Staggering backward they will be destroyed by the very ones they spoke against. All who see this will view them with scorn. 9 Then all will stand awestruck over what God has done, seeing how he vindicated the victims of these crimes. 10 The lovers of God will be glad, rejoicing in the Lord. They will be found in his glorious wrap-around presence,

singing songs of praise to God!

65 W HAT A S AVIOR For the Pure and Shining One King David’s poetic song 1–2 O God in Zion, to you even silence is praise! You are the God who answers prayer; a all of humanity comes before you with their requests. 3 Though we are overcome by our many sins, your sacrifice covers over them all. 4 And your priestly lovers, those you’ve chosen, will be greatly favored to be brought close to you. What inexpressible joys are theirs! What feasts of mercy fill them in your heavenly sanctuary! How satisfied we will be just to be near you! 5 You answer our prayers with amazing wonders and with awe-inspiring displays of power. You are the righteous God who helps us like a father. Everyone everywhere looks to you, for you are the confidence of all the earth,

even to the farthest islands of the sea. What jaw-dropping, astounding power is yours! You are the mountain maker who sets them all in place. 7 You muzzle the roar of the mighty seas and the rage of mobs with their noisy riots. 8 O God, to the farthest corners of the planet people will stand in awe, startled and stunned by your signs and wonders. Sunrise brilliance and sunset beauty both take turns singing their songs of joy to you. 9 Your visitations of glory bless the earth; b the rivers of God overflow and enrich it. You paint the wheat fields golden as you provide rich harvests. 10 Every field is watered with the abundance of rain— showers soaking the earth and softening its clods, causing seeds to sprout throughout the land. 11 You crown the earth with its yearly harvest, the fruits of your goodness. Wherever you go the tracks of your chariot wheels drip with oil. 12 Luxuriant green pastures boast of your bounty as you make every hillside blossom with joy. 6

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The grazing meadows are covered with flocks, and the fertile valleys are clothed with grain, each one dancing and shouting for joy, creation’s celebration! And they’re all singing their songs of praise to you!

a

65:1–2 The Aramaic could be translated “To you a vow is paid.” b 65:9 The Septuagint says, “You’ve made the earth drunk with your visitations.”

66 T HANK Y OU , L ORD For the Pure and Shining One A song of awakening a 1 Everyone everywhere, lift up your joyful shout to God! 2 Sing your songs tuned to his glory! Tell the world how wonderful he is. 3 For he’s the awe-inspiring God, great and glorious in power! We’ve never seen anything like him!

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Mighty in miracles, you cause your enemies to tremble. No wonder they all surrender and bow before you! All the earth will bow down to worship; all the earth will sing your glories forever! Pause in his presence

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Everyone will say, “Come and see the incredible things God has done; it will take your breath away! He multiplies miracles for his people!” b He made a highway going right through the Red Sea as the Hebrews passed through on dry ground, exploding with joyous excitement over the miracles of God. In his great and mighty power he rules forever, watching over every movement of every nation. So beware, rebel lands; he knows how to humble you! Pause in his presence

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Praise God, all you peoples. Praise him everywhere and let everyone know you love him! There’s no doubt about it; God holds our lives safely in his hands.

He’s the one who keeps us faithfully following him. O Lord, we have passed through your fire; like precious metal made pure, you’ve proved us, perfected us, and made us holy. 11 You’ve captured us, ensnared us in your net. Then, like prisoners, you placed chains around our necks . c 12 You’ve allowed our enemies to prevail against us. We’ve passed through fire and flood, yet in the end you always bring us out better than we were before, saturated with your goodness. d 13 I come before your presence with my sacrifice. I’ll give you all that I’ve promised, everything I have. 14 When I was overcome in my anguish, I promised to give you my sacrifice. Here it is! All that I said I would offer you is yours. 15 The best I have to bring, I’ll throw it all into the fire as the fragrance of my sacrifice ascends unto you. 10

e

Pause in his presence 16

All you lovers of God who want to please him,

come and listen, and I’ll tell you what he did for me. 17 I cried aloud to him with all my heart and he answered me! Now my mouth overflows with the highest praise. 18 Yet if I had closed my eyes to my sin, the Lord God would have closed his ears to my prayer. 19 But praises rise to God, for he paid attention to my prayer and answered my cry to him! 20 I will forever praise this God who didn’t close his heart when I prayed and never said no when I asked him for help. He never once refused to show me his tender love.

a b

As translated from the inscription found in the Septuagint. 66:5 The Septuagint says, “His works are more to be feared than the decisions of men.” c 66:11 Or “You attached suffering to our hips.” d 66:12 Or “You brought us out into a wide-open space [a place of rest].” e 66:15 The literal Hebrew describes the sacrifice as “burnt offerings of fat beasts and the smoke of rams, bulls, and

male goats.”

67 I T ’ S T IME TO P RAIS E H IM For the Pure and Shining One A poetic song of praise for guitar 1 God, keep us near your grace-fountain and bless us! And when you look down on us, may your face beam with joy! Pause in his presence 2

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Send us out all over the world so that everyone everywhere will discover your ways and know who you are and see your power to save. Let all the nations burst forth with praise; let everyone everywhere love and enjoy you! Then how glad the nations will be when you are their King. They will sing, they will shout, for you give true justice to the people. Yes! You, Lord, are the shepherd of the nations! Pause in his presence

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No wonder the peoples praise you!

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Let all the people praise you more! a The harvest of the earth is here! God, the very God we worship, keeps us satisfied at his banquet of blessings. And the blessings keep coming! Then all the ends of the earth will give him the honor he deserves and be in awe of him!

67:5 The Septuagint says, “Let all the people come to know you.”

68 A S ONG OF T RIUMPH For the Pure and Shining One David’s poetic song of praise 1 God! Arise with awesome power, and every one of your enemies will scatter in fear! 2 Chase them away—all these God-haters. Blow them away as a puff of smoke. Melt them away like wax in the fire. One good look at you and the wicked vanish. 3 But let all your godly lovers be glad!

Yes, let them all rejoice in your presence and be carried away with gladness. a Let them laugh and be radiant with joy! 4 Let them sing their celebration-songs for the coming of the cloud rider whose name is Yah! b 5–6 To the fatherless he is a father. To the widow he is a champion friend. To the lonely he gives a family. To the prisoners c he leads into prosperity until they sing for joy. This is our Holy God in his Holy Place! But for the rebels there is heartache and despair. d 7 O Lord, it was you who marched in front of your people, leading them through the wasteland. Pause in his presence 8

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The earth shook beneath your feet; the heavens filled with clouds before the presence of the God of Sinai. The sacred mountain shook at the sight of the face of Israel’s God. You, O God, sent the reviving rain upon your weary inheritance,

showers of blessing to refresh it. So there your people settled. And in your kindness you provided the poor with abundance. 11 God Almighty declares the word of the gospel with power, e and the warring women of Zion deliver its message: f 12 “The conquering legions have themselves been conquered. Look at them flee!” Now Zion’s women are left to gather the spoils. 13 When you sleep between sharpened stakes, g I see you sparkling like silver and glistening like gold, covered by the beautiful wings of a dove! h 14 When the Almighty found a king for himself, it became white as snow in his shade. i 15–16 O huge, magnificent mountain, you are the mighty kingdom of God! j All the other peaks, though impressive and imposing, look with envy on you, Mount Zion! For Zion is the mountain where God has chosen to 10

live forever. Look! The mighty chariots of God! Ten thousands upon ten thousands, more than anyone could ever number. God is at the front, leading them all from Mount Sinai into his sanctuary with the radiance of holiness upon him. k 18 He ascends into the heavenly heights, taking his many captured ones with him, leading them in triumphal procession. And gifts were given to men, even the once rebellious, so that they may dwell with Yah. 19 What a glorious God! l He gives us salvation over and over, m then daily he carries our burdens! n 17

Pause in his presence 20

Our God is a mighty God who saves us over and over! For the Lord, Yahweh, rescues us from the ways of death many times. 21 But he will crush every enemy, shattering their strength.

He will make heads roll for they refuse to repent of their stubborn, sinful ways. 22 I hear the Lord God saying to all the enemies of his people, “You’d better come out of your hiding places, all of you who are doing your best to stay far away from me. o Don’t you know there’s no place to hide? 23 For my people will be the conquerors; they will soon have you under their feet. They will crush you until there is nothing left!” p 24 O God, my King, your triumphal processions keep moving onward in holiness; you’re moving onward toward the Holy Place! 25 Leaders in front, q then musicians, with young maidens in between, striking their tambourines. 26 And they sing, “Let all God’s princely people rejoice! Let all the congregations bring their blessing to God, saying, ‘The Lord of the fountain! The Lord of the fountain of life!

The Lord of the fountain of Israel!’” Astonishingly, it’s the favored youth leading the way: r princes of praise in their royal robes, and exalted princes are among them, along with princes who have wrestled with God. 28–29 Display your strength, God, and we’ll be strong! s For your miracles have made us who we are. Lord, do it again, and parade from your temple your mighty power. By your command even kings will bring gifts to you. 30 God, rebuke the beast-life that hides within us! t Rebuke those who claim to be “strong ones,” u who lurk within the congregation and abuse the people out of their love for money. God scatters the people who are spoiling for a fight. 31 Africa will send her noble envoys to you, O God. They will come running, stretching out their hands in love to you. 32 Let all the nations of the earth sing songs of praise to almighty God! 27

Go ahead, all you nations—sing your praise to the Lord! Pause in his presence 33

Make music for the one who strides the ancient skies. Listen to his thunderous voice of might split open the heavens. 34 Give it up for God, for he alone has all the strength and power! Proclaim his majesty! For his glory shines down on Israel. His mighty strength soars in the clouds of glory. 35 God, we are consumed with awe, trembling before you as your glory streams from your Holy Place. The God of power shares his mighty strength with Israel and with all his people. God, we give our highest praise to you!

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68:3 As translated from the Septuagint. The Aramaic is “They rejoice in his sweetness.” b 68:4 M ore than an abbreviation, the name Yah is

c d e f g

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associated with the God of heaven, the God of highest glory and power. 68:5–6 The Septuagint says, “the bitter ones.” 68:6 The Aramaic says, “The rebels will dwell among the tombs.” 68:11 As translated from the Aramaic. 68:11 As translated from the M asoretic text. 68:13 The Aramaic word shaphya can be translated “sharpened stakes or thorns,” an obvious prophecy of the cross and our union with Christ as he was crucified. 68:13 As translated from the Aramaic text, this verse contains prophetic hints of Calvary, where Jesus “slept” the sleep of death between the “sharpened stakes” of the cross. The word you is plural and points us to our cocrucifixion with Christ. 68:14 Every scholar consulted concludes that this verse is difficult, if not impossible, to interpret properly and translate accurately. The last words are literally “Snow fell in Zalmon.” Zalmon (or Salmon) was a wooded area and means “shady.” 68:15 The Septuagint reads “mountain of provision.” 68:17 The Septuagint says, “The Lord sends his provisions from his Holy Place on M ount Sinai.” 68:19 The Aramaic is M aryah, the Aramaic form of YHWH or Lord Jehovah. 68:19 Salvation is in the plural form in the text ( salvations ).

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68:19 Or “daily loads us with benefits.” 68:22 The Hebrew text makes reference to Bashan (a high mountain) and to the depths of the sea. In other words, there’s no place to hide. 68:23 The Hebrew text is literally “Your enemies will be food for the dogs.” 68:25 As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is “singers in front.” 68:27 The Hebrew includes the names of four sons of Jacob, representing four tribes. Benjamin, the youngest son, means “son of my right hand” or “the favored one.” Judah means “praise.” Zebulon’s name is the word for “exalted.” Naphtali means “obtained by wrestling.” Each name speaks of a princely group and is used here poetically not only for Israel but for all of God’s “princely people” in this holy procession of worship. 68:28–29 The Great Bible translated by M iles Coverdale (1488–1569) translates this “Your God has sent forth strength for you.” 68:30 Literal Hebrew: “Rebuke the beasts in the reeds.” 68:30 This verse has puzzled scholars, and many conclude that the Hebrew text is nearly incomprehensible, with tremendous variations in the translation.

69 A C RY OF D IS TRES S a

To the Pure and Shining One David’s poetic song of praise to the tune of “Lilies” 1–2 God, my God, come and save me! These floods of trouble have risen higher and higher. The water is up to my neck! b I’m sinking into the mud with no place to stand, and I’m about to drown in this storm. 3 I’m weary, exhausted with weeping. My throat is dry, my voice is gone, my eyes are swollen with sorrow, and I’m waiting for you, God, to come through for me . 4 I can’t even count all those who hate me for no reason. Many influential men want me silenced, yet I’ve done nothing against them. Must I restore what I never took away? 5 God, my life is an open book to you. You know every sin I’ve ever done. For nothing within me is hidden from your sight! 6 Lord Yahweh of Angel Armies, keep me from ever being a stumbling block to others,

to those who love you. Lord God of Israel, don’t let what happens to me be the source of confusion to those who are passionate for you. 7 Because of my love for you, Lord, I have been mocked, cursed, and disgraced. 8 Even my own brothers, those of my family, act as though they don’t want anything to do with me. 9 My love for you has my heart on fire! My passion consumes me for your house! Nothing will turn me away, even though I endure all the insults of those who insult you. 10 When they see me seeking for more of you with weeping c and fasting, they all just scoff and scorn at my passion. 11 When I humble myself with sorrow over my sin, it gives them a reason to mock me even more. 12 The leaders, the influential ones—how they scorn my passion for you! I’ve become the talk of the town, the theme of drunkards’ songs. 13 But I keep calling out to you, Yahweh!

I know you will bend down to listen to me, for now is the season of favor. Because of your faithful love for me, your answer to my prayer will be my sure salvation. 14 Pull me out of this mess! Don’t let me sink! Rescue me from those who hate me and from all this trouble I’m in! 15 Don’t let this flood drown me. Save me from these deep waters or I’ll go down to the pit of destruction. 16–17 Oh, Lord God, answer my prayers! I need to see your tender kindness, your grace, your compassion, and your constant love. Just let me see your face, and turn your heart toward me. Come running quickly to your servant. In this deep distress, come and answer my prayer. 18 Come closer as a friend and redeem me. Set me free so my enemies cannot say that you are powerless. 19 See how they dishonor me in shame and disgrace? You know, Lord, what I’m going through, and you see it all.

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I’m heartsick and heartbroken by it all. Their contempt has crushed my soul. I looked for sympathy and compassion but found only empty stares. 21 I was hungry and they gave me bitter food. I was thirsty and they offered me vinegar. d 22 Let their “feasts” turn to ashes. Let their “peace and security” become their downfall. 23 Make them blind as bats, groping in the dark. Let them be feeble, trembling continually. 24–25 Pour out your fury on them all! Consume them with the fire of your anger! Burn down the walled palace where they live! Leave them homeless and desolate! 26 For they come against the one you yourself have struck, and they scorn the pain of those you’ve pierced. 27 Pile on them the guilt of their sins. Don’t let them ever go free. 28 Leave them out of your list of the living! Blot them out of your book of life! Never name them as your own! 29 I am burdened and broken by this pain.

When your miracle rescue comes to me, it will lift me to the highest place. 30 Then my song will be a burst of praise to you. My glory-shouts will make your fame even more glorious to all who hear my praises! 31 For I know, Yahweh, that my praises mean more to you than all my gifts and sacrifices. 32 All who seek you will see God do this for them, and they’ll overflow with gladness. Let this revive your hearts, all you lovers of God! 33 For Yahweh does listen to the poor and needy and will not abandon his prisoners of love. e 34 Let all the universe praise him! The high heavens and everyone on earth, praise him! Let the oceans deep, with everything in them, keep it up! 35 God will come to save his Zion-people. God will build up his cities of Judah, for there his people will live in peace. 36 All their children will inherit the land, and the lovers of his name will live there safe and

secure.

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b c d e

Ps. 69 is considered one of the most outstanding messianic psalms, with obvious prophetic references to the sufferings and cross of Jesus Christ. Next to Ps. 22 it is the psalm most often quoted in the New Testament. 69:1–2 Or “throat.” 69:10 Or “When I pour out my soul” or “When I weep soul-tears.” 69:21 This was fulfilled with Jesus being offered vinegar on the cross. See Luke 23:36 . 24–25 69:33 Or “those wearing shackles.”

70 A C RY FOR H ELP To the Pure and Shining One David’s poetic lament to always remember 1 Please, Lord! Come quickly and rescue me! God, show me your favor and restore me. 2 Let all who seek my life be humiliated, confused, and ashamed. God, send them sprawling, all who wish me evil; they just want me dead.

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Scoff at every scoffer and cause them all to be utter failures! Let them be ashamed and horrified over their complete defeat. But let all who passionately seek you erupt with excitement and joy over what you’ve done! Let all your lovers, who continually rejoice in the Savior, a say aloud, “How great and glorious is our God!” Lord, in my place of weakness and need, won’t you turn your heart toward me and hurry to help me? For you are my Savior and I’m always in your thoughts. So don’t delay to deliver me now, for you are my God.

70:4 This verse contains the Hebrew root word for Yeshua.

71 T HE P S ALM OF O LD A GE 1

Lord, you are my secure shelter. Don’t ever let me down! 2 Let your justice be my breakthrough. Bend low to my whispered cry and save me from all my enemies! 3 You’re the only place of protection for me. I keep coming back to hide myself in you, for you are like a mountain-cliff fortress where I’m kept safe. 4 Let me escape from these cruel and wicked men, and save me from the hands of the evil one. 5 For you are my only hope, Lord! I’ve hung on to you, trusting in you all my life. 6–7 It was you who supported me from the day I was born, loving me, helping me through my life’s journey. You’ve made me into a miracle; no wonder I trust you and praise you forever! Many marvel at my success, but I know it is all because of you, my mighty protector! 8 I’m overflowing with your praise for all you’ve

done, and your splendor thrills me all day long. 9 Now that I’m old, don’t set me aside. Don’t let go of me when my strength is spent. 10–11 For all my enemies whisper behind my back. They’re waiting for me to fall so they can finish me off. They’re convinced you’ve left me and that you’ll never come to my rescue. They’re saying, “Let’s get him now! He has no savior!” 12 O God, stay close to me! Don’t just watch from a distance! Hurry to help me, my God! 13 Cover these accusers of mine with shame and failure! Destroy them all, for they only want to kill me! 14 No matter what, I’ll trust in you to help me. Nothing will stop me from praising you to magnify your glory! 15 I couldn’t begin to count the times you’ve been there for me. With the skill of a poet I’ll never run out of things to say

of how you faithfully kept me from danger. I will come forth in your mighty strength, O my Lord God. a I’ll tell everyone that you alone are the perfect one. 17 From my childhood you’ve been my teacher, and I’m still telling everyone of your miraclewonders! 18 God, now that I’m old and gray, don’t walk away. Give me grace to demonstrate to the next generation all your mighty miracles and your excitement, to show them your magnificent power! 19 For your glorious righteousness reaches up to the high heavens. No one could ever be compared to you! Who is your equal, O God of marvels and wonders? 20 Even though you’ve let us sink down with trials and troubles, I know you will revive us again, lifting us up from the dust of death. 21 Give us even more greatness than before. Turn and comfort us once again. 22 My loving God, the harp in my heart will praise 16

you. Your faithful heart toward us will be the theme of my song. Melodies and music will rise to you, the Holy One of Israel. 23 I will shout and sing your praises for all you are to me— Savior, lover of my soul! 24 I’ll never stop telling others how perfect you are while all those who seek my harm slink away ashamed and defeated!

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71:16 Or “I will enter into the manliness of Lord Jehovah.”

72 T HE R IGHTEOUS K ING Solomon’s psalm a 1 O God, make the king a godly judge like you and give the king’s son the gift of justice too. 2 Help him to give true justice to your people, honorably and equally to all.

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Then the mountains of influence will be fruitful, and from your righteousness prosperity and peace will flow to all the people. 4 May the poor and humble have an advocate with the king. May he consider the children of the poor and crush the cruel oppressor. 5 The sun and moon will stop shining before your lovers will stop worshiping; for ages upon ages the people will love and adore you! 6 Your favor will fall like rain upon our surrendered lives, b like showers reviving the earth. 7 In the days of his reign the righteous will spring forth with the abundance of peace and prosperity forevermore. 8 May he subdue and take dominion from sea to sea; may he rule from the river to the rim. 9 Desert nomads are bowing at his feet, every enemy falling facedown, biting the dust! 10 Distant kings will surrender and come with their gifts

from every continent and coastland; they will offer their tribute to you. c 11 O King of kings, they will all bow before you. O King of kings, every nation will one day serve you. 12–13 He will care for the needy and neglected when they cry to him for help. The humble and helpless will know his kindness, for with a father’s compassion he will save their souls. 14 They will be rescued from tyranny and torture, for their lifeblood is precious in his eyes. 15 Long live this King! May the wealth of the world be laid before him. d May there be ceaseless praise and prayer to him. May all the blessing be brought to him. 16 Bless us with a bountiful harvest, with golden grain swaying on the mountain fields! May the cities be full of praising people, fruitful and filled— 17 So that his name may be honored forever! May the fame of his name spring forth! May it shine on, like the sunshine! In him all will be blessed to bless others,

and may all the people bless the One who blessed them. 18 Praise forever Jehovah-God, the God of Israel! He is the one and only God of wonders, surpassing every expectation. 19 The blazing glory of his name will be praised forever! May all the earth overflow with his glory! Faithful is our King! Amen! 20 This concludes the poetry sung by David, Jesse’s son.

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The Septuagint indicates this could be a psalm written by David for his son Solomon. This royal psalm is a prayer for the king. Read through it as though it is referring to King Jesus—one who is greater than Solomon. b 72:6 Or “like rain on mown grass.” c 72:10 Included in the Hebrew text are kings of Tarshish (Spain) and kings of Sheba and Seba (Ethiopia). d 72:15 Or “the gold of Sheba.”

BOOK 3 THE LEVITICUS PSALMS Psalms of worship and God’s house

73 G OD ’ S J US TICE Asaph’s psalm 1 No one can deny it—God is really good to Israel and to all those with pure hearts. But I nearly missed seeing it for myself . 2 Here’s my story: I came so close to missing the way. 3 I was stumbling over what I saw with the wicked. For when I saw the boasters with such wealth and prosperity, I became jealous over their smug security. 4–5 Indulging in whatever they wanted, going where they wanted, doing what they wanted, and with no care in the world. No pain, no problems, they seemed to have it made.

They lived as though life would never end. They didn’t even try to hide their pride and opulence. Cruelty and violence is part of their lifestyle. 7 Pampered and pompous, vice oozes from their souls; they overflow with vanity. 8 They’re such snobs—looking down their noses. They even scoff at God! They are nothing but bullies threatening God’s people. 9 Loudmouths with no fear of God, pretending to know it all. Windbags full of hot air, impressing only themselves. 10 Yet the people keep coming back to listen to more of their nonsense. 11 They tell their cohorts, “God will never know. See, he has no clue of what we’re doing.” 12 These are the wicked ones I’m talking about! They never have to lift a finger, living a life of ease while their riches multiply. 13 Have I been foolish to play by the rules and keep my life pure? 6

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Here I am suffering under your discipline day after day. I feel like I’m being punished all day long. 15 If I had given in to my pain and spoken of what I was really feeling, it would have sounded like unfaithfulness to the next generation. 16 When I tried to understand it all, I just couldn’t. It was too puzzling—too much of a riddle to me. 17 But then one day I was brought into the sanctuaries of God, and in the light of glory, my distorted perspective vanished. Then I understood that the destiny of the wicked was near! 18 They’re the ones who are on the slippery path, and God will suddenly let them slide off into destruction to be consumed with terrors forever! 19 It will be an instant end to all their life of ease; a blink of the eye and they’re swept away by sudden calamity! They’re all nothing more than momentary monarchs—

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soon to disappear like a dream when one awakes. When the rooster crows, Lord God, you’ll despise their life of fantasies. a 21 When I saw all of this, what turmoil filled my heart, piercing my opinions with your truth. 22 I was so stupid. I was senseless and ignorant, acting like a brute beast before you, Lord. 23 Yet, in spite of all this, you comfort me by your counsel; you draw me closer to you. 24 You lead me with your secret wisdom. And following you brings me into your brightness and glory! 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? You’re all I want! No one on earth means as much to me as you. 26 Lord, so many times I fail; I fall into disgrace. But when I trust in you, I have a strong and glorious presence protecting and anointing me. Forever you’re all I need! 27 Those who abandon the worship of God will perish. The false and unfaithful will be silenced, never

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heard from again. But I’ll keep coming closer and closer to you, Lord Yahweh, for your name is good to me. I’ll keep telling the world of your awesome works, my faithful and glorious God!

73:20 Or “shadows.”

74 W E N EED Y OU N OW Asaph’s poem of instruction 1 Are you really going to leave us, God? Would you turn your back on us, rejecting your people? We are yours, your very own. a Will your anger smolder against us forever? 2 Don’t forget that we are your beloved ones. Wrap us back into your heart again, for you chose us. You brought us out of our slavery and bondage

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and made us your favored ones, your Zion-people, your home on earth. Turn your steps toward this devastation. Come running to bring your restoring grace to these ruins, b to what the enemy has done to devastate your Holy Place. They have come into the very midst of your dwelling place, roaring like beasts, setting up their banners to flaunt their conquest. Now everything is in shambles! They’ve totally destroyed it. Like a forest chopped down to the ground, there’s nothing’s left. All of the beauty of the craftsmanship of the inner place has been ruined, smashed, broken, and shattered. c They’ve burned it all to the ground. They’ve violated your sanctuary, the very dwelling place of your glory and your name. They boasted, “Let’s completely crush them! Let’s wipe out every trace of this God.

Let’s burn up every sacred place where they worship this God.” 9 We don’t see any miraculous signs anymore. There’s no longer a prophet among us who can tell us how long this devastation will continue. 10 God, how much longer will you let this go on and allow these barbarians to blaspheme your name? Will you stand back and watch them get away with this forever? 11 Why don’t you do something? You have the power to break in, so why would you hide your great power from us? Don’t hold back! Unleash your might and give them a final blow. 12 You have always been, and always will be, my King. You are the mighty conqueror, working wonders all over the world. 13 It was you who split the sea in two by your glorious strength. You smashed the power of Tannin, the sea god. d 14 You crushed the might of Leviathan, e the great

dragon, then you took the crumbs and fed them to the sharks. f 15 With your glory you opened up springs and fountains, then you spoke and the ever-flowing springs of Jordan dried up so we could cross over. 16 You own the day and the night. Sunlight and starlight call you Creator. 17 The four corners of the earth were formed by your hands, and every changing season owes its beauty to you. 18 O Jehovah, don’t ever forget how these arrogant enemies, like fools, have mocked your name. 19 Lord, aren’t we your beloved dove that praises you? g Protect us from these wild beasts who want to harm us. Don’t leave us as lambs among wolves! You can’t abandon us after all we’ve been through! 20 Remember your promises to us, for darkness covers the land,

giving the violent ones a hiding place. Don’t let these insults continue. Can’t you see that we are your downtrodden and oppressed people? Make the poor and needy into a choir of praise to you! 22 Don’t ignore these ignorant words, this continual mocking. Rise up, God; it’s time to defend yourself from all of this. 23 Never forget what your adversaries are saying. For their rage and uproar rise continually against you. It’s time to stand up to them! 21

a b

74:1 Or “the sheep of your pasture.” 74:3 This verse reads differently in the Aramaic: “Lift up your servants with your might above those who take them captive, for those who oppress us are enemies to your holiness.” c 74:6 This psalm also describes what the enemy of our souls has done spiritually to mar the image of God in the “inner place” of man’s spirit. God will fully restore all things, including his image within us, as our hearts become

his “Holy Place” on the earth. 74:13 As translated literally from the Hebrew. The Septuagint says, “You’ve crushed the heads of the dragons in the water [water spirits].” e 74:14 Leviathan is mentioned six times in Job 41. Leviathan means “twisted or coiled” and is considered to be a sea monster. See Gen. 1:21. f 74:14 The Septuagint says, “You fed them to the black peoples.” g 74:19 As translated from the Septuagint, Syriac, and one Hebrew manuscript. d

75 A C UP IN G OD ’ S H AND To the Pure and Shining One Asaph’s poetic song to the tune of “Do Not Destroy” 1 God, our hearts spill over with praise to you! We overflow with thanks, for your name is the “Near One.” All we want to talk about is your wonderful works! And we hear your reply: 2 “When the time is ripe I will arise, and I will judge the world with perfect righteousness. 3 Though I have set the earth firmly on its pillars,

I will shake it until it totters and everyone’s hearts will tremble.” Pause in his presence 4

God warns the proud, “Stop your arrogant boasting!” And he warns the wicked, “Don’t think for a moment you can resist me! 5 Why would you speak with such stubborn pride? Don’t you dare raise your fist against me!” 6–7 This I know: the favor that brings promotion and power doesn’t come from anywhere on earth, for no one exalts a person but God, the true judge of all. He alone determines where favor rests. He anoints one for greatness and brings another down to his knees. 8 A foaming cup filled with judgment mixed with fury is in the hands of the Lord Jehovah, full to the brim and ready to run over. He filled it up for the wicked and they will drink it down to the very last drop! 9 But I will proclaim the victory of the God of Jacob. My melodies of praise will make him known.

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My praises will break the powers of wickedness while the righteous will be promoted and become powerful!

76 A WE -I NS PIRING P OWER To the Pure and Shining One Asaph’s poetic tune, a song of smiting 1 God is well known in the land of Judah. He is famous throughout Israel, 2 making his home in Jerusalem, living here on Mount Zion. 3 That’s where he smashes every weapon of war that comes against him. That’s where he uses the broken arrows as kindling for his mighty bonfire. Pause in his presence 4

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God, you are so resplendent and radiant! a Your majesty shines from your everlasting mountain. Nothing could be compared to you in glory! Even the mightiest of men have been paralyzed by your presence.

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They were so stunned and lifeless, not even the strongest one could lift a hand. When Jacob’s God roared his rebuke, soldiers and their steeds all fell to the ground, stunned and lying still. No wonder you are greatly feared! You are the aweinspiring God! For who could ever stand before your face when your fierce anger burns and live to tell about it. As the earth itself holds its breath in awe before you, judgment is decreed from heaven. You arise to punish evil and defend the gentle upon the earth. Pause in his presence

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You have power to transform man’s futile anger into praise. b The fury of your enemies only causes your fame to increase. c 11 So you’d better keep every promise you’ve ever made to the Awesome One, Jehovah-God! Let all people bring their extravagant gifts to him

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alone. He is famous for breaking the spirit of the powers that be. And the kings of the earth will know him as the Fearsome One!

76:4 The Hebrew-Aramaic word used here is anointed . 76:10 Or “The counsel of men will praise you.” 76:10 The Septuagint reads “Survivors of your wrath keep your festivals.”

77 G OD OF C OMFORT To the Pure and Shining One Asaph’s poetic song of love’s celebration 1 I poured out my complaint to you, God. I lifted up my voice, shouting out for your help. 2 When I was in deep distress, in my day of trouble, I reached out for you with hands stretched out to heaven. Over and over I kept looking for you, God, but your comforting grace was nowhere to be

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found. As I thought of you I moaned, “God, where are you?” a I’m overwhelmed with despair as I wait for your help to arrive. Pause in his presence

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I can’t get a wink of sleep until you come and comfort me. Now I’m too burdened to even pray! My mind wandered, thinking of days gone by— the years long since passed. Then I remembered the worship songs I used to sing in the night seasons, and my heart began to fill again with thoughts of you. So my spirit went out once more in search of you. Would you really walk off and leave me forever, my Lord God? Won’t you show me your kind favor, delighting in me again? Has your well of sweet mercy dried up? Will your promises never come true? Have you somehow forgotten to show me love?

Are you so angry that you’ve closed your heart of compassion toward me? Pause in his presence 10

Lord, what wounds me most is that it’s somehow my fault that you’ve changed your heart toward me and I no longer see the years of the Mighty One and your right hand of power. b 11 Yet I could never forget all your miracles, my God, as I remember all your wonders of old. 12 I ponder all you’ve done, Lord, musing on all your miracles. 13 It’s here in your presence, in your sanctuary, where I learn more of your ways. c For holiness is revealed in everything you do. Lord, you’re the one and only, the great and glorious God! 14 Your display of wonders, miracles, and power makes the nations acknowledge you. 15 By your glory-bursts you’ve rescued us over and over. Just ask the sons of Jacob or the sons of Joseph and they will tell you! And all of us, your beloved ones, know that it’s

true! Pause in his presence 16

When the many waters of the Red Sea took one look at you, d they were afraid and ran away to hide— trembling to its depths! 17 Storm clouds filled with water high in the skies; cloudbursts and thunderclaps announced your approach. Lightning-flashes lit up the landscape. 18 Rolling whirlwinds exploded with sonic booms of thunder, rumbling as the skies shouted out your story with light and sound and wind. Everything on earth shook and trembled as you drew near. 19 Your steps formed a highway through the seas with footprints on a pathway no one even knew was there. e 20 You led your people forward by your loving hand, blessed by the leadership of Moses and Aaron.

a

77:3 Or “When I am in heaviness [depressed], I will think

upon God.” 77:10 This difficult verse has a number of alternate translations, including “Your right hand has changed [or withered].” The implication is that God’s power and protection are no longer being seen. c 77:13 This is an alternative translation. d 77:16 Although the Red Sea is not mentioned in the verse, it is implied in the context. e 77:19 This could be a prophecy of Jesus one day walking on water. b

78 L ES S ONS FROM H IS TORY Asaph’s poetic song of instruction 1 Beloved ones, listen to this instruction. Open your heart to the revelation of this mystery that I share with you. 2 A parable and a proverb are hidden in what I say— an intriguing riddle from the past. 3–4 We’ve heard true stories from our fathers about our rich heritage. We will continue to tell our children and not hide from the rising generation the great marvels of our God—

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his miracles and power that have brought us all this far. The story of Israel is a lesson in God’s ways. He established decrees for Jacob and established the law in Israel, and he commanded our forefathers to teach them to their children. For perpetuity God’s ways will be passed down from one generation to the next, even to those not yet born. In this way, every generation will have a living faith in the laws of life and will never forget the faithful ways of God. By following his ways they will break the past bondage of their fickle fathers, who were a stubborn, rebellious generation and whose spirits strayed from the eternal God. They refused to love him with all their hearts. Take, for example, the sons of Ephraim. Though they were all equipped warriors, each with weapons, when the battle began they retreated and ran away in fear.

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They didn’t really believe the promises of God; they refused to trust him and move forward in faith. 11 They forgot his wonderful works and the miracles of the past, 12 even their exodus from Egypt, the epic miracle of his might. They forgot the glories of his power at the place of passing over. a 13 God split the sea wide open, and the waters stood at attention on either side as the people passed on through! 14 By day the moving glory-cloud led them forward. And all through the night the fire-cloud stood as a sentry of light. 15–16 In the days of desert dryness he split open the mighty rock, and the waters flowed like a river before their very eyes. He gave them all they wanted to drink from his living springs. 17 Yet they kept their rebellion alive against God Most High, and their sins against God continued to be counted.

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In their hearts they tested God just to get what they wanted, asking for the food their hearts craved. 19–20 Like spoiled children they grumbled against God, demanding he prove his love by saying, “Can’t God provide for us in this barren wilderness? Will he give us food, or will he only give us water? Where’s our meal?” 21 Then God heard all their complaining and was furious! His anger flared up against his people. 22 For they turned away from faith and walked away in fear; they failed to trust in his power to help them when he was near. 23–24 Still he spoke on their behalf and the skies opened up; the windows of heaven poured out food, the mercy bread-manna. The grain of grace fell from the clouds. 25 Humans ate angels’ food—the meal of the mighty ones.

His grace gave them more than enough! The heavenly winds of miracle power blew in their favor and food rained down upon them; succulent quail quieted their hunger as they ate all they wanted. 28 Food fell from the skies, thick as clouds; their provision floated down right in front of their eyes! 29 He gave them all they desired, and they ate to their fill. 30–31 But before they had even finished, even with their food still in their mouths, God’s fiery anger arose against them, killing the finest of their mighty men. 32 Yet in spite of all this, they kept right on sinning. Even when they saw God’s marvels, they refused to believe God could care for them. 33 So God cut their lives short with sudden disaster, with nothing to show for their lives but fear and failure. 34 When he cared for them they ignored him , but when he began to kill them, ending their lives in a moment, 26–27

they came running back to God, pleading for mercy. 35 They remembered that God, the Mighty One, was their strong protector, the Hero-God who would come to their rescue. 36–37 But their repentance lasted only as long as they were in danger; they lied through their teeth to the true God of Covenant. So quickly they wandered away from his promises, following God with their words and not their hearts! Their worship was only flattery. 38 But amazingly, God—so full of compassion—still forgave them. He covered over their sins with his love, refusing to destroy them all. Over and over he held back his anger, restraining wrath to show them mercy. 39 He knew that they were made from mere dust— frail, fragile, and short-lived, here today and gone tomorrow. 40 How many times they rebelled in their desert days! How they grieved him with their grumblings.

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Again and again they limited God, preventing him from blessing them. Continually they turned back from him and provoked b the Holy One of Israel! 42 They forgot his great love, how he took them by his hand, and with redemption’s kiss he delivered them from their enemies. 43 They disregarded all the epic signs and marvels they saw when they escaped from Egypt’s bondage. They forgot the judgment of the plagues that set them free. 44 God turned their rivers into blood, leaving the people thirsty. 45 He sent them vast swarms of filthy flies that sucked their blood. He sent hordes of frogs, ruining their lives. 46 Grasshoppers consumed all their crops. 47 Every garden and every orchard was flattened with blasts of hailstones, their fruit trees ruined by a killing frost. 48 Even their cattle fell prey, pounded by the falling hail;

their livestock were struck with bolts of lightning. Finally, he unleashed upon them the fierceness of his anger. Such fury! He sent them sorrow and devastating trouble by his mighty band of destroying angels; messengers of death were dispatched against them. 50–51 He lifted his mercy and let loose his fearful anger and did not spare their lives. He released the judgment-plagues to rage through their land. God struck down in death all the firstborn sons of Egypt— the pride and joy of each family. 52 Then, like a shepherd leading his sheep, God led his people out of tyranny, guiding them through the wilderness like a flock. 53 Safely and carefully God led them out, with nothing to fear. But their enemies he led into the sea. He took care of them there once and for all! 54 Eventually God brought his people to the Holy Land, 49

to a land of hills that he had prepared for them. c He drove out and scattered all the peoples occupying the land, staking out an inheritance, a portion for each of Israel’s tribes. 56 Yet for all of this, they still rebelled and refused to follow his ways, provoking to anger the God Most High. 57–58 Like traitors turning back, they forsook him. They were even worse than their fathers! They became treacherous deceivers, crooked and corrupt, and worshiped false gods in the high places, bringing low the name of God with every idol they erected. No wonder he was filled with jealousy and furious with anger! 59 Enraged with anger, God turned his wrath on them, and he rejected his people with disgust. 60 God walked away from them and left his dwelling place at Shiloh, abandoning the place where he had lived among them, 61 allowing his emblem of strength, his glory-ark to 55

be captured. d Enemies stole the very source of Israel’s power. 62 God vented his rage, allowing his people to be butchered when they went out to battle, for his anger was intense against his very own. 63 Their young men fell on the battlefield and never came back. Their daughters never heard their wedding songs since there was no one left to marry! 64 Their priests were slaughtered and their widows were killed before they had time to weep. 65 Then all at once the Almighty awakened as though he had been asleep. Like a mighty man he arose, roaring into action! 66 He blasted into battle, driving back every foe, defeating them in disgrace for time and eternity. 67 He rejected Joseph’s family, the tribe of Ephraim. e 68 He chose instead the tribe of Judah and Mount Zion, which he loves. 69 There he built his towering temple, strong and enduring as the earth itself. 70 God also chose his beloved one, David.

He promoted him from caring for sheep and made him his prophetic servant. 71–72 God prepared David and took this gentle shepherd-king and presented him before the people as the one who would love and care for them with integrity, a pure heart, and the anointing to lead Israel, his holy inheritance.

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78:12 Or “the fields of Zoan.” Zoan means “crossing place” or “place of departure.” See also v. 43 . 78:41 The Hebrew verb for “provoked” is a hapax legomenon and comes from a root word for “marked.” It is as though Israel’s behavior wounded the heart of God. 78:54 The Aramaic reads “He brought them to the border of his holiness, the mountain possessed by his right hand.” 78:61 Although the ark is not directly mentioned in this text, the obvious implication is that God allowed his “strength” to be stolen as a sign of his judgment. 78:67 The place of God’s dwelling was moved from the land of Ephraim (Shiloh) to the land of Judah (Jerusalem).

79 P RAYER IN A T IME OF

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Asaph’s poetic song 1 God, won’t you do something? Barbarians have invaded your inheritance. Your temple of holiness has been violated, and Jerusalem has been left in ruins. 2 The corpses of your loving people are lying in the open— food for the beasts and the birds. 3 The shed blood of your servants has soaked the city, with no one left to bury the dead. 4 Now the nearby nations heap their scorn upon us, scoffing, mocking us incessantly. 5 How much longer, O Jehovah-God, must we endure this? Does your anger have no end? Will your jealousy burn like a raging fire? 6 If you’re going to pour out your anger, pour it out on all these nations around us, not on us! They’re the ones who do not love you like we do! 7 See how they’ve attacked us, consuming the land,

leaving it desolate. Please, God, don’t hold the sins of our fathers against us. Don’t make us pay for their sins. Hurry to our side, and let your tenderhearted mercy meet us in our need, for we are devastated beyond belief. 9 Our hero, come and rescue us! O God of the breakthrough, for the glory of your name, come and help us! Forgive and restore us; heal us and cover us in your love. 10 Why should all the nations sneer at us, saying, “Where is this God of yours?” Now is the time, Lord. Show your people and all the world that you will avenge this slaughter and bloodshed once and for all! 11 Listen, Lord! Hear the sighing of all the prisoners of war, all those doomed to die. Demonstrate your glorypower, and come and rescue your condemned children! 12 Lord God, take what these mocking masses have 8

done to us and pay it all back to them seven times over. 13 Then we, your lovers, will forever thank you, praising your name from generation to generation!

80 R ES CUE AND R ES TORE For the Pure and Shining One Asaph’s poetic song, set to the tune of “Your Decrees Are Like Lilies” 1 God-Enthroned, be revealed in splendor as you ride upon the cherubim! How perfectly you lead us, a people set free. a Loving shepherd of Israel—listen to our hearts’ cry! Shine forth from your throne of dazzling light. 2 In the sight of Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh, stir up your mighty power in full display before our eyes. b Break through and reveal yourself by coming to our rescue. 3 Revive us, O God! Let your beaming face shine upon us with the sunrise rays of glory;

then nothing will be able to stop us. O God, the mighty Commander of Angel Armies, how much longer will you smolder in anger? How much longer will you be disgusted with your people even when they pray? 5 You have fed us with sorrow and grief and made us drink our tears by the bowlful. 6 You’ve made us a thorn in the side of all the neighboring lands, and now they just laugh at us with their mocking scorn. 7 Come back, come back, O God, and restore us! You are the Commander of Angel Armies. Let your beaming face shine upon us with the sunrise rays of glory, and then nothing will be able to stop us! 8–9 Remember how you transplanted us here like a tender vine from Egypt. You cleared the land for your vineyard, evicting the nations from your land and planting us here. The roots of your vineyard went deep into the soil and filled the land with fruit. 4

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Because of your favor on your vineyard, blessing extended to every mountain of influence. Through this flourishing vineyard mighty ones were raised up. The nations were blessed by your fruitful vineyard of Israel, c all the way from the Mediterranean to the Euphrates. 12–13 So Lord, why have you broken down your fence of favor around us? Trespassers can steal the fruit from off our vines, and now every wild beast comes breaking through our wall to ravage us. You’ve left us without protection! 14 Come back, come back, O God to restore us! You are the Commander of Angel Armies. Look down from heaven and see our crisis. Come down and care for your lovely vineyard once again. 15 Nurture our root and our fruit with your loving care. Raise up the Branch-Man, the Son whom you’ve made strong. 16 Enemies chopped down our vine and set it on fire;

now show them your anger and let them perish by your frown. 17 Strengthen this Branch-Man, the Son of your love, the Son of Man who dwells at your right hand. 18 Then we will never turn back from you. Revive us again, that we may trust in you. 19 O God, the mighty Commander of Angel Armies, come back and rescue us! Let your beaming face shine upon us with the sunrise rays of glory. Then nothing will ever stop us again!

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80:1 Or “You lead Joseph like a flock.” Joseph, as a metaphor, becomes a picture of the saga of God’s people once imprisoned and now set free to rule and reign. b 80:2 The Hebrew text includes the names Ephraim (“doubly fruitful”), Benjamin (“son of my right hand”), and M anassah (“you made me forget”). These three sons of Rachel marched together behind the ark of glory (Num. 2:17–24) and became representatives of all who follow the glory of God. They will be “doubly fruitful,” “sons of his right hand,” and those who have “forgotten” their lives in Adam. c 80:10–11 In this passage the translator has chosen to make

explicit the symbols in the text. The vineyard is Israel, the mountains are the high places of influence in culture, the cedars are the mighty and powerful of men, and the sea speaks of the nations (“sea of humanity”).

81 F OR THE F EAS T OF T ABERNACLES For the Pure and Shining One Asaph’s poetic song, set to the melody of “For the Feast of Harvest” 1 Lord, just singing about you makes me strong! So I’ll keep shouting for joy to Jacob’s God, my champion. 2 Let the celebration begin! I will sing with drum accompaniment and with the sweet sound of the harp and guitar strumming. 3 Go ahead! Blow the jubilee trumpet to begin the feast! Blow it before every joyous celebration and festival. a 4 For God has given us these seasons of joy, days that the God of Jacob decreed for us to celebrate and rejoice.

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He has given these feasts to remind us of his triumph over Egypt, when he went out to wage war against them. I heard the message in an unknown tongue as he said to me, “I have removed your backbreaking burdens and have freed your hands from the hard labor and toil. b You called out to me in your time of trouble and I rescued you. I came down from the realm of the secret place of thunder, where mysteries hide. I came down to save you. I tested your hearts at the place where there was no water to drink, the place of your bitter argument with me.” c Pause in his presence

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“Listen to me, my dear people. For I’m warning you, and you’d better listen well! For I hold something against you. 9 Don’t ever be guilty of worshiping any other god but me. 10 I am your only God, the living God.

Wasn’t I the one who broke the strongholds over you and raised you up out of bondage? Open your mouth with a mighty decree; I will fulfill it now, you’ll see! The words that you speak, so shall it be! 11 But my people still wouldn’t listen; my princely people would not yield to me. 12 So I lifted my grace from off of their lives and I surrendered them to the stubbornness of their hearts. For they were living according to their own selfish fantasies. 13 O that my people would once and for all listen to me and walk faithfully in my footsteps, following my ways. 14 Then and only then will I conquer your every foe and tell every one of them, ‘You must go!’ 15 Those who hate my ways will cringe before me and their punishment will be eternal. 16 But I will feed you with my spiritual bread. You will feast and be satisfied with me, feeding on my revelation-truth like honey

dripping from the cliffs of the high place.”

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81:3 Or “on the day of the new moon and the day of the full moon.” b 81:6 Or “from holding the baskets,” which alludes to the Hebrews carrying basket loads of burdens for their Egyptian masters. c 81:7 The Hebrew includes the word Meribah , which means “the place of strife and contention.”

82 T RUE J US TICE Asaph’s poetic song 1 All rise! For God now comes to judge as he convenes heaven’s courtroom. a He judges every judge and rules over every ruler, saying, 2 “How long will you judges refuse to listen to the voice of true justice and continue to corrupt what is right by judging in favor of the wrong?” Pause in his presence

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“Defend the defenseless, the fatherless and the forgotten, the disenfranchised and the destitute. 4 Your duty is to deliver the poor and the powerless; liberate them from the grasp of the wicked. 5 But you continue in your darkness and ignorance while the foundations of society are shaken to the core! 6 Didn’t I commission you as judges, saying, ‘You are all like gods, since you judge on my behalf. You are all like sons of the Most High, my representatives.’ 7 Nevertheless, in death you are nothing but mere men! You will be laid in the ground like any prince and you will die.” 8 All rise! For God now takes his place as judge of all the earth. Don’t you know that everything and everyone belongs to him? The nations will be sifted in his hands!

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82:1 Or “the council of El.” The Aramaic says, “God now

stands in the assembly of the angels, and he will judge in their midst.”

83 G OD , D ON ’ T B E S ILENT a Asaph’s poetic song 1 God, you have to do something! b Don’t be silent and just sit idly by. 2–3 Can’t you see what they’re doing? All your enemies are stirred up in an uproar! They despise you, Lord. In their defiant arrogance they rise up to host their secret council against your people. They conspire together to come and harm your cherished ones—your hidden ones. 4 Our enemies keep saying, “Now is the time to wipe Israel off the map. We’ll destroy even the memory of her existence!” 5 They’ve made their pact, consulting and conspiring, aligning together in their covenant against God. 6–8 All the sons of Ishmael, the desert sheiks and the nomadic tribes, Amalekites, Canaanites, Moabites, and all the nations that surround us, Philistines, Phoenicians, Gadarenes, c and

Samaritans; allied together they’re ready to attack! Pause in his presence 9

Do to them all what you did to the Midianites who were defeated by Gideon. Or what you did to Sisera and Jabin when Deborah and Barak defeated them by the Kishon River. 10 Do to your enemies what you did at Endor, whose rotting corpses fertilized the land. 11–12 Repeat history, God! Make all their “noble ones” die like Oreb, Zebah, and Zalmunna, who said in their pride, “We will seize God’s people along with all their pleasant lands!” 13 Blow them away, God, like straw in the wind, like a tumbleweed in the wilderness! 14 Burn them up like a raging fire roaring down the mountainside; consume them all until only charred sticks remain! 15 Chase them away like before a mighty storm and terrifying tempest. 16 O Lord, disgrace them until their faces fill with shame,

and make them acknowledge the glory of your name. 17 Make them utter failures in everything they do until they perish in total disgrace and humiliation 18 so they will know that you, and you alone, are Yahweh, the only Most High God exalted over all the earth!

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The historical background to this psalm may be found in 2 Chron. 20:14–36. b 83:1 Both the Aramaic and the Septuagint add a line in verse 1: “God, who is like you?” c 83:6–8 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “It includes the tents of Edom and Ishmael (Palestinians and those of southern Jordan), M oab (Palestinians and those of central Jordan) and Hagrites (Egyptians or possibly northern Jordanians), Gebal (Byblos and northern Lebanon), Ammon (Palestinians and northern Jordanians) and Amalek (Arabs of the Sinai Peninsula), Philistia (Gaza), and the inhabitants of Tyre (southern Lebanese). Even Assyria (Syrians and northern Iraqis) has become their ally as an arm [military might] for the sons of Lot.” This comprises virtually every neighbor surrounding Israel.

84 L ONGING FOR G OD For the Pure and Shining One A prophetic song written by the sons of Korah Set to the melody of “For the Feast of Harvest” a 1 God of Heaven’s Armies, you find so much beauty in your people! They’re like lovely sanctuaries of your presence. b 2 Deep within me are these lovesick longings, desires and daydreams of living in union with you. When I’m near you my heart and my soul will sing and worship with my joyful songs of you, my true source and spring of life! 3 O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, my King and my God, even the sparrows and swallows are welcome to build a nest among your altars for the birds to raise their young. 4 What pleasure fills those who live every day in your temple, enjoying you as they worship in your presence! Pause in his presence 5

How enriched are they who find their strength in the Lord; c

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within their hearts are the highways of holiness! d Even when their paths wind through the dark valley of tears, they dig deep to find a pleasant pool where others find only pain . He gives to them a brook of blessing filled from the rain of an outpouring. They grow stronger and stronger with every step forward, and the God of all gods will appear before them in Zion. Hear my cry, O God of Heaven’s Armies! God of Jacob, listen to my loving prayer. Pause in his presence

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God, your wrap-around presence is our defense. In your kindness look upon the faces of your anointed ones. e 10 For just one day of intimacy with you f is like a thousand days of joy rolled into one! I’d rather stand at the threshold in front of the Gate Beautiful, ready to go in and worship my God, than to live my life without you in the most beautiful palace of the wicked.

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For the Lord God is brighter than the brilliance of a sunrise! Wrapping himself around me like a shield, he is so generous with his gifts of grace and glory. Those who walk along his paths with integrity will never lack one thing they need, for he provides it all! 12 O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, what euphoria fills those who forever trust in you!

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The Septuagint says, “For the wine vats.” 84:1 The Hebrew word for “lovely” used here can also mean “beloved.” The translator has chosen to use both of these concepts in this verse. 84:5 The Aramaic says, “How blessed is the Son of M an with you as his helper.” 84:5 The Hebrew is literally “Roads are in their hearts.” By implication it is the ways [roads] that lead us to God’s holy presence. 84:9 Or “the face of your Anointed [Christ].” 84:10 Or “in your [temple] courts.”

85 M ERCY AND T RUTH For the Pure and Shining One A prophetic song, composed by the sons of Korah 1 Lord, your love has poured out so many amazing blessings on our land! You’ve restored Jacob’s destiny from captivity. 2 You’ve forgiven our many sins and covered every one of them in your love. Pause in his presence 3

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So now it’s obvious that your blazing anger has ended and the furious fire of wrath has been extinguished by your mercy . So bring us back to loving you, God our Savior. Restore our hearts so that we’ll never again feel your anger rise against us. Will you forever hold a grudge? Will your anger endure for all time? Revive us again, O God! I know you will! Give us a fresh start! Then all your people will taste your joy and gladness. Pour out even more of your love on us!

Reveal more of your kindness and restore us back to you! 8 Now I’ll listen carefully for your voice and wait to hear whatever you say. Let me hear your promise of peace— the message every one of your godly lovers longs to hear. Don’t let us in our ignorance turn back from following you. 9 For I know your power and presence shines on all your lovers. Your glory always hovers over all who bow low before you. 10 Your mercy and your truth have married each other. Your righteousness and peace have kissed. 11 Flowers of your faithfulness are blooming on the earth. Righteousness shines down from the sky. 12 Yes, the Lord keeps raining down blessing after blessing, and prosperity will drench the land with a bountiful harvest. 13 For deliverance and peace are his forerunners,

preparing a path for his steps.

86 A P RAYER OF F AITH King David’s prayer 1 Lord, bend down to listen to my prayer. I am in deep trouble. I’m broken and humbled, and I desperately need your help. 2 Guard my life, for I’m your faithful friend, your loyal servant for life. I turn to you in faith, my God, my hero; come and rescue me! 3 Lord God, hear my constant cry for help; show me your favor and bring me to your fountain of grace! 4 Restore joy to your loving servant once again, for all I am is yours, O God. 5 Lord, you are so good to me, so kind in every way a and ready to forgive, for your grace-fountain keeps overflowing, drenching all your lovers who pray to you. 6 God, won’t you pay attention to this urgent cry? Lord, bend down to listen to my prayer.

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Whenever trouble strikes, I will keep crying out to you, for I know your help is on the way. 8 God, there’s no one like you; there’s no other god as famous as you. You outshine all others and your miracles make it easy to know you. 9 Lord Almighty, you are the one who created all the nations; Look at them—they’re all on their way! Yes, the day will come when they all will worship you and put your glory on display. 10 You are the one and only God. What miracles! What wonders! What greatness belongs to you! 11 Teach me more about you, how you work and how you move, so that I can walk onward in your truth until everything within me brings honor to your name. 12 With all my heart and passion I will thank you, my God! I will give glory to your name, always and forever!

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You love me so much and you placed your greatness upon me. b You rescued me from the deepest place of darkness, and you have delivered me from a certain death. 14 God, look at how these arrogant ones have defied me. Like a vicious band of violent men they have tried to kill me. They wouldn’t worry for a moment that they were sinning against you! 15 But Lord, your nurturing love is tender and gentle. You are slow to get angry yet so swift to show your faithful love. You are full of abounding grace and truth. c 16 Bring me to your grace-fountain so that your strength becomes mine. Be my hero and come rescue your servant once again! 17 Send me a miraculous sign to show me how much you love me, so that those who hate me will see it and be ashamed. Don’t they know that you, Lord, are my

comforter, the one who comes to help me?

a b c

86:5 The Septuagint says, “You’re my provider.” 86:13 As translated from the Aramaic. 86:15 As translated from the Aramaic and the Septuagint.

87 F OUNTAINS OF J OY A prophetic song, composed by the sons of Korah 1 High upon his hills of holiness stands God’s city. a 2 How God loves the gates of Zion, his favorite place on earth. b 3 So many glorious things have been proclaimed over Zion, God’s holy city! Pause in his presence 4

For the Lord says, “Here are the nations who will acknowledge me as God: c Egypt, d Iraq, e Palestine, f and the Mediterranean people, g even distant Ethiopia. They will all boast, ‘I was born in Zion!’”

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But over Zion it will be said, “The mighty Man was born there and he will establish it.” h For the God Most High will truly bless Jerusalem. And when he counts her citizens, recording them in his registry, he will write by their name: “This one was born again here!” Pause in his presence

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And the princes of God’s feasts will sing and dance, i singing, “Every fountain of delight springs up from your life within me!”

a

87:1 The Aramaic reads “His foundations are in his holy mountains.” b 87:2 Or “The Lord loves Zion’s gates more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.” c 87:4 This is in anticipation of the nations of the earth coming to know Christ as the eternal King. See also Ps. 86:9 . d 87:4 Or “the proud one,” which is a title given to Egypt. See Isa. 30:7.

e f g h

87:4 Or “Babylon,” which means “gate of God.” 87:4 Or “Philistia,” which means “land of sojourners.” 87:4 Or “Tyre,” which means “a rock.” 87:5 As translated from the Aramaic. The Hebrew reads “Each one is born in Zion, and the M ost High makes her secure.” i 87:7 As translated from the Aramaic.

88 S AVE M E FROM T HIS S ORROW a To the Pure and Shining One A prophetic song for the sons of Korah To the tune of “Pierced,” for instruction by Heman the Ezrahite 1 Yahweh is the God who continually saves me. I weep before you night and day. 2 Please bend down and listen to my sobbing, for my life is riddled with troubles and death is just around the corner! 3 Everyone sees my life ebbing out. They consider me a hopeless case and see me as a dead man. 4 They’ve all left me here to die, helpless, like one who is doomed for death.

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They’re convinced you’ve forsaken me, certain that you’ve forgotten me completely— abandoned, pierced, with nothing to look forward to but death. They b have discarded me and thrown me down into the deepest darkness as into a bottomless pit. I feel your wrath and it’s a heavy weight upon me, drowning me beneath a sea of sorrow. Pause in his presence

8

Why did you turn all my friends against me? You’ve made me like a cursed man in their eyes. No one wants to be with me now. You’ve caught me in a trap with no way out. 9 Every day I beg for your help. Can’t you see my tears? My eyes are swollen with weeping. My arms are wide, longing for mercy, c but you’re nowhere to be found. 10 How can those who are cut off from your care even know that you are there? How can I rise up to praise you if I’m dead and gone? 11 Who can give thanks for your love in the graveyard?

Who preaches your faithfulness in the place of destruction? 12 Does death’s darkness declare your miracles? How can anyone who’s in the grave, where all is forgotten, remember how you keep your promises? 13 Lord, you know my prayer before I even whisper it. d At each and every sunrise you will continue to hear my cry until you answer. 14 O Lord, why have you thrown my life away? Will you keep turning the other way every time I call out to you? 15 I’ve had to live in poverty and trouble all my life. e Now I’m humiliated, broken, and helpless before your terrors and I can’t take it anymore. 16 I’m overwhelmed by your burning anger. I’ve taken the worst you could give me and I’m speechless before you. 17 I’m drowning beneath the waves of this sorrow, cut off with no one to help. 18 All my loved ones and friends keep far away from me,

leaving me all alone with only darkness as my friend.

a

b c d e

This psalm has traditionally been used by Christians for reading on Good Friday. M any insights can be found here of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. 88:6 As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew reads “You have discarded me.” 88:9 As translated from the Septuagint. The Greek reads “M y hands are stretched out to you.” 88:13 As translated from the Septuagint. 88:15 As translated from the Septuagint. The Greek reads “close to death all my life.”

89 W ILL Y OU R EJECT U S F OREVER ? Poems by Ethan the Ezrahite for instruction a First Poem — God’s Promises to David 1 This forever-song I sing of the gentle love of God! Young and old alike will hear about your faithful, steadfast love — never failing! 2 Here’s my chorus: “Your mercy grows through the ages. b

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Your faithfulness is firm, rising up to the skies.” I heard the Lord say, “My covenant has been made and I’m committed forever to my chosen one, David. I have made my oath that there will be sons of David forever, sons that are kings through every generation.” Pause in his presence

5–6

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Can you hear it? Heaven is filled with your praises, O Lord! All the holy ones are praising you for your miracles. The sons of God are all praising you for your mighty wonders. We could search the skies forever and never find one like you. All the mighty angels could not be compared to you. You are a God who is greatly to be feared as you preside over the council of holy ones. You are surrounded by trembling ones who are overwhelmed with fear and dread, stunned as they stand in awe of you! So awesome are you, O Yahweh, Lord God of

Angel Armies! Where could we find anyone as glorious as you? Your faithfulness shines all around you! 9 You rule over oceans and the swelling seas. When their stormy waves rise, you speak, and they lie still. c 10 You crushed the strongholds of Egypt and all your enemies were scattered at the mighty display of your glory-power. 11 All the heavens and everything on earth belong to you, for you are the Creator of all that is seen and unseen. 12 The four corners of the earth were put in place by you. You made the majestic mountains that are still shouting their praises to your name. 13 Breathtaking and awesome is your power! Astounding and unbelievable is your might and strength when it goes on display! 14 Your glorious throne rests on a foundation of righteousness and just verdicts. Grace and truth are the attendants who go before you.

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O Lord, how blessed are the people who experience the shout of worship, for they walk in the radiance of your presence. 16 We can do nothing but leap for joy all day long, for we know who you are and what you do, and you’ve exalted us on high. 17 The glory of your splendor is our strength, and your marvelous favor makes us even stronger, lifting us even higher! 18 You are our King, the holiest one of all; your wrap-around presence is our protection. Second Poem — God Keeps His Promises 19–20 You spoke to your prophets in visions, saying, “I have found a mighty hero for my people. I have chosen David as my loving servant and exalted him. I have anointed him as king with the oil of my holiness. 21 I will be strength to him and I will give him my grace to sustain him no matter what comes. 22 None of his enemies will get the best of him, nor will the wicked one overpower him. 23 For I will crush his every adversary

and do away with all who hate him. Because I love him and treasure him, my faithfulness will always protect him. I will place my great favor upon him, and I will cause his power and fame to increase. 25 I will set his hand over the sea and his right hand over the rivers. 26 And he will come before me, saying, ‘You truly are my Father, my only God, and my strong deliverer!’ 27 I am setting him apart, favoring him as my firstborn son. I will make him the most high king in all the earth! 28 I will love him forever and always show him kindness. My covenant with him will never be broken. 29 For I have decreed that he will always have an heir — a dynasty that will release the days of heaven on earth. 30–32 But if his children turn from me and forsake my words, refusing to walk in my truth, renouncing and violating my laws, 24

then I will surely punish them for their sins with my stern discipline until they regret it. 33 But I will never, no never, lift my faithful love from off their lives. My kindness will prevail and I will never disown them. 34–35 How could I revoke my covenant of love that I promised David? For I have given him my word, my holy, irrevocable word. How could I lie to my loving servant David? 36–37 Sons of David will continue to reign on his throne, and their kingdom will endure as long as the sun is in the sky. This covenant will be an unbreakable promise that I have established for all time.” Pause in his presence

Third Poem — Why Has Our King Been Defeated? 38 Why have you rejected me, the one you anointed? Why would you cast me away? Why would you lose your temper with me?

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You have torn up the contract you made with me, your servant. You have stripped away my crown and thrown it to the ground. d 40 You have torn down all my walls of defense and have made my every hiding place into ruins. 41 All the passersby attack and rob me while my neighbors mock! 42 Instead of fighting for me, you took the side of my enemies, even giving them strength to subdue me, and then watched them celebrate their victory! 43 You are no longer helping me in battle. You’ve forsaken me to the swords of those who would strike me down. 44 You’ve made my regal splendor to decrease and allowed my rule to be overthrown. 45 Because of you, I’ve become old before my time and I’m publicly disgraced! Pause in his presence

Fourth Poem — Save Me, God 46 How long will you hide your love from me?

Have you left me for good? How long will your anger continue to burn against me? 47 Remember, Lord, I am nothing but dust, here today and so soon blown away. Is this all you’ve created us for? For nothing but this? 48 Which one of us will live forever? We are all mortal, terminal, for we will all one day die. Which one of us would ever escape our appointment with death and dodge our own funeral? Pause in his presence 49

So God, where is all this love and kindness you promised us? What happened to your covenant with David? 50 Have you forgotten how your own servants are being slandered? Lord God, it seems like I’m carrying in my heart all the pain and abuse of many people. 51 They have relentlessly insulted and persecuted us, your anointed ones. 52 Nevertheless, blessed be our God forever and ever.

Amen. Faithful is our King!

a

M any scholars believe Ps. 89 contains four poems or stanzas. The translator has chosen to signify each poem with an inscription. b 89:2 As translated from the Septuagint. c 89:9 This is a prophecy of Jesus, who would one day calm the stormy seas. See M att. 8:23–27 . d 89:39 In place of the word crown, some translations render it “my dignity.”

BOOK 4 THE NUMBERS PSALMS Psalms of our pilgrimage on earth

90 G OD , THE E TERNAL A prayer of Moses, God’s prophet 1 Lord, you have always been our eternal home, our hiding place from generation to generation. 2 Long before you gave birth to the earth and before the mountains were born, you have been from everlasting to everlasting, a the one and only true God. 3 When you speak the words “Life, return to me!” man turns back to dust. 4 One thousand years pass before your eyes like yesterday that quickly faded away, like a night’s sleep soon forgotten. b 5–6 One day we will each be swept away into the sleep of death. We glide along through the tides of time—

so quickly gone, like a dream that fades at dawn. c Like glistening grass that springs up one day and is dry and withered the next, ready to be cut down! 7 Terrified by your anger, confined beneath the curse, we live our lives knowing your wrath. d 8 For all of our faults and flaws are in full view to you. e Everything we want to hide, you search out and expose by the radiance of your face. 9 We are banished to live in the shadow of your anger. Our days soon become years until our lifetime comes to an end, finished with nothing but a sigh. f 10 You’ve limited our life span to a mere seventy years, yet some you give grace to live still longer. g But even the best of years are marred by tears and toils, and in the end with nothing more than a gravestone in a graveyard! h We’re gone so quickly, so swiftly; we pass away and simply disappear. 11 Lord, who fully knows the power of your passion

and the intensity of your emotions? i Help us to remember that our days are numbered, and help us to interpret our lives correctly. Set your wisdom deeply in our hearts so that we may accept your correction. j 13 Return to us again, O God! How much longer will it take until you show us your abundant compassion? 14 Let the sunrise of your love end our dark night. Break through our clouded dawn again! Only you can satisfy our hearts, filling us with songs of joy to the end of our days. 15 We’ve been overwhelmed with grief; come now and overwhelm us with gladness. Replace our years of trouble with decades of delight. 16 Let us see your miracles again, and let the rising generation see the glorious wonders you’re famous for. 17 O Lord our God, let your sweet beauty rest upon us and give us favor. Come work with us, and then our works will endure, 12

and give us success in all we do.

a b c d

e f g h

i

j

90:2 The Hebrew word for “eternity” is actually “horizon”—from one horizon to the other. 90:4 Or “like divisions [watches] of the night.” 90:5–6 A poetic description of what is implied in the context. 90:7 Or “worn-out by your rage.” Jesus has come and broken the curse and lifted the unbearable burden of our sins. 90:8 The Septuagint reads “The laws we have broken all stand before you.” 90:9 The Septuagint reads “All our days have been filled with failures.” 90:10 Or “if in strength eighty years.” 90:10 A poetic description of what is implied in the context. The Septuagint has the phrase “until we mellow and accept your correction.” 90:11 As translated from the Aramaic. The Hebrew can be translated “Who could experience the strength of your anger? Who could endure the fear your fury can bring, and who truly comprehends the fear of God?” 90:12 As translated from the Septuagint.

91 S AFE AND S ECURE 1

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When you sit enthroned a under the shadow of Shaddai, b you are hidden c in the strength of God Most High. He’s the hope that holds me and the Stronghold to shelter me, the only God for me, and my great confidence. He will rescue you from every hidden trap of the enemy, d and he will protect you from false accusation and any deadly curse. e His massive arms f are wrapped around you, protecting you. You can run under his covering of majesty and hide. His arms of faithfulness are a shield keeping you from harm. You will never worry about an attack of demonic forces at night nor have to fear a spirit of darkness coming against you. Don’t fear a thing! Whether by night or by day, demonic danger will

not trouble you, g nor will the powers of evil launched against you. 7 Even in a time of disaster, with thousands and thousands being killed, you will remain unscathed and unharmed. 8 you will be a spectator as the wicked perish in judgment, for they will be paid back for what they have done! 9–10 When we live our lives within the shadow of God Most High, our secret hiding place, we will always be shielded from harm. How then could evil prevail against us or disease infect us? 11 God sends angels with special orders to protect you wherever you go, defending you from all harm. 12 If you walk into a trap, they’ll be there for you and keep you from stumbling. 13 You’ll even walk unharmed among the fiercest powers of darkness, h trampling every one of them beneath your feet! 14 For here is what the Lord has spoken to me: “Because you have delighted in me as my great

lover, I will greatly protect you. I will set you in a high place, safe and secure before my face. 15 I will answer your cry for help every time you pray, and you will find and feel my presence even in your time of pressure and trouble. I will be your glorious hero and give you a feast. 16 You will be satisfied with a full life and with all that I do for you. For you will enjoy the fullness of my salvation!”

a

91:1 Or “O, you who sits enthroned.” The Hebrew word yashab is often associated with one seated as royalty. It is translated in Ezek. 27:8 as “leaders or rulers.” b 91:1 Shaddai ( šadday ) is taken from a Hebrew root word with many expressive meanings. It can mean “God of the M ountain, God the Destroyer of Enemies, God the SelfSufficient One, God the Nurturer of Babies, God the Almighty.” c 91:1 Or “I endure through the night.” See Job 39:28, where the same Hebrew word is used for an eagle passing the night on the high cliffs.

d e

91:3 Or “hunter.” 91:3 As translated from the most ancient Hebrew manuscripts and the Septuagint. The Hebrew word can mean “poisoned arrows.” f 91:4 Or “wings.” Also found in the next sentence, “under his wings,” which speaks not of God having wings, but of the wings of the cherubim resting on the mercy seat. The implication is that we can always come to the mercy seat and rest without fear. g 91:6 Verses 5–6 are seen by many Jewish scholars as a reference not merely to pestilence and natural dangers but to the realm of spiritual darkness that would come against God’s servants. These spirits are equated to “arrows that fly in daytime” or “a pestilence that walks” in the darkness. God’s sheltered ones are kept from the harm that could come from natural sources or supernatural sources. What a wonderful place to hide and be secure! h 91:13 The Hebrew includes the words for “lions,” “snakes,” and “dragons” (Heb. basilisk ) as the three great symbols of satanic power.

92 A S UNDAY M ORNING S ONG OF P RAIS E A poetic praise song for the day of worship a 1 It’s so enjoyable to come before you

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with uncontainable praises spilling from our hearts! How we love to sing our praises over and over to you, to the matchless God, high and exalted over all! At each and every sunrise we will be thanking you for your kindness and your love. As the sun sets and all through the night, we will keep proclaiming, “You are so faithful!” Melodies of praise will fill the air as every musical instrument, b joined with every heart, overflows with worship. No wonder I’m so glad; I can’t keep it in! Lord, I’m shouting with glee over all you’ve done, for all you’ve done for me! What mighty miracles and your power at work, just to name a few. Depths of purpose and layers of meaning saturate everything you do. Such amazing mysteries found within every miracle that nearly everyone seems to miss. Those with no discernment can never really discover the deep and glorious secrets hidden in your ways. It’s true the wicked flourish, but only for a moment,

foolishly forgetting their destiny with death, that they will all one day be destroyed forevermore. 8 But you, O Lord, are exalted forever in the highest place of endless glory, 9 while all your opponents, the workers of wickedness, will all perish, forever separated from you. 10 Your anointing has made me strong and mighty. You’ve empowered my life for triumph c by pouring fresh oil over me. 11 You’ve said that those lying in wait to pounce on me would be defeated, and now it’s happened right in front of my eyes and I’ve heard their cries of surrender! 12 Yes! Look how you’ve made all your lovers to flourish like palm trees, each one growing in victory, standing with strength! d 13 You’ve transplanted them into your heavenly courtyard, where they are thriving before you. 14 For in your presence they will still overflow and be anointed.

Even in their old age they will stay fresh, bearing luscious fruit and abiding faithfully. 15 Listen to them! With pleasure they still proclaim: “You’re so good! You’re my beautiful strength! You’ve never made a mistake with me.” e

a

b c

d e

Ancient Jewish tradition holds that Adam composed this psalm on the first Sabbath of creation, and it was to be sung by the Levites on the Sabbath in the temple. 92:3 Or “a ten-stringed harp and lyre.” 92:10 The Septuagint reads “I will raise my horn high like a rhinoceros [Hebrew translated to wild ox ], and in my old age I will still have plenty of oil [anointing].” 92:12 Or “growing high like a cedar in Lebanon.” God makes us immortal and immovable. 92:15 Or “You are just and never unfair.”

93 T HE M AJES TY OF G OD A Friday song, composed by King David after being resettled in the land a 1 Look! Yahweh now reigns as King! He has covered himself with majesty and strength,

wearing them as his splendor-garments. Regal power surrounds him as he sits securely on his throne. He’s in charge of it all, the entire world, and he knows what he’s doing! 2 Lord, you have reigned as King from the very beginning of time. Eternity is your home. 3–4 Chaos once challenged you. The raging waves lifted themselves over and over, high above the ocean’s depths, letting out their mighty roar! Yet at the sound of your voice they were all stilled by your might. What a majestic King, filled with power! 5 Nothing could ever change your royal decrees; they will last forever! Holiness is the beauty that fills your house; b you are the one who abides forevermore!

a

This inscription is found in the Septuagint. Jews called this psalm “The Friday psalm.” The Talmud indicates that this psalm was sung every Friday in the temple by the

b

Levites. 93:5 Believers are now God’s house, made holy by the blood of Jesus. See 1 Cor. 3:16 and Heb. 3:6 .

94 G OD OF V ENGEANCE A Wednesday song, composed by King David a 1 Lord God Almighty, you are the God who takes vengeance on your enemies. It’s time for you to punish evil! Let your rays of revelation-light shine from your people and pierce the conscience of the wicked and punish them. 2 It’s time to arise as judge of all the earth; arise to punish the proud with the penalty they deserve! 3 How much longer will you sit back and watch the wicked triumph in their evil, boasting in all that is wrong? 4–5 Listen to them bragging among themselves, big in their own eyes, all because of the crimes they’ve committed against your people! See how they’re crushing those who love you,

God, cruelly oppressing those who belong to you. b 6 Heartlessly they murder the widows, the foreigners, and even the orphaned children. 7 They say to themselves, “The Lord God doesn’t see this. Their God, the God of Jacob, he doesn’t even care!” 8 But you’d better watch out, you stupid fools! You’d better wise up! Why would you act like God doesn’t exist? Do you really think that God can’t hear their cries? 9 God isn’t hard of hearing; he’ll hear all their cries. God isn’t blind. He who made the eye has superb vision and he’s watching all you do. 10 Won’t the God who knows all things know what you’ve done? The God who punishes nations will surely punish you! 11 The Lord has fully examined every thought of man and found them all to be empty and futile. 12 Lord Yah, there’s such a blessing that comes when you teach us your word and your ways. c

Even the sting of your correction can be sweet. It rescues us from our days of trouble until you are ready to punish the wicked. d 14 For the Lord will never walk away from his cherished ones, nor would he forsake his chosen ones who belong to him. e 15 Whenever you pronounce judgments, they reveal righteousness. f All your lovers will be pleased. g 16 Lord, who will protect me from these wicked ones? If you don’t stand to defend me, who will? I have no one but you! 17 I would have been killed so many times if you had not been there for me. 18 When I screamed out, “Lord, I’m doomed!” your fiery love was stirred and you raced to my rescue. 19 Whenever my busy thoughts were out of control, the soothing comfort of your presence calmed me down and overwhelmed me with delight. 20 It’s obvious to all; you will have nothing to do 13

with corrupt rulers who pass laws that empower evil and defeat what is right. 21 For they gang up against the lovers of righteousness and condemn the innocent to death. 22–23 But I know that all their evil plans will boomerang back onto them. Every plot they hatch will simply seal their own doom. For you, my God, you will destroy them, giving them what they deserve. For you are my true tower of strength, my safe place, my hideout, and my true shelter.

a

b c d e f g

This inscription is taken from the Septuagint. The M ishnah states that this psalm was sung by the Levites on the fourth day of the week, each Wednesday, in the temple. 94:4–5 Or “[the people of] his inheritance.” See also v. 14 . 94:12 Or “from your Torah.” 94:13 Or “until a pit is dug for the wicked.” 94:14 Or “[the people of] his inheritance.” 94:15 Or “justice will prevail.” 94:15 The Hebrew reads “and after it [judgment] are the

pure in heart.”

95 I T ’ S T IME TO S ING 1

Come on, everyone! Let’s sing for joy to the Lord! Let’s shout our loudest praises to our God who saved us! 2 Everyone come meet his face with a thankful heart. Don’t hold back your praises; make him great by your shouts of joy! 3 For the Lord is the greatest of all, King-God over all other gods! 4 In one hand he holds the mysteries of the earth and in the other he holds the highest mountain peaks. 5 He’s the owner of every ocean, the engineer and sculptor of earth itself! 6 Come and kneel before this Creator-God; come and bow before the mighty God, our majestic maker! 7–9 For we are the lovers he cares for and he is the God we worship. So drop everything else and listen to his voice!

For this is what he’s saying: “Today, when I speak, don’t even think about turning a deaf ear to me like they did when they tested me at Meribah and Massah, a the place where they argued with me, their Creator. Your ancestors challenged me over and over with their complaining, even though I had convinced them of my power and love. They still doubted my care for them. 10 So for forty long years I was grieved and disgusted by them. I described them as wicked wanderers whose hearts would not follow my ways or keep my words. 11 So I made a vow in my anger and declared, ‘They will never enter the resting place I’ve planned for them!’ So don’t you ever be hard-hearted or stubborn like they were! ”

a

95:7–9 Meribah means strife, argument. Massah means

testing.

96 K ING OF THE W ORLD 1

Go ahead—sing your new song to the Lord! Let everyone in every language sing him a new song. a 2–3 Don’t stop! Keep on singing! Make his name famous! Tell everyone every day how wonderful he is. Give them the good news of our great Savior. Take the message of his glory and miracles to every nation. Tell them about all the amazing things he has done. 4 For the Lord’s greatness is beyond description and he deserves all the praise that comes to him. He is our King-God and it’s right to be in holy awe of him. 5 Other gods are absolutely worthless. b For the Lord God is Creator-God, who spread the splendor of the skies! 6 Breathtaking brilliance and awe-inspiring majesty radiate from his shining presence. His stunning beauty overwhelms all who come

before him. c Surrender to the Lord Yahweh, all you nations and peoples. Surrender to him all your pride and strength. 8 Confess that Jehovah alone deserves all the glory and honor. Bring an offering and come celebrate in his courts. 9 Come worship the Lord God wearing the splendor of holiness. Let everyone wait in wonder as they tremble in awe before him. 10 Tell the nations plainly that Yahweh rules over all! He is doing a great job, and nothing will disrupt him, for he treats everyone fair and square. 11–12 Let the skies sing for joy! Let the earth join in the chorus. Let oceans thunder and fields echo this ecstatic praise until every swaying tree of every forest joins in, lifting up their songs of joyous praise to him! 13 For here he comes, the Lord God, and he’s ready to judge the world. He will do what’s right and can be trusted 7

to always do what’s fair.

a

96:1 Every new thing God does requires a new song to make it known. b 96:5 The Septuagint reads “demons.” c 96:6 Or “Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.”

97 G OD R ULES O VER A LL A psalm of David when his kingdom was established a 1 Yahweh now reigns as King! Let everyone rejoice! His rule extends everywhere, even to distant lands, and the islands of the sea, let them all be glad. 2 Clouds both dark and mysterious now surround him. b His throne of glory rests upon a foundation of righteousness and justice. 3 All around him burns a blazing glory-fire consuming all his foes. 4 When his lightning strikes, it lights up the world. People are wide-eyed as they tremble and shake. 5 Mountains melt away like wax in a fire

when the Lord of all the earth draws near. Heaven’s messengers preach righteousness and people everywhere see his glory in the sky! 7 Shame covers all who boast in other gods, for they worship idols. For all the supernatural powers once worshiped the true and living God. 8 But God’s Zion-people are content, for they know and hear the truth. The people of praise rejoice over all your judgments, O Lord! 9 For you are King-God, the Most High God over all the earth. You are exalted above every supernatural power! 10 Listen, you lovers of God! Hate evil, for God can keep you from wrong and protect you from the power of wickedness. 11 For he sows seeds of light within his lovers, and seeds of joy burst forth for the lovers of God! 12 So be glad and continue to give him thanks, for God’s holiness is seen in everything he does. 6

a

This inscription is from the Septuagint.

b

97:2 See also Deut. 4:11 and 5:22.

98 S ING A N EW S ONG David’s poetic praise a 1 Go ahead—sing your brand-new song to the Lord! He is famous for his miracles and marvels, for he is victorious through his mighty power and holy strength. 2 Everyone knows how God has saved us, for he has displayed his justice throughout history. 3 He never forgets to show us his love and faithfulness. How kind he has been to Israel! All the nations know how he stands behind his people and how he saves his own. 4 So go ahead, everyone, and shout out your praises with joy! Break out of the box and let loose with the most joyous sound of praise! 5 Sing your melody of praise to the Lord and make music like never before! b

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Blow those trumpets and shofars! Shout with joyous triumph before King Yahweh! Let the ocean’s waves join in the chorus with their roaring praise until everyone everywhere shouts out in unison, “Glory to the Lord!” Let the rivers and streams clap with applause as the mountains rise in a standing ovation to join the mighty choir of exaltation. Look! Here he comes! The Lord and judge of all the earth! He’s coming to make things right and to do it fair and square. And everyone will see that he does all things well!

a

The Septuagint has David as the author. The Hebrew says simply, “A psalm.” b 98:5 Or “accompanied by a harp and the sound of music.”

99 G OD OF H OLINES S 1

Yahweh is King over all! Everyone trembles in awe

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before him. He rules enthroned between the wings of the cherubim. So let the earth shake and quake in wonder before him! For Yahweh is great and glorious in the midst of his Zion-people. He is exalted above all! Let everyone praise this breathtaking God, for he is holy. A lover of justice is our mighty King; he is right in all his ways. He insists on being fair to all, promoting true justice and righteousness in Jacob. So everyone, exalt the Lord our God facedown before his glory-throne, for he is great and holy. God has his praying priests , like Moses, Aaron, and Samuel, who all interceded, asking God for help. God heard their cries and came to their rescue. He spoke to them from the pillar of clouds and they followed his instructions, doing everything he told them.

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God, the great forgiver, answered their prayers. Yet he would punish them when they went astray. Keep exalting the Lord our God facedown before his glory-throne, for he is great and holy!

100 P RAIS E G OD A poetic song for thanksgiving 1 Lift up a great shout of joy to the Lord! Go ahead and do it—everyone, everywhere! 2 As you serve him, be glad and worship him. Sing your way into his presence with joy! 3 And realize what this really means— we have the privilege of worshiping the Lord our God. For he is our Creator and we belong to him. We are the people of his pleasure. a 4 You can pass through his open gates with the password of praise. Come right into his presence with thanksgiving. Come bring your thank offering to him and affectionately bless his beautiful name!

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For the Lord is always good and ready to receive you. He’s so loving that it will amaze you— so kind that it will astound you! And he is famous for his faithfulness toward all. Everyone knows our God can be trusted, for he keeps his promises to every generation!

100:3 Or “the sheep of his pasture.”

101 I NTEGRITY David’s poetic praise 1 Lord, I will sing about your faithful love for me. My song of praise will have your justice as its theme. 2 I’m trying my best to walk in the way of integrity, especially in my own home. But I need your help! I’m wondering, Lord, when will you appear? 3 I refuse to gaze on that which is vulgar. I despise what is evil

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and anything that moves my heart away from you. I will not let evil hold me in its grip. Every perverse and crooked way I have put away from my heart, for I will have nothing to do with the deeds of darkness. a I will silence those who secretly want to slander my friends, and I will not tolerate the proud and arrogant. My innermost circle will only be those whom I know are pure and godly. They will be the only ones I allow to minister to me. There’s no room in my home for hypocrites, for I can’t stand chronic liars who flatter and deceive. At each and every sunrise I will awake to do what’s right and put to silence those who love wickedness, freeing God’s people b from their evil grip. I will do all of this because of my great love for you! c

a b c

101:4 Or “evil people.” 101:8 Or “the city of Yahweh.” 101:8 This phrase, implied in the Hebrew text, brings conclusion to the psalm.

102 F ROM T EARS TO P RAIS E A prayer for those who are overwhelmed and for all the discouraged who come to pour out their hearts before the Lord a 1 Lord, listen to my prayer! Listen to my cry for help! 2 You can’t hide your face from me in the day of my distress. Stoop down to hear my prayer and answer me quickly, Lord! 3–4 For my days of happiness have gone up in smoke. My body is raging with fever, my heart is sick, and I’m consumed by this illness— withered like a dead leaf. I can’t even eat. 5 I’m nothing but skin and bones. Nothing’s left of me but whispered groans. 6 I’m depressed, lonely, forgotten, and abandoned. b 7 I’m sleepless, shivering in the cold, forlorn and friendless,

like a lonely bird on the rooftop. My every enemy mocks and insults me incessantly. They even use my name as a curse to speak over others! 9–10 Because of your great and furious anger against me all I do is suffer with sorrow, with nothing to eat but a meal of mourning. c My crying fills my cup with salty tears! In your wrath you have rejected me, sweeping me away like dirt on the floor. 11 My days are marked by the lengthening shadows of death. I’m withering away and there’s nothing left of me. 12 But then I remember that you, O Lord, still sit enthroned as King over all! The fame of your name will be revealed to every generation. 13 I know you are about to arise and show your tender love to Zion. Now is the time, Lord, for your compassion and mercy to be poured out — the appointed time has come 8

for your prophetic promises to be fulfilled! For your servants weep in sympathy over Zion’s ruins and feel love for her every stone. 15 When you arise to intervene, all the nations and kings will be stunned and will fear your awesome name, trembling before your glory! 16 Yes, you will reveal yourself to Zion and appear in the brightness of your glory to restore her and give her children. 17 He responds to the prayer of the poor and broken and will not despise the cry of the homeless. 18 Write all this down for the coming generation, so re-created people d will read it and praise the Lord! 19 Tell them how Yah e looked down from his high and holy place, gazing from his glory to survey the earth. 20 He listened to all the groaning of his people longing to be free, and he set loose the sons of death to experience life. 21 Multitudes will stream to Jerusalem to 14

praise the Lord and declare his name in Zion! Peoples from every land, their kings and kingdoms, will gather together to worship the Lord. 23 But God has brought me to my knees, shortening my life. 24 So I cry out to you, my God, Father of eternity, please don’t let me die! I know my life is not yet finished. 25 With your hands you once formed the foundations of the earth and handcrafted the heavens above. 26–27 They will all fade away one day like worn-out clothing, ready to be discarded, but you’ll still be here. You will replace it all! Your first creation will be changed, but you alone will endure, the God of all eternity! 28 Generation after generation our descendants will live securely, for you are the one protecting us, keeping us for yourself. 22

a

As translated from the Septuagint.

b

102:6 The Hebrew makes reference to a “pelican” or “vulture” in the wilderness and “an owl in desolate ruins.” The translator has chosen to use the obvious meanings of the metaphors. c 102:9–10 Or “I eat ashes as if they were bread.” Ashes speak of mourning, for mourners would often throw dust and ashes over their heads. d 102:18 Or “those born anew [re-created].” e 102:19 Taken from Yah weh. Yah is often used as the name of the God of Power.

103 O UR F ATHER ’ S L OVE King David’s song of praise 1 With my whole heart, with my whole life, and with my innermost being, I bow in wonder and love before you, the holy God! 2 Yahweh, you are my soul’s celebration. How could I ever forget the miracles of kindness you’ve done for me? 3 You kissed my heart with forgiveness, in spite of all I’ve done. a You’ve healed me inside and out from every

disease. You’ve rescued me from hell b and saved my life. You’ve crowned me with love and mercy. 5 You satisfy my every desire with good things. c You’ve supercharged my life so that I soar again d like a flying eagle in the sky! 6 You’re a God who makes things right, giving justice to the defenseless. 7 You unveiled to Moses your plans and showed Israel’s sons what you could do. 8 Lord, you’re so kind and tenderhearted to those who don’t deserve it e and so patient with people who fail you! Your love is like a flooding river overflowing its banks with kindness. f 9 You don’t look at us only to find our faults, g just so that you can hold a grudge against us. 10 You may discipline us for our many sins, but never as much as we really deserve. Nor do you get even with us for what we’ve done. 11 Higher than the highest heavens— that’s how high your tender mercy extends! Greater than the grandeur of heaven above is the greatness of your loyal love, towering over 4

all who fear you and bow down before you! 12 Farther than from a sunrise to a sunset— that’s how far you’ve removed our guilt from us. 13 The same way a loving father feels toward his children— that’s but a sample of your tender feelings toward us, h your beloved children, who live in awe of you. 14 You know all about us, inside and out. i You are mindful that we’re made from dust. 15 Our days are so few, and our momentary beauty j so swiftly fades away! 16 Then all of a sudden we’re gone, like grass clippings blown away in a gust of wind, taken away to our appointment with death, leaving nothing to show that we were here. 17 But Lord, your endless love stretches from one eternity to the other, unbroken and unrelenting toward those who fear you and those who bow facedown in awe before you. Your faithfulness to keep every gracious promise you’ve made

passes from parents, to children, to grandchildren, and beyond. 18 You are faithful to all those who follow your ways and keep your word. 19 God’s heavenly throne is eternal, secure, and strong, and his sovereignty rules the entire universe. 20 So bless the Lord, all his messengers of power, for you are his mighty heroes who listen intently to the voice of his word to do it. 21 Bless and praise the Lord, you mighty warriors, ministers who serve him well and fulfill his desires. 22 I will bless and praise the Lord with my whole heart! Let all his works throughout the earth, wherever his dominion stretches, let everything bless the Lord!

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103:3 Starting from this verse and through the rest of the psalm, the writer shifts to the second person (you). The translator has chosen to leave the psalm in the first person to enhance the poetic nuance for the English reader. b 103:4 Or “redeemed me from the pit,” a term often used

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for Sheol or hell. 103:5 The Hebrew text is somewhat difficult to understand. It is literally “who satisfies with good ornaments.” 103:5 Or “your youth [implying both strength and beauty] he restores.” 103:8 Or “Lord, you’re so compassionate and merciful.” The Hebrew word for “compassion” is a homonym for “womb.” The Lord carries his people like a mother carries a child in her womb. 103:8 See Ex. 34:6. 103:9 Or “You [he] will not always fight with us [like fighting with enemies].” 103:13 Or “like a father has deep compassion on his children.” The Hebrew word for “tender feelings” is raham , which is a homonym and can also be translated “womb.” Our Father carries you in his womb. What a beautiful word play that our Father has a mother’s nurturing love for his children. 103:14 The Hebrew word yatsar is a homonym and can be translated “form” or “frame.” God knows our frame. But yatsar also means “to be in distress” or “to be frustrated.” So this sentence could be translated “You know all about our frustrations and distress.” These thoughts combined would mean that God hasn’t forgotten that he formed us from dust and we’ll experience frustrations as human beings. God is sympathetic to our difficulties.

j

103:15 The Hebrew word translated “beauty” actually means “shining.”

104 O UR C REATOR ’ S C OMPAS S ION a 1

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Everything I am will praise and bless the Lord! O Lord, my God, your greatness takes my breath away, overwhelming me by your majesty, beauty, and splendor! b You wrap yourself with a shimmering, glistening light. You wear sunshine like a garment of glory. You stretch out the starry skies like a tapestry. You build your balconies with light beams and ride as King in a chariot you made from clouds. You fly upon the wings of the wind. You make your messengers into winds of the Spirit and all your ministers become flames of fire. You, our Creator, formed the earth, and you hold it all together so it will never fall apart. You poured the ocean depths over the planet,

submerging mountains beneath. Yet at the sound of your thunder-shout the waters all fled away, filling the deep with seas. 8 The mountains rose and valleys sank to the levels you decreed for them. 9 Then you set a boundary line for the seas and commanded them not to trespass. 10 You sent springs cascading through the valleys, flowing freely between the mountains and hills. 11 You provide drink for every living thing; men and beasts c have their thirst quenched because of you. 12 The birds build nests near the tranquil streams, chirping their joyous songs from the branches above. 13 From your kindness you send the rain to water the mountains from the upper rooms of your palace. Your goodness d brings forth fruit for all to enjoy. 14 Your compassion brings the earth’s harvest, feeding the hungry. You cause the grass to grow for livestock, along with the fruit, grains, and vegetables to feed mankind. 7

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You provide sweet wine to gladden hearts. You give us daily bread to sustain life, giving us glowing health for our bodies. e 16 The trees of the Lord drink until they’re satisfied. Lebanon’s lofty trees stand tall right where you planted them. 17 Within their branches you provide for birds a place to build their nests; even herons find a home in the cypress trees. 18 You make the high mountains a home for wild goats and the rocky crag where the rock badgers burrow. 19 You made the moon to mark the months and the sun to measure the days. 20 You turn off the light and it becomes night, and all the beasts of the forest come out to prowl. 21 The mighty lions roar for their dinner, but it’s you, God, who feeds them all. 22 At sunrise they slink back to their dens to crouch down in the shadows. 23 Then man goes out to his labor and toil, working from dawn to dusk. 24 O Lord, what an amazing variety of all you have

created! Wild and wonderful is this world you have made, while wisdom was there at your side. This world is full of so many creatures, yet each belongs to you! 25 And then there is the sea! So vast! So wide and deep— swarming with countless forms of sea life, both small and great. 26 Trading ships glide through the high seas. And look! There are the massive whales bounding upon the waves. 27 All the creatures wait expectantly for you to give them their food as you determine. 28 You come near and they all gather around, feasting from your open hands, and each is satisfied from your abundant supply. 29 But if you were to withhold from them and turn away, they all would panic. And when you choose to take away their breath, each one dies and returns to the dust. 30 When you release your Spirit-wind, life is created, ready to replenish life upon the earth.

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May God’s glorious splendor endure forever! May the Lord take joy and pleasure in all that he has made. 32 For the earth’s overseer has the power to make it tremble; just a touch of his finger and volcanoes erupt as the earth shakes and melts. 33 I will sing my song to the Lord as long as I live! Every day I will sing my praises to God. 34 May you be pleased with every sweet thought I have about you, for you are the source of my joy and gladness. 35 Now, let all the sinners be swept from the earth. But I will keep on praising you, my Lord, with all that is within me. My joyous, blissful shouts of “Hallelujah” are all because of you!

a

This psalm, attributed to David in the Septuagint, can be seen as an exposition of the days of creation: 1st day: vv. 1–2 2nd day: vv. 3–4 3rd day: vv. 5–17

b c d e

4th day: vv. 18–23 5th day: vv. 24–26 6th day: vv. 21–30 104:1 See Job 40:10. 104:11 Or “wild donkeys.” 104:13 Or “your works.” 104:15 Or “oil for our faces to shine.”

105 G OD ’ S W ONDERFUL W ORKS a 1

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Go ahead and give God thanks for all the glorious things he has done! Go ahead and worship him! Tell everyone about his wonders! Let’s sing his praises! Sing, and put all of his miracles to music! Shine and make your joyful boast in him, you lovers of God. Let’s be happy and keep rejoicing no matter what. Seek more of his strength! Seek more of him! Let’s always be seeking the light of his face. Don’t you ever forget his miracles and marvels. Hold to your heart every judgment he has decreed. For you are his servants, the true seed of Abraham,

and you are the chosen ones, Jacob’s sons. For he is the Lord our God, and his wise authority b can be seen in all he does. 8–9 For though a thousand generations may pass away, he is still true to his word. He has kept every promise c he made to Abraham and to Isaac. 10 His promises have become an everlasting covenant to Jacob, as a decree to Jacob. 11 He said to them, “I will give you all the land of Canaan as your inheritance.” 12 They were very few in number when God gave them that promise, and they were all foreigners to that land. 13 They were wandering from one land to another and from one kingdom to another. d 14 Yet God would not permit anyone to touch them, punishing even kings who came against them. 15 He said to them, “Don’t you dare lay a hand on my anointed ones, and don’t do a thing to hurt my prophets!” 7

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So God decreed a famine upon Canaan land, cutting off their food supply. 17 But he had already sent a man ahead of his people to Egypt; it was Joseph, who was sold as a slave. 18 His feet were bruised by strong shackles and his soul was held by iron. 19 God’s promise to Joseph purged his character until it was time for his dreams to come true. 20 Eventually, the king of Egypt sent for him, setting him free at last. 21 Then Joseph was put in charge of everything under the king; he became the master of the palace over all of the royal possessions. 22 Pharoah gave him authority over all the princes of the land, and Joseph became the teacher of wisdom to the king’s advisors. 23 Then Jacob, with all of Joseph’s family, came from Canaan to Egypt and settled in Goshen. e 24

God made them very fruitful, and they multiplied incredibly

until they were greater in number than those who ruled them. 25 God turned their hearts to hate his people and to deal treacherously with his servants. 26 But he sent them his faithful servant, Moses, the deliverer, and chose Aaron to accompany him. 27 Their command brought down signs and wonders, working miracles in Egypt. 28 By God’s direction, they spoke and released a plague of thick darkness over the land. 29 God turned their rivers to blood, causing every fish to die. 30 And the judgment-plague of frogs came in enormous numbers, swarming everywhere, even into Pharaoh’s bedroom! 31 God spoke and another plague was released— massive swarms of flies, vast clouds of insects, covered the land. 32 God rained down hail and flaming fire upon Egypt. 33 Their gardens and vines were all destroyed, shattering trees into splinters throughout the

territory. God spoke, and devouring hordes of locusts swept over the land, 35 picking the ground clean of vegetation and crops. 36 Then God struck down their firstborn sons, the pride and joy f of every Egyptian family. 37 At last, God freed all the Hebrews from their slavery and sent them away laden with the silver and gold of Egypt. And not even one was feeble g on their way out! 38 Egypt was relieved at their exodus, ready to see them go, for the terror of the Lord of the Hebrews had fallen upon them! 39 God spread out a cloud as shade as they moved ahead and a cloud of fire to light up their night. 40 Moses prayed and God brought them quail to eat. He satisfied them with heaven’s bread falling from the sky. 41 He broke open the boulder and the waters poured out like a river in the desert. 42 For God could never forget 34

his holy promise to his servant Abraham. So God brought out his chosen ones with singing; with a joyful shout they were set free! 44 He gave them lands and nations, just like he promised. Fruitful lands of crops they had never planted were now theirs. 45 All this was done for them so that they would be faithful to keep the ways of God, obeying his laws and following his truths. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! 43

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b c d e f g

The first fifteen verses of this psalm were sung as the ark of glory was brought up to Jerusalem. See 2 Sam. 6 and 1 Chron. 13–16. 105:7 Or “judgments.” 105:8–9 Or “promise of the covenant [pact].” 105:13 Or “from a kingdom to another nation.” 105:23 Or “lived as a foreigner in the land of Ham [Egypt].” Ham was a son of Noah. 105:36 Or “the beginning of all their strength.” 105:37 Or “Not one of his tribes was a pauper” or “Not one stumbled.”

106 G OD I S G OOD 1

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Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Everyone thank God, for he is good and easy to please. Your tender love for us, Lord, continues on forever. Who could ever fully describe your glorious miracles? Yahweh, who could ever praise you enough? The happiest one on earth is the one who keeps your word and clings to righteousness every moment. So remember me, Lord, as you take joy in your people. And when you come to bring the blessings of salvation, don’t forget me! Let me share in the wealth and beauty of all your lovers, rejoice with your nation in all their joys, and let me share in the glory you give to your chosen ones. We have all sinned so much, just like our fathers. “Guilty” is written over our lives.

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Our fathers who were delivered from Egypt didn’t fully understand your wonders, and they took you for granted. Over and over you showed them such tender love and mercy! Yet they were barely beyond the Red Sea when they rebelled against you. 8 Nonetheless, you saved them more than once so they would know how powerful you are, showing them the honor of your name. 9 You roared over the waters of the Red Sea, making a dry path for your people to cross through. 10 You freed them from the strong power of those who oppressed them and rescued them from bondage. 11 Then the waters rushed over their enemies and drowned them all— not one survived. 12 Seeing this, the people believed your words, and they all broke out with songs of praise! 13 Yet how quickly they forgot your miracles of power. They wouldn’t wait for you to act when they were

hungry, but demanded you satisfy their cravings and give them food! They tested you to the breaking point. 15 So you gave them what they wanted to eat, but their souls starved away to nothing. 16 They became envious of Moses and Aaron, your holy ones. 17 You split open the earth and it swallowed up Dathan and Abiram along with their followers. 18 Fire fell from heaven and burnt up all the band of rebels, turning them to ashes. 19 They made an idol of a calf at Sinai and bowed to worship their man-made statue. 20 They preferred the image of a grass-eating ox to the presence of the glory-filled God. 21–22 They totally forgot it was you who saved them by the wonders and awesome miracles you worked in Egypt. 23 So you were fed up and decided to destroy them. But Moses, your chosen leader, stood in the gap between you and the people and made intercession on their behalf 14

to turn away your wrath from killing them all. Yet they still didn’t believe your words and they despised the land of delight you gave to them. 25 They grumbled and found fault with everything and closed their hearts to your voice. 26 So you gave up and swore to them that they would all die in the desert. 27 And you scattered their children to distant lands to die as exiles. 28 Then our fathers joined the worshipers of the false god named “Lord of the Pit.” They even ate the sacrifices offered to the dead! 29 All they did made you burn with anger. It made you so angry that a plague broke out among them! 30 It continued until Phineas intervened and executed the guilty for causing judgment to fall upon them. a 31 Because of this deed of righteousness Phineas will be remembered forever. 32 Your people also provoked you to wrath at the stream called Strife. b This is where Moses got into serious trouble! 33 Because the people were rebellious against you, 24

Moses exploded in anger and spoke to them out of his bitterness. 34 Neither did our fathers destroy the enemies in the land, as you had commanded them. 35 But they mingled themselves with their enemies and learned to copy their works of darkness. 36 They began to serve their gods and bow before their idols. All of this led them away from you and brought about their downfall. 37 They even sacrificed their little children to the demon spirits, 38–39 shedding the innocent blood of their sons and daughters. These dark practices greatly defiled the land and their own souls, through the murder and bloodshed of their own babies! Their sins made them spiritual adulterers before you. 40 This is why you were furious. As your anger burned hot against them, you couldn’t even stand to look

at your very own people any longer! So you turned them over to the crushing hands of other nations, and those who hated them became tyrants over them. 42 Oppressive enemies subdued them, ruling over them with their tyranny. 43 Many times you would have come to rescue them, but they continued in their rebellious ways, choosing to ignore your warnings. Then they sank lower and lower, destroyed by their depravity. 44–45 Yet even so, you waited and waited, watching to see if they would turn and cry out to you for a father’s help. And then, when you heard their cry, you relented and you remembered your covenant and you turned your heart toward them again, according to your abundant, overflowing, and limitless love. 46 Then you caused even their oppressors to pity them and show them compassion. 47 Do it again, Lord! Save us, O Lord, our God! Gather us from our exile and unite us together 41

so that we will give our great and joyous thanks to you again and bring you glory by our praises. 48 Blessed be our Lord God forever and ever. And let everyone everywhere say, “Hallelujah!” Amen! Faithful is our King!

a

106:30 This is implicit information found in the story of Phineas (Num. 25:7–9). b 106:32 The word used here is Meribah , the Hebrew word for “strife” (Num. 20:1–13).

BOOK 5 THE DEUTERONOMY PSALMS Psalms of praise and the Word

107 G OD ’ S C ONS TANT L OVE 1

Let everyone give all their praise and thanks to the Lord! Here’s why—he’s better than anyone could ever imagine. Yes, he’s always loving and kind, and his faithful love never ends. 2–3 So, go ahead—let everyone know it! Tell the world how he broke through and delivered you from the power of darkness and has gathered us together from all over the world. He has set us free to be his very own! 4 Some of us once wandered in the wilderness like desert nomads, with no true direction or dwelling place. 5 Starving, thirsting, staggering, we became desperate and filled with despair.

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Then we cried out, “Lord, help us! Rescue us!” And he did! 7 He led us right into a place of safety and abundance, a suitable city to dwell in. 8 So lift your hands and thank God for his marvelous kindness and for all his miracles of mercy for those he loves. 9 How he satisfies the souls of thirsty ones and fills the hungry with all that is good! 10 Some of us once sat in darkness, living in the dark shadows of death. We were prisoners to our pain, chained to our regrets. 11 For we rebelled against God’s word and rejected the wise counsel of God Most High. 12 So he humbled us through our circumstances, watching us as we stumbled, with no one there to pick us back up. Our own pain became our punishment. 13 Then we cried out, “Lord, help us! Rescue us!” And he did! 14 His light broke through the darkness and he led us out in freedom from death’s dark shadow

and snapped every one of our chains. So lift your hands and give thanks to God for his marvelous kindness and for his miracles of mercy for those he loves! 16 For he smashed through heavy prison doors and shattered the steel bars that held us back, just to set us free! 17 Some of us were such fools, bringing on ourselves sorrow and suffering all because of our sins. 18 Sick and feeble, unable to stand the sight of food, we drew near to the gates of death. 19 Then we cried out, “Lord, help us! Rescue us!” And he did! 20 God spoke the words “Be healed,” and we were healed, delivered from death’s door! 21 So lift your hands and give thanks to God for his marvelous kindness and for his miracles of mercy for those he loves! 22 Bring your praise as an offering and your thanks as a sacrifice as you sing your story of miracles with a joyful song. 23 Some of us set sail upon the sea to faraway ports, 15

transporting our goods from ship to shore. We were witnesses of God’s power out in the ocean deep; we saw breathtaking wonders upon the high seas. 25 When God spoke he stirred up a storm, lifting high the waves with hurricane winds. 26–27 Ships were tossed by swelling sea, rising to the sky, then dropping down to the depths, reeling like drunkards, spinning like tops, everyone at their wits’ end until even sailors despaired of life, cringing in terror. 28 Then we cried out, “Lord, help us! Rescue us!” And he did! 29 God stilled the storm, calmed the waves, and he hushed the hurricane winds to only a whisper. 30 We were so relieved, so glad as he guided us safely to harbor in a quiet haven. 31 So lift your hands and give thanks to God for his marvelous kindness and for his miracles of mercy for those he loves! 32 Let’s exalt him on high and lift up our praises in 24

public; let all the people and the leaders of the nation know how great and wonderful is Yahweh, our God! 33 Whenever he chooses he can dry up a river and turn the land into a desert. 34 Or he can take a fruitful land and make it into a saltwater swamp, all because of the wickedness of those who dwell there. 35 But he also can turn a barren wilderness into an oasis with water! He can make springs flow into desert lands 36 and turn them into fertile valleys so that cities spring up, and he gives it all to those who are hungry. 37 They can plant their fields and vineyards there and reap a bumper crop and gather a fruitful harvest. 38 God will bless them and cause them to multiply and prosper. 39 But others will become poor, humbled because of their oppression, tyranny, and sorrows. 40 For God pours contempt upon their arrogant abuse

of power, heaping scorn upon their princes, and makes them wander among ruins. 41 But he raises up the poor and lowly with his favor, giving them a safe place to live where no one can touch them. God will grant them a large family and bless them! 42 The lovers of God will rejoice when they see this. Good men are glad when the evil ones are silenced. 43 If you are truly wise, you’ll learn from what I’ve told you. It’s time for you to consider these profound lessons of God’s great love and mercy!

108 A P RAYER FOR G OD ’ S H ELP A poetic psalm, by King David 1 My heart, O God, is quiet and confident, all because of you. Now I can sing my song with passionate praises! 2 Awake, O my soul, with the music of his splendor. Arise, my soul, and sing his praises! I will awaken the dawn with my worship,

greeting the daybreak with my songs of light . Wherever I go I will thank you. All the nations will hear my praise songs to you. 4 Your love is so extravagant, it reaches higher than the heavens! Your faithfulness is so astonishing, it stretches to the skies! 5 Lord God, be exalted as you soar throughout the heavens. May your shining glory be seen high above all the earth! 6 Come to your beloved ones and gently draw us out. Answer our prayer for your saving help. Come with your might and strength, for we need you, Lord ! 7–9 Then I heard the Lord speak in his holy splendor, and from his sanctuary I heard the Lord promise: “In my triumph I will be the one to measure out the portion of my inheritance to my people, and I will secure the land as I promised you. Shechem, Succoth, Gilead, Manasseh; a they are all still mine!” he says. “Judah will continue to produce kings and lawgivers, 3

and Ephraim will produce great warriors. Moab will become my lowly servant. Edom will likewise serve my purposes. I will lift up a shout of victory over the land of Philistia! 10 But who will bring my triumph into Edom’s fortresses?” b 11 Lord, have you really rejected us, refusing to fight our battles? 12 Give us a Father’s help when we face our enemies. For to trust in any man is an empty hope. 13 With God’s help we will prevail with might and power. And with God’s help we’ll trample down our every foe!

a

108:7–9 The Hebrew includes two geographical places in the text: Shechem and Succoth. Shechem is where Jacob (Israel) first bought title to the land, paying one hundred pieces of silver for the place where he camped. Succoth is another place where Jacob temporarily camped in the Land of Promise. These two places speak of God being the one who brought them in and portioned out the land for his

b

people. 108:10 Edom is a variant form of the word Adam .

109 G OD , I T ’ S T IME FOR V ENGEANCE To the Pure and Shining One A poetic song by King David 1 God of all my praise, don’t stand silently by, aloof to my pain, 2 while the wicked slander me with their lies. Even right in front of my face they lie through their teeth. 3 I’ve done nothing to them, but they still surround me with their venomous words of hatred and vitriol. 4 Though I love them, they stand accusing me like Satan for what I’ve never done. I will pray until I become prayer itself. a 5 They continually repay me with evil when I show them good. They give me hatred when I show them love. 6–7 Show him how it feels! Let accusing liars be raised up against him,

like Satan himself standing right next to him. And let him be declared guilty by a wicked judge. May even his prayers be seen as sinful! 8 Shorten his life and let another replace him! 9 Make his wife a widow and his children orphans! 10 Let them wander as beggars in the street, like homeless vagabonds, evicted from their ruins! 11 Let the creditors seize his entire estate, and strangers, like vultures, take all that’s left! 12 Let no one be kind to him by showing pity to his fatherless children! 13 May all his posterity die with him! Cut down his family tree! 14–15 And may all the sins of his ancestors be recorded, remembered before you, forever! Cut off even the memory of his family from the face of the earth 16 because he never once showed love or kindness to others, but persecuted the poor, the brokenhearted, and afflicted ones, even putting them to death! 17 Since he enjoyed cursing them,

may all his curses now come raining back on him until it all overwhelms him with misfortune! Since he refused to bless others, God, withhold every single blessing from him! 18 Bitterness, such vile vindictiveness, was upon everything he did. Cursing was his lifestyle. 19–20 So smother him now with his own curses as his just reward. This will be the Lord’s punishment upon him and all my lying accusers who speak evil against me. 21 But now, O Yahweh-God, make yourself real to me like you promised me you would. b Because of your constant love and your heartmelting kindness, come be my hero and deliver me! 22 I’m so broken, needy and hurting. My heart is pierced through and I’m so wounded. 23 I’m slipping down a dark slope, shaken to the core, and helpless. 24 All my fasting has left me so weak I can hardly stand. Now I’m shriveled up, nothing but skin and bones. 25 I’m the example of failure and shame to all who

see me. They just walk by me, shaking their heads. 26 You have to help me, O Lord God! My true hero, come to my rescue and save me, for you are loving and kind. 27 Then everyone will know that you have won my victory, and they will all say to the Lord, “You have finished it!” 28 So let them curse me if they want, but I know you will bless me! All their efforts to destroy me will fail, but I will succeed and be glad. 29 So let my Satan-like accusers fail! Make them look ridiculous if they try to come against me. Clothe them with a robe of guilty shame from this day on! 30 But I will give my thanks to you over and over and everyone will hear my lavish praises. 31 For you stand right next to the broken ones as their saving hero to rescue them from all their accusers!

a

109:4 In the face of accusation and slander, David says literally in Hebrew, “I am prayer!” b 109:21 The Hebrew text states, “for your name’s sake.”

110 M ES S IAH , K ING , AND P RIES T a King David’s psalm 1 Yahweh said to my Lord, the Messiah: “Sit with me as enthroned ruler b while I subdue your every enemy. They will bow low before you as I make them a footstool for your feet.” c 2 Messiah, I know God himself will establish your kingdom as you reign in Zion-glory. For he says to you, “Rule in the midst of your enemies!” 3 Your people will be your love offerings, like living sacrifices spilled out before you! In the day of your mighty power you will be exalted, and in the brightness of your holy ones you will shine

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as an army arising from the womb of the dawn, anointed with the dew of your youth! Yahweh has taken a solemn oath and will never back away from it, saying, “You are a priest for eternity, my King of righteousness!” d The Lord stands in full authority e to shatter to pieces the kings who stand against you on the day he displays his terrible wrath. He will judge every rebellious nation, filling their battlefield with corpses, and will shatter the strongholds of ruling powers. Yet he himself will drink from his inheritance as from a flowing brook; refreshed by love he will stand victorious!

This psalm is applied to Christ in the New Testament, where it is quoted more often than any other Old Testament passage. b 110:1 Or “at my right hand.” The right hand is the position of authority and honor. c 110:1 A footstool symbolizes what is subdued. It is taken from the root word “to subdue.”

d

110:4 The Hebrew text includes the word Melchizedek , the name of a Canaanite king and priest over the Jebusite kingdom that later became Jerusalem. The name M elchizedek means “my king of righteousness.” e 110:5 The Hebrew word used here for “Lord” is Adonai or Adonay . It is the plural form of Adhon . Jesus is called Lord of lords, and we are the lords that he is Lord over. We are seated at his right hand (Benjamin) to rule with him.

111 C ELEBRATE G OD’S G REATNES S 1

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Shout hallelujah to Yahweh! May every one of his lovers hear my passionate praise to him, even among the council of the holy ones. For God’s mighty miracles astound me! His wonders are so delightfully mysterious that they leave all who seek them astonished. Everything he does is full of splendor and beauty! Each miracle demonstrates his eternal perfection. His unforgettable works of surpassing wonder reveal his grace and tender mercy. He satisfies all who love and trust him, and he keeps every promise he makes.

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He reveals mighty power and marvels to his people by handing them nations as a gift. 7 All God accomplishes is flawless, faithful, and fair, and his every word proves trustworthy and true. 8 They are steadfast forever and ever, formed from truth and righteousness. 9 His forever-love paid a full ransom for his people so that now we’re free to come before Jehovah to worship his holy and awesome name! 10 Where can wisdom be found? It is born in the fear of God. Everyone who follows his ways will never lack his living-understanding. And the adoration of God will abide throughout eternity!

112 T HE T RIUMPH OF F AITH 1

2

Shout in celebration of praise to the Lord! Everyone who loves the Lord and delights in him will cherish his words and be blessed beyond expectation. Their descendants will be prosperous and influential.

Every generation of his godly lovers will experience his favor. 3 Great blessing and wealth fills the house of the wise for their integrity endures forever. 4 Even if darkness overtakes them, sunrise-brilliance will come bursting through because they are gracious to others, so tender and true. 5 Life is good for the one who is generous and charitable, conducting affairs with honesty and truth. 6 Their circumstances will never shake them and others will never forget their example. 7 They will not live in fear or dread of what may come, for their hearts are firm, ever secure in their faith. 8 Steady and strong, they will not be afraid, but will calmly face their every foe until they all go down in defeat. 9 Never stingy and always generous to those in need, their lives of influence and honor will never be forgotten, for they were full of good deeds. 10 But the wicked take one look at a life lived like this

and they grit their teeth in anger, not understanding their bliss. The wicked slink away speechless in the darkness that falls, where hope dies and all their dreams fade away to nothing, nothing at all!

113 G OD I S K IND 1

2 3 4 5 6

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! a Go ahead, praise the Lord, all you loving servants of God! Keep it up! Praise him some more! For the glorious name of the Lord is blessed forever and ever. From sunrise brilliance to sunset beauty, lift up his praise from dawn to dusk! For he rules on high over the nations with a glory that outshines even the heavens. No one can be compared to God, enthroned on high! He stoops down to look upon the sky and the earth.

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He promotes the poor, picking them up from the dirt, and rescues the needy from the garbage dump. He turns paupers into princes and seats them on their royal thrones of honor. God’s grace provides for the barren ones a joyful home with children so that even childless couples find a family. He makes them happy parents surrounded by their pride and joy. That’s the God we praise, so give it all to him!

113:1 Ps. 113–114 were sung before the meal, during the Jewish family’s celebration of Passover, while Ps. 115–118 were sung after the meal (see M ark 14:26 ).

114 A S ONG FOR P AS S OVER 1 2

Many years ago the Jewish people escaped Egypt’s tyranny, so that Israel, God’s people of praise, a would become his holy sanctuary,

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his kingdom on the earth. The Red Sea waters saw them coming and ran the other way! Then later, the Jordan River too moved aside so that they could all pass through. The land shuddered with fear. Mountains and hills shook with dread. b O sea, what happened to you to make you flee? O Jordan, what was it that made you turn and run? O mountains, what frightened you so? And you hills, what made you shiver? Tremble, O earth, for you are in the presence of the Lord, the God of Jacob. He splits open boulders and brings up bubbling water. Gushing streams burst forth when he is near !

114:2 Or Judah , which means “praise.” 114:4 The literal Hebrew states, “M ountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.” This does not mean they skipped with joy, but shook with fear, as the context reveals.

115 T HE O NE T RUE G OD 1

God, glorify your name! Yes, your name alone be glorified, not ours. For you are the one who loves us passionately, and you are faithful and true. 2 Why should the unbelievers mock us, saying, “Where is this God of yours?” 3 But we know our God rules from the heavens and he takes delight in all that he does. 4 The unbelievers worship what they make— their wealth and their work. 5–8 They idolize what they own and what they make with their hands, but their things can’t talk to them or answer their prayers. Their possessions will never satisfy. Their futile faith in dead idols and dead works can never bring life or meaning to their souls. Blind men can only create blind things. Those deaf to God can only make a deaf image. Dead men can only create dead idols. And everyone who trusts in these powerless, dead things will be just like what they worship—powerless and

dead. a So trust in the Lord, all his people. For he is the only true hero, the wrap-around God who is our shield! 10 You, his priests, trust in the Lord. For he is the only true hero, God-wrapped-around-us as our shield. 11 Yes, all his lovers who bow before him, trust in the Lord. For he is our only true hero, God-wrapped-around-us as our shield. 12 The Lord will never forget us in our need; he will bless us indeed! He will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron, his priest. 13 Yes! He will bless his lovers who bow before him, no matter who they are. 14–15 God himself will fill you with more. Blessings upon blessings will be heaped upon you and upon your children from the maker of heaven and earth, the very God who made you! 16 The heavens belong to our God; they are his alone, but he has given us b the earth and put us in charge. 9

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Dead people cannot praise the Lord, but we can! Those who sink to the silence of the grave can no longer give glory to God, but we can! So let’s praise the Lord! Let’s begin now and let it go on until eternity is done. Hallelujah, and praise the Lord!

a

115:5–8 Referring to the idols, the literal Hebrew could be translated “With mouths, but they cannot speak; with eyes, but they cannot see; with ears, but they cannot hear; with noses, but they cannot smell; with hands, but they cannot feel; with feet, but they cannot walk. Those who make them will become like them and everyone who trusts in them.” b 115:16 Or “Adam’s sons.”

116 I’ M S AVED 1

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I am passionately in love with God because he listens to me. He hears my prayers and answers them. As long as I live I’ll keep praying to him,

for he stoops down to listen to my heart’s cry. Death once stared me in the face, and I was close to slipping into its dark shadows. I was terrified and overcome with sorrow. 4 I cried out to the Lord, “God, come and save me!” 5 He was so kind, so gracious to me. Because of his passion toward me, he made everything right and he restored me. 6 So I’ve learned from my experience that God protects the childlike and humble ones. For I was broken and brought low, but he answered me and came to my rescue! 7 Now I can say to myself and to all, “Relax and rest, be confident and serene, for the Lord rewards fully those who simply trust in him.” 8 God has rescued my soul from death’s fear and dried my eyes of many tears. He’s kept my feet firmly on his path 9 and strengthened me so that I may please him a and live my life before him in his life-giving light. 10–11 Even when it seems I’m surrounded by many liars and my own fears, and though I’m hurting in my suffering and 3

trauma, I still stay faithful to God and speak words of faith. 12 So now, what can I ever give back to God to repay him for the blessings he’s poured out on me? 13 I will lift up his cup of salvation and praise him extravagantly for all that he’s done for me. 14 I will fulfill the promise I made to God in the presence of his gathered people. 15 When one of God’s holy lovers dies, it is costly to the Lord, touching his heart. 16 Lord, because I am your loving servant, you have broken open my life and freed me from my chains. 17 Now I’ll worship you passionately and bring to you my sacrifice of praise, drenched with thanksgiving! 18 I’ll keep my promise to you, God, in the presence of your gathered people, just like I said I would. 19 I will worship you here in your living presence, in the temple in Jerusalem. I will worship and sing hallelujah, for I praise you, Lord!

a

116:9 As translated from the Septuagint.

117 G LORIOUS P RAIS E A praise psalm 1 Let everyone everywhere shine with praise to Yahweh! a Let it all out! Go ahead and praise him! 2 For he has conquered us with his great love and his kindness has melted our hearts. His faithfulness lasts forever and he will never fail you. So go ahead, let it all out! Praise Yah! O Yah! b

a b

117:1 The word for “praise” is taken from the word shine . 117:2 The name Yah is not an abbreviated form of Yahweh; it is the name of God as he displays his power. Yahweh is found 6,830 times in the Hebrew text, and Yah is found 49 times.

118 G LORIOUS T HANKS GIVING A praise psalm a 1 Keep on giving your thanks to God, for he is so good! His constant, tender love lasts forever! 2 Let all his princely people sing, “His constant, tender love lasts forever!” 3 Let all his holy priests sing, “His constant, tender love lasts forever!” 4 Let all his lovers who bow low before him sing, “His constant, tender love lasts forever!” 5 Out of my deep anguish and pain I prayed, and God, you helped me as a father. You came to my rescue and broke open the way into a beautiful and broad place. 6 Now I know, Lord, that you are for me, and I will never fear what man can do to me. 7 For you stand beside me as my hero who rescues me. I’ve seen with my own eyes the defeat of my enemies. I’ve triumphed over them all! 8 Lord, it is so much better to trust in you to save me

than to put my confidence in someone else. Yes, it is so much better to trust in the Lord to save me than to put my confidence in celebrities. 10 Once I was hemmed in and surrounded by those who don’t love you. But by Yahweh’s supernatural power I overcame them all! 11–12 Yes, they surrounded me, like a swarm of killer bees swirling around me. I was trapped like one trapped by a raging fire; I was surrounded with no way out and at the point of collapse. But by Yahweh’s supernatural power, I overcame them all! 13 They pushed me right up to the edge, and I was ready to fall, but you helped me to triumph, and together we overcame them all. 14 Lord, you are my true strength and my glory-song, my champion, my Savior! 15 The joyful songs I now sing will be sung again in the hearts and homes of all your lovers. My loud shouts of victory will echo throughout the 9

land. b For Yahweh’s right hand conquers valiantly! 16 The right hand of Yahweh exalts! The right hand of Yahweh will never fail. 17 You will not let them kill me, but I will live to tell the world what the Lord has done for me. 18 Yes, the Lord punished me as I deserved, but he’ll never give me over to death. 19 Swing wide, you gates of righteousness, and let me pass through, and I will enter into your presence to worship only you. 20 I have found the gateway to God, the pathway to his presence for all his lovers. 21 I will offer all my loving praise to you, and I thank you so much for answering my prayer and bringing me salvation! 22 The very stone the masons rejected as flawed has turned out to be the most important capstone of the arch, c holding up the very house of God. 23 The Lord himself is the one who has done this, and it’s so amazing, so marvelous to see!

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This is the very day of the Lord that brings gladness and joy, filling our hearts with glee. 25 O God, please come and save us again; bring us your breakthrough-victory! 26 Blessed is this one who comes to us, the sent one of the Lord. And from within the temple we cry, “We bless you!” 27–28 For the Lord our God has brought us his glorylight. I offer him my life in joyous sacrifice. Tied tightly to your altar I will bring you praise. For you are the God of my life and I lift you high, exalting you to the highest place. 29 So let’s keep on giving our thanks to God, for he is so good! His constant, tender love lasts forever!

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This is the psalm or hymn that Jesus likely sang after the Passover supper with his disciples, before making his way to Gethsemane and Calvary. b 118:15 Or “in the tents of the righteous.” c 118:22 The words “capstone of the arch” can also be

translated “the head of the corner.”

119 T HE W ORDS OF G OD a The Way to Happiness 1 You’re only truly happy when you walk in total integrity, b walking in the light of God’s word. 2 What joy overwhelms everyone who keeps the ways of God, those who seek him as their heart’s passion! 3 They’ll never do what’s wrong but will always choose the paths of the Lord. 4 God has prescribed the right way to live: obeying his laws with all our hearts. 5 How I long for my life to bring you glory as I follow each and every one of your holy precepts! 6 Then I’ll never be ashamed, for I take strength from all your commandments. 7 I will give my thanks to you from a heart of love and truth. And every time I learn more of your righteous

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judgments, I will be faithful to all that your word reveals— so don’t ever give up on me!

True Joy 9 How can a young man stay pure? Only by living in the word of God and walking in its truth. 10 I have longed for you with the passion of my heart; don’t let me stray from your directions! 11 I consider your prophecies c to be my greatest treasure, and I memorize them and write them on my heart to keep me from committing sin’s treason against you. 12 My wonderful God, you are to be praised above all; teach me the power of your decrees! 13 I speak continually of your laws as I recite out loud your counsel to me. 14 I find more joy in following what you tell me to do than in chasing after all the wealth of the world. 15 I set my heart on your precepts and pay close attention to all your ways. 16 My delight is found in all your laws,

and I won’t forget to walk in your words. The Abundant Life 17 Let me, your servant, walk in abundance of life that I may always live to obey your truth. 18 Open my eyes to see the miracle-wonders hidden in your word. 19 My life on earth is so brief, so tutor me in the ways of your wisdom. 20 I am continually consumed by these irresistible longings, these cravings to obey your every commandment! 21 Your displeasure rests with those who are arrogant, who think they know everything; you rebuke the rebellious who refuse your laws. 22 Don’t let them mock and scorn me for obeying you. 23 For even if the princes and my leaders choose to criticize me, I will continue to serve you and walk in your plans for my life. 24 Your commandments are my counselors; your word is my light and delight!

Revived by the Word 25 Lord, I’m fading away. I’m discouraged and lying in the dust; revive me by your word, just like you promised you would. 26 I’ve poured out my life before you, and you’ve always been there for me. So now I ask: teach me more of your holy decrees. 27 Open up my understanding to the ways of your wisdom and I will meditate deeply on your splendor and your wonders. 28 My life’s strength melts away with grief and sadness; come strengthen me and encourage me with your words. 29 Keep me far away from what is false; give me grace to stay true to your laws. 30 I’ve chosen to obey your truth and walk in the splendor-light of all that you teach me. 31 Lord, don’t allow me to make a mess of my life, for I cling to your commands and follow them as closely as I can.

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I will run after you with delight in my heart, for you will make me obedient to your instructions.

Understanding God’s Ways 33 Give me revelation about the meaning of your ways so I can enjoy the reward of following them fully. 34 Give me an understanding heart so that I can passionately know and obey your truth. 35 Guide me into the paths that please you, for I take delight in all that you say. 36 Cause my heart to bow before your words of wisdom and not to the wealth of this world. 37 Help me turn my eyes away from illusions so that I pursue only that which is true; drench my soul with life as I walk in your paths. d 38 Reassure me of your promises, for I am your beloved, your servant who bows before you. 39 Defend me from the criticism I face for keeping your beautiful words. 40 See how I long with cravings for more of your ways? Let your righteousness revive my spirit!

Trust in the Lord 41 May your tender love overwhelm me, O Lord, for you are my Savior and you keep your promises. 42 I’ll always have an answer for those who mock me because I trust in your word. 43 May I never forget your truth, for I rely upon your precepts. 44 I will observe your laws every moment of the day and will never forget the words you say. 45 I will walk with you in complete freedom, for I seek to follow your every command. 46 When I stand before kings, I will tell them the truth and will never be ashamed. 47 My passion and delight is in your word, for I love what you say to me! 48 I long for more revelation of your truth, for I love the light of your word as I meditate on your decrees. My Comfort 49 Lord, never forget the promises you’ve made to me, for they are my hope and confidence.

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In all of my affliction I find great comfort in your promises, for they have kept me alive! 51 No matter how bitterly the proud mockers speak against me, I refuse to budge from your precepts. 52 Your revelation-light is eternal; I’m encouraged every time I think about your truth! 53 Whenever I see the wicked breaking your laws, I feel horrible. 54 As I journey through life, I put all your statutes to music; they become the theme of my joyous songs. 55 Throughout the night I think of you, dear God; I treasure your every word to me. 56 All this joy is mine as I follow your ways! My Heart Is Devoted to You 57 You are my satisfaction, Lord, and all that I need, so I’m determined to do everything you say. 58 With all my heart I seek your favor; pour out your grace on me as you promised! 59 When I realize that I’m going astray,

I turn back to obey your instructions. I give my all to follow your revelation-light; I will not delay to obey. 61 Even when temptations encircle me with evil, I won’t forget for a moment to follow your commands. 62 In the middle of the night I awake to give thanks to you because of all your revelation-light; so right and true! 63 Anyone who loves you and bows in obedience to your words will be my friend. 64 Give me more revelation of your ways, for I see your love and tender care everywhere. 60

My True Treasure 65 Your extravagant kindness to me makes me want to follow your words even more! 66 Teach me how to make good decisions, and give me revelation-light, for I believe in your commands. 67 Before I was humbled I used to always wander astray,

but now I see the wisdom of your words. Everything you do is beautiful, flowing from your goodness; teach me the power of your wonderful words! 69 Proud boasters make up lies about me because I am passionate to follow all that you say. 70 Their hearts are dull and void of feelings, but I find my true treasure in your truth. 71 The punishment you brought me through was the best thing that could have happened to me, for it taught me your ways. 72 The words you speak to me are worth more than all the riches and wealth in the whole world! 68

Growth through the Word 73 Your very hands have held me and made me who I am; give me more revelation-light so I may learn to please you more. 74 May all your lovers see how you treat me and be glad, for your words are entwined within my heart. 75 Lord, I know that your judgments are always right.

Even when it’s me you judge, you’re still faithful and true. 76 Send your kind mercy-kiss to comfort me, your servant, just like you promised you would. 77 Love me tenderly so I can go on, for I delight in your life-giving truth. 78 Shame upon the proud liars! See how they oppress me, all because of my passion for your precepts! 79 May all your lovers follow me as I follow the path of your instruction. 80 Make me passionate and wholehearted to fulfill your every wish, so that I’ll never have to be ashamed of myself. Deliver Me 81 I’m lovesick with yearnings for more of your salvation, for my heart is entwined with your word. 82 I’m consumed with longings for your promises, so I ask, “When will they all come true?” 83 My soul feels dry and shriveled, useless and forgotten,

but I will never forget your living truth. How much longer must I wait until you punish my persecutors? For I am your loving servant. 85 Arrogant men who hate your truth and never obey your laws have laid a trap for my life. 86 They don’t know that everything you say is true, so they harass me with their lies. Help me, Lord! 87 They’ve nearly destroyed my life, but I refuse to yield; I still live according to your word. 88 Revive me with your tender love and spare my life by your kindness, and I will continue to obey you. 84

Faith in the Word of God 89 Standing firm in the heavens and fastened to eternity is the word of God. 90 Your faithfulness flows from one generation to the next; all that you created sits firmly in place to testify of you.

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By your decree everything stands at attention, for all that you have made serves you. 92 Because your words are my deepest delight, I didn’t give up when all else was lost. 93 I can never forget the profound revelations you’ve taught me, for they have kept me alive more than once. 94 Lord, I’m all yours, and you are my Savior; I have sought to live my life pleasing to you. 95 Even though evil men wait in ambush to kill me, I will set my heart before you to understand more of your ways. 96 I’ve learned that there is nothing perfect in this imperfect world except your words, for they bring such fantastic freedom into my life! I Love the Word of God 97 O how I love and treasure the revelation of your word; throughout the day I fill my heart with its light! 98 By considering your commands I have an edge over my enemies, for I take seriously everything you say. 99 You have given me more understanding than those

who teach me, for I’ve absorbed your eye-opening revelation. 100 You have graced me with more insight than the old sages because I have not failed to walk in the light of your ways. 101 I refused to bend my morals when temptation was before me so that I could become obedient to your word. 102 I refuse to turn away from difficult truths, for you yourself have taught me to love your words. 103 How sweet are your living promises to me; sweeter than honey is your revelation-light. 104 For your truth is the source of my understanding, not the falsehoods of those who don’t know you, which I despise. Truth’s Shining Light 105 Truth’s shining light guides me in my choices and decisions; the revelation of your word makes my pathway clear. 106 To live my life by your righteous rules

has been my holy and lifelong commitment. I’m bruised and broken, overwhelmed by it all; breathe life into me again by your living word. 108 Lord, receive my grateful thanks and teach me more of how to please you. 109 Even though my life hangs in the balance, I’ll keep following what you’ve taught me, no matter what. 110 The ungodly have done their best to throw me off track, but I’ll not deviate from what you’ve told me to do. 111 Everything you speak to me is like joyous treasure, filling my life with gladness. 112 I have determined in my heart to obey whatever you say, fully and forever! 107

Trust and Obey 113 I despise those who can’t keep commitments, for I passionately love your revelation-light! 114 You’re my place of quiet retreat, and your wraparound presence becomes my shield as I wrap myself in your word!

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Go away! Leave me, all you workers of wickedness, for you can’t stop me from following every command of my God. 116 Lord, strengthen my inner being by the promises of your word so that I may live faithful and unashamed for you. 117 Lift me up and I will be safe. Empower me to live every moment in the light of your ways. 118 Lord, you reject those who reject your laws, for they fool no one but themselves! 119 The wicked are thrown away, discarded and valueless. That’s why I will keep loving all of your laws! 120 My body trembles in holy awe of you, leaving me speechless, for I’m frightened of your righteous judgments. I Will Follow Your Ways 121 Don’t leave me to the mercies of those who hate me, for I live to do what is just and fair. 122 Let me hear your promise of blessing over my

life, breaking me free from the proud oppressors. 123 As a lovesick lover, I yearn for more of your salvation and for your virtuous promises. 124 Let me feel your tender love, for I am yours. Give me more understanding of your wonderful ways. 125 I need more revelation from your word to know more about you, for I’m in love with you! 126 Lord, the time has come for you to break through, for evil men keep breaking your laws. 127 Truly, your message of truth means more to me than a vault filled with the purest gold. 128 Every word you speak, every truth revealed, is always right and beautiful to me, for I hate what is phony or false. I Long to Obey You 129 Your marvelous words are living miracles; no wonder I long to obey everything you say. 130 Break open your word within me until revelationlight shines out!

Those with open hearts are given insight into your plans. 131 I open my mouth and inhale the word of God because I crave the revelation of your commands. 132 Turn your heart to me, Lord, and show me your grace like you do to every one of your godly lovers. 133 Prepare before me a path filled with your promises, and don’t allow even one sin to have dominion over me. 134 Rescue me from the oppression of ungodly men so that I can keep all your precepts. 135 Let your shining face shine brightly on me, your loving servant. Instruct me on what is right in your eyes. 136 When I witness the rebellious breaking your laws, it makes me weep uncontrollably! His Word Is True 137 Lord, your judgments reveal your righteousness, and your verdicts are always fair. 138 The motive behind your every word is pure, and your teachings are remarkably faithful and

true. I’ve been consumed with a furious passion to do what’s right, all because of the way my enemies disrespect your laws. 140 All your promises glow with fire; e that’s why I’m a lover of your word. 141 Even though I’m considered insignificant and despised by the world, I’ll never abandon your ways. 142 Your righteousness has no end; it is everlasting, and your rules are perfectly fair. 143 Even though my troubles overwhelm me with anguish, I still delight and cherish every message you speak to me. 144 Give me more revelation so that I can live for you, for nothing is more pure and eternal than your truth. 139

Save Me, God 145 Answer my passionate prayer, O Lord, and I’ll obey everything you say. 146 Save me, God, and I’ll follow your every

instruction. Before the day dawns, I’ll be crying out for help and wrapping your words into my life. 148 I lie awake every night pondering your promises to me. 149 Lord, listen to my heart’s cry, for I know your love is real for me; breathe life into me again by the revelation of your justice. 150 Here they come—these lawless rebels are coming near, but they are all so far away from your laws. 151 God, you are near me always, so close to me; every one of your commands reveals truth. 152 I’ve known all along how true and unchanging is every word you speak, established forever! 147

Breathe Life into Me Again 153 Look upon all my misery and come be my hero to rescue me, for I will never forget what you’ve revealed to me. 154 Take my side and defend me in these sufferings; redeem me and revive me, just like you promised you would.

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The wicked are so far from salvation, for they could not care less about your message of truth. 156 Your tender mercies are what I need, O God; give me back my life again through the revelation of your judgments. 157 I have so many enemies who persecute me, yet I won’t swerve from following your ways. 158 I grieve when I see how the faithless ones live, for they just walk away from your promises. 159 Lord, see how much I truly love your instructions. So in your tender kindness, breathe life into me again. 160 The sum total of all your words adds up to absolute truth, and every one of your righteous decrees is everlasting. Devoted to God’s Word 161 The powerful elite have persecuted me without a cause, but my heart trembles in awe because of your miracle-words.

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Your promises are the source of my bubbling joy; the revelation of your word thrills me like one who has discovered hidden treasure. 163 I despise every lie and hate every falsehood, for I am passionate about keeping your precepts. 164 I stop to praise you seven times a day, all because your ways are perfect! 165 There is such a great peace and well-being that comes to the lovers of your word, and they will never be offended. 166 Lord, I’m longing for more of your salvation, for I want to do what pleases you. 167 My love for your ways is indescribable; in my innermost being I want to follow them perfectly! 168 I will keep your instructions and follow your counsel; all my ways are an open book before you. I Want to Follow You 169 Lord, listen to my prayer. It’s like a sacrifice I bring to you; I must have more revelation of your word!

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Take my words to heart when I ask you, Lord; rescue me, just like you promised! 171 I offer you my joyous praise for all that you’ve taught me. 172 Your wonderful words will become my song of worship, for everything you’ve commanded is perfect and true. 173 Place your hands of strength and favor upon me, for I’ve made my choice to follow your ways. 174 I wait for your deliverance, O Lord, for your words thrill me like nothing else! 175 Invigorate my life so that I can praise you even more, and may your truth be my strength! 176 I’ll never forget what you’ve taught me, Lord, but when I wander off and lose my way, come after me, for I am your beloved!

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This psalm is an acrostic poem, a mathematical masterpiece. It consists of twenty-two stanzas of eight lines each. Each stanza begins with the same Hebrew letter at the beginning of every one of its eight lines, going in

b c d e

succession, by strophes, from alef —the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, as the first letter of each line in the first strophe—to taw —the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, as the first letter of each line in the last strophe. Like the eight lines of each stanza, there are eight Hebrew words, all synonyms, used to refer to the word of God. Although many believe Ezra wrote Ps. 119 , the acrostic poetic style is unique to King David within the book of Psalms, which points to his authorship of this psalm. 119:1 Or “perfection.” The Hebrew reads “utterances.” 119:11 As translated from the Septuagint. 119:37 Two M asoretic manuscripts and the Dead Sea Scrolls read “Preserve my life according to your word.” 119:140 As translated from the Septuagint and implied in the Hebrew.

120 G OD H ELPED M E A song of the stairway a 1 I was desperate for you to help me in my struggles, and you did! 2 So come and deliver me now from this treachery and false accusation. 3 O lying deceivers, don’t you know what is your fate?

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You will be pierced through with condemnation and consumed with burning coals of fire! Why am I doomed to live as an alien, scattered among these cruel savages? b Am I destined to dwell in the darkened tents of desert nomads? c For too long I’ve had to live among those who hate peace. I speak words of peace while they speak words of war, but they refuse to listen.

Ps. 120–134 all begin with the words “A song to take you higher” or “A song of ascent” or “A song of the stairway.” It is likely these fifteen songs were sung on the fifteen steps that would take the worshiper into the temple. On each step they would stop to worship and sing the corresponding psalm as they went up higher into the worship of God. Others believe they were the songs sung as David brought up the ark of glory to Jerusalem. They are also known as Songs of Degrees or Songs of Ascent. One Hebrew manuscript titles them “Songs of the Homeward M arches.”

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120:5 The Hebrew text includes the word Meshech , which is a foreign land. The meaning of the word Meshech is “to scatter” and may refer to ancient Persia. c 120:5 The Hebrew text includes the word Kedar , who was one of Ishmael’s sons, whose descendants became a wandering group of nomads. Kedar means a dark place. See Song 1:5 .

121 G OD P ROTECTS U S A song of the stairway 1–2 I look up to the mountains and hills, longing for God’s help. But then I realize that our true help and protection come only from the Lord, our Creator who made the heavens and the earth. 3 He will guard and guide me, never letting me stumble or fall. God is my keeper; he will never forget nor ignore me. 4 He will never slumber nor sleep; he is the Guardian-God for his people, Israel. 5 Jehovah himself will watch over you; he’s always at your side to shelter you safely in his

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presence. He’s protecting you from all danger both day and night. He will keep you from every form of evil or calamity as he continually watches over you. You will be guarded by God himself. You will be safe when you leave your home and safely you will return. He will protect you now, and he’ll protect you forevermore!

122 J ERUS ALEM A song of the stairway, by King David a 1 I was overjoyed when they said, “Let’s go up to the house of the Lord.” 2 And now at last we stand here, inside the very gates of Jerusalem! 3 O Jerusalem, you were built as a city of praise, where God and man mingle together. b 4 This is where all the people of Israel are required to come and worship Jehovah-God.

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This is where the thrones of kings have been established to rule in righteousness; even King David ruled from here. Pray and seek for Jerusalem’s peace, for all who love her will prosper! O Jerusalem, may there be peace for those who dwell inside your walls and prosperity in your every palace. I intercede for the sake of my family and friends who dwell there, that they may all live in peace. For the sake of your house, our God, I will seek the welfare and prosperity of Jerusalem.

David wrote this song for the people to sing for the feasts. It was sung when the worshipers entered the gates of the city Jerusalem. b 122:3 The Hebrew phrase “a city bound together” is taken from a root word that means “joined, united, coupled.” By inference in the context, it is the city where God dwells and man worships.

123 A P RAYER FOR M ERCY A song of the stairway 1 O God-Enthroned in heaven, I worship and adore you! 2 The way I love you is like the way a servant wants to please his master, the way a maid waits for the orders of her mistress. We look to you, our God, with passionate longing to please you and discover more of your mercy and grace. 3–4 For we’ve had more than our fill of this scoffing and scorn— this mistreatment by the wealthy elite. Lord, show us your mercy! Lord, show us your grace!

124 V ICTORY A song of the stairway, by King David 1 What if God had not been on our side? Let all Israel admit this! 2–3 What if God had not been there for us?

Our enemies, in their violent anger, would have swallowed us up alive! 4–5 The nations, with their flood of rage, would have swept us away and we would have drowned, perished beneath their torrent of terror! 6 We can praise God over and over that he never left us! God wouldn’t allow the terror of our enemies to defeat us. 7 We are free from the hunter’s trap; their snare is broken and we have escaped! 8 For the same God who made everything, our Creator and our mighty maker, he himself is our helper and defender!

125 G OD ’ S S URROUNDING P RES ENCE A song of the stairway 1 Those who trust in the Lord are as unshakeable, as unmovable as mighty Mount Zion! 2 Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord’s wrap-around presence surrounds his people, protecting them now and

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forever. The wicked will not always rule over the godly, provoking them to do what is evil. God, let your goodness be given away to your good people, to all your godly lovers! But those who turn away from truth, you will turn them away from you, to follow their crooked ways. You will give them just what they deserve . May Israel experience peace and prosperity!

126 R ES TORED A song of the stairway 1 It was like a dream come true when you freed us from our bondage and brought us back to Zion! 2 We laughed and laughed and overflowed with gladness. We were left shouting for joy and singing your praise. All the nations saw it and joined in, saying, “The Lord has done great miracles for them!”

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Yes, he did mighty miracles and we are overjoyed! Now, Lord, do it again! Restore us to our former glory! May streams of your refreshing flow over us until our dry hearts are drenched again. Those who sow their tears as seeds a will reap a harvest with joyful shouts of glee. They may weep as they go out carrying their seed to sow, but they will return with joyful laughter and shouting with gladness as they bring back armloads of blessing and a harvest overflowing!

126:5 Or “sow their seeds with tears.” A sower weeps when he sows his precious seed while his children are hungry. This is a picture of sacrificing what little we have for the harvest to come.

127 G OD AND H IS G IFTS A song of the stairway, by King Solomon

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If God’s grace doesn’t help the builders, they will labor in vain to build a house. If God’s mercy doesn’t protect the city, all the sentries will circle it in vain. It really is senseless to work so hard from early morning till late at night, toiling to make a living for fear of not having enough. God can provide for his lovers even while they sleep! Children are God’s love-gift; they are heaven’s generous reward. Children born to a young couple will one day rise to protect and provide for their parents. a Happy will be the couple who has many of them! A household full of children will not bring shame on your name but victory when you face your enemies, for your offspring will have influence and honor b to prevail on your behalf!

127:4 The Hebrew text refers to children as “arrows in the

hands of a warrior.” Our children will be our future protection and provision. So the more the merrier! b 127:5 The Hebrew includes a reference to “speaking with your enemies at the gate.” This is in the context of children being God’s way of blessing parents in their old age.

128 T HE B LES S INGS OF THE L ORD A song of the stairway 1 How joyous are those who love the Lord and bow low before God, ready to obey him! 2 Your reward will be prosperity, happiness, and wellbeing. 3 Your wife will bless your heart and home. Your children will bring you joy as they gather around your table. 4 Yes, this is God’s generous reward for those who love him. 5 May the Lord bless you out of his Zion-glory! May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem throughout your lifetime. 6 And may you be surrounded by your grandchildren. Happiness to you! And happiness to Israel!

129 P ERS ECUTED B UT N OT D EFEATED A song of the stairway 1 Let all Israel admit it. From our very beginning we have been persecuted by the nations. 2 And from our very beginning we have faced never-ending discrimination. Nevertheless, our enemies have not defeated us. We’re still here! 3 They have hurt us more than can be expressed, ripping us to shreds, cutting deeply into our souls. 4 But no matter what, the Lord is good to us. He is a righteous God who stood to defend us, breaking the chains of the evil ones that bound us. 5 May all who hate the Jews fall back in disgrace to a shameful defeat! 6 Let them be like grass planted in shallow soil that soon withers with no sustenance. 7 Let them be like weeds ignored by the reaper and worthless to the harvester. 8 Let no one who sees them say, “May the blessings of Jehovah be upon your life. May the Lord bless you.” a

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129:8 In the Jewish culture, if you passed by one who was harvesting his crops, you would shout out, “The Lord bless you!”

130 O UT OF THE D EPTHS A song of the stairway 1 Lord, I cry out to you out of the depths of my despair! 2 Hear my voice, O God! Answer this prayer and hear my plea for mercy. 3 Lord, if you measured us and marked us with our sins, who would ever have their prayers answered? 4 But your forgiving love is what makes you so wonderful. No wonder you are loved and worshiped! 5 This is why I wait upon you, expecting your breakthrough, for your word brings me hope. 6 I long for you more than any watchman would long for the morning light.

I will watch and wait for you, O God, throughout the night. 7 O Israel, keep hoping, keep trusting, and keep waiting on the Lord, for he is tenderhearted, kind, and forgiving. He has a thousand ways to set you free! 8 He himself will redeem you; he will ransom you from the cruel slavery of your sins!

131 M Y H EART I S M EEK A song of the stairway, by King David 1 Lord, my heart is meek before you. I don’t consider myself better than others. I’m content to not pursue matters that are over my head— such as your complex mysteries and wonders— that I’m not yet ready to understand. 2 I am humbled and quieted in your presence. Like a contented child who rests on its mother’s lap, a I’m your resting child and my soul is content in you.

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O people of God, b your time has come to quietly trust, waiting upon the Lord now and forever.

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131:2 “Like a contented child” is literally “like a weaned child.” b 131:3 Or “O Israel.”

132 D AVID ’ S D YNAS TY A song of the stairway 1 Lord, please don’t forget all the hardships David had to pass through. 2 And how he promised you, Jacob’s mighty God, saying, 3 “I will not cross the threshold of my own home to sleep in my own bed. 4 I will not sleep or slumber, nor even take time to close my eyes in rest, 5 until I find a place for you to dwell, O mighty God of Jacob. I devote myself to finding a resting place for you!”

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First we heard that the ark was at Bethlehem. b Then we found it in the forest of Kiriath-Jearim. 7 Let’s go into God’s dwelling place and bow down and worship before him. 8 Arise, O Lord, and enter your resting place, both you and the ark of your glorious strength! 9 May your priests wear the robes of righteousness, and let all your godly lovers sing for joy! 10 Don’t forsake your anointed king now, but honor your servant David. 11 For you gave your word and promised David in an unbreakable oath that one of his sons would be sitting on the throne to succeed him as king. 12 You also promised that if David’s sons would be faithful to keep their promise to follow you, obeying the words you spoke to them, then David’s dynasty would never end. 13 Lord, you have chosen Zion as your dwelling place, for your pleasure is fulfilled in making it your home. 6

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I hear you say, “I will make this place my eternal dwelling, for I have loved and desired it as my very own! 15 I will make Zion prosper and satisfy her poor with my provision. 16 I will cover my priests with salvation’s power, and all my godly lovers will shout for joy! 17 I will increase the anointing that was upon David, and my glistening glory will rest upon my chosen ones. 18 But David’s enemies will be covered with shame, while on them I will make holiness bloom!” c

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132:5 Historically, this refers to David wanting to bring the ark of glory back to Jerusalem. b 132:6 Although the Hebrew text does not have the word ark but simply it , the translator supplies the word ark from its reference in verse 8. For the sake of understanding the text, the translator has substituted Ephrathah for Bethlehem (Ephrathah was the ancient name for Bethlehem) and Jaar for Kiriath-Jearim (“the fields of Jaar” was a variant form for Kiriath-Jearim, which means “the city of forests”). c 132:18 As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew

reads “His crown will sparkle and gleam.”

133 U NITY A song to bring you higher, by King David 1 How truly wonderful and delightful to see brothers and sisters living together in sweet unity! 2 It’s as precious as the sacred scented oil flowing from the head of the high priest Aaron, dripping down upon his beard and running all the way down to the hem of his priestly robes. a 3 This heavenly harmony can be compared to the dew dripping down from the skies upon Mount Hermon, refreshing the mountain slopes of Israel. For from this realm of sweet harmony God will release his eternal blessing, the promise of life forever!

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133:2 Or “running down the collar of his robe.”

134 T HE N IGHT W ATCH A song to bring you higher 1 All his loving priests who serve and sing, come and sing your song of blessing to God. Come and stand before him in the house of God throughout the night watch, 2 lifting up your hands in holy worship; come and bless the Lord! 3 May the Lord, whom you worship, the mighty maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion’s glory!

135 H IS W ONDERFUL W ORKS A song to bring you higher 1 Shout hallelujah and praise the greatness of God! All his godly lovers, praise him! 2 All you worshiping priests on duty in the temple, 3 praise him, for he is beautiful! Sing loving praises to his lovely name. 4 For Yahweh has chosen Jacob for his own purpose, and Israel is his special treasure.

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Next to every other god the greatness of our God is unequaled. For our God is incomparable! 6 He does what he pleases, with unlimited power and authority, extending his greatness throughout the entire universe! 7 He forms the misty clouds and creates thunder and lightning, bringing the wind and rain out of his heavenly storehouse. 8 He struck down the eldest child in each Egyptian home; both men and beast perished that night. 9 He did great miracles—mighty signs and wonders throughout the land before Pharaoh and all his subjects. 10 He conquered many nations and killed their mighty kings, 11 like Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, and kings from every kingdom in Canaan. 12 He gave their land to Israel as an inheritance for his people.

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O Jehovah, your name endures forever! Your fame is known in every generation. 14 For you will vindicate your persecuted people, showing your tender love to all your servants. 15 The unbelieving nations worship what they make. They worship their wealth and their work. They idolize what they own and what they do. 16–18 Their possessions will never satisfy. Their lifeless and futile works cannot bring life to them! Their things can’t talk to them or answer their prayers. Blind men can only create blind things. Those deaf to God can only make a deaf image. Dead men can only create dead idols. And everyone who trusts in these powerless, dead things will be just like what they worship—powerless and dead! a 19 Praise Lord-Yahweh, all the families of Israel! Praise Lord-Yahweh, you family of Aaron! b 20 Let all the priests c bless Lord-Yahweh! Let all his lovers d who bow low before him praise the Lord-Yahweh!

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So bless the Lord-Yahweh who lives in Jerusalem and dwells in Zion’s glory! Hallelujah and praise the Lord!

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135:16–18 Referring to the idols, the Hebrew could be translated “with mouths, but they cannot speak; with eyes, but they cannot see; with ears, but they cannot hear.” b 135:19 The name Aaron means “light-bringer” or “lightbearer.” c 135:20 Or “all the family of Levi.” Levi represents the holy priesthood. d 135:20 Or “those who fear him.”

136 H IS S AVING L OVE 1

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Let everyone thank God, for he is good, and he is easy to please! His tender love for us continues on forever! Give thanks to God, our King over all gods! His tender love for us continues on forever! Give thanks to the Lord over all lords! His tender love for us continues on forever!

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Give thanks to the only miracle working God! His tender love for us continues on forever! 5 Give thanks to the Creator who made the heavens with wisdom! a His tender love for us continues on forever! 6 To him who formed dry ground, raising it up from the sea! His tender love for us continues on forever! 7 Praise the one who created every heavenly light! His tender love for us continues on forever! 8 He set the sun in the sky to rule over day! His tender love for us continues on forever! 9 Praise him who set in place the moon and stars to rule over the night! His tender love for us continues on forever! 10 Give thanks to God, who struck down the firstborn in Egypt! His tender love for us continues on forever! 11 He brought his people out of Egypt with miracles! His tender love for us continues on forever! 12 With his mighty power he brought them out! His tender love for us continues on forever! 13 He split open the Red Sea for them! His tender love for us continues on forever!

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And led his people right through the middle! His tender love for us continues on forever! 15 He vanquished Pharaoh’s armies, drowning them all! His tender love for us continues on forever! 16 He led his people through the wilderness! His tender love for us continues on forever! 17 He’s the one who smashed mighty kingdoms! His tender love for us continues on forever! 18 He triumphed over powerful kings who stood in his way! His tender love for us continues on forever! 19 He conquered Sihon, king of the Amorites! His tender love for us continues on forever! 20 He conquered the giant named Og, king of Bashan! b

His tender love for us continues on forever! 21 Then he gave away their lands as an inheritance! His tender love for us continues on forever! 22 For he handed it all over to Israel, his beloved! His tender love for us continues on forever! 23 He’s the God who chose us when we were nothing! His tender love for us continues on forever!

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He has rescued us from the power of our enemies! His tender love for us continues on forever! 25 He provides food for hungry men and animals! His tender love for us continues on forever! 26 Give thanks to the great God of the heavens! His tender love for us continues on forever!

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136:5 See Ps. 104:24 and Prov. 8:27–31 . 136:20 The name Og means giant.

137 T HE S ONG OF O UR C APTIVITY 1

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Along the banks of Babylon’s rivers we sat as exiles, mourning our captivity, and wept with great love for Zion. Our music and mirth were no longer heard, only sadness . We hung up our harps on the willow trees. Our captors tormented us, saying, “Make music for us and sing one of your happy Zion-songs!” But how could we sing the song of the Lord

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in this foreign wilderness? May my hands never make music again if I ever forget you, O Jerusalem. May I never be able to sing again if I fail to honor Jerusalem supremely! And Lord, may you never forget what the sons of Edom did to us, saying, “Let’s raze the city of Jerusalem and burn it to the ground!” a Listen, O Babylon, you evil destroyer! The one who destroys you will be rewarded above all others. You will be repaid for what you’ve done to us. Great honor will come to those who destroy you and your future, by smashing your infants against the rubble of your own destruction.

137:7 The Hebrew text reads “Strip her [Jerusalem] naked!’”

138 T HE D IVINE P RES ENCE By King David 1 I thank you, Lord, and with all the passion of my heart I worship you in the presence of angels! a Heaven’s mighty ones will hear my voice as I sing my loving praise to you. 2 I bow down before your divine presence and bring you my deepest worship as I experience your tender love and your living truth. For the promises of your word and the fame of your name have been magnified above all else! 3 At the very moment I called out to you, you answered me! You strengthened me deep within my soul and breathed fresh courage into me. 4 One day all the kings of the earth will rise to give you thanks when they hear the living words that I have heard you speak. 5 They too will sing of your wonderful ways, for your ineffable glory is great!

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For though you are lofty and exalted, you stoop to embrace the lowly. Yet you keep your distance from those filled with pride. By your mighty power I can walk through any devastation and you will keep me alive, reviving me. Your power set me free from the hatred of my enemies. You keep every promise you’ve ever made to me! Since your love for me is constant and endless, I ask you, Lord, to finish every good thing that you’ve begun in me!

138:1 Or “gods.” The Hebrew elohim is literally “mighty ones” and can refer to either angels or the gods of the heathen.

139 Y OU K NOW A LL A BOUT M E For the Pure and Shining One King David’s poetic song

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Lord, you know everything there is to know about me. 2 You perceive every movement of my heart and soul, and you understand my every thought before it even enters my mind. 3–4 You are so intimately aware of me, Lord. You read my heart like an open book and you know all the words I’m about to speak before I even start a sentence! You know every step I will take before my journey even begins. 5 You’ve gone into my future to prepare the way, and in kindness you follow behind me to spare me from the harm of my past. a With your hand of love upon my life, you impart a blessing to me. 6 This is just too wonderful, deep, and incomprehensible! Your understanding of me brings me wonder and strength. b 7 Where could I go from your Spirit? Where could I run and hide from your face? 8 If I go up to heaven, you’re there! If I go down to the realm of the dead, you’re there

too! If I fly with wings into the shining dawn, you’re there! If I fly into the radiant sunset, you’re there waiting! c 10 Wherever I go, your hand will guide me; your strength will empower me. 11 It’s impossible to disappear from you or to ask the darkness to hide me, for your presence is everywhere, bringing light into my night. 12 There is no such thing as darkness with you. The night, to you, is as bright as the day; there’s no difference between the two. 13 You formed my innermost being, shaping my delicate inside and my intricate outside, and wove them all together in my mother’s womb. 9

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I thank you, God, for making me so mysteriously complex! Everything you do is marvelously breathtaking. It simply amazes me to think about it! How thoroughly you know me, Lord!

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You even formed every bone in my body when you created me in the secret place, e carefully, skillfully shaping me f from nothing to something. 16 You saw who you created me to be before I became me! g Before I’d ever seen the light of day, the number of days you planned for me were already recorded in your book. h 17–18 Every single moment you are thinking of me! How precious and wonderful to consider that you cherish me constantly in your every thought! O God, your desires toward me are more than the grains of sand on every shore! When I awake each morning, you’re still with me. 19 O God, come and slay these bloodthirsty, murderous men! For I cry out, “Depart from me, you wicked ones!” 20 See how they blaspheme your sacred name and lift up themselves against you, but all in vain! 21 Lord, can’t you see how I despise those who despise you?

For I grieve when I see them rise up against you. I have nothing but complete hatred and disgust for them. Your enemies shall be my enemies! 23 God, I invite your searching gaze into my heart. Examine me through and through; find out everything that may be hidden within me. Put me to the test and sift through all my anxious cares. 24 See if there is any path of pain I’m walking on, and lead me back to your glorious, everlasting ways— the path that brings me back to you. 22

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139:5 Or “You hem me in [lit., “beseige me”] before and behind.” The implication is that God protects him from what may come in the future and what has happened in the past. b 139:6 As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew reads “too high to understand.” c 139:9 Implied in the Hebrew, which states, “the remote parts of the sea” or “beyond the horizon to the west.” The sea is west of Israel. d 139:13 The Hebrew word for “knit” or “wove” can also

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be translated “to cover” or “to defend.” God places an eternal spirit inside the conceived child within the womb of a mother and covers that life, sends the child a guardian angel, and watches over him or her. 139:15 The Hebrew text is literally “the depths of the earth.” 139:15 Or “embroidered me.” 139:16 The Hebrew could be translated “as an embryo.” 139:16 See Ps. 69:28 .

140 A P RAYER FOR P ROTECTION For the Pure and Shining One King David’s poetic song 1 Lord, protect me from this evil one! Rescue me from these violent schemes! 2 He concocts his secret strategy to divide and harm others, stirring up trouble one against another. 3 They are known for their sharp rhetoric of poisonous, hateful words. Pause in his presence 4

Keep me safe, Lord, out of reach from these wicked and violent men,

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and guard me, God, for they have plotted an evil scheme to ruin me and bring me down. They are proud and insolent; they’ve set an ambush for me in secret. They are determined to snare me in their net like captured prey. Pause in his presence

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O Lord, you are my God and my saving strength! My Hero-God, you wrap yourself around me to protect me. For I’m surrounded by your presence in my day of battle. Lord Yahweh, hear my cry. May my voice move your heart to show me mercy. Don’t let the wicked triumph over me, but bring down their every strategy to subdue me or they will become even more arrogant! Pause in his presence

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Those who surround me are nothing but proud troublemakers. May they drink the poison of their own poisonous words. 10–11 May their slanderous lives never prosper!

Let evil itself hunt them down and pursue them relentlessly until they are thrown into fiery pits from which they will never get out! Let burning coals of hellfire fall upon their heads! 12 For I know, Lord, that you will be the hero of all those they persecute, and you will secure justice for the poor. 13 Your godly lovers will thank you no matter what happens. For they choose and cherish your presence above everything else!

141 A N E VENING P RAYER King David’s poetic song 1 Please, Lord, come close and come quickly to help me! Listen to my prayer as I call out to you. 2 Let my prayer be as the evening sacrifice that burns like fragrant incense, rising as my offering to you as I lift up my hands in surrendered worship! 3 God, give me grace to guard my lips a

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from speaking what is wrong. Guide me away from temptation and doing evil. Save me from sinful habits and from keeping company with those who are experts in evil. Help me not to share in their sin in any way! When one of your godly lovers corrects me or one of your faithful ones rebukes me, I will accept it like an honor I cannot refuse. It will be as healing medicine that I swallow without an offended heart. Even if they are mistaken, I will continue to pray. b When the leaders and judges are condemned, falling upon the rocks of justice, c then they’ll know my words to them were true! Like an earthquake splits open the earth, so the world of hell will open its mouth to swallow their scattered bones. But you are my Lord and my God; I only have eyes for you! I hide myself in you, so don’t leave me defenseless. Protect me! Keep me from the traps of wickedness they set for me.

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Let them all stumble into their own traps while I escape without a scratch!

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141:3 The Septuagint reads “Set a fortress door before my lips.” b 141:5 This is one of most difficult verses to translate, with scholars divided over the meaning of the Hebrew text. Another translation could be “Don’t let the oil of the wicked anoint my head, for I pray continually against their wickedness.” c 141:6 See 2 Chron. 25:12.

142 M Y O NLY H OPE King David’s poetic song of instruction A prayer when he was confined in a cave 1 God, I’m crying out to you! I lift up my voice boldly to beg for your mercy. 2 I spill out my heart to you and tell you all my troubles. 3 For when I was desperate, overwhelmed, and about to give up, you were the only one there to help.

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You gave me a way of escape from the hidden traps of my enemies. I look to my left and right to see if there is anyone who will help, but there’s no one who takes notice of me. I have no hope of escape, and no one cares whether I live or die. So I cried out to you, Lord, my only hiding place. You’re all I have, my only hope in this life, my last chance for help. Please listen to my heart’s cry, for I am low and in desperate need of you! Rescue me from all those who persecute me, for I am no match for them. Bring me out of this dungeon so I can declare your praise! And all your godly lovers will celebrate all the wonderful things you’ve done for me!

143 M Y H UMBLE P RAYER King David’s poetic song when he was chased by Absalom a 1 Lord, you must hear my prayer,

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for you are faithful to your promises. Answer my cry, O righteous God! Don’t bring me into your courtroom for judgment, for there is no one who is righteous before you. My enemies have chased and caught me and crushed my life into dust. Now I’m living in the darkness of death’s shadow. My inner being is in depression and my heart is heavy, dazed with despair. I remember the glorious miracles of days gone by, and I often think of all the wonders of old. Now I’m reaching out to you, thirsting for you like the dry, cracked ground thirsts for rain. Pause in his presence

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Lord, come quickly and answer me, for my depression deepens and I’m about to give up. Don’t leave me now or I’ll die! Let the dawning day bring me revelation of your tender, unfailing love. Give me light for my path and teach me, for I trust in you. Save me from all my enemies, for I hide myself in you.

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I just want to obey all you ask of me. So teach me, Lord, for you are my God. Your gracious Spirit is all I need, so lead me on good paths that are pleasing to you, my one and only God! 11 Lord, if you rescue me, it will bring you more glory, for you are true to your promises. Bring me out of these troubles! 12 Since I am your loving servant, destroy all those who are trying to harm me. And because you are so loving and kind to me, silence all of my enemies!

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As translated from the Septuagint.

144 R ES CUE M E King David’s poetic song as he stood before Goliath a 1 There is only one strong, safe, and secure place for me; it’s in God alone and I love him!

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He’s the one who gives me strength and skill for the battle. He’s my shelter of love and my fortress of faith, who wraps himself around me as a secure shield. I hide myself in this one who subdues enemies before me. Lord, what is it about us that you would even notice us? Why do you even bother with us? For man is nothing but a faint whisper, a mere breath. We spend our days like nothing more than a passing shadow. Step down from heaven, Lord, and come down! Make the mountains melt at your touch. Loose your fiery lightning flashes and scatter your enemies. Overthrow them with your terrifying judgments. Reach down from your heavens and rescue me from this hell, and deliver me from these dark powers. They speak nothing but lies; their words are pure deceit. Nothing they say can ever be trusted.

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My God, I will sing you a brand-new song! The harp inside my heart will make music to you! 10 I will sing of you, the one who gives victory to kings— the one who rescues David, your loving servant, from the fatal sword. 11 Deliver me and save me from these dark powers who speak nothing but lies. Their words are pure deceit and you can’t trust anything they say. 12 Deliver us! Then our homes will be happy. Our sons will grow up as strong, sturdy men and our daughters with graceful beauty, royally fashioned as for a palace. 13–14 Our barns will be filled to the brim, overflowing with the fruits of our harvest. Our fields will be full of sheep and cattle, too many to count, and our livestock will not miscarry their young. Our enemies will not invade our land, and there’ll be no breach in our walls. 15 What bliss we experience when these blessings fall! The people who love and serve our God will be

happy indeed!

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As translated from the Septuagint. Put yourself in David’s place as he faced a giant named Goliath. Imagine how he felt as you read through this psalm.

145 G OD ’ S G REATNES S King David’s poetic song of praise 1 My heart explodes with praise to you! Now and forever my heart bows in worship to you, my King and my God! 2 Every day I will lift up my praise to your name with praises that will last throughout eternity. 3 Lord, you are great and worthy of the highest praise! For there is no end to the discovery of the greatness that surrounds you. 4 Generation after generation will declare more of your greatness and declare more of your glory.

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Your magnificent splendor and the miracles of your majesty are my constant meditation. 6 Your awe-inspiring acts of power have everyone talking! I’m telling people everywhere about your excellent greatness! 7 Our hearts bubble over as we celebrate the fame of your marvelous beauty, bringing bliss to our hearts . We shout with ecstatic joy over your breakthrough for us. 8 You’re kind and tenderhearted to those who don’t deserve it and very patient with people who fail you. Your love is like a flooding river overflowing its banks with kindness. 9 God, everyone sees your goodness, for your tender love is blended into everything you do. 10 Everything you have made will praise you, fulfilling its purpose. And all your godly lovers will be found bowing before you.

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They will tell the world of the lavish splendor of your kingdom and preach about your limitless power. 12 They will demonstrate for all to see your miracles of might and reveal the glorious majesty of your kingdom. 13 You are the Lord who reigns over your neverending kingdom through all the ages of time and eternity! You are faithful to fulfill every promise you’ve made. You manifest yourself as kindness in all you do. a 14 Weak and feeble ones you will sustain. Those bent over with burdens of shame you will lift up. 15 You have captured our attention and the eyes of all look to you. You give what they hunger for at just the right time. 16 When you open your generous hand, it’s full of blessings, satisfying the longings of every living thing. 17 You are fair and righteous in everything you do, and your love is wrapped into all your works.

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You draw near to those who call out to you, listening closely, especially when their hearts are true. 19 Every one of your godly lovers receives even more than what they ask for. For you hear what their hearts really long for and you bring them your saving strength. 20 God, you watch carefully over all your lovers like a bodyguard, but you will destroy the ungodly. 21 I will praise you, Lord! Let everyone everywhere join me in praising the beautiful Lord of holiness from now through eternity!

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145:13 The last two lines of this verse are only found in one reliable Hebrew manuscript and in the Septuagint. It could also be translated “All your works are very holy.”

146 O UR T RUE H ELP A poetic psalm, by Haggai and Zechariah a

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Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! My innermost being will praise you, Lord! 2 I will spend my life praising you and singing high praises to you, my God, every day of my life! 3–4 We can never look to men for help; no matter who they are, they can’t save us, for even our great leaders fail and fall. They too are just mortals who will one day die. At death the spirits of all depart and their bodies return to dust. In the day of their death all their projects and plans are over. 5 But those who hope in the Lord will be happy and pleased! Our help comes from the God of Jacob! 6 You keep all your promises. You are the Creator of heaven’s glory, earth’s grandeur, and ocean’s greatness. 7 The oppressed get justice with you. The hungry are satisfied with you. Prisoners find their freedom with you. 8 You open the eyes of the blind and you fully restore those bent over with shame.

You love those who love and honor you. You watch over strangers and immigrants and support the fatherless and widows. But you subvert the plans of the ungodly. 10 Lord, you will reign forever! Zion’s God will rule throughout time and eternity! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! 9

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As translated from the Septuagint. Pss. 146–150 are called “Hallelujah Psalms” because they all begin in Hebrew with the words “Hallelujah, praise the Lord.”

147 O UR A MAZING G OD 1

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Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! How beautiful it is when we sing our praises to the beautiful God, for praise makes you lovely before him and brings him great delight! The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers up the outcasts and brings them home. He heals the wounds of every shattered heart.

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He sets his stars in place, calling them all by their names. 5 How great is our God! There’s absolutely nothing his power cannot accomplish, and he has infinite understanding of everything. 6 God supports and strengthens the humble, but the ungodly will be brought down to the dust. 7 Sing out with songs of thanksgiving to the Lord! Let’s sing our praises with melodies overflowing! 8 He fills the sky with clouds, sending showers to water the earth so that the grass springs up on the mountain fields and the earth produces food for man. a 9 All the birds and beasts who cry with hunger to him are fed from his hands. 10 His people don’t find security in strong horses, for horsepower is nothing to him. Man power is even less impressive! 11 The Lord shows favor to those who fear him, to his godly lovers who wait for his tender embrace. 12 Jerusalem, praise the Lord! Zion, worship your God!

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For he has strengthened the authority of your gates. He even blesses you with more children. 14 He’s the one who brings peace to your borders, b feeding you the most excellent of fare. 15 He sends out his orders throughout the world; his words run as swift messengers, bringing them to pass. 16 He blankets the earth with glistening snow, painting the landscape with frost. 17 Sleet and hail fall from the sky, causing waters to freeze before winter’s icy blast. 18 Then he speaks his word and it all melts away; as the warm spring winds blow, the streams begin to flow. 19 In the same way, he speaks his word to Jacob, and to Israel he brings his life-giving instruction. 20 He has dealt with Israel differently than with any other people, for they have received his laws. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

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147:8 As translated from the Septuagint.

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147:14 Or “He makes peace your borders” (LXX).

148 T HE C OS MIC C HORUS OF P RAIS E 1

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Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Let the skies be filled with praise and the highest heavens with the shouts of glory! Go ahead—praise him, all you his messengers! Praise him some more, all you heavenly hosts! Keep it up, sun and moon! Don’t stop now, all you twinkling stars of light! Take it up even higher—up to the highest heavens, until the cosmic chorus thunders his praise! a Let the entire universe erupt with praise to God. From nothing to something he spoke and created it all. He established the cosmos to last forever, and he stands behind his commands so his orders will never be revoked. Let the earth join in with this parade of praise! You mighty creatures of the ocean’s depths, echo in exaltation! Lightning, hail, snow, and clouds,

and the stormy winds that fulfill his word. Bring your melody, O mountains and hills; trees of the forest and field, harmonize your praise! 10–12 Praise him, all beasts and birds, mice and men, kings, queens, princes, and princesses, young men and maidens, children and babes, old and young alike, everyone everywhere! 13 Let them all join in with this orchestra of praise. For the name of the Lord is the only name we raise! His stunning splendor ascends higher than the heavens. 14 He anoints his people with strength and authority, showing his great favor to all his godly lovers, even to his princely people, Israel, who are so close to his heart. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! 9

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148:4 Poetic implication in the text. The literal Hebrew reads “the waters above the sky.”

149 T RIUMPHANT P RAIS E 1

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Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! It’s time to sing to God a brand-new song a so that all his holy people will hear how wonderful he is! May Israel be enthused with joy because of him, and may the sons of Zion pour out their joyful praises to their King. Break forth with dancing! Make music and sing God’s praises with the rhythm of drums! For he enjoys his faithful lovers. He adorns the humble with his beauty and he loves to give them the victory. His godly lovers triumph in the glory of God, and their joyful praises will rise even while others sleep. God’s high and holy praises fill their mouths, for their shouted praises are their weapons of war! These warring weapons will bring vengeance on every opposing force and every resistant power — to bind kings with chains and rulers with iron

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shackles. Praise-filled warriors will enforce the judgment-doom decreed against their enemies. This is the glorious honor he gives to all his godly lovers. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

149:1 Or “a spontaneous song.”

150 T HE H ALLELUJAH C HORUS 1

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Praise God in his holy sanctuary! Praise him in his stronghold in the sky! 2 Praise him for his miracles of might! Praise him for his magnificent greatness! 3 Praise him with the trumpets blasting! Praise him with piano and guitar! 4–5 Praise him with drums and dancing! Praise him with the loud, resounding clash of cymbals! Praise him with every instrument you can find!

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Let everyone everywhere join in the crescendo of ecstatic praise to Yahweh! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

PROVERBS Introduction AT A GLANCE Author : Mostly Solomon, king of Israel, but other contributors too Audience : Originally Israel, but these words of wisdom are for everyone—they are written to you Date : Preexile (chs. 10–29) and Postexile (chs. 1–9, 30–31), the tenth to fifth centuries BC Type of Literature : Poetry and wisdom literature Major Themes : The fear of the Lord; God’s transcendence and immanence; godly wisdom and human foolishness; the righteous and wicked wealth and poverty; men and women; husbands and wives; Jesus and wisdom Outline : Collection I: 1:1–9:18 — Introduction to

Wisdom Collection II: 10:1–22:16 — Sayings of Solomon, Part 1 Collection III: 22:17–24:22 — Sayings of the Wise Collection IV: 24:23–34 — More Sayings of the Wise Collection V: 25:1–29:27 — Sayings of Solomon, Part 2 Collection VI: 30:1–31:31 — Sayings of Agur and Lemuel

ABOUT PROVERBS The Bible is a book of poetry, not simply starched, stiff doctrines devoid of passion. The Bible, including Proverbs, is full of poetic beauty and subtle nuances ripe with meaning. The ancient wisdom of God fills its pages! Proverbs is a book of wisdom from above tucked inside metaphors, symbols, and poetic imagery. God could properly be described as the divine poet and master artisan who crafted the cosmos to portray his glory and has given us his written Word to reveal his wisdom. Inspired from eternity, the sixty-six books

of our Bible convey the full counsel and wisdom of God. Do you need wisdom? God has a verse for that! Five books of divine poetry show us the reality of knowing God through experience, not just through history or doctrines. Job points us to the end of our self-life to discover the greatest revelation of the Lord, which is his tender love and wisdom. Psalms reveals the new life we enter into with God, expressed through praise and prayer. Next is Proverbs, where we enroll in the divine seminary of wisdom and revelation to learn the ways of God. Ecclesiastes teaches us to set our hearts not on the things of this life but on those values that endure eternally. And finally, in Song of Songs, the sweetest lyrics ever composed lead us into divine romance where we are immersed in Jesus’ love for his bride. The nature of Hebrew poetry is quite different from that of English poetry. There is a pleasure found in Hebrew poetry that transcends rhyme and meter. The Hebrew verses come in a poetic package, a form of meaning that imparts an understanding that is deeper than mere logic. True revelation unfolds an encounter—an experience of knowing God as he is revealed through the mysterious vocabulary of riddle,

proverb, and parable. For example, the Hebrew word for “proverb,” mashal , has two meanings. The first is “parable, byword, metaphor, a pithy saying that expresses wisdom.” But the second meaning is overlooked by many. The homonym mashal can also mean “to rule, to take dominion” or “to reign with power.” What you have before you now is a dynamic translation of the ancient book of Proverbs. These powerful words will bring you revelation from the throne room—the wisdom you need to guide your steps and direct your life. What you learn from these verses will change your life and launch you into your destiny.

PURPOSE Within this divinely anointed compilation of Proverbs there is a deep well of wisdom to reign in life and to succeed in our destiny. The wisdom that God has designed for us to receive will cause us to excel—to rise up as rulers-to-be on earth for his glory. The kingdom of God is brought into the earth as we implement the godly wisdom of Proverbs. Although the Proverbs can be interpreted in their

most literal and practical sense, the wisdom contained herein is not unlocked by a casual surface reading. The Spirit of revelation has breathed upon every verse to embed a deeper meaning of practical insight to guide our steps into the lives God meant for us to live.

AUTHOR AND AUDIENCE You’re about to read the greatest book of wisdom ever written, mostly penned by the wisest man to ever live. God gave his servant Solomon this wisdom to pass along to us, his servants, who continue the ministry of Jesus, the embodiment of wisdom, until he returns in full glory. While Solomon penned most of these words of wisdom, it is believed others had a hand too, including advisers to King Hezekiah and the unknown men Agur and Lemuel—which could be pseudonyms for Solomon. Regardless, the one who edited the final version of Proverbs brought together the wisest teachings from the the wisest person to ever live to write a book containing some of the deepest revelation in the Bible. When Solomon pens a proverb, there is more than meets the eye! Who are these proverbs written to?

This compilation of wisdom’s words is written to you! Throughout the book we find words like “Listen, my sons. Listen, my daughters.” The book of Proverbs is written to us as sons and daughters of the living God. The teaching we receive is not from a distant god who tells us we’d better live right or else. These are personal words of love and tenderness from our wise Father, the Father of eternity, who speaks right into our hearts with healing, radiant words. Receive deeply the words of the kind Father of heaven as though he were speaking directly to you.

MAJOR THEMES The wisdom found in Proverbs is about the art of successful living. The appeal of these insights is that they touch on universal problems and issues that affect human behavior in us all. Several major themes are present in these godly sayings of God’s servant Solomon: Lady Wisdom, Revelation-Knowledge, LivingUnderstanding. Throughout Proverbs wisdom is personified with the metaphor of Lady Wisdom, who dispenses revelation-knowledge and living-

understanding. Lady Wisdom is a figure of speech for God and his divine wisdom, who invites us to receive the best way to live, the excellent and noble way of life. She is personified as a guide (6:22), a beloved sister or bride (7:4), and a hostess who generously invites people to “come and dine at my table and drink of my wine” (9:1–6). In Proverbs, wisdom is inseparable from knowledge and understanding, which is not received independent of God’s revelation. We are invited to “come to the one who has living-understanding” (9:10) in order to receive what Lady Wisdom has to offer. For God promises that revelation-knowledge will flow to the one who hungers for her gift of understanding (14:6). The Fear of the Lord. From the beginning, in 1:7, Proverbs makes it clear that we gain “the essence of wisdom” and cross “the threshold of true knowledge” only when we fear the Lord—or, as the Passion Translation translates it, we live “in complete awe and adoration of God.” Living in a way that our entire being worships and adores God is a constant theme throughout Proverbs. God’s Transcendence and Immanence. Proverbs teaches that God is both the author of (transcendent)

and actor within (immanent) our human story. First, God is above and outside the world: as Creator “he broke open the hidden fountains of the deep, bringing secret springs to the surface” (3:20); “God sees everything you do and his eyes are wide open as he observes every single habit you have” (5:21); he is sovereign and steers “a king’s heart for his purposes as it is for him to direct the course of a stream” (21:1). Second, God is a part of and involved with the world: “The rich and the poor have one thing in common: the Lord God created each one” (22:2); “The Lord champions the widow’s cause” (15:25); he “will rise to plead [the poor’s] case” (22:23). Proverbs teaches that God is all-powerful and transcendent while also taking part in our human story as our defender and protector. Wise and Fool, Righteous and Wicked. Solomon believed there are basically two kinds of people in the world: the wise righteous and the wicked fools. The wise person possesses God’s revelation-knowledge and living-understanding. Therefore, he is prudent, shrewd, insightful, and does what is right because he is righteous, a God-lover. This lover of God is just, peaceful, upright, blameless, good, trustworthy, and

kind. The wicked fool is different. He is greedy, violent, deceitful, cruel, and speaks perversely. It’s no wonder “the Lord detests the lifestyle of the wicked!” (15:9). As a foolish person, he is described as being gullible, an idiot, self-sufficient, a mocker, lazy, senseless, and he rejects revelation-knowledge and living-understanding. Many of Solomon’s wise sayings relate to these two kinds of people, teaching us how to avoid being a wicked fool and instead live as God intends us to live, as his wise, righteous lovers. Wealth and Poverty. As with many of Solomon’s wise sayings, we cannot take one thought on wealth and poverty and apply it to every situation. Instead, Solomon teaches us seven major things about having wealth and being poor, and how wisdom and foolishness affect them both: the righteous are blessed with wealth by God himself; foolishness leads to poverty; fools who have wealth will soon lose it; poverty results from injustice and oppression; the wealthy are called to be generous with their wealth; gaining wisdom is far better than gaining wealth; and the value of wealth is limited. Jesus and the Church. As with the rest of the Old

Testament, we are called to read Proverbs in light of Jesus and his ministry. Throughout the gospels Jesus associates himself with wisdom. For instance, in Matt. 11:18–19 Jesus claims his actions represent Lady Wisdom herself. Where he is identified with Lady Wisdom in the New Testament, it is a powerful way of saying that Jesus is the full, entire embodiment of wisdom. In many ways Col. 1:15–17 mirrors Prov. 8 . Likewise, the preface to John’s gospel resonates with this same chapter when Jesus is associated with the Word, another personification of wisdom. Jesus stands at the center of Scripture; he can be found throughout Scripture, not just in the New Testament. So as you read these important words of wisdom, consider how they point to the one who perfectly embodied and is our wisdom.

PROVERBS Wisdom from Above The prologue

1 Here are kingdom revelations, words to live by,

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and words of wisdom given to empower you to reign in life, a written as proverbs by Israel’s King Solomon, b David’s son. Within these sayings will be found the revelation of wisdom c and the impartation of spiritual understanding. Use them as keys to unlock the treasures of true knowledge. Those who cling to these words will receive discipline

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to demonstrate wisdom in every relationship d and to choose what is right and just and fair. These proverbs will give you great skill to teach the immature and make them wise, to give youth the understanding of their design and destiny. For the wise, these proverbs will make you even wiser, and for those with discernment, you will be able to acquire brilliant strategies for leadership. These kingdom revelations will break open your understanding to unveil the deeper meaning of parables, poetic riddles, and epigrams, and to unravel the words and enigmas of the wise. How then does a man gain the essence of wisdom? We cross the threshold of true knowledge when we live in obedient devotion to God. e Stubborn know-it-alls f will never stop to do this, for they scorn true wisdom and knowledge.

The Wisdom of a Father 8 Pay close attention, my child, to your father’s wise

words and never forget your mother’s instructions. g 9 For their insight will bring you success, adorning you with grace-filled thoughts and giving you reins to guide your decisions. h 10 When peer pressure compels you to go with the crowd and sinners invite you to join in, you must simply say, “No!” 11 When the gang says— “We’re going to steal and kill and get away with it. 12 We’ll take down the rich and rob them. We’ll swallow them up alive and take what we want from whomever we want. 13 Then we’ll take their treasures and fill our homes with loot. 14 So come on and join us. Take your chance with us. We’ll divide up all we get; we’ll each end up with big bags of cash!”— 15 my son, refuse to go with them and stay far away from them. 16 For crime is their way of life and bloodshed their specialty.

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To be aware of their snare is the best way of escape. 18 They’ll resort to murder to steal their victim’s assets, but eventually it will be their own lives that are ambushed. 19 In their ungodly disrespect for God they bring destruction on their own lives. Wisdom’s Warning 20 Wisdom’s praises are sung in the streets and celebrated far and wide. 21 Yet wisdom’s song is not always heard in the halls of higher learning. But in the hustle and bustle of everyday life its lyrics can always be heard above the din of the crowd. i You will hear wisdom’s warning as she preaches courageously to those who stop to listen: 22 “Foolish ones, how much longer will you cling to your deception? j How much longer will you mock wisdom, cynical scorners who fight the facts?

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Come back to your senses and be restored to reality. Don’t even think about refusing my rebuke! Don’t you know that I’m ready to pour out my spirit of wisdom upon you and bring to you the revelation of my words that will make your heart wise? 24 I’ve called to you over and over; still you refuse to come to me. I’ve pleaded with you again and again, yet you’ve turned a deaf ear to my voice. 25 Because you have laughed at my counsel and have insisted on continuing in your stubbornness, 26 I will laugh when your calamity comes and will turn away from you at the time of your disaster. Make a joke of my advice, will you? Then I’ll make a joke out of you! 27 When the storm clouds of terror gather over your head, when dread and distress consume you and your catastrophe comes like a hurricane, 28 you will cry out to me, but I won’t answer.

Then it will be too late to expect my help. When desperation drives you to search for me, I will be nowhere to be found. 29 Because you have turned up your nose at me and closed your eyes to the facts and refused to worship me in awe— k 30 because you scoffed at my wise counsel and laughed at my correction— 31 now you will eat the bitter fruit of your own ways. You’ve made your own bed; now lie in it! So how do you like that? 32 Like an idiot you’ve turned away from me and chosen destruction instead. Your self-satisfied smugness l will kill you. 33 But the one who always listens to me will live undisturbed in a heavenly peace. Free from fear, confident and courageous, you will rest unafraid and sheltered from the storms of life.

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1:1 As stated in the introduction, the Hebrew word for “proverbs” means more than just a wise saying. It can also mean “to rule, to reign in power, to take dominion.”

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1:1 The name Solomon means “peaceable.” There is a greater one than Solomon who gives peace to all of his followers. His name is Jesus. Solomon was the seed of David; we are the seed of Jesus Christ. Solomon had an encounter with God after asking for a discerning heart (1 Kings 3:5–14). This pleased God, so he gave Solomon wisdom, riches, and power. God is ready to impart these same things today to those who ask him. See James 1:5–8 . 1:2 There are six Hebrew words translated “wisdom” in the book of Proverbs. Some of them require an entire phrase in English to convey the meaning. The word used here is chokmah , and it is used in Proverbs forty-two times. Forty-two is the number of months Jesus ministered and the number of generations from Abraham to Christ listed in M att. 1 . 1:3 The Hebrew word translated “wisdom” here also means “righteousness.” 1:7 M any translations render this “the fear of the Lord.” This is much more than the English concept of fear. It also implies submission, awe, worship, and reverence. The Hebrew word used here is found fourteen times in Proverbs. The number fourteen represents spiritual perfection. The number fourteen is mentioned three times in the genealogy of Jesus ( M att. 1:1–17 ). It is also the number for Passover. You will pass from darkness to wisdom’s light by the “fear” of the Lord. 1:7 Or “foolish ones.” There are three Hebrew words

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translated “fool” in Proverbs and another six that are related to a fool or foolish acts. A fool is described in Proverbs as one who hates true wisdom and correction, with no desire to acquire revelation knowledge. 1:8 M any expositors see this verse as the words of David to Solomon, yet we all must give heed to this. The words of our father (God) and our mother (the church, the freewoman) will bring us wisdom. See Gal. 4:21–31 . 1:9 The Hebrew text here is literally translated “adornment for your head, chains for your neck.” The head is a metaphor for our thoughts, the neck a symbol for willing obedience that guides our decisions, in contrast to being stiff-necked or proud. See Phil. 2:5 . 1:21 Literally translated, this verse reads “Wisdom sings out in the streets and speaks her voice in the squares, crying out at the head of noisy crowds and at the entrance of the city gates.” This is a parabolic statement of wisdom being heard everywhere and in every place. 1:22 Or “Childish ones, how long will you love your childishness?” 1:29 The Hebrew word used here can be translated “fear, dread, awe, and worship.” Nearly every translation uses the word fear or reverence while ignoring the other aspects of the Aramaic word, dekhlatha . The New Testament is clear that there is no fear in love. See 1 John 4:18 . 1:32 Or “your abundant prosperity.”

Searching for Wisdom

2 My child, will you treasure my wisdom? Then, and only then, will you acquire it. And only if you accept my advice and hide it within will you succeed. 2 So train your heart to listen when I speak and open your spirit wide to expand your discernment— then pass it on to your sons and daughters. a 3 Yes, cry out for comprehension and intercede for insight. 4 For if you keep seeking it like a man would seek for sterling silver, searching in hidden places for cherished treasure, 5 then you will discover the fear of the Lord and find the true knowledge of God. 6 Wisdom is a gift from a generous God, and every word he speaks is full of revelation and becomes a fountain of understanding within you. b 7–8 For the Lord has a hidden storehouse of wisdom made accessible to his godly lovers. c

He becomes your personal bodyguard as you follow his ways, protecting and guarding you as you choose what is right. 9 Then you will discover all that is just, proper, and fair, and be empowered to make the right decisions as you walk into your destiny. 10 When wisdom wins your heart and revelation breaks in, true pleasure enters your soul. 11 If you choose to follow good counsel, divine design will watch over you and understanding will protect you from making poor choices. 12 It will rescue you from evil in disguise and from those who speak duplicities. 13 For they have left the highway of holiness and walk in the ways of darkness. 14 They take pleasure when evil prospers and thoroughly enjoy a lifestyle of sin. 15 But they’re walking on a path to nowhere, wandering away into deeper deception.

Wisdom, the Way of the Pure 16 Only wisdom can save you from the flattery of the promiscuous woman— she’s such a smooth-talking seductress! 17 She left her husband and has forgotten her wedding vows. d 18 You’ll find her house on the road to hell, 19 and all the men who go through her doors will never come back to the place they were— they will find nothing but desolation and despair. 20 Follow those who follow wisdom and stay on the right path. 21 For all my godly lovers will enjoy life to the fullest and will inherit their destinies. e 22 But the treacherous ones who love darkness will not only lose all they could have had, they will lose even their own souls!

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2:2 As translated from the Septuagint. 2:6 The Septuagint adds “found in his presence.” 2:7–8 Or “the righteous.” 2:17 Clearly this is a warning to those who would commit adultery, but there is a deeper meaning within this text.

Proverbs tells us of two women: the adulteress and the virtuous woman of Prov. 31 . Both women speak a parable of two systems in the church. One is religious and alluring, tempting the young anointed ones to come to her “bed” of compromise ( M ark 7:13 ). The other is the holy bride, virtuous and pure, keeping her first love (“wedding vows”) for Christ alone. Her “house” is the house of the Lord. One system brings shame and despair; the other brings favor, honor, and glory. It is wisdom that protects us from one and unites us to the other. See Jer. 50–52 and Rev. 17–18 . e 2:21 Literally “shall dwell in the land.”

The Rewards of Wisdom

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1–2 My child, if you truly want a long and satisfying life, never forget the things that I’ve taught you. Follow closely every truth that I’ve given you. Then you will have a full, rewarding life. Hold on to loyal love and don’t let go, and be faithful to all that you’ve been taught. Let your life be shaped by integrity, a with truth written upon your heart. That’s how you will find favor and understanding

with both God and men— you will gain the reputation of living life well. Wisdom’s Guidance 5 Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make. 6 Become intimate with him in whatever you do, and he will lead you wherever you go. b Don’t think for a moment that you know it all, c 7 for wisdom comes when you adore him with undivided devotion and avoid everything that’s wrong. 8 Then you will find the healing refreshment your body and spirit long for. d 9 Glorify God with all your wealth, honoring him with your very best, e with every increase that comes to you. 10 Then every dimension of your life will overflow with blessings from an uncontainable source of inner joy!

Wisdom’s Correction 11 My child, when the Lord God speaks to you, never take his words lightly, and never be upset when he corrects you. 12 For the Father’s discipline comes only from his passionate love and pleasure for you. Even when it seems like his correction is harsh, it’s still better than any father on earth gives to his child. 13 Those who find true wisdom obtain the tools for understanding, the proper way to live, f for they will have a fountain of blessing pouring into their lives. To gain the riches of wisdom is far greater than gaining the wealth of the world. 14 As wisdom increases, a great treasure is imparted, greater than many bars of refined gold. 15 It is a more valuable commodity than gold and gemstones, g for there is nothing you desire that could compare to her. 16 Wisdom extends to you long life in one hand and wealth and promotion h in the other.

Out of her mouth flows righteousness, and her words release both law and mercy. i 17 The ways of wisdom are sweet, always drawing you into the place of wholeness. j 18 Seeking for her brings the discovery of untold blessings, for she is the healing tree of life to those who taste her fruits. k Wisdom’s Blueprints 19 The Lord laid the earth’s foundations with wisdom’s blueprints. By his living-understanding all the universe came into being. l 20 By his divine revelation he broke open the hidden fountains of the deep, bringing secret springs to the surface as the mist of the night dripped down from heaven. m

Wisdom, Our Hiding Place 21 My child, never drift off course from these two goals for your life: to walk in wisdom and to discover discernment. n

Don’t ever forget how they empower you. For they strengthen you inside and out and inspire you to do what’s right; o you will be energized and refreshed by the healing they bring. 23 They give you living hope to guide you, and not one of life’s tests will cause you to stumble. 24 You will sleep like a baby, safe and sound— your rest will be sweet and secure. 25 You will not be subject to terror, for it will not terrify you. Nor will the disrespectful be able to push you aside, p 26 because God is your confidence in times of crisis, keeping your heart at rest in every situation. q 22

Wisdom in Relationships 27 Why would you withhold payment on your debt r when you have the ability to pay? Just do it! s 28 When your friend comes to ask you for a favor, why would you say, “Perhaps tomorrow,” when you have the money right there in your pocket?

Help him today! Why would you hold a grudge t in your heart toward your neighbor who lives right next door? 30 And why would you quarrel with those who have done nothing wrong to you? Is that a chip on your shoulder? u 31 Don’t act like those bullies or learn their ways. 32 Every violent thug is despised by the Lord, but every tender lover finds friendship with God and will hear his intimate secrets. v 33 The wicked walk under God’s constant curse, but godly lovers walk under a stream of his blessing, for they seek to do what is right. 34 If you walk with the mockers you will learn to mock, but God’s grace and favor flow to the meek. w 35 Stubborn fools fill their lives with disgrace, but glory and honor rest upon the wise. 29

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3:3 Or “Tie them around your neck.” The neck is a symbol of our will and conscience. b 3:6 Or “He will cut a straight path before you.”

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3:6 We should always be willing to listen to correction and instruction. 3:8 Literally “healing to your navel and moistening to your bones.” The blood supply for a baby in the womb comes through the navel. New cells are made in the marrow of our bones. As the navel and bones picture the life flow of our bodies, so the navel and bones are a picture of our inner being. See John 7:37–39 . 3:9 Or “the firstfruits.” 3:13 The Hebrew-Aramaic text here implies that wisdom gives the ability to take raw facts and draw right conclusions and meaning from them. 3:15 The Hebrew word translated as “gemstones” here can also refer to rubies, coral, or pearls. 3:16 Or “honor.” 3:16 The Septuagint adds this last sentence, which is not found in the Hebrew. 3:17 The Hebrew word translated as “wholeness” here can also mean “peace” or “prosperity.” 3:18 Verses 17 and 18 are recited in contemporary Torah services as the Torah scroll is returned to the ark, where it is kept. 3:19 When compared with Col. 1:16 , we can see that Wisdom is used as a title in Proverbs for the Living Wisdom, Jesus Christ. See also 1 Cor. 1:30 . 3:20 The dew is a metaphor for the Holy Spirit, who comes from the heavens and drenches us with God’s

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presence. See Gen. 27:28; Deut. 32:2; Ps. 133:3 ; Judg. 6:37– 40. 3:21 Like many Hebrew words, there are various possible translations. The word translated as “discernment” here can also mean “discretion, counsel, meditation, and purpose.” 3:22 Or “Adorn your neck.” The neck is a picture of our will and conscience. 3:25 As translated from the Septuagint. 3:26 Or “keeping your foot from being caught.” 3:27 The Septuagint is “Why would withhold from the poor [those who need it]?” 3:27 The Hebrew text here literally means “Do not withhold wealth from its owners.” See Rom. 13:7 . 3:29 Or “plot evil.” 3:30 See Rom. 12:18 . 3:32 See Ps. 25:14 . 3:34 See James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5 .

A Father’s Instruction

4 Listen to my correction, my sons, for I speak to you as your father. a Let discernment enter your heart and you will grow wise with the understanding I impart.

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My revelation-truth b is a gift to you, so remain faithful to my instruction. For I, too, was once the delight of my father c and cherished by my mother, their beloved child. d Then my father taught me, saying, “Never forget my words. If you do everything that I teach you, you will reign in life.” e So make wisdom your quest— search for the revelation of life’s meaning. Don’t let what I say go in one ear and out the other. Stick with wisdom and she will stick to you, protecting you throughout your days. She will rescue all those who passionately listen to her voice. f Wisdom is the most valuable commodity—so buy it! Revelation knowledge is what you need—so invest in it! Wisdom will exalt you when you exalt her truth. g She will lead you to honor and favor when you live your life by her insights. You will be adorned with beauty and grace, h and wisdom’s glory will wrap itself around you, i

making you victorious in the race. Two Pathways 10 My son, if you will take the time to stop and listen to me and embrace what I say, you will live a long and happy life full of understanding in every way. 11 I have taken you by the hand in wisdom’s ways, pointing you to the path of integrity. 12 Your progress will have no limits when you come along with me, and you will never stumble as you walk along the way. 13 So receive my correction j no matter how hard it is to swallow, for wisdom will snap you back into place— her words will be invigorating life to you. 14 Do not detour into darkness or even set foot on that path. 15 Stay away from it; don’t even go there! 16 For troublemakers are restless if they are not involved in evil. They are not satisfied until they have brought

someone harm. They feed on darkness and drink until they’re drunk on the wine of wickedness. k 18 But the lovers of God walk on the highway of light, 17

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and their way shines brighter and brighter until they bring forth the perfect day. 19 But the wicked walk in thick darkness, like those who travel in fog, and yet don’t have a clue why they keep stumbling! Healing Words 20 Listen carefully, my dear child, to everything that I teach you, and pay attention to all that I have to say. 21 Fill your thoughts with my words until they penetrate deep into your spirit. m 22 Then, as you unwrap my words, n they will impart true life and radiant health into the very core of your being. 23 So above all, guard the affections of your heart, o for they affect all that you are. Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost

being, for from there flows the wellspring of life. 24 Avoid dishonest speech and pretentious words. Be free from using perverse words no matter what! Watch Where You’re Going 25 Set your gaze on the path before you. With fixed purpose, looking straight ahead, ignore life’s distractions . p 26 Watch where you’re going! Stick to the path of truth, and the road will be safe and smooth before you. 27 Don’t allow yourself to be sidetracked for even a moment or take the detour that leads to darkness.

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4:1 Read and study this entire chapter as though it were Jesus Christ speaking to you. He is the everlasting Father and we are called his sons. See Isa. 9:6–7 and Rev. 21:6–7 . b 4:2 Literally “Torah.” c 4:3 See M att. 17:5 and John 3:35 . d 4:3 Or “unique.” See Luke 1–2 .

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4:4 The lessons of wisdom are meant to be passed on from parents to children. 4:6 It is not enough to acquire wisdom; we must love her and listen wholeheartedly to her instruction. 4:8 The Septuagint says, “Build a fort for wisdom and she will lift you high.” 4:9 Literally “She will place a garland of grace on your head and a crown of beauty upon you.” A garland and a crown are metaphors for what is awarded a victor in a race. See 1 Cor. 9:24 . 4:9 Or “wisdom’s laurel of glory shielding you.” 4:13 Wisdom will correct us and adjust our hearts to discipline. We must embrace the corrections of wisdom in order to mature spiritually. 4:17 Or “violence.” 4:18 Or “the glow of sunlight.” 4:21 See Col. 3:16 . 4:22 Or “Discover my words.” 4:23 The Hebrew word l evav is the most common word for “heart.” It includes our thoughts, our will, our discernment, and our affections. 4:25 Implied in the text. See also Heb. 12:1–2 .

Avoid Promiscuity

5 Listen to me, my son, 2

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for I know what I’m talking about. Listen carefully to my advice so that wisdom and discernment will enter your heart, and then the words you speak will express what you’ve learned. Remember this: The lips of a seductress seem sweet like honey, and her smooth words are like music in your ears. a But I promise you this: In the end all you’ll be left with is a bitter conscience. b For the sting of your sin will pierce your soul like a sword. She will ruin your life, drag you down to death, and lead you straight to hell. c She has prevented many from considering the paths of life. Yes, she will take you with her where you don’t want to go, sliding down a slippery road and not even realizing where the two of you will

end up! Listen to me, young men, and don’t forget this one thing I’m telling you— run away from her as fast as you can! 8 Don’t even go near the door of her house unless you want to fall into her seduction. 9 In disgrace you will relinquish your honor to another, and all your remaining years will be squandered— given over to the cruel one. d 10 Why would you let strangers take away your strength e while the labors of your house go to someone else? 11 For when you grow old you will groan in anguish and shame f as sexually transmitted diseases consume your body. g 12 And then finally you’ll admit that you were wrong and say, “If only I had listened to wisdom’s voice and not stubbornly demanded my own way, because my heart hated to be told what to do! 13 Why didn’t I take seriously the warning of my wise counselors? 7

Why was I so stupid to think that I could get away with it? 14 Now I’m totally disgraced and my life is ruined! I’m paying the price— for the people of the congregation are now my judges.” h Sex Reserved for Marriage 15 My son, share your love with your wife alone. Drink from her well of pleasure and from no other. 16 Why would you have sex with a stranger or with anyone other than her? 17 Reserve this pleasure for you and her alone and not with another. i 18 Your sex life will be blessed j as you take joy and pleasure in the wife of your youth. 19 Let her breasts be your satisfaction, k and let her embrace l intoxicate you at all times. Be continually delighted and ravished with her love! 20 My son, why would you be exhilarated by an adulteress— by embracing a woman m who is not yours?

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For God sees everything you do and his eyes are wide open as he observes every single habit you have. 22 Beware that your sins don’t overtake you and the scars of your own conscience become the ropes that tie you up. 23 Those who choose wickedness die for lack of selfcontrol, for their foolish ways lead them astray, carrying them away as hostages— kidnapped captives robbed of destiny .

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5:3 Some Jewish expositors view this “promiscuous woman” as a metaphor for heresy. She seduces, deceives, and drags to hell. For the believer, the promiscuous woman can be a picture of the false anointing of the religious spirit that attempts to seduce us, weaken our message, and rob the anointing of God from our ministries. Of course, there is also a clear and dire warning for all to stay sexually pure or face the consequences. b 5:4 Or “bitter as wormwood.” See Rev. 8:10–11 . c 5:5 Or “Sheol.” This is the Aramaic and Hebrew word for the place of the dead. The Greeks call it Hades. Sheol is not eternal; it will be destroyed. See Hos. 13:14 and Rev. 20:4 .

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5:9 This would be the Devil, who torments the conscience as the result of this sin. 5:10 Or “wealth.” This could also refer to spiritual strength and wealth. 5:11 The Hebrew word translated as “groan” here is also used for the roar of a lion or the ocean’s roar. 5:11 Implied in the context of the topic of sexual promiscuity. The Hebrew word here means “diseases.” 5:14 See John 8:1–11 . 5:17 Because of the sudden change in the Hebrew text to the masculine gender (“stranger” or “another”), there is an inference that men having sex with men is forbidden, as well as sex with a woman who is not your wife. 5:18 The Hebrew phrase used here includes the word fountain , which is an obvious metaphor for the sex act. The root word for fountain can also refer to the eyes. It may be a poetic subtlety that the eyes should only be on your wife, not on the nakedness of another. See v. 19 . 5:19 The Hebrew includes a picturesque metaphor of the wife being like a “friendly deer and a favored filly.” 5:19 The Septuagint reads “Let her share conversation with you.” 5:20 Or “breasts.”

Words of Wisdom

6 My son, if you cosign a loan for an acquaintance 2

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and guarantee his debt, you’ll be sorry that you ever did it! You’ll be trapped by your promise and legally bound by the agreement. So listen carefully to my advice: Quickly get out of it if you possibly can! Swallow your pride, get over your embarrassment, and go tell your “friend” you want your name a off that contract. Don’t put it off, and don’t rest until you get it done. Rescue yourself from future pain b and be free from it once and for all. You’ll be so relieved that you did! c

Life Lessons 6 When you’re feeling lazy, come and learn a lesson from this tale of the tiny ant. Yes, all you lazybones, come learn from the example of the ant and enter into wisdom. 7 The ants have no chief, no boss, no manager— no one has to tell them what to do.

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You’ll see them working and toiling all summer long, stockpiling their food in preparation for winter. 9 So wake up, sleepyhead. How long will you lie there? When will you wake up and get out of bed? 10 If you keep nodding off and thinking, “I’ll do it later,” or say to yourself, “I’ll just sit back awhile and take it easy,” just watch how the future unfolds! 11 By making excuses you’ll learn what it means to go without. Poverty will pounce on you like a bandit d and move in as your roommate for life. e 12–13 Here’s another life lesson to learn from observing the wayward and wicked man. f You can tell they are lawless. They’re constant liars, proud deceivers, full of clever ploys and convincing plots. g 14 Their twisted thoughts are perverse, always with a scheme to stir up trouble, and sowing strife with every step they take. 15 But when calamity comes knocking on their door, suddenly and without warning they’re undone—

broken to bits, shattered, with no hope of healing.

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Seven Things God Hates 16 There are six evils God truly hates and a seventh i that is an abomination to him: 17 Putting others down while considering yourself superior, spreading lies and rumors, spilling the blood of the innocent, 18 plotting evil in your heart toward another, gloating over doing what’s plainly wrong, 19 spouting lies in false testimony, and stirring up strife between friends . j These are entirely despicable to God! 20 My son, obey your father’s godly instruction and follow your mother’s life-giving teaching. k 21 Fill your heart with their advice and let your life be shaped by what they’ve taught you. l 22 Their wisdom will guide you wherever you go and keep you from bringing harm to yourself. Their instruction will whisper to you at every sunrise and direct you through a brand-new day.

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For truth m is a bright beam of light shining into every area of your life, instructing and correcting you to discover the ways to godly living.

Truth or Consequences 24–25 Truth will protect you from immorality and from the promiscuity of another man’s wife. Your heart won’t be enticed by her flatteries n or lust over her beauty— nor will her suggestive ways conquer you. 26 Prostitutes reduce a man to poverty, o and the adulteress steals your soul— she may even cost you your life! p 27 For how can a man light his pants on fire and not be burned? 28 Can he walk over hot coals of fire q and not blister his feet? 29 What makes you think that you can sleep with another man’s wife and not get caught? Do you really think you’ll get away with it? Don’t you know it will ruin your life? 30 You can almost excuse a thief if he steals to feed

his own family. But if he’s caught, he still has to pay back what he stole sevenfold; his punishment and fine will cost him greatly. 32 Don’t be so stupid as to think you can get away with your adultery. It will destroy your life, r and you’ll pay the price for the rest of your days. 33 You’ll discover what humiliation, shame, and disgrace are all about, for no one will ever let you forget what you’ve done. 34 A husband’s jealousy makes a man furious; he won’t spare you when he comes to take revenge. 35 Try all you want to talk your way out of it— offer him a bribe and see if you can manipulate him with your money. Nothing will turn him aside when he comes to you with vengeance in his eyes! 31

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6:3 There is an implication in the Hebrew that the one whose loan was cosigned for is no longer a friend. The

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Hebrew word can also be translated “apostate.” 6:5 The Hebrew word means “trap.” 6:5 The life lesson to learn is that even when considering something that seems to be good, there may be unexpected consequences that should be considered before obligating yourself. 6:11 Or “vagabond.” The Hebrew phrase here is literally translated “one who walks (away).” 6:11 The life lesson from Solomon’s parable is this: the ant only lives six months yet stores more food than it will ever consume. We should learn the wisdom of preparing for the future and learn frugality in the present. Don’t put off for the future the preparations you should make today. Now is always better than later. Today is the day to choose what’s right and serve the Lord. 6:12–13 The Hebrew word translated “wayward and lawless” is actually “a man of Belial.” This is a metaphor for a worthless man who worships other gods. The name Belial is found in numerous Dead Sea scrolls as a term for Satan. 6:12–13 The Hebrew gives a picture of those who “wink their eyes, shuffle their feet, and point their fingers.” This is a figure of speech for the devious ways of the wicked. 6:15 The life lesson here is this: the clever and devious may look like they’re getting ahead in life, but their path guarantees destruction, with no one to help them out of it. 6:16 The number seven is the number of fullness and

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completion. The poetic form here is stating that evil in its fullness is an abomination to God. The seven things are a description of the sin of man that stands in the temple of our bodies attempting to usurp God. 6:19 The Aramaic is “deception among brothers.” 6:20 For the New Testament believer, our mother is the church, who nurtures us and feeds us life-giving words. See Gal. 4:21–31 . 6:21 Or “Bind their words on your heart and tie them around your neck.” 6:23 Or “Torah.” 6:24–25 Or “Don’t let her captivate you with her fluttering eyelids.” 6:26 Or “Beg for a loaf of bread.” 6:26 The Hebrew phrase here is literally translated “She hunts for your precious soul.” 6:28 A picture of the lusts of the flesh. 6:32 Or “The destroyer of his soul will do this.”

Wisdom, Your True Love

7 Stick close to my instruction, my son, 2

and follow all my advice. If you do what I say you will live well. Guard your life with my revelation-truth,

for my teaching is as precious as your eyesight. a Treasure my instructions, and cherish them within your heart. b 4 Say to wisdom, “I love you,” and to understanding, “You’re my sweetheart.” 5 “May the two of you protect me, and may we never be apart!” For they will keep you from the adulteress, with her smooth words meant to seduce your heart. 6 Looking out the window of my house one day 7 I noticed among the mindless crowd a simple, naïve young man who was about to go astray. 8 There he was, walking down the street. Then he turned the corner, going on his way as he hurried on to the house of the harlot— the woman he had planned to meet. 9 There he was in the twilight as darkness fell, convinced no one was watching as he entered the black shadows of hell. c 10 That’s when their rendezvous began. A woman of the night appeared, 3

dressed to kill the strength of any man. She was decked out as a harlot, pursuing her amorous plan. 11 Her voice was seductive, rebellious, and boisterous as she wandered far from what’s right. 12 Her type can be found soliciting on street corners on just about any night. d 13 She wrapped her arms around the senseless young man and held him tight— she enticed him with kisses that seemed so right. Then, with insolence, she whispered in his ear, 14 “Come with me. It’ll be all right. I’ve got everything we need for a feast. I’ll cook you a wonderful dinner. e So here I am—I’m all yours! 15 You’re the very one I’ve looked for, the one I knew I wanted from the moment I saw you. That’s why I’ve come out here tonight, so I could meet a man just like you. f 16 I’ve spread my canopy bed with coverings, lovely multicolored Egyptian linens spread and ready for you to lie down on.

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I’ve sprinkled the sheets with intoxicating perfume made from myrrh, aloes, and sweet cinnamon. g 18 Come, let’s get comfortable and take pleasure in each other and make love all night! 19 There’s no one home, for my husband’s away on business. 20 He left home loaded with money to spend, so don’t worry. He won’t be back until another month ends.” h 21–22 He was swayed by her sophistication, enticed by her longing embrace. She led him down the wayward path right into sin and disgrace. Quickly he went astray, with no clue where he was truly headed, taken like a dumb ox alongside of the butcher. She was like a venomous snake coiled to strike, so she set her fangs into him! i 23 He’s like a man about to be executed with an arrow right through his heart— like a bird that flies into the net, unaware of what’s about to happen. 24 So listen to me, you young men.

You’d better take my words seriously! Control your sexual urges and guard your hearts from lust. Don’t let your passions get out of hand and don’t lock your eyes onto a beautiful woman. Why would you want to even get close to temptation and seduction, to have an affair with her? 26 She has pierced the souls of multitudes of men— many mighty ones have fallen and have been brought down by her. j 27 If you’re looking for the road to hell, just go looking for her house! 25

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7:2 Or “like you would the pupil of your eye.” Literally “the little man of the eye,” which is a figure of speech for your most prized possession. b 7:3 Or “Write them upon the tablets of your heart.” c 7:9 Implied from verse 27. d 7:12 This parable not only warns against the obvious evils of adultery and immorality, but also serves as a warning to the anointed young men in ministry not to be seduced by the religious system. Wisdom looks from the window (revelation and insight—Ezek. 8) of her house (the true

church of Jesus) and sees a young man (not fully mature— 1 John 2:12–14 ) who has placed himself in the path of sin. This made him vulnerable to the seduction of the “harlot” system of a works-based religion that enticed him into her bed (partnership, covering, and ordination with her and her system— Rev. 17–18 ) covered with Egyptian linens (Egypt is a picture of the world system that holds people in bondage). She is loud and stubborn (the old self-life never dealt with) and will not remain in her house (the true church of Jesus). She lives in the darkness of compromise and her ways are the ways of death. She doesn’t remain faithful to her husband (the Bridegroom-God). The two women of Proverbs are the harlot mentioned here and the virtuous woman found in chapter 31, who speak of two systems of worship. One is true and virtuous; the other is false and seductive. e 7:14 Or “offered peace offerings and paid my vows [in the temple].” This is a way of saying, “I have lots of meat left over from the sacrifices I’ve offered, enough for a great meal.” f 7:15 Compared to Song 3:1– 4 , this seems to be a parodic reversal of the Shulamite who goes out into the city to seek a man, and when she finds him, embraces him. This account of the harlot seems to be the converse of the theme of Song of Songs. g 7:17 Although these spices are found in the sacred anointing oil, the adulteress (religious system) has only a

false anointing, with no true power. 7:20 Or “He left with a bag of money and won’t be back until the new moon.” i 7:21–22 This last sentence is arguably a difficult verse to translate, with many variant options. The Aramaic is “taken like a dog to captivity.” The Hebrew can be translated “bounding like a stag to a trap.” Other ancient Jewish commentaries refer to this portion as “rushing like a venomous snake to discipline the foolish one,” meaning that with the swiftness of a snake striking its prey, a fool lunges into his own destruction. j 7:26 The Aramaic is even more descriptive: “She has slain a multitude of mighty ones; they’ve all been killed by her.” h

Wisdom Calling

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1–3 Can’t you hear the voice of Wisdom? a From the top of the mountains of influence she speaks into the gateways of the glorious city. At the place where pathways merge, at the entrance of every portal, there she stands, ready to impart understanding, shouting aloud to all who enter, preaching her sermon to those who will listen. c “I’m calling to you, sons of Adam,

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yes, and to you daughters as well. Listen to me and you will be prudent and wise. For even the foolish and feeble can receive an understanding heart that will change their inner being . 6 The meaning of my words will release within you revelation for you to reign in life. d My lyrics will empower you to live by what is right. 7 For everything I say is unquestionably true, and I refuse to endure the lies of lawlessness— my words will never lead you astray. 8 All the declarations of my mouth can be trusted; they contain no twisted logic or perversion of the truth. 9 All my words are clear and straightforward to everyone who possesses spiritual understanding. If you have an open mind, you will receive revelation-knowledge. 10 My wise correction is more valuable than silver or gold. The finest gold is nothing compared to the 5

revelation-knowledge I can impart.” 11 Wisdom is so priceless that it exceeds the value of any jewel. e Nothing you could wish for can equal her. 12 “For I am Wisdom, and I am shrewd and intelligent. I have at my disposal living-understanding to devise a plan for your life. f 13 Wisdom pours into you when you begin to hate every form of evil in your life, for that’s what worship and fearing God is all about. Then you will discover that your pompous pride and perverse speech are the very ways of wickedness that I hate!” The Power of Wisdom 14 “You will find true success when you find me, for I have insight into wise plans that are designed just for you. I hold in my hands living-understanding, courage, and strength.

They’re all ready and waiting for you. I empower kings to reign g and rulers to make laws that are just. 16 I empower princes to rise and take dominion, and generous ones to govern the earth. h 17 I will show my love to those who passionately love me. i For they will search and search continually until they find me. 18 Unending wealth and glory come to those who discover where I dwell. The riches of righteousness and a long, satisfying life will be given to them. j 19 What I impart has greater worth than gold and treasure, and the increase I bring benefits more than a windfall of income. 20 I lead you into the ways of righteousness to discover the paths of true justice. 21 Those who love me gain great wealth k and a glorious inheritance, and I will fill their lives with treasures. 15

Wisdom in the Beginning 22 “In the beginning I was there, for God possessed me l even before he created the universe. 23 From eternity past I was set in place, before the world began. I was anointed from the beginning. m 24 Before the oceans depths were poured out, and before there were any glorious fountains overflowing with water, n I was there, dancing! o 25 Even before one mountain had been sculpted or one hill raised up, I was already there, dancing! 26 When he created the earth, the fields, even the first atom of dust, I was already there. 27 When he hung the tapestry of the heavens and stretched out the horizon of the earth, 28 when the clouds and skies were set in place and the subterranean fountains began to flow strong, I was already there. 29 when he set in place the pillars of the earth

and spoke the decrees of the seas, commanding the waves so that they wouldn’t overstep their boundaries, 30 I was there, close to the Creator’s side p as his master artist. q Daily he was filled with delight in me as I playfully rejoiced before him. r 31 I laughed and played, so happy with what he had made, while finding my delight in the children of men. s Wisdom Worth Waiting For 32 “So listen, my sons and daughters, to everything I tell you, for nothing will bring you more joy than following my ways. 33 Listen to my counsel, for my instruction will enlighten you. You’ll be wise not to ignore it. 34 If you wait at wisdom’s doorway, t longing to hear a word for every day, joy will break forth within you as you listen for what I’ll say. 35 For the fountain of life pours into you every time

that you find me, and this is the secret of growing in the delight and the favor of the Lord. 36 But those who stumble and miss me will be sorry they did! For ignoring what I have to say will bring harm to your own soul. Those who hate me are simply flirting with death!” u

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8:1–3 Wisdom is personified throughout the book of Proverbs. Lady Wisdom is a figure of speech for God himself, who invites us to receive the best way to live, the excellent and noble way of life found in Jesus Christ. Jesus is wisdom personified, for he was anointed with the Spirit of wisdom. See 1 Cor. 1:30 ; Col. 2:3 ; Isa. 11:1–2. b 8:1–3 As translated from the Aramaic. The church is also a gateway, the house of God, the portal to heaven, that Jesus calls a “city set on a hill.” Christ is the head of the church, where the wisdom of God is revealed. See 1 Cor. 1 and Eph. 3:10–12 . c 8:1–3 In chapter 7 it was the harlot calling out to the simple; here it is Lady Wisdom. True wisdom is easy to find —we only have to listen to her voice. Though it comes from

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above, it is found on street level. Creation and conscience are two voices that speak to our hearts. To discover wisdom we don’t need a brilliant intellect but a tender, attentive heart. 8:6 The Hebrew word is literally translated as “princely” or “noble” things. The implication is that these words of wisdom are for ruling and reigning in life. 8:11 Literally “corals” or “pearls.” 8:12 Or “to discover clever inventions.” 8:15 We have been made kings and priestly rulers by the grace of redemption. 8:16 As translated from many Hebrew manuscripts and the Septuagint. Other Hebrew manuscripts have “and all nobles who govern justly.” The word nobles can also be translated “generous ones.” 8:17 Wisdom is not found by the halfhearted. One must love wisdom to gain it. A superficial desire will yield only a superficial knowledge. 8:18 Or “riches and righteousness.” The phrase “a long, satisfying life” is from the Aramaic. 8:21 The Aramaic is “I will leave great hope as an inheritance to my friends.” 8:22 The Aramaic and the Septuagint read “The Lord created me at the beginning.” The Hebrew verb translated here as “possessed” has two basic meanings. One is “acquired,” the other is “created.” Poetically, it is a statement that the existence of Wisdom (Christ) was not

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independent of God at creation but was manifested and possessed by God as he created all things. Otherwise, it would sound like God was without wisdom before he created them. 8:23 The Hebrew word translated “anointed” here literally means “poured out” and is often used to describe the anointing oil poured out over a king. 8:24 The Hebrew uses the word kabad , which means “glory,” in describing the fountains. It could also be translated “fountains of glory” or “glorious fountains.” 8:24 M any translation have “I was born [or brought forth].” The Hebrew word for “born” is taken from a word that means “to kick and twirl” or “to dance.” 8:30 See John 1:1 . 8:30 Or “architect.” 8:30 The Hebrew word translated here as “rejoicing” can also be translated as “joyfully playing” or “laughing.” 8:31 What a beautiful picture we find here of Wisdom (Christ), who finds his fulfillment in us. See also Pss. 8:4–9 ; 16:3 ; Eph. 2:10 ; 19–22 . 8:34 Or “Guard the door of my entrances.” 8:36 To hate wisdom is not only a sign of stupidity, it is a mark of depravity.

Wisdom’s Feast

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upon seven pillars to keep it secure. c She has made ready a banquet feast and the sacrifice has been killed. d She has mingled her wine, and the table’s all set. e She has sent out her maidens, crying out from the high place, inviting everyone to come and eat until they’re full. “Whoever wants to know me and receive my wisdom, come and dine at my table and drink of my wine. Lay aside your simple thoughts and leave your paths behind. Agree with my ways, live in my truth, and righteousness you will find.” If you try to correct an arrogant cynic, expect an angry insult in return. And if you try to confront an evil man, don’t be surprised if all you get is a slap in the face! So don’t even bother to correct a mocker, for he’ll only hate you for it.

But go ahead and correct the wise; they’ll love you even more. f 9 Teach a wise man what is right and he’ll grow even wiser. Instruct the lovers of God and they’ll learn even more. 10 The starting point for acquiring wisdom is to be consumed with awe as you worship Jehovah-God. To receive the revelation of the Holy One, g you must come to the one who has livingunderstanding. 11 Wisdom will extend your life, making every year more fruitful than the one before. 12 So it is to your advantage to be wise. But to ignore the counsel of wisdom is to invite trouble into your life. h A Spirit Named Foolish 13 There is a spirit named Foolish, who is boisterous and brash; she’s seductive and restless. 14 And there she sits at the gateway to the high

places, on her throne overlooking the city. 15 She preaches to all who walk by her who are clueless as to what is happening: i 16 “Come home with me.” She invites those who are easily led astray, saying, 17 “Illicit sex is the best sex of all. Our secret affair will be sweeter than all others.” j 18 Little do they know when they answer her call that she dwells among the spirits of the dead, and all her guests soon become citizens of hell! k

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9:1 Lady Wisdom is a poetic personification representing Christ, the Wisdom of God ( 1 Cor. 1:30 ). This is a classic form of a synecdoche. The Hebrew word Chokmah (“wisdom”) can also mean “sacred sense.” It is the understanding and insight given only by God. b 9:1 There is a fascinating word play in the Hebrew text. The verb meaning “to build” and the word translated “son” come from the same root. “Build” is banah and “son” is ben The house Wisdom is building is a son. You and I are sons of God who are being built into a spiritual house. There is also a verb in the Hebrew for “hewn” (as in stones). We are

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living stones raised up to be God’s temple. See Ps. 127:1 , Heb. 3:5–6 ; M att. 7:24–27 ; 16:18 . 9:1 The seven pillars of wisdom (plural, “wisdoms”) point us to the seven days of creation, the seven spirits of God, and the seven components of heavenly wisdom given in James 3:17–18 . 9:2 As translated from the Aramaic. The sacrifice points us to Calvary. Wisdom’s pillar is a cross. The Hebrew phrase here literally means “She has prepared her meat.” 9:2 Wisdom’s feast will teach us the ways of God. We feed our hearts on revelation-truth that transforms us; then we implement with wise strategies the understanding we have learned at the feasting table. 9:8 See Ps. 141:5 . 9:10 Literally “holy ones.” 9:12 The Aramaic adds here “The liar feeds on the wind and chases fantasies, for he has forsaken what is true to travel in a barren wilderness; forgetting the right paths, he leaves his own vineyard to walk with thirst and gather nothing.” The Septuagint adds here “If you forsake folly you will reign forever. Seek discretion and your understanding will bring you knowledge.” 9:15 Or “who are walking straight ahead on their paths.” 9:17 The Hebrew phrase here literally means “Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” This is an obvious metaphor of finding sexual pleasure with someone other than your spouse and trying to get away

with it. Finding pleasure in your relationship with your spouse is like drinking from a pure, clean fountain. But stolen water from someone else’s fountain is yielding to foolishness. Adultery is always sin. k 9:18 Older Aramaic and Septuagint manuscripts add a verse here not found in the Hebrew: “But turn away; linger not in the place or even look at her. Don’t drink from a strange fountain. Abstain and drink not from an alien fountain, so that you will enjoy a long life.”

10 The wisdom of Solomon:

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When wisdom comes to a son, joy comes to a father. When a son turns from wisdom, a mother grieves. Gaining wealth through dishonesty b is no gain at all. But honesty brings you a lasting happiness. c The Lord satisfies the longings of all his lovers, d but he withholds from the wicked what their souls crave. e Slackers will know what it means to be poor, while the hard worker becomes wealthy. Know the importance of the season you’re in and a wise son you will be.

But what a waste when an incompetent son sleeps through his day of opportunity! f 6 The lover of God is enriched beyond belief, but the evil man only curses his luck. g 7 The reputation of the righteous becomes a sweet memorial to him, while the wicked life only leaves a rotten stench. h 8 The heart of the wise will easily accept instruction. But those who do all the talking are too busy to listen and learn. They’ll just keep stumbling ahead into the mess they created. 9 The one who walks in integrity i will experience a fearless confidence in life, but the one who is devious will eventually be exposed. 10 The troublemaker always has a clever plan and won’t look you in the eye, but the one who speaks correction honestly can be trusted to make peace. j 11 The teachings of the lovers of God are like living truth flowing from the fountain of life, but the words of the wicked hide an ulterior motive. k

Hatred keeps old quarrels alive, l but love draws a veil over every insult m and finds a way to make sin disappear. 13 Words of wisdom flow from the one with true discernment. But to the heartless, words of wisdom become like rods beating their backside. 14 Wise men don’t divulge all that they know, n but chattering fools blurt out words that bring them to the brink of ruin. 15 A rich man’s wealth becomes like a citadel of strength, o but the poverty of the poor leaves their security in shambles. 16 The lovers of God earn their wages for a life of righteousness, but the wages of the wicked are squandered on a life of sin. p 17 If you readily receive correction, you are walking on the path to life. But if you reject rebuke, you’re guaranteed to go astray. q 18 The one who hides his hatred while pretending to be your friend 12

is nothing but a liar. But the one who slanders you behind your back proves that he’s a fool, never to be trusted. 19 If you keep talking, it won’t be long before you’re saying something really wrong. Prove you’re wise from the very start— just bite your tongue and be strong! 20 The teachings of the godly ones are like pure silver, bringing words of redemption to others, r but the heart of the wicked is corrupt. 21 The lovers of God feed many with their teachings, but the foolish ones starve themselves for lack of an understanding heart. 22 True enrichment comes from the blessing of the Lord, with rest and contentment t in knowing that it all comes from him. 23 The fool finds his fun in doing wrong, u but the wise delight in having discernment. 24 The lawless are haunted by their fears and what they dread will come upon them, v but the longings of the lovers of God will all be fulfilled. 25 The wicked are blown away by every stormy

wind. But when a catastrophe comes, the lovers of God have a secure anchor. 26 To trust a lazy person to get a job done will be as irritating as smoke in your eyes— as enjoyable as a toothache! 27 Living in the worship and awe of God will bring you many years of contented living. So how could the wicked ever expect to have a long, happy life? 28 Lovers of God have a joyful feast of gladness, but the ungodly see their hopes vanish right before their eyes. 29 The beautiful ways of God are a safe resting place for those who have integrity. But to those who work wickedness the ways of God spell doom. 30 God’s lover can never be greatly shaken. But the wicked will never inherit the covenant blessings. x 31 The teachings of the righteous are loaded with wisdom, but the words of the evil are crooked and perverse. 32 Words that bring delight pour from the lips of the

godly, but the words of the wicked are duplicitous.

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10:1 The title of this section starting with Prov. 10 indicates a different form. Solomon’s four hundred sayings of wisdom fill this section, going through 22:16. This compilation is an assorted collection of proverbs that is not easily outlined but is profound in its scope. 10:2 Or “the treasures of wickedness.” 10:2 Or “Righteousness [honesty] delivers you from death.” 10:3 Or “satisfies the souls of the righteous.” 10:3 The Aramaic is “The property of the evil he demolishes.” 10:5 Or “To gather in the summer is to be a wise son, but to sleep through the harvest is a disgrace.” 10:6 The Hebrew is ambiguous and is literally translated “The mouth of the wicked covers violence.” 10:7 Some Hebrew manuscripts and the Aramaic read “The name of the wicked will be extinguished.” 10:9 Or “innocence.” The Aramaic is “He who walks in perfection walks in hope.” 10:10 As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is “The babbling fool comes to ruin.” 10:11 Or “hide violence.”

l 10:12 The Aramaic is “Hatred stirs up judgment.” m 10:12 Love will cover up offenses against us, but never our own offenses. n 10:14 Or “Those who are wise store up knowledge (like treasure).” o 10:15 Or “his fortified city.” p 10:16 Or “their harvest of wickedness.” q 10:17 The Aramaic is even more blunt: “Reject rebuke and you’re a moron!” r 10:20 Or “The tongue of the just is like choice silver.” Silver is a metaphor for redemption. s 10:21 The Aramaic is “The lips of the righteous multiply mercy.” t 10:22 Or “with no labor or sorrow attached.” u 10:23 The word translated “fool” means “moron” in the Aramaic. v 10:24 This speaks of the consequences of sin. There is a judge who sees all that we do and will call us to account one day. w 10:29 The Aramaic is “The way of Jehovah is power to the perfect.” x 10:30 Or “land.” This is metaphor for all of the covenantal blessings.

Living in Righteousness

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and then not live up to them yourself, is something that God truly hates. But it pleases him when we apply the right standards of measurement. b When you act with presumption, convinced that you’re right, don’t be surprised if you fall flat on your face! But walking in humility helps you to make wise decisions. Integrity will lead you to success and happiness, but treachery will destroy your dreams. When Judgment Day comes, all the wealth of the world won’t help you one bit. So you’d better be rich in righteousness, for that’s the only thing that can save you in death. Those with good character walk on a smooth path, with no detour or deviation. But the wicked keep falling because of their own wickedness. Integrity will keep a good man from falling. But the unbeliever is trapped, held captive to his sinful desires.

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When an evil man dies, all hope is lost, for his misplaced confidence goes in the coffin and gets buried along with him. Lovers of God are snatched away from trouble, and the wicked show up in their place. c The teachings of hypocrites can destroy you, but revelation knowledge will rescue the righteous. d

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The blessing that rests on the righteous releases strength and favor to the entire city, e but shouts of joy will be heard when the wicked one dies. 11 The blessing of favor resting upon the righteous influences a city to lift it higher, f but wicked leaders tear it apart by their words. 12 To quarrel with a neighbor is senseless. g Bite your tongue; be wise and keep quiet! 13 You can’t trust gossipers with a secret; they’ll just go blab it all. Put your confidence instead in a trusted friend, for he will be faithful to keep it in confidence. 14 People lose their way without wise leadership, but a nation succeeds and stands in victory when it has many good counselors to guide it.

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The evil man will do harm when confronted by a righteous man, because he hates those who await good news. h 16 A gracious, generous woman will be honored with a splendid i reputation, but the woman who hates the truth lives surrounded with disgrace j and by men who are cutthroats, only greedy for money. k 17 A man of kindness attracts favor, while a cruel man attracts nothing but trouble. l 18 Evil people may get a short-term gain, m but to sow seeds of righteousness will bring a true and lasting reward. 19 A son of righteousness n experiences the abundant life, but the one who pursues evil hurries to his own death. 20 The Lord can’t stand the stubborn heart bent toward evil, but he treasures those whose ways are pure. o 21 Assault your neighbor and you will certainly be punished, p but God will rescue the children of the godly.

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A beautiful woman who abandons good morals is like a fine gold ring dangling from a pig’s snout. 23 True lovers of God are filled with longings for what is pleasing and good, but the wicked can only expect doom. 24 Generosity brings prosperity, but withholding from charity brings poverty. 25 Those who live to bless others q will have blessings heaped upon them, and the one who pours out his life to pour out blessings will be saturated with favor. 26 People will curse the businessman with no ethics, but the one with a social conscience receives praise from all. r 27 Living your life seeking what is good for others brings untold favor, but those who wish evil for others will find it coming back on them. 28 Keep trusting in your riches and down you’ll go! But the lovers of God rise up like flowers in the spring. 29 The fool who brings trouble to his own family will be cut out of the will,

and the family servant will do better than he. But a life lived loving God bears lasting fruit, for the one who is truly wise wins souls. s 31 If the righteous are barely saved, what’s in store for all the wicked? t 30

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11:1 The Hebrew phrase here literally means “scales of deception [false balances].” 11:1 The Hebrew phrase here literally means “a perfect stone.” Stones were used as the legitimate weights of balance. Jesus is the perfect stone. See Rev. 2:17 . 11:8 Haman is a classic example of this principle. See Est. 7:10; 9:24–25. 11:9 Or “The righteous will be strengthened.” 11:10 As translated from the Aramaic and the Septuagint. 11:11 Jesus describes the church as a city. See M att. 5:14 . 11:12 Or “To disparage your neighbor is being heartless.” 11:15 As translated from the Aramaic and the Septuagint. There is a vast difference between this and the Hebrew text, which reads “You’ll be ruined if you cosign for a stranger, and a hater of handshakes will be safe.” 11:16, Or “glorious.” 11:16 As translated from the older Aramaic and Septuagint texts, but is not included in newer Hebrew manuscripts.

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There is an additional line added by the Aramaic and the Septuagint: “The lazy will lack, but the diligent support themselves financially.” 11:16 The Septuagint is “The diligent obtain wealth.” 11:17 The Hebrew text indicates this trouble could be physical, related to one’s health. 11:18 Or “wages of deception.” 11:19 As translated from one Hebrew manuscript, the Aramaic, and the Septuagint. M ost Hebrew manuscripts have “the one who pursues righteousness.” 11:20 Or “wholehearted.” 11:21 As translated from the Aramaic and the Targum (Hebrew-Aramaic commentary). 11:25 The Hebrew phrase here literally means “The soul of blessing will grow fat.” 11:26 The Hebrew phrase here literally means “The one who withholds produce will be cursed, but blessing will be on the head of the one who sells it.” 11:30 As translated from the Hebrew. The Aramaic and the Septuagint read “The souls of violent ones will be removed.” 11:31 As translated from the Septuagint. See also 1 Peter 4:18 .

It’s Right to Live for God

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To learn the truth you must long to be

teachable, a or you can despise correction and remain ignorant. If your heart is right, favor flows from the Lord, but a devious heart invites his condemnation. You can’t expect success by doing what’s wrong. But the lives of his lovers are deeply rooted and firmly planted. The integrity and strength of a virtuous wife b transforms her husband into an honored king. c But the wife who disgraces her husband weakens the strength of his identity. d The lovers of God are filled with good ideas that are noble and pure, but the schemes of the sinner are crammed with nothing but lies. The wicked use their words to ambush and accuse, but the lovers of God speak to defend and protect. The wicked are taken out, gone for good, but the godly families shall live on. Everyone admires a man of principles, but the one with a corrupt heart is despised. Just be who you are and work hard for a living,

for that’s better than pretending to be important and starving to death. 10 A good man takes care of the needs of his pets, while even the kindest acts of a wicked man are still cruel. 11 Work hard at your job and you’ll have what you need. Following a get-rich-quick scheme is nothing but a fantasy. 12 The cravings of the wicked are only for what is evil, f but righteousness is the core motivation for the lovers of God, and it keeps them content and flourishing. g Wisdom Means Being Teachable 13 The wicked will get trapped by their words of gossip, slander, and lies. h But for the righteous, honesty is its own defense. 14 For there is great satisfaction in speaking the truth, and hard work brings blessings back to you. 15 A fool is in love with his own opinion, but wisdom means being teachable.

Learning to Speak Wisely 16 If you shrug off an insult and refuse to take offense, you demonstrate discretion indeed. i But the fool has a short fuse and will immediately let you know when he’s offended. 17 Truthfulness marks the righteous, but the habitual liar can never be trusted. 18 Reckless words are like the thrusts of a sword, cutting remarks meant to stab and to hurt. But the words of the wise soothe and heal. 19 Truthful words will stand the test of time, but one day every lie will be seen for what it is. 20 Deception fills the hearts of those who plot harm, but those who plan for peace j are filled with joy. 21 Calamity is not allowed to overwhelm the righteous, but there’s nothing but trouble waiting for the wicked. 22 Live in the truth and keep your promises, and the Lord will keep delighting in you, but he detests a liar. 23 Those who possess wisdom don’t feel the need

to impress others with what they know, but foolish ones make sure their ignorance is on display. 24 If you want to reign in life, k don’t sit on your hands. Instead work hard at doing what’s right, for the slacker will end up working to make someone else succeed. 25 Anxious fear brings depression, but a life-giving word of encouragement can do wonders to restore joy to the heart. l 26 Lovers of God give good advice to their friends, m but the counsel of the wicked will lead them astray. 27 A passive person won’t even complete a project, n but a passionate person makes good use of his time, wealth, and energy. 28 Abundant life is discovered by walking in righteousness, but holding on to your anger leads to death. o

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12:1 There are times when even the wise need correction, but they will appreciate its value. b 12:4 There is an amazing Hebrew word used here. It is

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more commonly used to describe warriors, champions, and mighty ones. M any translations read “an excellent wife.” But the meaning of the Hebrew word chayil is better translated “an army that is wealthy, strong, mighty, powerful, with substance, valiant, virtuous, or worthy.” 12:4 Or “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband.” By implication, her dignity makes him a king. 12:4 Or “She is like cancer in his bones.” Bones are a metaphor for inner strength, our inner being or identity. 12:6 Or “lie in wait for blood.” This is a figure of speech for accusation. 12:12 As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is “Thieves crave the loot of other thieves.” 12:12 The meaning of the Hebrew text of verse 12 is uncertain. 12:13 The Hebrew is simply “sinful words,” which implies gossip, slander, and lies. 12:16 Or “A shrewd man conceals his shame.” 12:20 Or “counselors of peace.” 12:24 The Hebrew word for “reign” ( mashal ) is the title of the book: Proverbs. See introduction and the footnote on 1:1. 12:25 This insightful proverb can also be translated “Stop worrying! Think instead of what brings you gladness.” Our focus must never be on what we can’t change but on the everlasting joy we have in Christ. Sometimes we have to find the life-giving word of encouragement rising up in our

own hearts. This is the secret of finding perpetual encouragement by the Word that lives in us. m 12:26 As translated from older Aramaic manuscripts. The Hebrew is uncertain. n 12:27 Implied in the text, paraphrased from an uncertain Hebrew phrase. An alternate translation would be “A lazy person won’t get to roast the game he caught, but the wealth of a diligent person is precious.” o 12:28 As translated from the Septuagint and the Aramaic. The Hebrew is uncertain.

Living Wisely

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A wise son or daughter desires a father’s discipline, but the know-it-all never listens to correction. The words of the wise are kind and easy to swallow, but the unbeliever just wants to pick a fight and argue. Guard your words and you’ll guard your life, but if you don’t control your tongue, it will ruin everything. The slacker wants it all and ends up with nothing,

but the hard worker ends up with all that he longed for. 5 Lovers of God hate what is phony and false, but the wicked are full of shame and behave shamefully. a 6 Righteousness is like a shield of protection, guarding those who keep their integrity, but sin is the downfall of the wicked. 7 One pretends to be rich but is poor. Another pretends to be poor but is quite rich. b 8 The self-assurance of the rich is their money, c but people don’t kidnap and extort the poor! 9 The virtues of God’s lovers shine brightly in the darkness, but the flickering lamp of the ungodly will be extinguished. 10 Wisdom opens your heart to receive wise counsel, but pride closes your ears to advice and gives birth to only quarrels and strife. 11 Wealth quickly gained is quickly wasted— d easy come, easy go! But if you gradually gain wealth, you will watch it grow. 12 When hope’s dream seems to drag on and on,

the delay can be depressing. But when at last your dream comes true, life’s sweetness will satisfy your soul. e 13 Despise the word, will you? Then you’ll pay the price and it won’t be pretty! But the one who honors the Father’s holy instructions will be rewarded. 14 When the lovers of God teach you truth, a fountain of life opens up within you, and their wise instruction will deliver you from the ways of death. 15 Everyone admires a wise, sensible person, but the treacherous walk on the path of ruin. f 16 Everything a wise and shrewd man does comes from a source of revelation-knowledge, g but the behavior of a fool puts foolishness on parade! h 17 An undependable messenger causes a lot of trouble, but the trustworthy and wise messengers release healing wherever they go. i 18 Poverty and disgrace come to the one who refuses to hear criticism. j

But the one who is easy to correct is on the path of honor. 19 When God fulfills your longings, sweetness fills your soul. But the wicked refuse to turn from darkness to see their desires come to pass . k 20 If you want to grow in wisdom, spend time with the wise. Walk with the wicked and you’ll eventually become just like them. 21 Calamity chases the sin-chaser, but prosperity pursues the God-lover. 22 The benevolent man leaves an inheritance that endures to his children’s children, but the wealth of the wicked is treasured up for the righteous. 23 The lovers of God will live a long life and get to enjoy their wealth, but the ungodly will suddenly perish. l 24 If you withhold correction and punishment m from your children, you demonstrate a lack of true love. So prove your love and be prompt to punish them. n 25 The lovers of God will have more than enough,

but the wicked will always lack what they crave.

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13:5 The Hebrew word used here literally means “to cause a stink” or “to emit an odor.” This is a figure of speech for what is shameful. 13:7 It is never godly to be a phony. It’s always better to be who you are and avoid pretense. 13:8 The Aramaic is “The salvation of the soul is a man’s true wealth.” 13:11 Or “Wealth gained by fraud will dwindle.” 13:12 Or “It is a tree of life.” 13:15 As translated from the Aramaic and the Septuagint. The Hebrew is uncertain. 13:16 Or “A wise person thinks ahead.” 13:16 The implication is that the fool is unable to finish anything he begins. 13:17 God’s sons and daughters are peacemakers, healers, and faithful deliverers for others. 13:18 As translated from the Hebrew. The Septuagint is “Instruction removes poverty and disgrace.” 13:19 Implied by the Hebrew parallelism of the text. 13:23 As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is “In the fallow ground of the poor there is abundance of food, but injustice sweeps it away.” The Aramaic is “Those who don’t find the way of life destroy many years of

wealth and some are utterly destroyed.” There is a vast difference in the three translations. The translator has chosen to follow the Septuagint. m 13:24 Or “sparing the rod.” Corporal punishment was common in premodern societies. n 13:24 Or “The one who spares the rod hates his child.”

The House of Wisdom

14 Every wise woman encourages and builds up 2

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her family, but a foolish woman over time will tear it down by her own actions. Lovers of truth follow the right path because of their wonderment and worship of God. But the devious display their disdain for him. The words of a proud fool will all come back to haunt him. But the words of the wise will become a shield of protection around them. The only clean stable is an empty stable. So if you want the work of an ox and to enjoy an abundant harvest, you’ll have a mess or two to clean up!

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An honest witness will never lie, but a deceitful witness lies with every breath. 6 The intellectually arrogant seek for wisdom, but they never seem to discover what they claim they’re looking for. For revelation-knowledge flows to the one who hungers for understanding. 7 The words of the wise are like weapons of knowledge. a If you need wise counsel, stay away from the fool. 8 For the wisdom of the wise will keep life on the right track, while the fool only deceives himself and refuses to face reality. 9 Fools mock the need for repentance, b while the favor of God rests upon all his lovers. 10 Don’t expect anyone else to fully understand both the bitterness and the joys of all you experience in your life. 11 The household of the wicked is soon torn apart, while the family of the righteous flourishes. 12 You can rationalize it all you want and justify the path of error you have chosen, but you’ll find out in the end that you took the road

to destruction. Superficial laughter can hide a heavy heart, but when the laughter ends, the pain resurfaces. 14 Those who turn from the truth get what they deserve, but a good person receives a sweet reward. c 15 A gullible person will believe anything, but a sensible person will confirm the facts. 16 A wise person is careful in all things and turns quickly from evil, while the impetuous fool moves ahead with overconfidence. 17 An impulsive person has a short fuse and can ruin everything, but the wise show self-control. d 18 The naïve demonstrate a lack of wisdom, but the lovers of wisdom are crowned with revelation-knowledge. 19 Evil ones will pay tribute to good people and eventually come to be servants of the godly. e 20 The poor are disliked even by their neighbors, but everyone wants to get close to the wealthy. 21 It’s a sin to despise one who is less fortunate than you, f 13

but when you are kind to the poor, you will prosper and be blessed. 22 Haven’t you noticed how evil schemers always wander astray? But kindness and truth come to those who make plans to be pure in all their ways. g 23 If you work hard at what you do, great abundance will come to you. But merely talking about getting rich while living to only pursue your pleasures h brings you face-to-face with poverty. i 24 The true net worth of the wise j is the wealth that wisdom imparts. But the way of life for the fool is his foolishness. k 25 Speak the truth and you’ll save souls, but in the spreading of lies treachery thrives. 26 Confidence and strength flood the hearts of the lovers of God who live in awe of him, and their devotion provides their children with a place of shelter and security. l 27 To worship God in wonder and awe opens a fountain of life within you, empowering you to escape death’s domain. m 28 A king glories in the number of his loyal followers,

but a dwindling population spells ruin for any leader. 29 When your heart overflows with understanding you’ll be very slow to get angry. But if you have a quick temper, your impatience will be quickly seen by all. 30 A tender, tranquil heart will make you healthy, n but jealousy can make you sick. 31 Insult your Creator, will you? That’s exactly what you do every time that you oppress the powerless! o Showing kindness to the poor is equal to honoring your maker. 32 The wicked are crushed by every calamity, but the lovers of God find a strong hope even in the time of death. p 33 Wisdom soothes the heart of the one with livingunderstanding, but the heart of the fool just stockpiles stupidity. 34 A nation is exalted by the righteousness of its people, but sin heaps disgrace upon the land. 35 A wise and faithful servant receives promotion from the king,

but the one who acts disgracefully gets to taste the anger of the king. q

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14:7 As translated from the Aramaic. 14:9 Or “Fools mock guilt [or guilt offering].” The Septuagint is “The house of the transgressor owes purification.” 14:14 As translated from Hebrew manuscripts. The Aramaic is “A good man will be filled from the awe of his soul.” 14:17 As translated from the Aramaic. The Hebrew is “And a crafty schemer is hated.” The Greek Septuagint is “A sensible man bears up under many things.” 14:19 The Hebrew phrase literally means “They will come [or bow] at the gates of the righteous.” 14:21 Implied in the Hebrew parallelism. The Hebrew phrase here literally means “your neighbor.” 14:22 Both the Aramaic and the Septuagint insert a verse here that is not found in the Hebrew: “The followers of evil don’t understand mercy and faith, but you’ll find kindness and faith with those who do good.” 14:23 As translated from the Septuagint. 14:23 There is an additional verse found here in the Aramaic that is missing from the Hebrew text: “The Lord Jehovah heals every sickness, but evil speaking makes you

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sick [harms you].” 14:24 Or “the crown of the wise.” 14:24 The Aramaic word translated here as “foolishness” can also mean “insanity.” 14:26 To live as a passionate lover of God will bring benefit even to your children. 14:27 Or “empowering you to turn from the deadly snares.” 14:30 Or “A heart of healing is the life of the flesh.” 14:31 Or “slander the poor.” Every human being is made in God’s image, including the poor. 14:32 Our strong hope is that our lives will continue in the presence of God in the resurrection glory. Both the Septuagint and the Aramaic read quite differently: “But the one who trusts in his integrity is righteous.” 14:35 As translated from the Hebrew. The Septuagint reads “And by his good behavior shame is removed.”

Wisdom Far Better than Wickedness

15 Respond gently when you are confronted and you’ll defuse the rage of another. Responding with sharp, cutting words make it worse. Don’t you know that being angry

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can ruin the testimony of even the wisest of men? b When wisdom speaks, understanding becomes attractive. But the words of the fool make their ignorance look laughable. c The eyes of the Lord are everywhere d and he takes note of everything that happens. He watches over his lovers, and he also sees the wickedness of the wicked. When you speak healing words, you offer others fruit from the tree of life. But unhealthy, negative words do nothing but crush their hopes. e You’re stupid to mock the instruction of a father, but welcoming correction will make you brilliant. f There is power in the house of the righteous, g but the house of the wicked is filled with trouble, no matter how much money they have. When wisdom speaks, revelation-knowledge is released, h but finding true wisdom in the word of a fool is futile. It is despicable to the Lord when people use the worship of the Almighty

as a cloak for their sin, i but every prayer of his godly lovers is pleasing to his heart. 9 The Lord detests the lifestyle of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue purity. j 10 Severe punishment awaits the one who turns away from the truth, and those who rebel against correction will die. 11 Even hell itself holds no secrets from the Lord God, for all is exposed before his eyes, and so much more the heart of every human being. 12 The know-it-all never esteems the one who tries to correct him. He refuses to seek good advice from the wise. k Living an Ascended Life 13 A cheerful heart puts a smile on your face, but a broken heart leads to depression. 14 Lovers of God l hunger after truth, but those without understanding feast on foolishness and don’t even realize it. 15 Everything seems to go wrong when you feel weak and depressed.

But when you choose to be cheerful, every day will bring you more and more joy and fullness. m 16 It’s much better to live simply, surrounded in holy awe and worship of God, than to have great wealth with a home full of trouble. 17 It’s much better to have a kind, loving family, even with little, than to have great wealth with nothing but hatred and strife all around you. n 18 A touchy, hot-tempered man picks a fight, but the calm, patient man knows how to silence strife. 19 Nothing seems to work right o for the lazy man, but life seems smooth and easy when your heart is virtuous. 20 When a son learns wisdom, a father’s heart is glad. But the man who shames p his mother is a foolish son. 21 The senseless fool treats life like a joke, but the one with living-understanding makes good choices.

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Your plans will fall apart right in front of you if you fail to get good advice. But if you first seek out multiple counselors, you’ll watch your plans succeed. 23 Everyone enjoys giving great advice. But how delightful it is to say the right thing at the right time! 24 The life path of the prudent lifts them progressively heavenward, delivering them from the death spiral that keeps tugging them downward. 25 The Lord champions the widow’s cause, q but watch him as he smashes down the houses of the haughty! 26 The Lord detests wicked ways of thinking, r but he enjoys lovely and delightful words. 27 The one who puts earning money above his family will have trouble at home, but those who refuse to exploit others will live in peace . 28 Lovers of God think before they speak, but the careless blurt out wicked words meant to cause harm. 29 The Lord doesn’t respond to the wicked,

but he’s moved to answer the prayers of his godly lovers. 30 Eyes that focus on what is beautiful s bring joy to the heart, and hearing a good report refreshes and strengthens the inner being. t 31 Accepting constructive criticism opens your heart to the path of life, making you right at home among the wise. 32 Refusing constructive criticism shows you have no interest in improving your life, for revelation-insight only comes as you accept correction and the wisdom that it brings. 33 The source of revelation-knowledge is found as you fall down in surrender before the Lord. Don’t expect to see Shekinah glory u until the Lord sees your sincere humility.

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15:1 Or “painful words.” 15:1 This is found only in the Septuagint. 15:2 The Aramaic reads “The mouths of fools vomit a curse.”

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15:3 The eyes of the Lord can also be a metaphor for his prophets. 15:4 Or “Perverse words are the crushing of the spirit.” 15:5 The Septuagint adds a verse that is not found in the Hebrew: “In great righteousness there is great strength. But the ungodly will one day perish from the earth.” 15:6 As translated from the Septuagint and the Aramaic. The Hebrew changes the concept of power to prosperity. Both concepts are valid. 15:7 Or “is scattered like seed.” 15:8 Or “the sacrifice of the wicked”; that is, worshiping God with a wicked heart, only to hide sin. Our yielded hearts must be the sacrifice we offer to God. 15:9 The Aramaic reads “He shows mercy to the one who practices righteousness.” 15:12 Another way to say this is “The one who hates authority has no love for being taught.” 15:14 Or “the upright” (Aramaic). 15:15 The Septuagint reads quite differently: “And the good (heart) is always calm.” 15:17 Or “Better to have a meal of vegetables surrounded with love and grace than a fattened ox where there is hatred.” 15:19 Or “The way is blocked with thorns.” 15:20 Or “despises.” 15:25 Or “The Lord maintains the boundaries of the widow.”

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15:26 Or “the thoughts of the wicked.” 15:30 As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is “The light of the eyes brings joy.” t 15:30 The Hebrew here literally means “makes fat your bones.” Bones picture our inner being. u 15:33 Or “Before honor is humility.” The Hebrew uses the word kabod , which is translated as “glory” 156 times in the Old Testament..

Wisdom Exalts God

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but it’s the Lord who will ultimately direct your steps. a We are all in love with our own opinions, convinced they’re correct. But the Lord is in the midst of us, b testing and probing our every motive. Before you do anything, put your trust totally in God and not in yourself. c Then every plan you make will succeed. The Lord works everything together to accomplish his purpose. d Even the wicked are included in his plans—

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he sets them aside for the day of disaster. Exalting yourself is disgusting to the Lord, for pride attracts his punishment— and you can count on that! You can avoid evil through surrendered worship and the fear of God, for the power of his faithful love removes sin’s guilt and grip over you. When the Lord is pleased with the decisions you’ve made, he activates grace to turn enemies into friends. It is better to have little with a heart that loves justice than to be rich and not have God on your side. Within your heart you can make plans for your future, but the Lord chooses the steps you take to get there.

Living like a King 10 A king speaks the revelation of truth, so he must be extraordinarily careful in the decrees that he makes. 11 The Lord expects you to be fair in every business

deal, for he is the one who sets the standards for righteousness. e 12 Kings and leaders despise wrongdoing, for the true authority to rule and reign is built on a foundation of righteousness. 13 Kings and leaders love to hear godly counsel, and they love those who tell them the truth. 14 The anger of a king releases the messenger of death, f but a wise person will know how to pacify his wrath. 15 Life-giving light streams from the presence of a king, g and his favor is showered upon those who please him. 16 Everyone wants gold, but wisdom’s worth h is far greater. Silver is sought after, but a heart of understanding yields a greater return. 17 Repenting from evil places you on the highway of holiness. Protect purity and you protect your life. i 18 Your boast becomes a prophecy of a future failure.

The higher you lift up yourself in pride, j the harder you’ll fall in disgrace. 19 It’s better to be meek and lowly and live among the poor than to live high and mighty among the rich and famous. 20 One skilled in business discovers prosperity, but the one who trusts in God is blessed beyond belief! Walking with Wisdom 21 The one with a wise heart is called “discerning,” and speaking sweetly to others makes your teaching even more convincing. 22 Wisdom is a deep well of understanding opened up within you as a fountain of life for others, but it’s senseless to try to instruct a fool. 23 Winsome words pour from a heart of wisdom, adding value to all you teach. 24 Nothing is more appealing than speaking beautiful, life-giving words. For they release sweetness to our souls and inner healing to our spirits. k

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Before every person there is a path that seems like the right one to take, but it leads straight to hell! l 26 Life motivation comes from the deep longings of the heart, and the passion to see them fulfilled urges you onward. m 27 A wicked scoundrel wants to dig up dirt on others, only to spread slander and shred their reputation. 28 A twisted person spreads rumors; a whispering gossip ruins good friendships. 29 A vicious criminal can be persuasive, enticing others to join him as partners in crime, but he leads them all down a despicable path. 30 It’s easy to tell when a wicked man is hatching some crooked scheme— it’s written all over his face. His looks betray him as he gives birth to his sin. 31 Old age with wisdom will crown you with dignity and honor, for it takes a lifetime of righteousness to acquire it. n 32

Do you want to be a mighty warrior? It’s better to be known as one who is patient and

slow to anger. o Do you want to conquer a city? Rule over your temper before you attempt to rule a city. 33 We may toss the coin and roll the dice, but God’s will is greater than luck. p

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16:1 As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew and Aramaic read “The Lord gives the right reply.” 16:2 Or “in the midst of spirits.” 16:3 Or “Commit your business to God.” 16:4 Or “for its answer.” 16:11 Or “Honesty with scales and balances is the way of the Lord, for all the stones in the bag are established by him.” 16:14 See 1 Kings 2:25, 29–34, 46. 16:15 The Septuagint reads “The king’s son is in the light of life.” 16:16 The Septuagint is “nests of wisdom.” 16:17 There are two proverbs inserted here in the Septuagint that are not found in the Hebrew or Aramaic: “Receive instruction and you’ll be prosperous; he who listens to correction shall be made wise.” “He who guards his ways preserves his own soul; he who loves his life will

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watch his words.” 16:18 Or “overconfidence.” 16:24 Or “healing to the bones.” Bones are a metaphor for our inner being. 16:25 As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is “the ways of death.” 16:26 The meaning of the Hebrew in this verse is uncertain. 16:31 Or “Gray hair is a crown of splendor.” In the Hebrew culture the old were honored above all, especially if they acquired wisdom. See Lev. 19:32. 16:32 The Septuagint is “It’s better to be forgiving than strong.” 16:33 Or “Into the center the lot is cast and from Jehovah is all its judgment.” The casting of lots was a common form of divination in the premodern societies.

Wisdom’s Virtues

17 A simple, humble life with peace and quiet 2

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is far better than an opulent lifestyle with nothing but quarrels and strife at home. A wise, intelligent servant will be honored above a shameful son. He’ll even end up having a portion left to him in his master’s will. In the same way that gold and silver are refined by fire, the Lord purifies your heart by the tests and trials of life. Those eager to embrace evil listen to slander, for a liar loves to listen to lies. Mock the poor, will you? You insult your Creator every time you do! If you make fun of others’ misfortune, you’d better watch out—your punishment is on its way. Grandparents have the crowning glory of life: grandchildren!

And it’s only proper for children to take pride in their parents. a 7 It is not proper for a leader to lie and deceive, and don’t expect excellent words to be spoken by a fool. b 8 Wise instruction is like a costly gem. It turns the impossible into success. c 9 Love overlooks the mistakes of others, but dwelling on the failures of others devastates friendships. 10 One word of correction breaks open a teachable heart, but a fool can be corrected a hundred times and still not know what hit him. 11 Rebellion thrives in an evil man, so a messenger of vengeance d will be sent to punish him. e 12 It’s safer to meet a grizzly bear robbed of her cubs than to confront a reckless fool. 13 The one who returns evil for good can expect to be treated the same way for the rest of his life. f 14 Don’t be one who is quick to quarrel, for an argument is hard to stop,

and you never know how it will end, so don’t even start down that road! g 15 There is nothing God hates more than condemning the one who is innocent and acquitting the one who is guilty. 16 Why pay tuition to educate a fool? For he has no intention of acquiring true wisdom. 17 A dear friend will love you no matter what, and a family sticks together through all kinds of trouble. 18 It’s stupid to run up bills you’ll never be able to pay or to cosign for the loan of your friend. Save yourself the trouble and don’t do either one. 19 If you love to argue, then you must be in love with sin. For the one who loves to boast h is only asking for trouble. 20 The one with a perverse heart never has anything good to say, i and the chronic liar tumbles into constant trouble. 21 Parents of a numskull will have many sorrows, for there’s nothing about his lifestyle that will make them proud. 22 A joyful, cheerful heart brings healing to both body

and soul. But the one whose heart is crushed struggles with sickness and depression. 23 When you take a secret bribe, your actions reveal your true character, for you pervert the ways of justice. 24 Even the face of a wise man shows his intelligence. But the wandering eyes of a fool will look for wisdom everywhere except right in front of his nose. 25 A father grieves over the foolishness of his child, and bitter sorrow fills his mother. 26 It’s horrible to persecute a holy lover of God or to strike an honorable man for his integrity! 27 Can you bridle your tongue when your heart is under pressure? That’s how you show that you are wise. An understanding heart keeps you cool, calm, and collected, no matter what you’re facing. 28 When even a fool bites his tongue j he’s considered wise. So shut your mouth when you are provoked— it will make you look smart.

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17:6 Or “fathers.” There is an additional verse inserted here that is found in the Septuagint: “A whole world of riches belongs to the faithful, but the unfaithful don’t get even a cent.” 17:7 Two absurd things are: to find a fool in leadership and to have a leader in foolishness. 17:8 “Instruction” is taken from the Aramaic and the Septuagint. The Hebrew reads “bribe.” 17:11 Or “merciless angels.” 17:11 This could mean an evil spirit, or calamities and sorrows. 17:13 Or “Evil will haunt his house.” 17:14 The Aramaic for this verse reads “To shed blood provokes the judgment of a ruler.” 17:19 Or “he who builds a high gate.” The gate becomes a picture of the mouth. This is a figure of speech for proud boasting. 17:20 Or “can expect calamity.” 17:28 The Septuagint is “when an unthinking man asks a question.”

Wisdom Gives Life

18 An unfriendly person isolates himself

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and seems to care only about his own issues. For his contempt of sound judgment makes him a recluse. a Senseless people find no pleasure in acquiring true wisdom, for all they want to do is impress you with what they know. An ungodly man is always cloaked with disgrace, as dishonor and shame are his companions. Words of wisdom b are like a fresh, flowing brook— like deep waters that spring forth from within, bubbling up inside the one with understanding. It is atrocious when judges show favor to the guilty and deprive the innocent of justice. A senseless man jumps headfirst into an argument; he’s just asking for a beating for his reckless words. c A fool has a big mouth that only gets him into trouble, and he’ll pay the price for what he says. The words of a gossip merely reveal the wounds of his own soul, d and his slander penetrates into the innermost being. The one who is too lazy to look for work

is the same one who wastes his life away. The character of God is a tower of strength, e for the lovers of God delight to run into his heart and be exalted on high. 11 The rich, in their conceit, imagine that their wealth is enough to protect them. It becomes their confidence in a day of trouble. f 12 A man’s heart is the proudest when his downfall is nearest, for he won’t see glory until the Lord sees humility. 13 Listen before you speak, for to speak before you’ve heard the facts will bring humiliation. 14 The will to live sustains you when you’re sick, g but depression crushes courage and leaves you unable to cope. 15 The spiritually hungry are always ready to learn more, for their hearts are eager to discover new truths. 16 Would you like to meet a very important person? Take a generous gift. It will do wonders to gain entrance into his presence. 17 There are two sides to every story. 10

The first one to speak sounds true until you hear the other side and they set the record straight. h 18 A coin toss i resolves a dispute and can put an argument to rest between formidable opponents. 19 It is easier to conquer a strong city than to win back a friend whom you’ve offended. Their walls go up, making it nearly impossible to win them back. j 20 Sharing words of wisdom is satisfying to your inner being. It encourages you to know that you’ve changed someone else’s life. k 21 Your words are so powerful that they will kill or give life, and the talkative person will reap the consequences. 22 When a man finds a wife, he has found a treasure! For she is the gift of God to bring him joy and pleasure. But the one who divorces a good woman loses what is good from his house. l

To choose an adulteress is both stupid and ungodly. m 23

The poor plead for help from the rich, but all they get in return is a harsh response. 24 Some friendships don’t last for long, n but there is one loving friend who is joined to your heart o closer than any other!

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18:1 There are alternate possible translations of this verse in the Hebrew-Aramaic; for example, “An idle man meditates on his lusts and mocks wise instruction.” 18:4 Or “words that touch the heart.” 18:6 The Aramaic is “His rash words call for death.” 18:8 Scholars are somewhat uncertain about an exact translation of this phrase. The Aramaic is “The words of a lazy man lead him to fear and evil.” 18:10 The Hebrew word migdal , translated as “tower of strength,” is a homonym that can also be translated “bed of flowers.” 18:11 The Aramaic is “The wealth of the rich is a strong city, and its glory casts a broad shadow.” 18:14 The Septuagint is “A wise servant can calm a man’s anger.”

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18:17 The text implies that a legal testimony in a courtroom may seem to be correct until cross-examination begins. 18:18 The Hebrew is “casting lots.” 18:19 Or “A brother supported by a brother is like a high, strong city. They hold each other up like the bars of a fortress.” 18:20 Or “A man’s belly is filled with the fruits of his mouth, and by the harvest of his lips he will be satisfied.” 18:22 The reference to divorce is not found in the Hebrew text but is included in both the Aramaic and the Septuagint. 18:22 This is not included in the Hebrew or Aramaic but is found in the Septuagint. 18:24 Or “A man with too many friends may be broken to pieces.” 18:24 The Hebrew word used here can be translated “joined together,” “stick close,” “to cleave,” “to pursue,” or “to overtake.”

Wisdom Exalted

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It’s better to be honest, even if it leads to poverty, than to live as a dishonest fool. The best way to live is with revelation-knowledge,

for without it, you’ll grow impatient and run right into error. a 3 There are some people who ruin their own lives and then blame it all on God. 4 Being wealthy means having lots of “friends,” but the poor can’t keep the ones they have. 5 Perjury won’t go unpunished, and liars will get all that they deserve. 6 Everyone wants to be close to the rich and famous, but a generous person has all the friends he wants! 7 When a man is poor, even his family has no use for him. How much more will his “friends” avoid him— for though he begs for help, they won’t respond. b 8 Do yourself a favor and love wisdom. Learn all you can, then watch your life flourish and prosper! 9 Tell lies and you’re going to get caught, and the habitual liar is doomed. 10 It doesn’t seem right when you see a fool living in the lap of luxury or a prideful servant ruling over princes. 11 A wise person demonstrates patience, for mercy c means holding your tongue.

When you are insulted, be quick to forgive and forget it, for you are virtuous when you overlook an offense. 12 The rage of a king is like the roar of a lion, but his sweet favor is like a gentle, refreshing rain. 13 A rebellious son breaks a father’s heart, and a nagging wife can drive you crazy! 14 You can inherit houses and land from your parents, but a good d wife only comes as a gracious gift from God! 15 Go ahead—be lazy and passive. But you’ll go hungry if you live that way. 16 Honor God’s holy instructions and life will go well for you. But if you despise his ways and choose your own plans, you will die. 17 Every time you give to the poor you make a loan to the Lord. Don’t worry—you’ll be repaid in full for all the good you’ve done. 18 Don’t be afraid to discipline your children while they’re still young enough to learn.

Don’t indulge your children or be swayed by their protests. 19 A hot-tempered man has to pay the price for his anger. e If you bail him out once, you’ll do it a dozen times. 20 Listen well to wise counsel and be willing to learn from correction so that by the end of your life you’ll be known for your wisdom. 21 A person may have many ideas concerning God’s plan for his life, but only the designs of his purpose will succeed in the end. 22 A man is charming when he displays tender mercies to others. And a lover of God who is poor and promises nothing is better than a rich liar who never keeps his promises. 23 When you live a life of abandoned love, surrendered before the awe of God, here’s what you’ll experience: Abundant life. Continual protection. f

And complete satisfaction! There are some people who pretend they’re hurt— deadbeats who won’t even work to feed themselves. g 25 If you punish the insolent who don’t know any better, they will learn not to mock. But if you correct a wise man, he will grow even wiser. 26 Children who mistreat their parents are an embarrassment to their family and a public disgrace. 27 So listen, my child. Don’t reject correction or you will certainly wander from the ways of truth. h 28 A corrupt witness makes a mockery of justice, for the wicked never play by the rules. i 29 Judgment is waiting for those who mock the truth, and foolish living invites a beating. 24

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19:2 Or “sin.” 19:7 The Aramaic and the Septuagint add a sentence not

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found in the Hebrew: “The one who is malicious with his words is not to be trusted.” 19:11 The word translated “mercy” (merciful) here is found only in the Septuagint. 19:14 Literally “prudent” or “understanding” wife. 19:19 There is an implication in the Hebrew that he will get into legal trouble. An alternate translation of this verse could be “An evil-minded man will be injured; if you rescue him, his anger will only intensify.” 19:23 Or “You will not be remembered for evil.” 19:24 Or “The lazy man buries his fork in his plate and won’t even lift it to his mouth.” 19:27 Or “Stop listening to instruction that contradicts what you know is truth.” 19:28 Or “The heart of the wicked feeds on evil.”

Are You Living Wisely?

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A drunkard is obnoxious, loud, and argumentative; you’re a fool to get intoxicated with strong drink. The rage of a king is like the roar of a lion. Do you really want to go and make him angry? A person of honor a will put an argument to rest. Only the stupid want to pick a fight.

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If you’re too lazy to plant seed, it’s too bad when you have no harvest on which to feed. b 5 A man of deep understanding will give good advice, drawing it out from the well within. 6 Many will tell you they’re your loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly trustworthy? c 7 The lovers of God will walk in integrity, and their children are fortunate to have godly parents as their examples. 8 A righteous king sits on his judgment seat. He scatters evil away from his kingdom by his wise discernment. 9 Which one of us can truly say, “I am free from sin in my life, for my heart is clean and pure”? d 10 Mark it down: God hates it when you demonstrate a double standard— one for “them” and one for “you.” 11 All children show what they’re really like by how they act. You can discern their character, whether they are pure or perverse.

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Lovers of God have been given eyes to see with spiritual discernment and ears to hear from God. 13 If you spend all your time sleeping, you’ll grow poor. e So wake up, sleepyhead! Don’t sleep on the job. And then there will be plenty of food on your table. 14 The buyer says, as he haggles over the price, “That’s junk. It’s worthless!” Then he goes out and brags, “Look at the great bargain I got!” 15 You may have an abundance of wealth, piles of gold and jewels, but there is something of far greater worth: speaking revelation words of knowledge. 16 Anyone stupid enough to guarantee a loan for a stranger f deserves to have his property held as security. 17 What you obtain dishonestly may seem sweet at first, but sooner or later you’ll live to regret it. g 18 If you solicit good advice, then your plans will succeed. So don’t charge into battle without wisdom,

for wars are won by skillful strategy. A blabbermouth will reveal your secrets, so stay away from people who can’t keep their mouths shut. h 20 If you despise your father or mother, your life will flicker out like a lamp, extinguished into the deepest darkness. 21 If an inheritance is gained too early in life, it will not be blessed in the end. 22 Don’t ever say, “I’m going to get even with them if it’s the last thing I do!” Wrap God’s grace around your heart and he will be the one to vindicate you. 23 The Lord hates double standards— that’s hypocrisy at its worst! i 24 It is the Lord who directs your life, for each step you take is ordained by God to bring you closer to your destiny. So much of your life, then, remains a mystery! j 25 Be careful in making a rash promise before God, or you may be trapped by your vow and live to regret it. 26 A wise king is able to discern corruption and remove wickedness from his kingdom. k 19

The spirit God breathed into man l is like a living lamp, a shining light searching into the innermost chamber of our being. 28 Good leadership m is built on love and truth, for kindness and integrity are what keep leaders in their position of trust. 29 We admire the young for their strength and beauty, but the dignity of the old is their wisdom. n 30 When you are punished severely, you learn your lesson well— for painful experiences do wonders to change your life. 27

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20:3 Or “It is the glory of a man.” It’s better to keep a friend than to win a fight. b 20:4 The Aramaic and the Septuagint read “Rebuke a lazy man and he still has no shame, yet watch him go beg at harvest time.” c 20:6 Or “A compassionate man is hard to find, but it’s even harder to find one who is faithful.” d 20:9 The Hebrew word translated “clean” can also mean “perfect” or “holy.” The word translated “pure” can also

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mean “clear, bright, shining, unmixed.” Through God’s grace, by the blood of Jesus, believers have been purified, made holy, and set free from our sins. 20:13 The Septuagint reads “Don’t love speaking evil.” 20:16 Some manuscripts have “a promiscuous woman.” 20:17 Or “The bread of falsehood may taste sweet at first, but afterward you’ll have a mouth full of gravel.” 20:19 The Aramaic adds a line: “One who is faithful in spirit hides a matter.” 20:23 Or “The Lord hates differing weights, and dishonest scales are wicked.” 20:24 The Aramaic reads “So what man is capable of ordering his way?” 20:26 Or “A wise king winnows the wicked and turns his chariot wheel over them.” 20:27 Implied by the Hebrew word nishmat, used in Gen. 2:7. 20:28 Or “a king’s throne.” 20:29 Or “their gray hair.”

God Is the Source of Wisdom

21 It’s as easy for God to steer a king’s heart

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his purposes as it is for him to direct the course of a stream.

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You may think you’re right all the time, but God thoroughly examines our motives. It pleases God more when we demonstrate godliness and justice than when we merely offer him a sacrifice. Arrogance, superiority, and pride are the fruits of wickedness c and the true definition of sin. Brilliant ideas pay off and bring you prosperity, but making hasty, impatient decisions will only lead to financial loss. d You can make a fortune dishonestly, but your crime will hold you in the snares of death! e

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Violent rebels don’t have a chance, for their rejection of truth and their love of evil will drag them deeper into darkness. 8 You can discern that a person is guilty by his devious actions and the innocence of a person by his honest, sincere ways. 9 It’s better to live all alone in a rickety shack than to share a castle with a crabby spouse! f 10 The wicked always crave what is evil;

they’ll show no mercy and get no mercy. g Senseless people learn their lessons the hard way, but the wise are teachable. 12 A godly, righteous person h has the ability to bring the light of instruction to the wicked even though he despises what the wicked do. i 13 If you close your heart to the cries of the poor, then I’ll close my ears when you cry out to me! 14 Try giving a secret gift to the one who is angry with you and watch his anger disappear. A kind, generous gift goes a long way to soothe the anger of one who is livid. j 15 When justice is served, the lovers of God celebrate and rejoice, but the wicked begin to panic. 16 When you forsake the ways of wisdom, you will wander into the realm of dark spirits. k 17 To love pleasure for pleasure’s sake will introduce you to poverty. Indulging in a life of luxury l will never make you wealthy. 18 The wicked bring on themselves the very suffering they planned for others, 11

for their treachery comes back to haunt them. m It’s better to live in a hut in the wilderness than with a crabby, scolding spouse! 20 In wisdom’s house you’ll find delightful treasures and the oil of the Holy Spirit. n But the stupid o squander what they’ve been given. 21 The lovers of God who chase after righteousness will find all their dreams come true: an abundant life drenched with favor and a fountain that overflows with satisfaction. p 22 A warrior filled with wisdom ascends into the high place and releases regional breakthrough, bringing down the strongholds of the mighty. q 23 Watch your words and be careful what you say, and you’ll be surprised how few troubles you’ll have. 24 An arrogant man is inflated with pride— nothing but a snooty scoffer in love with his own opinion. Mr. Mocker is his name! r 25–26 Taking the easy way out is the habit of a lazy man, and it will be his downfall. 19

All day long he thinks about all the things that he craves, for he hasn’t learned the secret that the generous man has learned: extravagant giving never leads to poverty. s 27 To bring an offering to God with an ulterior motive is detestable, for it amounts to nothing but hypocrisy. 28 No one believes a notorious liar, but the guarded words of an honest man stand the test of time. 29 The wicked are shameless and stubborn, but the lovers of God have a holy confidence. 30 All your brilliant wisdom and clever insight will be of no help at all if the Lord is against you. 31 You can do your best to prepare for the battle, t but ultimate victory comes from the Lord God.

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21:1 Don’t forget, we have been made kings and priests by the blood of the Lamb. See 1 Peter 2:9 ; Rev. 1:6 ; 5:10 . b 21:1 Because a leader’s decisions affect so many people, God will intervene and steer them as a farmer steers the course of a stream to irrigate his fields.

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21:4 Or “the tillage of the wicked.” The Aramaic and the Septuagint has “the lamp of the wicked.” 21:5 The Aramaic is “The thoughts of the chosen one are trusting, but those of the evil one lead to poverty.” This verse is missing from the Septuagint. 21:6 As translated from the Aramaic and the Septuagint. The Hebrew is “The money will vanish into thin air.” 21:9 The Septuagint reads “It’s better to live in the corner of an attic than in a large home plastered with unrighteousness.” 21:10 The Hebrew is “They show no mercy,” while the Septuagint reads “They’ll receive no mercy.” The translator has chosen to merge both concepts. 21:12 The Hebrew is “a righteous one,” which can also speak of God, “the Righteous One.” 21:12 As translated from the Septuagint. There are many examples of this in the Bible: Daniel in Babylon, Joseph in Egypt, and the follower of Jesus today who is living among unbelievers. 21:14 The Aramaic and Septuagint translate this “He who withholds a gift arouses anger.” 21:16 Or “the congregation of the Rephaim.” The Rephaim were a pagan tribe of giants and have been equated with spirits of darkness. See Gen. 14:5 and Deut. 2:11. 21:17 Or “the lover of wine and oil.” 21:18 Or “The evil become the ransom payment for the righteous and the faithless for the upright.”

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21:20 The Hebrew word for “oil” is an emblem of the Holy Spirit. 21:20 Or “a fool of a man.” 21:21 Or “righteousness.” 21:22 Or “demolishing their strength of confidence.” 21:24 The Septuagint adds a line: “He who holds a grudge is a sinner.” 21:25–26 This is implied in the context and is necessary to complete the meaning of the proverb. The last line of this verse reads in the Septuagint “The righteous lavish on others mercy and compassion.” 21:31 Or “The horse is prepared for the battle.”

How to Live a Life of Wisdom

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A beautiful reputation a is more to be desired than great riches, and to be esteemed by others is more honorable than to own immense investments. b The rich and the poor have one thing in common: the Lord God created each one. A prudent person with insight foresees danger coming and prepares himself for it. c

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But the senseless rush blindly forward and suffer the consequences. Laying your life down in tender surrender before the Lord will bring life, prosperity, and honor as your reward. Twisted and perverse lives are surrounded by demonic influence. d If you value your soul, stay far away from them. Dedicate your children to God and point them in the way that they should go, e and the values they’ve learned from you will be with them for life. If you borrow money with interest, you’ll end up serving the interests of your creditors, f for the rich rule over the poor. Sin is a seed that brings a harvest; you’ll reap a heap of trouble with every seed you plant. For your investment in sins pays a full return— the full punishment you deserve! g When you are generous h to the poor, you are enriched with blessings in return.

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Say goodbye to a troublemaker and you’ll say goodbye to quarrels, strife, tension, and arguments, for a troublemaker traffics in shame. i 11 The Lord loves those whose hearts are holy, and he is the friend of those whose ways are pure. j 12 God passionately watches k over his deep reservoir l of revelation-knowledge, but he subverts the lies of those who pervert the truth. 13 A slacker always has an excuse for not working— like “I can’t go to work. There’s a lion outside! And murderers too!” m 14 Sex with an adulteress is like falling into the abyss. Those under God’s curse jump right in to their own destruction. 15 Although rebellion is woven into a young man’s heart, n tough discipline can make him into a man. 16 There are two kinds of people headed toward poverty: those who exploit the poor and those who bribe the rich. o

Sayings of the Wise Sages 17 Listen carefully and open your heart. p Drink in the wise revelation that I impart. 18 You’ll become winsome and wise when you treasure the beauty of my words. And always be prepared to share them at the appropriate time. 19 For I’m releasing these words to you this day, yes, even to you, so that your living hope will be found in God alone, for he is the only one who is always true. 20–21 Pay attention to these excellent sayings of threefold things. q For within my words you will discover true and reliable revelation. They will give you serenity r so that you can reveal the truth of the word of the one who sends you. 22 Never oppress the poor or pass laws with the motive of crushing the weak. 23 For the Lord will rise to plead their case and humiliate the one who humiliates the poor. s 24–25 Walk away from an angry man or you’ll embrace a snare in your soul t by becoming bad-tempered just like him.

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Why would you ever guarantee a loan for someone else or promise to be responsible for his debts? 27 For if you fail to pay you could lose your shirt! u 28 The previous generation has set boundaries in place. Don’t you dare move them just to benefit yourself. v 29

If you are uniquely gifted in your work, you will rise and be promoted. You won’t be held back— you’ll stand before kings!

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22:1 The Hebrew is simply “name preferred to wealth.” The Aramaic indicates it could be “the name [of God].” 22:1 Or “silver and gold.” Remember, it is Solomon, one of the richest men to ever live, who penned these words. 22:3 Wise people solve problems before they happen. 22:5 Or “thorns and snares.” This becomes a metaphor of demonic curses and troubles. Thorns are associated with the fall of Adam. Jesus wore a crown of thorns and took away our curse. The snares picture the temptations of evil that the Devil places in our path. 22:6 Or “Train them in the direction they are best suited

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to go.” Some Jewish scholars teach this means understanding your children’s talents and then seeing that they go into that field. 22:7 The Septuagint reads “The servant will lend to his own master.” 22:8 As translated from the Septuagint. 22:9 The Hebrew word translated as “generous” here actually means “to have a bountiful eye.” It is a figure of speech for generosity, a life of helping others. 22:10 As translated from the Aramaic. 22:11 As translated from the Septuagint. Followers of Jesus enjoy a relationship with our holy King as we live in the light and love to please him. 22:12 Or “the eyes of the Lord.” In the church today, prophets become eyes in the body of Christ. They see and reveal God’s heart for his people. 22:12 Although the concept of a reservoir is not found in the Hebrew, it is added by the translator for poetic nuance. 22:13 This humorous verse uses both satire and a metaphor. There’s always an excuse for not working hard. The Aramaic text adds “and a murderer too!” 22:15 The Aramaic word used here means “senseless.” 22:16 The Hebrew is literally “Oppressing the poor is gain; giving to the rich is loss. Both end up only in poverty.” 22:17 From this verse to 24:22 we have a collection of proverbs that lead to virtue. They are especially designed

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for the young person about to enter a career and start a family. 22:20–21 As translated from the Aramaic. M ost translators find this verse difficult to convey. The Hebrew can be “I have written excellent things,” “I have written three times,” “I write thirty sayings [proverbs],” “I have written you previously,” or “I have written you generals.” The Septuagint reads “You should copy these things three times.” If the Proverbs contain keys to understanding riddles and mysteries ( Prov. 1:2–6 ), then we have one of those keys given to us here. God speaks in threes, for he is a triune God. We have a body, soul, and spirit. God lived in a three-room house (outer court, holy place, and the chamber of the Holy of Holies). These three-fold dimensions are throughout the Bible. 22:20–21 Serenity is only found in the Aramaic. 22:23 As translated from the Aramaic. The Hebrew is “He will rob the soul of the one who robs the poor.” 22:24–25 As translated from the Aramaic. 22:27 Or “bed.” 22:28 This refers to moving property lines of your neighbors to take more land, or it could mean moving landmarks and memorials placed there by ancestors. It also speaks to the moral boundaries that the previous generation modeled—they are to be upheld.

Wisdom Will Protect You

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important leader, consider your manners and keep in mind who you’re with. Be careful to curb your appetite and catch yourself before you fall into the trap of wanting all you see. a Don’t crave their delicacies, for they may have another motive in having you sit at their table. Don’t compare yourself to the rich. b Surrender your selfish ambition and evaluate them properly. For no sooner do you start counting your wealth than it sprouts wings and flies away like an eagle in the sky— here today, gone tomorrow! Be sensible when you dine with a stingy man c and don’t eat more than you should. d For as he thinks within himself, so is he. e He will grudgingly say, “Go ahead and eat all you want,”

but in his heart he resents the fact that he has to pay for your meal. 8 You’ll be sorry you ate anything at all, f and all your compliments will be wasted. 9 A rebellious fool will despise your wise advice, so don’t even waste your time—save your breath! 10 Never move a long-standing boundary line or attempt to take land that belongs to the fatherless. 11 For they have a mighty protector, a loving redeemer, g who watches over them, and he will stand up for their cause. 12 Pay close attention to the teaching that corrects you, and open your heart to every word of instruction. 13 Don’t withhold appropriate discipline from your child. Go ahead and punish him when he needs it. h Don’t worry—it won’t kill him! 14 A good spanking could be the very thing that teaches him a lifelong lesson! i 15 My beloved child, when your heart is full of wisdom, my heart is full of gladness.

And when you speak anointed words, j we are speaking mouth to mouth! k 17 Don’t allow the actions of evil men to cause you to burn with anger. l Instead, burn with unrelenting passion as you worship God in holy awe. 18 Your future is bright and filled with a living hope that will never fade away. 19 As you listen to me, my beloved child, you will grow in wisdom and your heart will be drawn into understanding, which will empower you to make right decisions. m 20 Don’t live in the excesses of drunkenness or gluttony, or waste your life away by partying all the time, n 21 because drunkards and gluttons sleep their lives away and end up broke! 22 Give respect to your father and mother, for without them you wouldn’t even be here. And don’t neglect them when they grow old. 23 Embrace the truth o and hold it close. Don’t let go of wisdom, instruction, and life-giving understanding. 16

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When a father observes his child living in godliness, he is ecstatic with joy—nothing makes him prouder! 25 So may your father’s heart burst with joy and your mother’s soul be filled with gladness because of you. 26 My son, give me your heart and embrace fully what I’m about to tell you. 27 Stay far away from prostitutes and you’ll stay far away from the pit of destruction. For sleeping with a promiscuous woman is like falling into a trap that you’ll never be able to escape! 28 Like a robber hiding in the shadows she’s waiting to claim another victim— another husband unfaithful to his wife. 29 Who has anguish? Who has bitter sorrow? Who constantly complains and argues? Who stumbles and falls and hurts himself? Who’s the one with bloodshot eyes? 30 It’s the one who drinks too much and is always looking for a brew.

Make sure it’s never you! And don’t be drunk with wine p but be known as one who enjoys the company of the lovers of God, q 32 For drunkenness brings the sting of a serpent, like the fangs of a viper r spreading poison into your soul. 33 It will make you hallucinate, mumble, and speak words that are perverse. 34 You’ll be like a seasick sailor being tossed to and fro, dizzy and out of your mind. 35 You’ll awake only to say, “What hit me? I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck!” Yet off you’ll go, looking for another drink! 31

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23:2 Or “put a knife to your throat.” When you spend time with an important person, think about his needs, not your own, and favor will come on your life. b 23:4 As translated from the Septuagint. c 23:6 The Hebrew here literally means “an evil eye,” which is a metaphor for a stingy man. d 23:6 Or “Don’t crave his delicacies.”

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23:7 The Aramaic, the Septuagint, and a few Hebrew manuscripts read “Eating with him is like eating with someone with a hair in his throat—his mind is not with you!” 23:8 Or “You’ll vomit up the little you’ve eaten.” 23:11 The Hebrew word here is goel , which means “kinsman-redeemer.” The Aramaic word means “Savior.” This shows powerfully how God will take up the grievances of the oppressed. 23:13 The Hebrew is “strike them with the rod.” 23:14 Or “rescues him from death.” The Hebrew word is Sheol . 23:16 Or “speak what is right.” 23:16 This is taken from the Septuagint, and it literally means “Your lips shall speak with my lips.” The Hebrew is “M y kidneys [soul] will rejoice.” See Num. 12:6–8, which reveals that God spoke with M oses mouth to mouth (literal Hebrew). 23:17 The Hebrew word used here describes an emotion of intense passion. M any translate it “envy” (“Do not envy the sinner”), but that does not describe it fully. Another possible translation would be “zeal.” 23:19 The Aramaic is “Set up my doctrines in your heart.” 23:20 Translated from the Aramaic and the Septuagint. 23:23 The Hebrew word here literally means “create the truth” or “give birth to truth” or “possess the truth.” This

Hebrew word is also used for God as the Creator. See Gen. 14:19 and 22. p 23:31 As translated from the Septuagint. q 23:31 As translated from the Septuagint and a marginal reading of the Hebrew. The Aramaic is “M editate on righteousness.” The Septuagint adds a line not found in Hebrew or Aramaic that describes the unflattering life of a drunk: “You will walk around naked as a pestle!” r 23:32 Or “horned serpent” or “dragon.” This is the Hebrew word basilisk, which comes from a root word meaning “little king.” It becomes an emblem of the poison of demonic power that can cause addictions and rule over the soul like a “little king.”

Wisdom’s Warning

24 Don’t envy the wealth of the wicked or crave 2 3

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their company. For they’re obsessed with causing trouble and their conversations are corrupt. Wise people are builders— a they build families, businesses, communities. And through intelligence and insight their enterprises are established and endure. Because of their skilled leadership

the hearts b of people are filled with the treasures of wisdom and the pleasures of spiritual wealth. 5 Wisdom can make anyone into a mighty warrior, c and revelation-knowledge increases strength. 6 Wise strategy is necessary to wage war, and with many astute advisers you’ll see the path to victory more clearly. 7 Wisdom is a treasure too lofty d for a quarreling fool — he’ll have nothing to say when leaders gather together. 8 There is one who makes plans to do evil— Master Schemer is his name. 9 If you plan to do evil, it’s as wrong as doing it. And everyone detests a troublemaker. 10 If you faint when under pressure, you have need of courage. e 11 Go and rescue the perishing! Be their savior! Why would you stand back and watch them stagger to their death? 12 And why would you say, “But it’s none of my business”? The one who knows you completely and judges

your every motive is also the keeper of souls—and not just yours! He sees through your excuses and holds you responsible for failing to help those whose lives are threatened. 13 Revelation-knowledge is a delicacy, sweet like flowing honey that melts in your mouth. Eat as much of it as you can, my friend! 14 For then you will perceive what is true wisdom, your future will be bright, f and this hope living within will never disappoint you. 15 Listen up, you wicked, irreverent ones— don’t harass the lovers of God g and don’t invade their resting place. 16 For the lovers of God may suffer adversity and stumble seven times, but they will continue to rise over and over again. But the unrighteous are brought down by just one calamity and will never be able to rise again . h 17 Never gloat when your enemy meets disaster and don’t be quick to rejoice if he falls. 18 For the Lord, who sees your heart,

will be displeased with you and will pity your foe. Don’t be angrily offended over evildoers or be agitated by them. i 20 For the wicked have no life and no future— their light of life will die out. j 21 My child, stand in awe of the Lord Jehovah! Give counsel to others, but don’t mingle with those who are rebellious. 22 For sudden destruction will fall upon them and their lives will be ruined in a moment. And who knows what retribution they will face! k 19

Revelation from the Wise 23 Those enlightened with wisdom have spoken these proverbs: Judgment must be impartial, for it is always wrong to be swayed by a person’s status. 24 If you say to the guilty, “You are innocent,” the nation will curse you and the people will revile you. 25 But when you convict the guilty, the people will thank you and reward you with favor.

Speaking honestly is a sign of true friendship. l Go ahead, build your career and give yourself to your work. But if you put me first, you’ll see your family built up! m 28 Why would you be a false accuser and slander with your words? 29 Don’t ever spitefully say, “I’ll get even with him! I’ll do to him what he did to me!” 30–31 One day I passed by the field of a lazy man and I noticed the vineyards of a slacker. I observed nothing but thorns, weeds, and brokendown walls. 32 So I considered their lack of wisdom, and I pondered the lessons I could learn from this: 33–34 Professional work habits prevent poverty from becoming your permanent business partner. And: If you put off until tomorrow the work you could do today, tomorrow never seems to come. 26 27

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than a structure with roof and a floor. It becomes a metaphor for families, churches, businesses, and enterprises. 24:4 Or “inner chambers.” 24:5 Or “Wisdom makes anyone into a hero.” The Aramaic and the Septuagint read “It’s better to be wise than to be strong.” 24:7 The Hebrew is actually “Wisdom is coral to a fool.” That is, it is unattainable, deep and hidden. 24:10 Or “Your strength is limited.” Our weakness often becomes an excuse to quit, but strength and courage come as the result of faithfulness under pressure. Some interpret this to mean “If you fail to help others in their time of need, you will grow too weak to help yourself.” 24:14 The Septuagint is “Your death will be good.” 24:15 Or “the righteous.” 24:16 Implied in the text as it completes the parallelism. 24:19 The Septuagint is “Don’t rejoice with those who do evil or be jealous of them.” 24:20 Not only will they die out, but the implication is they will have no posterity. 24:22 Verses 21 and 22 are translated from the Aramaic. 24:26 The Hebrew is literally “An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.” In the culture of the day, kissing was a sign of authentic friendship and a mark of relationship, which was often expressed in public among friends. 24:27 As translated from the Septuagint.

25 Solomon’s proverbs, published by the scribes 2

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of King Hezekiah: God conceals the revelation of his word a in the hiding place of his glory. b But the honor of kings c is revealed by how they thoroughly search out the deeper meaning of all that God says. The heart of a king is full of understanding, like the heavens are high and the ocean is deep. If you burn away the impurities from silver, a sterling vessel will emerge from the fire. And if you purge corruption from the kingdom, a king’s reign will be established in righteousness. Don’t boast in the presence of a king or promote yourself by taking a seat at the head table and pretend that you’re someone important. For it is better for the king to say to you, “Come, you should sit at the head table,” than for him to say in front of everyone, “Please get up and move— you’re sitting in the place of the prince.” Don’t be hasty to file a lawsuit.

By starting something you wish you hadn’t, you could be humiliated when you lose your case. 9 Don’t reveal another person’s secret just to prove a point in an argument, or you could be accused of being a gossip 10 and gain a reputation for being one who betrays the confidence of a friend. 11 Winsome words spoken at just the right time d are as appealing as apples gilded in gold and surrounded with silver. e 12 To humbly receive wise correction adorns your life with beauty f and makes you a better person. 13 A reliable, trustworthy messenger refreshes the heart of his master, g like a gentle breeze blowing at harvest time— cooling the sweat from his brow. 14 Clouds that carry no water and a wind that brings no refreshing rain— h that’s what you’re like when you boast of a gift that you don’t have. i Wisdom Practices Self-Control

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Use patience and kindness when you want to persuade leaders and watch them change their minds right in front of you. For your gentle wisdom will quell the strongest resistance. j 16 When you discover something sweet, don’t overindulge and eat more than you need, for excess in anything can make you sick of even a good thing. 17 Don’t wear out your welcome by staying too long at the home of your friends, or they may get fed up with always having you there and wish you hadn’t come. 18 Lying about and slandering people are as bad as hitting them with a club, or wounding them with an arrow, or stabbing them with a sword. 19 You can’t depend on an unreliable person when you really need help. It can be compared to biting down on an abscessed tooth or walking with a sprained ankle.

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When you sing a song of joy to someone suffering in the deepest grief and heartache, it can be compared to disrobing in the middle of a blizzard or rubbing salt in a wound. 21 Is your enemy hungry? Buy him lunch. Win him over with your kindness. k 22 Your surprising generosity will awaken his conscience l and God will reward you with favor. 23 As the north wind brings a storm, saying things you shouldn’t m brings a storm to any relationship. 24 It’s better to live all alone in a rundown shack than to share a castle with a crabby spouse! n 25 Like a drink of cool water to a weary, thirsty soul, so hearing good news revives the spirit. 26 When a lover of God gives in and compromises with wickedness, it can be compared to contaminating a stream with sewage or polluting a fountain. 27 It’s good to eat sweet things, but you can take too much.

It’s good to be honored, but to seek words of praise o is not honor at all. 28 If you live without restraint and are unable to control your temper, you’re as helpless as a city with broken-down defenses, open to attack.

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25:2 M any translate this “a matter,” whereas the Hebrew is dabar , which is translated more than eight hundred times in the Old Testament as “word.” 25:2 There is beautiful poetry in the Hebrew text. The word for “hide” is cathar and the word for “word” is dabar . The Hebrew is actually “ Kabod (glory) cathar (hidden) dabar (word).” 25:2 We have been made kings and priests, royal lovers of God, because of God’s grace and Christ’s redeeming blood. See 1 Peter 2:9 and Rev. 5:8–10 . 25:11 The Aramaic reads “The one who speaks the word is an apple of gold in a setting of silver.” The Septuagint is “A wise word is like a golden apple in a pendant of rubies.” 25:11 Each one of God’s promises are like apples gilded in gold. When we are full of his Spirit we can speak and prophesy words of encouragement that are spoken at the

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right time for the blessing of others. 25:12 Or “an earring of gold, an ornament of fine gold.” An earring pierces the ear and is an emblem of a listening heart. 25:13 Or “employer.” 25:14 The symbols of clouds, wind, and rain are significant. Clouds are often a metaphor for the people of God filled with glory ( Heb. 12:1 ; Rev. 1:7 ). Wind is an emblem of the Holy Spirit bringing new life ( John 3:6–8 ). Rain often points to teaching the revelation-truths that refresh and water the seeds of spiritual growth (Isa. 55:8– 11). God’s anointed people are to be clouds carried by the wind of the Holy Spirit that bring refreshing truths to his people. When we are empty and false, we are clouds without rain. See 2 Peter 2:17 and Jude 1:12 . 25:14 Or “boast of a promised gift you never intend to give.” The Hebrew is literally “to make yourself shine in a gift of falsehood.” 25:15 Or “Soft words break bones.” 25:21 Or “Is he thirsty? Give him a drink.” 25:22 Or “You will heap coals of fire on his head.” His heart will be moved and his shame exposed. 25:23 Or “words of gossip.” 25:24 With the exception of one Hebrew letter, this verse is identical to 21:9. See footnote. The Aramaic reads “than to live with a contentious woman in a house of divisions.” 25:27 This line is translated from the Aramaic.

Don’t Be a Fool

26 It is totally out of place to promote and honor a

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fool, just like it’s out of place to have snow in the summer and rain at harvest time. a An undeserved curse will be powerless to harm you. It may flutter over you like a bird, but it will find no place to land. b Guide a horse with a whip, direct a donkey with a bridle, and lead a rebellious fool with a beating on his backside! Don’t respond to the words of a fool with more foolish words, or you will become as foolish as he is! Instead, if you’re asked a silly question, answer it with words of wisdom c so the fool doesn’t think he’s so clever. If you choose a fool to represent you, you’re asking for trouble. It will be as bad for you as cutting off your own

feet! You can never trust the words of a fool, just like a crippled man can’t trust his legs to support him. d 8 Give honor to a fool and watch it backfire— like a stone tied to a slingshot. 9 The statements of a fool will hurt others e like a thorn bush brandished by a drunk. 10 Like a reckless archer shooting arrows at random is the impatient employer who hires just any fool who comes along— someone’s going to get hurt! f 11 Fools are famous for repeating their errors, like dogs are known to return to their vomit. 12 There’s only one thing worse than a fool, and that’s the smug, conceited man always in love with his own opinions. 7

Don’t Be Lazy 13 The lazy loafer says, “I can’t go out and look for a job— there may be a lion out there roaming wild in the streets!” 14 As a door is hinged to the wall,

so the lazy man keeps turning over, hinged to his bed! 15 There are some people so lazy they won’t even work to feed themselves. 16 A self-righteous person g is convinced he’s smarter than seven wise counselors who tell him the truth. 17 It’s better to grab a mad dog by its ears than to meddle and interfere in a quarrel h that’s none of your business. Watch Your Words 18–19 The one who is caught lying to his friend and says, “I didn’t mean it, I was only joking,” can be compared to a madman randomly shooting off deadly weapons. 20 It takes fuel to have a fire— a fire dies down when you run out of fuel. So quarrels disappear when the gossip ends. 21 Add fuel to the fire and the blaze goes on. So add an argumentative man to the mix and you’ll keep strife alive. 22 Gossip is so delicious, and how we love to swallow it! For slander i is easily absorbed into our innermost

being. Smooth talk j can hide a corrupt heart just like a pretty glaze covers a cheap clay pot. 24 Kind words can be a cover to conceal hatred of others, for hypocrisy loves to hide behind flattery. 25 So don’t be drawn in by the hypocrite, for his gracious speech is a charade, nothing but a masquerade covering his hatred and evil on parade. k 26 Don’t worry—he can’t keep the mask on for long. One day his hypocrisy will be exposed before all the world. 27 Go ahead, set a trap for others— and then watch as it snaps back on you! Start a landslide and you’ll be the one who gets crushed. 28 Hatred is the root of slander l and insecurity the root of flattery. m 23

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26:1 Both snow and rain are good in their proper season but harmful in the wrong season. So is it harmful to the fool if you affirm him and honor him prematurely.

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26:2 There is an implication in some Hebrew manuscripts that the curse will go back and land on the one who wrongly spoke it, like a bird going back to its nest. 26:5 As translated from the Aramaic. 26:7 As translated from the Aramaic. 26:9 As translated from the Aramaic. 26:10 Implied in the context. This is a difficult verse to translate and it reads quite differently in the Aramaic and the Septuagint. The Aramaic is “A fool suffers much like a drunkard crossing the sea.” The Septuagint reads “Every fool endures much hardship and his fury comes to nothing.” 26:16 Or “sluggard.” This speaks of a person who lives in fantasy and not reality. 26:17 Or “to become furious because of a quarrel that’s not yours.” 26:22 Or “complaining.” 26:23 As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is “burning words.” 26:25 The Hebrew is “Seven abominations hide in his heart.” This is a figure of speech for the fullness of evil, a heart filled to the brim with darkness. 26:28 Or “A slanderer hates his victims.” 26:28 Implied in the text. The Aramaic is “M alicious words work trouble.”

Heed Wisdom’s Warnings

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Never brag about the plans you have for tomorrow, for you don’t have a clue what tomorrow may bring to you. Let someone else honor you for your accomplishments, for self-praise is never appropriate. It’s easier to carry a heavy boulder and a ton of sand than to be provoked by a fool and have to carry that burden! The rage and anger of others can be overwhelming, but it’s nothing compared to jealousy’s fire. It’s better to be corrected openly if it stems from hidden love. You can trust a friend who wounds you with his honesty, a but your enemy’s pretended flattery b comes from insincerity. When your soul is full, you turn down even the sweetest honey. But when your soul is starving, every bitter thing becomes sweet. c

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Like a bird that has fallen from its nest is the one who is dislodged from his home. d 9 Sweet friendships e refresh the soul and awaken our hearts with joy, for good friends are like the anointing oil that yields the fragrant incense of God’s presence . f 10 So never give up on a friend or abandon a friend of your father— for in the day of your brokenness g you won’t have to run to a relative for help. A friend nearby is better than a relative far away. 11 My son, when you walk in wisdom, my heart is filled with gladness, for the way you live is proof that I’ve not taught you in vain. h 12 A wise, shrewd person discerns the danger ahead and prepares himself, but the naïve simpleton never looks ahead and suffers the consequences. 13 Cosign for one you barely know and you will pay a great price! Anyone stupid enough to guarantee the loan of another deserves to have his property seized in payment.

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Do you think you’re blessing your neighbors when you sing at the top of your lungs early in the morning? Don’t be fooled— they’ll curse you for doing it! i 15 An endless drip, drip, drip, from a leaky faucet j and the words of a cranky, nagging wife have the same effect. 16 Can you stop the north wind from blowing or grasp a handful of oil? That’s easier than to stop her from complaining. 17 It takes a grinding wheel to sharpen a blade, and so a friendly argument can sharpen a man. k 18 Tend an orchard and you’ll have fruit to eat. Serve the Master’s interests and you’ll receive honor that’s sweet. 19 Just as no two faces are exactly alike, so every heart is different. l 20 Hell and destruction are never filled, and the desires of men’s hearts are insatiable. 21 Fire is the way to test the purity of silver and gold, but the character of a man is tested by giving him a measure of fame. m 22 You can beat a fool half to death

and still never beat the foolishness out of him. n A shepherd should pay close attention to the faces of his flock and hold close to his heart the condition of those he cares for. 24 A man’s strength, power, and riches o will one day fade away; not even nations p endure forever. 25–27 Take care of your responsibilities and be diligent in your business and you will have more than enough— an abundance of food, clothing, and plenty for your household. q 23

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27:6 Or “Wounds by a loved one are long lasting [effective and faithful].” b 27:6 Or “kisses.” c 27:7 When we are full of many things and many opinions, the sweet word of God, like revelation honey, is spurned. Instead, we eat and fill our souls with things that can never satisfy. d 27:8 Or “banished from his place.” As translated from the Aramaic.

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27:9 Or “counsel.” 27:9 The Hebrew text refers to the sacred anointing oil and the incense that burns in the Holy Place. 27:10 As translated from the Aramaic. 27:11 Or “that I may answer those who reproach me.” 27:14 Or “He who sings in a loud voice early in the morning, thinking he’s blessing his neighbor, is no different from he who pronounces a curse.” 27:15 Or “a constant drip on a rainy day.” 27:17 Or “a man’s face.” 27:19 As translated from the Aramaic and the Septuagint. 27:21 Or “by the things he praises.” 27:22 Or “If you pound a fool in a mortar like dried grain with a pestle, still his foolishness will not depart from him.” 27:24 The Hebrew says merely “riches,” while the Aramaic adds “power [dominion]” and the Septuagint adds “strength.” The translator has chosen to combine them. 27:24 Or “a crown [dominion].” 27:25–27 An agricultural analogy is used in the Hebrew and Aramaic. The analogy of a farming enterprise has been changed to business here in order to transfer meaning. It is literally “Gather the hay of the field and hills, and new grass will appear. Lambs will provide clothing, goats will pay for the price of the field, and there will be enough goat’s milk for you, your family, and your servant girls.”

Lovers of God

28 Guilty criminals experience paranoia

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even though no one threatens them. But the innocent lovers of God, because of righteousness, will have the boldness a of a young, ferocious lion! A rebellious nation is thrown into chaos, b but leaders anointed with wisdom will restore law and order. When a pauper c oppresses the destitute, it’s like a flash flood that sweeps away their last hope. Those who turn their backs on what they know is right d will no longer be able to tell right from wrong. But those who love the truth strengthen their souls. e

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Justice never makes sense to men devoted to darkness, but those tenderly devoted to the Lord can understand justice perfectly. It’s more respectable to be poor and pure than rich and perverse.

To be obedient to what you’ve been taught f proves you’re an honorable child, but to socialize with the lawless brings shame to your parents. 8 Go ahead and get rich on the backs of the poor, but all the wealth you gather will one day be given to those who are kind to the needy. 9 If you close your heart and refuse to listen to God’s instruction, g even your prayer will be despised. 10 Those who tempt the lovers of God with an evil scheme will fall into their own trap. But the innocent who resist temptation will experience reward. 11 The wealthy in their conceit presume to be wise, but a poor person with discernment can see right through them. 12 The triumphant joy of God’s lovers releases great glory. h But when the wicked rise to power, everyone goes into hiding. i 13 If you cover up your sin you’ll never do well. But if you confess your sins and forsake them, 7

you will be kissed by mercy. Overjoyed is the one who with tender heart trembles before God, but the stubborn, unyielding heart will experience even greater evil. 15 Ruthless rulers can only be compared to raging lions and roaming bears. j 16 Abusive leaders fail to employ wisdom, but leaders who despise corruption k will enjoy a long and full life. l 17 A murderer’s conscience will torment him— a fugitive haunted by guilt all the way to the grave with no one to support him. 18 The pure will be rescued from failure, but the perverse will suddenly fall into ruin. 19 Work hard and you’ll have all you desire, but chase a fantasy m and you could end up with nothing. 20 Life’s blessings drench the honest and faithful person, but punishment rains down upon the greedy and dishonest. 21 Giving favoritism to the rich and powerful is disgusting, 14

and this is the type of judge who would betray a man for a bribe. n 22 A greedy man o is in a race to get rich, but he forgets that he could lose what’s most important and end up with nothing. p 23 If you correct someone with constructive criticism, in the end he will appreciate it more than flattery. 24 A person who would reject q his own parents and say, “What’s wrong with that?” is as bad as a murderer. 25 To make rash, hasty decisions shows that you are not trusting the Lord. But when you rely totally on God, you will still act carefully and prudently. r 26 Self-confident s know-it-alls will prove to be fools. But when you lean on the wisdom from above, you will have a way to escape the troubles of your own making. 27 You will never go without if you give to the poor. But if you’re heartless, stingy, and selfish, t you invite curses upon yourself. 28 When wicked leaders rise to power,

good people go into hiding. But when they fall from power, the godly take their place.

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28:1 Or “confidence.” 28:2 Or “A rebellious nation will have one leader after another.” 28:3 This pauper can also be one who is spiritually poor. Some Jewish expositors believe it refers to corrupt judges. 28:4 The Hebrew word is “the Torah.” See also vv. 7 and 9 . 28:4 As translated from the Aramaic. The Septuagint is “build a wall to protect themselves.” 28:7 Or “the Torah.” 28:9 Or “the Torah.” 28:12 As translated from the Aramaic. 28:12 Or “People become victims.” 28:15 David, before he killed Goliath, went after the lion and the bear. See 1 Sam. 17:34–37. These beasts represented demonic forces of evil over the land. Daniel also mentions the world’s ruthless leaders as lions and bears. See Dan. 7:1–8 28:16 Or “injustice.” 28:16 Or “enjoy a long reign.” 28:19, Or “an empty dream.” The Septuagint is “the one

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who pursues leisure.” 28:21 As translated from the Aramaic. 28:22 Both the Aramaic and Hebrew have “the man with an evil eye.” This is a figure of speech for a stingy or greedy man. A person who shuts his heart to the poor is said to have an evil eye. A person with a good eye is someone who looks on the poor with generosity. 28:22 As translated from the Aramaic. The Aramaic text sounds very similar to what Jesus says about gaining the world but losing our souls. See M ark 8:36 . 28:24 As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is “the one who steals from his own parents.” 28:25 As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is “The greedy person stirs up trouble, but the one who trusts in the Lord will prosper.” 28:26 Or “those who trust their instincts.” 28:27 Or “he who hides his eyes from the poor.”

Don’t Be Stubborn

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power. When you love wisdom, your father is overjoyed. But when you associate with prostitutes, you waste your wealth in exchange for disgrace. a A godly leader who values justice is a great strength and example to the people. But the one who sells his influence for money b tears down what is right. Flattery can often be used as a trap to hide ulterior motives and take advantage of you. The wicked always have a trap laid for others, but the lovers of God escape as they sing and shout in joyous triumph! God’s righteous people will pour themselves out for the poor, c but the ungodly make no attempt to understand or help the needy.

You Can’t Argue with a Fool 8 Arrogant cynics love to pick fights, but the humble and wise love to pursue peace. 9 There’s no use arguing with a fool, d

for his ranting and raving prevent you from making a case and settling the argument in a calm way. 10 Violent men hate those with integrity, but the lovers of God esteem those who are holy. e 11 You can recognize fools by the way they give full vent to their rage and let their words fly! But the wise bite their tongue and hold back all they could say. 12 When leaders listen to false accusations, their associates become scoundrels. 13 Poor people and their oppressors have only one thing in common— God made them both. f 14 The best insurance for a leader’s longevity is to demonstrate justice for the poor. 15 Experiencing many corrections and rebukes will make you wise. But if left to your own ways, you’ll bring disgrace to your parents. g 16 When the wicked are in power, lawlessness abounds. But the patient lovers of God will one day watch in

triumph as their stronghold topples! 17 Correct your child and one day you’ll find he has changed and will bring you great delight. 18 When there is no clear prophetic vision, h people quickly wander astray. i But when you follow the revelation of the word, heaven’s bliss fills your soul. 19 A stubborn servant can’t be corrected by words alone. For even if he understands, he pays no attention to you. 20 There’s only one kind of person who is worse than a fool: the impetuous one who speaks without thinking first. 21 If you pamper your servants, don’t be surprised when they expect to be treated as sons. j 22 The source of strife is found in an angry heart, for sin surrounds the life of a furious man. k 23 Lift yourself up with pride and you will soon be brought low, l

but a meek and humble spirit will add to your honor. 24 You are your own worst enemy when you partner with a thief, for a curse of guilt will come upon you when you fail to report a crime. m 25 Fear and intimidation is a trap that holds you back. But when you place your confidence in the Lord, you will be seated in the high place. 26 Everyone curries favor with leaders. But God is the judge, and justice comes from him. 27 The wicked hate those who live a godly life, but the righteous hate injustice wherever it’s found.

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29:3 See Luke 15:11–24 . 29:4 See 1 Tim. 6:10 . 29:7 The Hebrew text implies standing up for the legal rights of the poor. d 29:9 The Hebrew implies an argument in a court of law. e 29:10 As translated from the Septuagint. f 29:13 A figure of speech in Hebrew that can literally be translated “God gave them both the gift of eyesight.” The Septuagint is “The contracts between lenders and debtors is observed by the Lord.”

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29:15 As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is “your mother.” 29:18 The Hebrew word used here can refer to “vision of the night,” “dream,” “oracle,” or “revelation.” The Septuagint reads “where there is no prophetic seer [or interpreter].” 29:18 Or “let loose, stripped, or made naked.” The Septuagint reads “The people become lawless.” 29:21 Or “If you pamper your servant when he is young, he’ll become a weakling in the end.” The Septuagint reads “If you live in luxury as a child, you’ll become a domestic [servant] and at last will be grieved with yourself.” The Aramaic states, “You’ll be uprooted in the end.” 29:22 The Hebrew word translated as “a furious man” can also mean “lord of fury” or “Baal of wrath.” 29:23 Or “to depression.” 29:24 Or “when under oath to testify but you do not talk.”

The Mysterious Sayings of Agur

30 These are the collected sayings of the prophet Agur, Jakeh’s son— a the amazing revelation b he imparted to Ithiel and Ukal. c

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God, I’m so weary and worn-out, I feel more like a beast than a man. I was made in your image, d but I lack understanding. I’ve yet to learn the wisdom that comes from the full and intimate knowledge of you, the Holy One.

Six Questions 4 Who is it that travels back and forth from the heavenly realm to the earth? e Who controls the wind as it blows f and holds it in his fists? Who tucks the rain into the cloak of his clouds? Who stretches out the skyline from one vista to the other? What is his name? And what is the name of his Son? Who can tell me? A Pure Heart Is Filled with God’s Word 5 Every promise from the faithful God is pure and proves to be true.

He is a wrap-around shield of protection for all his lovers who run to hide in him. 6 Never add to his words, or he will have to rebuke you and prove that you’re a liar. 7 God, there are two things I’m asking you for before I die, only two: 8 Empty out of my heart everything that is false— every lie, and every crooked thing. And give me neither undue poverty nor undue wealth— but rather, feed my soul with the measure of prosperity that pleases you. 9 May my satisfaction be found in you. Don’t let me be so rich that I don’t need you or so poor that I have to resort to dishonesty just to make ends meet. Then my life will never detract from bringing glory to your name. 10 Never defame a servant before his master, for you will be the guilty one and a curse will come upon you.

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There is a generation rising that curses their fathers and speaks evil of their mothers. 12 There is a generation rising that considers themselves to be pure in their own eyes, g yet they are morally filthy, h unwashed, and unclean. 13 There is a generation rising that is so filled with pride they think they are superior and look down on others. 14 There is a generation rising that uses their words like swords to cut and slash those who are different. They would devour the poor, the needy, and the afflicted from off the face of the earth! 15 There are three words to describe the greedy: “Give me more!” There are some things that are never satisfied. Forever craving more, they’re unable to say, “That’s enough!” Here are four: 16 The grave, yawning for another victim,

the barren womb, ever wanting a child, thirsty soil, ever longing for rain, and a raging fire, devouring its fuel. They’re all insatiable. 17 The eye that mocks his father and dishonors his elderly mother i deserves to be plucked out by the ravens of the valley and fed to the young vultures! j Four Mysteries 18 There are four marvelous mysteries that are k too amazing to unravel— who could fully explain them? l 19 The way an eagle flies in the sky, m the way a snake glides on a boulder, n the path of a ship as it passes through the sea, o and the way a bridegroom falls in love with his bride. p 20 Here is the deceptive way of the adulterous woman: q she takes what she wants and then says, “I’ve done nothing wrong.”

Four Intolerable Things 21 There are four intolerable events that r are simply unbearable to observe: 22 when an unfaithful servant becomes a ruler, when a scoundrel comes into great wealth, 23 when an unfaithful woman marries a good man, and when a mistress replaces a faithful wife. Four Creatures Small and Wise 24 The earth has four creatures that are very small but very wise: s 25 The feeble ant has little strength, yet look how it diligently gathers its food in the summer to last throughout the winter. t 26 The delicate rock-badger isn’t all that strong, yet look how it makes a secure home, nestled in the rocks. u 27 The locusts have no king to lead them, yet they cooperate as they move forward by bands. v 28

And the small lizard w is easy to catch as it clings to the walls with its hands,

yet it can be found inside a king’s palace.

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Four Stately Things 29 There are four stately monarchs y who are impressive to watch as they go forth: 30 the lion, the king of the jungle, who is afraid of no one, 31 the rooster strutting boldly among the hens, z the male goat out in front leading the herd, and a king leading his regal procession. aa 32 If you’ve acted foolishly by drawing attention to yourself, or if you’ve thought about saying something stupid, you’d better shut your mouth. 33 For such stupidity may give you a bloody nose! ab Stirring up an argument only leads to an angry confrontation.

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another name for David, Solomon’s father. M any Jewish expositors believe that Agur was a pseudonym for Solomon. Nothing more is mentioned about Agur in the Bible than what we have here, which is typical for other prophets mentioned in the Scriptures. Some believe he could be the “master of the collection of sayings” referred to in Eccl. 12:11. Agur (taken from Agar) means “collector.” 30:1 Or “mighty prophecy.” 30:1 The name Ithiel can mean “God is with me” or “God has arrived.” This was fulfilled by Christ, for his birth was the advent, the arrival of God to the earth in human form. Ukal means “I am able” or “I am strong and mighty.” When placed together, the meaning of these Hebrew names could read “Gather a harvest of sons who are blameless and obedient. They will have God with them, and they will be strong and mighty.” This chapter contains some of the most mystical and mysterious sayings found in Proverbs, with hints of revelation from the book of Job. 30:2 Implied in the text, which is extraordinarily difficult to translate with certainty. 30:4 Jesus solves this riddle in John 3:13 . Only Jesus Christ is the master of heavenly knowledge and wisdom. See also Eph. 4:7–10 . 30:4 The Hebrew word ruach (wind) is also the term used for the Holy Spirit. 30:12 See Judg. 21:25. 30:12 The Hebrew uses the word excrement .

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30:17 As translated from the Septuagint. 30:17 This is a figure of speech for demonic powers that will remove their vision. Ravens and vultures are unclean birds associated with demonic powers in Hebrew poetry. 30:18 The Hebrew uses a poetic style of saying there are three mysteries, then saying there are four in order to emphasize their great importance. There could be within this poetic device a pointing to the fourth as the key, or the most important. 30:18 Notice that each of these four examples have to do with movement and mystery. 30:19 This is a picture of the overcoming life that soars above our problems and limitations with the wings of an eagle. It could also be a hint of the prophetic revelation that comes to God’s servants mysteriously and supernaturally. See Isa. 40:31 and 1 Cor. 2:9–13 . 30:19 The serpent becomes a picture of our sin that was placed on the Rock, Jesus Christ. See Num. 21:6–9; John 3:14–15 ; 2 Cor. 5:21 . 30:19 This is a picture of the way our lives, like a ship, sail on the high seas of mystery until we reach our destiny. Our lives contain mysteries, such as where God decided that we were to be born, how we were raised, and the companions who join us until we reach our desired haven. See Ps. 107:23–30 . 30:19 The Hebrew word translated “bride” can also mean “virgin,” pointing to a wedding, thus implying the use of

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“bridegroom” instead of “man.” (Consider Ruth and Boaz.) M ore important, this is a beautiful metaphor for the mystery of the love of our heavenly Bridegroom (Jesus), who romances his bride and sweeps us off our feet. Love is a mystery. See also 2 Cor. 11:2 and Eph. 5:32 . 30:20 The adulterous woman of Proverbs is a metaphor for the corrupt religious system. See Rev. 17–18 . 30:21 See footnote for 30:18. These four events each depict a promotion undeserved, a displacing of one who is virtuous with one who is corrupt. Each promotion indicates that they will carry their corruption with them. The unfaithful servant will likely become a tyrant. The fool who becomes wealthy will squander his wealth. The unfaithful woman (or “hated woman”) will continue her immorality even after she’s married. The girlfriend who replaced the faithful wife will likely find another man one day. 30:24 Or “They are the epitome of wisdom.” 30:25 To prepare for the future is a mark of true wisdom. 30:26 This becomes a picture of the believer. Though feeling weakness at times, we can make our home in the high place, inside the cleft of the Rock. See John 14:1–3 . 30:27 The locust army points us to Joel 1 and 2. There is an awakening army coming to devour the works of the Enemy. Their King, though invisible, guides them from on high as one army. 30:28 Or “spider.” 30:28 Though we may see ourselves as insignificant (like

the small lizard), God can place us in significant places where we can be used for him. y 30:29 See footnote on 30:18. z 30:31 As translated from the Septuagint. aa 30:31 Or “a king surrounded by his band of soldiers.” The Hebrew text is abstruse. ab 30:33 Or “Churning milk makes butter, and punching the nose brings blood, so stirring up anger produces quarrels.” The Hebrew contains a word play with the word anger , which is almost identical to the word for “nose.”

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royal words of wisdom: These are the inspired words my mother taught me. b Listen, my dear son, son of my womb. You are the answer to my prayers, my son. So keep yourself sexually pure from the promiscuous, wayward woman. Don’t waste the strength of your anointing on those who ruin kings— you’ll live to regret it! c For you are a king, Lemuel, and it’s never fitting for a king to be drunk on wine or for rulers to crave alcohol.

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For when they drink they forget justice and ignore the rights of those in need, those who depend on you for leadership . 6–7 Strong drink is given to the terminally ill, who are suffering at the brink of death. Wine is for those in depression in order to drown their sorrows. Let them drink and forget their poverty and misery. 8 But you are to be a king who speaks up on behalf of the disenfranchised and pleads for the legal rights of the defenseless and those who are dying. 9 Be a righteous king, judging on behalf of the poor and interceding for those most in need. d The Radiant Bride 10 Who could ever find a wife like this one— e she is a woman of strength and mighty valor! f She’s full of wealth and wisdom. The price paid for her was greater g than many jewels. 11 Her husband has entrusted his heart to her, h for she brings him the rich spoils of victory. 12 All throughout her life she brings him what is good

and not evil. i She searches out continually to possess that which is pure and righteous. j She delights in the work of her hands. k 14 She gives out revelation-truth l to feed others. She is like a trading ship bringing divine supplies m from the merchant. n 15 Even in the night season o she arises p and sets food on the table for hungry ones in her house and for others. q 16 She sets her heart upon a nation r and takes it as her own, carrying it within her. She labors there to plant the living vines. s 17 She wraps herself in strength, t might, and power in all her works. 18 She tastes and experiences a better substance, u and her shining light will not be extinguished, no matter how dark the night. v 19 She stretches out her hands to help the needy w and she lays hold of the wheels of government. x 20 She is known by her extravagant generosity to the poor, 13

for she always reaches out her hands y to those in need. 21 She is not afraid of tribulation, z for all her household is covered in the dual garments aa of righteousness and grace. 22 Her clothing is beautifully knit together— ab a purple gown of exquisite linen. 23 Her husband is famous and admired by all, sitting as the venerable judge of his people. ac 24 Even her works of righteousness ad she does ae for the benefit of her enemies. af 25 Bold power and glorious majesty ag are wrapped around her as she laughs with joy over the latter days. ah 26 Her teachings are filled with wisdom and kindness as loving instruction pours from her lips. ai 27 She watches over the ways of her household aj and meets every need they have. 28 Her sons and daughters arise ak in one accord to extol her virtues, al and her husband arises to speak of her in glowing terms. am

“There are many valiant and noble ones, an but you have ascended above them all!” ao 30 Charm can be misleading, and beauty is vain and so quickly fades, but this virtuous woman lives in the wonder, awe, and fear of the Lord. She will be praised throughout eternity . 31 So go ahead and give her the credit that is due, for she has become a radiant woman, and all her loving works of righteousness deserve to be admired ap at the gateways of every city! 29

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31:1 Jewish legend is that King Lemuel was a pseudonym for Solomon, which would make his mother mentioned here to be Bathsheba. There is no other mention of Lemuel in the Scriptures. The Hebrew word translated “inspired words” is massa , which some have surmised was a place, meaning “Lemuel, King of M assa.” 31:1 The Septuagint is “These are words spoken by God, and through a king came an answer divine.” 31:3 As translated from the Septuagint. 31:9 See James 1:27 . 31:10 Starting with verse 10 through the end of the book,

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we have a Hebrew acrostic poem. It is alphabetical in structure, with each of the twenty-two verses beginning with a consecutive Hebrew letter of the alphabet. The implication is that the perfections of this woman would exhaust the entire language. The subject is the perfect bride, the virtuous woman. This woman is both a picture of a virtuous wife and an incredible allegory of the end-time victorious bride of Jesus Christ, full of virtue and grace. 31:10 The Hebrew word used to describe this virtuous wife is khayil . The meaning of this word cannot be contained by one English equivalent word. It is often used in connection with military prowess. This is a warring wife. Khayil can be translated “mighty; wealthy; excellent; morally righteous; full of substance, integrity, abilities, and strength; mighty like an army.” The wife is a metaphor for the lastdays church, the virtuous, overcoming bride of Jesus Christ. The word khayil is most often used to describe valiant men. See Ex. 18:21, where it is used for the mighty ones M oses was to commission as elders and leaders among the people. Because many of the cultural terms and metaphors used in this passage are not understood or even used in today’s English-speaking world, the translator has chosen to make them explicit. 31:10 Or “her worth.” The price paid for her was the sacred blood of the Lamb of God, her Bridegroom. 31:11 Or “has great confidence in her.” 31:12 The virtuous bride will not bring disgrace to his

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name. Jesus will not be ashamed to display her to the world. 31:13 Or “wool and linen [flax].” Wool is a metaphor often used as a symbol of what is pure. See Isa. 1:18; Dan. 7:9; Rev. 1:14 . Linen was made from flax and always speaks of righteousness. The priests of the Old Testament wore linen garments as they went before God’s presence to offer sacrifices. The curtains of the tabernacle were likewise made of linen, signifying God’s righteousness. See Ex. 28:39–43 and Rev. 19:8 . The virtuous bride of Christ in the last days will be seeking for only what is pure and righteous in the eyes of her Bridegroom. 31:13 Or “eagerly works with her hands.” The hands, with their five fingers, speak of the five ministries of the present work of Christ on the earth: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. These are often referred to as the five-fold ministries. Her delight is to equip others and help those in need. 31:14 Or “bread.” This is a consistent emblem of spiritual food. 31:14 Or “supplies from far away.” The implication is from another realm. She is bringing heavenly manna for those she feeds. 31:14 Or “like merchant ships bringing goods.” Like a ship loaded with cargo, the bride of Christ brings heavenly treasures to others. The use of the term merchant points to Jesus Christ. He is described as a merchant in M att. 13:45 in

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the parable of the costly pearl. The “pearl” is the church or the believer, which cost all that Jesus had (his blood) to purchase us. 31:15 She is interceding in the night, laboring in a night season to help others. 31:15 The Hebrew word translated “arise” can also mean “to rise up in power.” We are told to “arise and shine, for our light has come.” See Isa. 60:1, which uses the same Hebrew word for “arise.” The bride of Christ will arise with anointing to feed and bless the people of God. 31:15 Or “female servants.” The servants are a metaphor for other churches and ministries. 31:16 Or “a land, a country.” 31:16 Or “By the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.” (The Septuagint is “possession.”) For the hands, see 31:13 footnote. This vineyard becomes a metaphor for the local church. We are the branches of the vine (Christ). See John 15 . She is passionate about bringing forth fruit. She becomes a missionary to the nations, planting churches and bringing new life. 31:17 Or “She girds her loins with strength and makes her shoulders strong.” This is a figure of speech for being anointed with power to do the works of Jesus. See John 14:12 . 31:18 Or “good merchandise.” 31:18 Her prayer life (lamp) overcomes her circumstances, even in a culture where darkness prevails.

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31:19 As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew uses a term for “distaff” (a weaver’s staff), which is taken from a root word for “prosperity.” The poetic nuance of this phrase is that she uses her prosperity to bless the needy. x 31:19 Or “Her hands grasp the spindle.” The word translated as “spindle” can also mean “governmental circuits” or “wheels.” There is a hint here of the wheels mentioned in Ezek. 1. The throne of God’s government sits on flaming wheels. See Dan. 7:9. y 31:20 Notice the mention of her hands. See footnote on 31:13. z 31:21 Or “snow.” This is a figure of speech for the fear of a cold winter season. aa 31:21 As translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is “Everyone is covered in scarlet [blood].” Grace has brought righteousness to those in her house (under her ministry). ab 31:22 This garment speaks of the ministries of the body of Christ, woven and knit together by the Holy Spirit. See Eph. 4:15–16 and Col. 2:2 . ac 31:23 Or “sitting at the city gates among the elders of the land.” Judgment was rendered at the gates of a city in that day. It was their courtroom. Our heavenly King is also the judge. So famous, so glorious, yet he is our Bridegroom. ad 31:24 Or “linen.” See footnote for 31:13 regarding linen as a symbol for righteousness. ae 31:24 Or “sells them.” The root word for “sell” can also

mean “surrender.” 31:24 Or “aprons or belts for the Canaanites.” The Canaanites were the traditional enemies of the Hebrews. ag 31:25 Or “beauty, honor, and excellence.” ah 31:25 The virtuous and victorious bride has no fear for the days to come. She contemplates eternity and her forever union with the Bridegroom. ai 31:26 The Septuagint is “She opens her mouth carefully and lawfully.” aj 31:27 Or “She is a watchman over her house [family].” ak 31:28 The Hebrew word translated “arise” can also mean “to rise up with power.” The Septuagint is “She raises her children so they will grow rich.” al 31:28 Or “Hooray, hooray for our mother!” am 31:28 For more of how the heavenly Bridegroom loves his bride, read the Song of Songs. an 31:29 Or “M any daughters have obtained wealth because of her.” These valiant and noble ones (daughters) represent the church of previous generations who remained faithful in their pursuit of Jesus. But this final generation will be the bridal company of the lovers of God who do mighty exploits and miracles on the earth. ao 31:29 Or “You are first in his eyes.” See Song 6:8–9 . ap 31:31 The Septuagint could be translated “Her husband is praised at the city gates.” af

SONG OF SONGS Introduction AT A GLANCE Author : King Solomon, king of Israel Audience : Every passionate lover of God Date : The reign of King Solomon, 970–931 BC Type of Literature : Love poetry and wisdom literature Major Themes : Christ’s passion for his bride, divine relationship, the Christian life, and Christian devotion Outline: Title of the Poem of Love — 1:1 The Discovery of True Love — 1:2–1:16 The Shulamite Finds Her True Identity as the Fiancée of the King — 2:1–2:7 He Calls Her to a Higher Realm — 2:8–17

She Endures the Dark Night of the Soul — 3:1– 5 The Revelation of the Marriage Carriage — 3:6– 11 How the King Sees His Bride-to-Be — 4:1–5 The Shulamite Says Yes to the Higher Realm — 4:6 The King’s Perfect Partner — 4:7–5:1 The Magnificent Intercessor — 5:2–16 The King Lives in Her Heart — 6:1–3 She Ravishes His Heart — 6:4–9 The Radiant Bride — 6:10–7:13 The Cup of Bliss — 8:1–4 The Seal of Fire Placed upon Her Heart — 8:5–7 The Vineyard of Love — 8:8–13 The Divine Duet — 8:14

ABOUT SONG OF SONGS The first book translated in the Passion Translation was the Song of Songs (also known as the Song of Solomon), my favorite book in the Bible. I have fallen in love with this sweetest song of all the ages. We see the Shulamite’s breathtaking journey unveiled in this amazing allegory. It is the path every passionate lover

will choose. But this divine parable penned by Solomon also describes the journey that every longing lover of Jesus will find as his or her very own. By translating this portion of the Word of God, the Song of Songs, I have attempted to translate not only from a scholarly or linguistic perspective, but also from the passion of a heart on fire. Love will always find a language to express itself. Fiery love for Jesus pushes our thoughts out of hiding and puts them into words of adoration. This articulation, out of the deepest places of our hearts, moves God and inspires each of us to a greater devotion. Everyone deserves to hear and feel the passion of our Bridegroom for his radiant and soon-to-be-perfected bride. The inspired Song of Songs is a work of art. It is a melody sung from the heart of Jesus Christ for his longing bride. It is full of symbols, subtle art forms, poetry, and nuances that the translator must convey in order to bring it forth adequately to the English reader. This is what I have attempted to do with this project. Some of the cultural symbols that conveyed rich texture of meaning to the Hebrew speaker nearly

three thousand years ago have become almost impossible to leave in their literal form, since the English speaker of today has little or no connection to those symbols. This requires that much of the hidden meanings locked into the Hebrew text be made explicit. That is why I have chosen to make this a dynamic equivalent translation—transferring the meaning , not just the words , into a form that many will find refreshing. So be prepared to see yourself in this journey and hear the Lord’s lyrics of love sung over you. Invest the time to read this through in one sitting. Then go back and read slowly and carefully, pondering each verse and praying through each love principle revealed in this translation. I think you may be shocked to read some of the things spoken over your life, considering them almost too good to be true. May heaven’s glorious Bridegroom, the beloved of your soul, come and manifest himself to you in a wonderful fashion as you read Song of Songs in the Passion Translation. My prayer is that you will be as thrilled with what you read as I have been in translating it.

PURPOSE In reading this Shulamite’s journey, the storyline’s purpose is often missed or overlooked. I believe the Holy Spirit has hidden within the Song of Songs an amazing story—a story of how Jesus makes his bride beautiful and holy by casting out her fear with perfect love. This sent-from-heaven revelation is waiting to be received with all its intensity and power to unlock the deepest places of our hearts. Most of the earliest church fathers—including Origen, Gregory of Nyssa, Augustine, and Jerome— viewed the Song of Songs as a clear representation of Christ and his bride, presented in deeply symbolic and allegorical teaching. Along with many other early church fathers, they wrote commentaries to reveal the beautiful secrets given to us in Solomon’s masterpiece. Unfortunately for some, the Song of Songs has become merely a book expressing sexuality, with hidden meanings and symbols of sensuality. Many modern expositors teach from the Song of Songs the sexual relationship appropriate to a husband and wife. They find it difficult when others see the symbols and apply them to the spiritual journey every believer must take as we move further into the passionate

heart of our heavenly Bridegroom. Their fear is that we “over-spiritualize” the Song of Songs. How hard that would be! How wonderfully spiritual and holy is this song of all songs!

AUTHOR AND AUDIENCE The author of this love poem is made clear at the first stanza: “The most amazing song of all, by King Solomon.” We can be thankful and grateful this wise, stately king gave us such a passionate, symbolic picture of the love of God—first for his people and then for Christ’s church! His poetic insights deepen our understanding of the love of God in the same way they did for his people from generations past!

MAJOR THEMES Interpreting Song of Songs. This divine song of romance is one of the most difficult books to interpret. Over the centuries there have been no fewer than six dominant ways people have understood Song of Songs, including: typical, dramatic, mythological-cultic, dream, literal, and allegorical.

This translation reveals each symbol that the reader encounters in this song as a form of “virtual reality,” which, when properly interpreted, helps us in our pursuit of Jesus Christ. Truly, if this is the song of all songs, its theme goes beyond and reaches higher than merely literal human sexuality. It extends to our union with the living God. Christ’s Divine Love for His Bride. From the second verse in this poem of divine romance, the love of God shines and springs forth! It opens by testifying to the Spirit’s kiss of God’s divine word breathing upon us the revelation of this love, equipping us as his warriors and intoxicating us with his love. Throughout this most amazing song, it speaks of God’s saving love, keeping love, forgiving love, and embracing love. Even the allegory itself of the bride and Bridegroom-King speaks of the passionate pursuit of our loving God! Sitting with this poem of divine romance will transform your understanding of God’s love like never before! The dominant voice in this divine love poem is the Shulamite. This word (Shulamite) and the word for Solomon are taken from the same Hebrew root word —one masculine, the other feminine. We are one

spirit with our King, united with him. He longs for his bride to be his love prisoner, in the prison cell of his eternal love! Through our union with Christ we enjoy a joint possession of all things. You have become the Shulamite, and you will ultimately dwell in holy union with Jesus Christ. Divine Christian Romance. The poem embedded in this romantic book tells the story of our journey of divine romance as bride of the Bridegroom-King, Jesus Christ. It speaks of the journey every longing lover of Jesus will find as his or her very own. The bride sees her beloved as a shepherd, a representation of the relationship between you and your Beloved. The suffering love of Jesus will be over our hearts for the rest of our days—the revelation of our Beloved tied onto the cross like a bundle of myrrh, a picture of the suffering love of Christ dripping down from Calvary’s tree for every lover of God. The symbol of the bride (Christians) pursuing and being given to the Bridegroom-King (Jesus) also represents the community of brides, the church. For the beautiful bride overflowing with her Lover’s life is to be given to others, even as Jesus was given to us by the Father. She has become a feast for the nations, wine to cheer the hearts of others. In this

poem of divine romance the “city” is a picture of the local church, a place with government, order, and overseers. And the king’s “vineyard” is a picture of the church, the called-out multitude of those who follow Jesus. Passionate Christian Devotion. Throughout this love song of divine romance, various symbols are used to speak of our passionate, emotional devotion to our Bridegroom-King-Lover: lilies are symbols of our pure devotion in the “temple” of our inner being to Christ; foxes are the compromises hidden deep in our hearts that keep the fruit of passionate devotion to Christ from growing within us; hair is a symbol of our devotion to Christ; pomegranates are equated to human passion and emotions, for when opened they speak powerfully of our hearts of passion opened to our Lover.

SONG OF SONGS Divine Romance

1 The most amazing song of all, by King Solomon. The Shulamite a 2 Let him b smother me with kisses—his Spirit-kiss divine. c So kind are your caresses, d I drink them in like the sweetest wine! e 3 Your presence releases a fragrance so pleasing— over and over poured out. For your lovely name is “Flowing Oil.” f No wonder the brides-to-be adore you. g 4 Draw me into your heart. We will run away together into the king’s cloudfilled chamber. h

The Chorus of Friends We will remember your love, rejoicing and delighting in you, i celebrating your every kiss as better than wine. No wonder righteousness adores you! The Shulamite 5 Jerusalem maidens, in this twilight darkness I know I am so unworthy—so in need.

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The Shepherd-King Yet you are so lovely! The Shulamite I feel as dark and dry as the desert tents of the wandering nomads. k The Shepherd-King Yet you are so lovely— like the fine linen tapestry hanging in the Holy Place. The Shulamite to Her Friends 6 Please don’t stare in scorn because of my dark and sinful ways.

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My angry brothers quarreled with me and appointed me guardian of their ministry vineyards, yet I’ve not tended my vineyard within. Won’t you tell me, lover of my soul, where do you feed your flock? Where do you lead your beloved ones m to rest in the heat of the day? For I wish to be wrapped all around you as I wander among the flocks of your shepherds. It is you I long for, with no veil between us! n

The Shepherd-King 8 Listen, my radiant one— if you ever lose sight of me, just follow in my footsteps where I lead my lovers. Come with your burdens and cares. Come to the place near the sanctuary of my shepherds. o 9 My dearest one, p let me tell you how I see you— you are so thrilling to me. To gaze upon you is like looking

at one of Pharaoh’s finest horses— a strong, regal steed pulling his royal chariot. q 10 Your tender cheeks are aglow— your earrings and gem-laden necklaces set them ablaze. 11 We will enhance your beauty, r encircling you with our golden reins of love. You will be marked with our redeeming grace. s The Shulamite 12 As the king surrounded me at his table, t the sweet fragrance of my praise perfume u awakened the night. 13 A sachet of myrrh is my lover, like a tied-up bundle of myrrh v resting over my heart. 14 He is like a bouquet of henna blossoms— henna plucked near the vines at the fountain of the Lamb. w I will hold him and never let him part. The Shepherd-King 15 Look at you, my dearest darling,

you are so lovely! You are beauty itself to me. x Your passionate eyes are like gentle doves.

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The Shulamite 16 My beloved one, z both handsome and winsome, you are pleasing beyond words. Our resting place aa is anointed and flourishing, like a green forest meadow bathed in light. 17 Rafters of cedar branches are over our heads and balconies of pleasant-smelling pines. ab

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1:2 The word for Shulamite and the word for Solomon are taken from the same Hebrew root word; one is masculine, the other feminine. The name Solomon occurs seven times in this book, which points us to the perfect King, Jesus Christ. We are one spirit with our King, united with him. You have become the Shulamite. b 1:2 To enter the doorway of Jesus’ heart we must begin by saying, “Let him.” We only bring him a yielded heart and must “let him” do the rest. God’s loving grace means that he will be enough for us. We can “let him” be everything to us. We don’t begin by doing but by yielding.

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1:2 This Spirit kiss is what made Adam, the man of clay, into a living expression of God. Dust and deity met when the M aker kissed his Spirit wind into Adam. The Word of God is the kiss from the mouth of our Beloved, breathing upon us the revelation of his love. 1:2 Or “your breasts” or “your loves.” This speaks of his saving love, keeping love, forgiving love, and embracing love. The love of Jesus cannot be singular; it is so infinite it must be described in the plural. 1:2 There is a wordplay in the Hebrew, similar to a pun. The word for “kisses” and the word for “take a drink [wine]” is nearly the same. The implication, as seen by ancient expositors, is that God’s lovers will be drunk with love, the intoxicating kisses of his mouth. The Hebrew word for “kiss” is nashaq , which can also mean “to equip” or “to arm (for battle).” We need his kisses to become equipped warriors for him. 1:3 The Hebrew contains a wordplay with the words “name” ( shem ) and “oil” ( shemen ). 1:3 Because of the order of the consonants, some Jewish sources translate this “The maidens love you unto death.” See Goldin, Song, 116; J. Sason, “On Pope’s Song,” 191. 1:4 The Hebrew text literally means “the king’s chamber inside of a chamber.” This points us to the Holy of Holies inside the temple chamber. 1:4 The Hebrew word for “love” (‘ ahab ) is found seven times in the Song of Songs (1:3, 4, 7; 3:1, 2, 3, 4). The

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Hebrew root word for “rejoice” ( gyl ) is a homonym for “spinning in a circle or dance.” The implication is that we dance for joy when we remember his love. 1:5 Or “black.” The Hebrew root word used here for “black” or “dark” means “twilight darkness” or “morning gray.” 1:5 Literally “dark as the tent curtains of Kedar.” There is a wordplay in the Hebrew, as the word Kedar means “a dark one” or “a dark place.” This was the name of one of the sons of Ishmael and represents our old Adam life. See Ps. 120:5 . 1:6 Or “M any morning suns have darkened (stared) at me.” 1:7 She sees her beloved as a shepherd. This is a metaphor of the role he takes in her eyes. We need not develop a literal storyline of a lover and a shepherd, but a representation of the relationship between you and your Beloved, which cannot be described by one symbol or role. 1:7 The Hebrew uses the verb ‘atah , which means “to wrap [cloak/veil].” The Aramaic and Latin Vulgate use the verb for “to wander.” This translation has included both concepts. 1:8 Or “graze your goats by the shepherds’ tents.” This is a metaphor that speaks of her responsibilities and labors. 1:9 Or “darling.” The Hebrew word r ’yh is found ten times in the Bible and nine of them are in the Song of Songs. The Hebrew wordplay is seen in that “tend the flock” and

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“darling” are homonyms. 1:9 The finest horses in Solomon’s stables were imported from Egypt. See 2 Chron. 1:14–17. 1:11 This is the Trinity (“we”), which will be involved in making every Shulamite holy and radiant. 1:11 Or “with studs of silver.” The concept of silver in the Bible always points to redemption, the price paid to set us free. The cross is a “stud of silver” planted into Calvary’s hill that opened the grace fountain for all world to drink from. 1:12 This points to our enjoyment of the Lord as we have communion at the Lord’s table. 1:12 Or “spikenard.” See M ark 14:1–11 and John 12:1–11 . 1:13 This bundle of tied-up myrrh is an incredible picture of the cross. M yrrh, known as an embalming spice, is always associated with suffering. The suffering love of Jesus will be over her heart for the rest of her days—the revelation of our Beloved tied onto the cross like a bundle of myrrh. 1:14 Or “at Engedi.” Engedi means “fountain of the Lamb.” The Hebrew word for “henna” is a homonym that can mean “atonement” or “redeeming grace.” 1:15 The Hebrew word for “beautiful,” yāpāh , is used five times to describe the Shulamite, and three times she is called bannāšîm (the most beautiful of women). Eight times her beauty is extolled. Eight is the number for new creation life.

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1:15 The Hebrew text literally means “Your eyes are doves.” Some see this as a hypocorism, but the dove points us to the Holy Spirit. She is commended for seeing him with spiritual revelation as she perceives the glory of the cross with its “myrrh.” z 1:16 The Hebrew word , usually translated “beloved,” is taken from a root word that means “to boil.” The implication is that the beloved causes her heart to boil over with passion. aa 1:16 Or “canopied bed” or “luxuriant couch.” ab 1:17 Or “cypress.” Cedars and cypress were the two most common woods used in the construction of Solomon’s temple.

2 I am truly his rose, the very theme of his song. a I’m overshadowed by his love, growing in the valley! The Shepherd-King 2 Yes, you are my darling companion. You stand out from all the rest. For though the curse of sin surrounds you, still you remain as pure as a lily, c

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even more than all others. The Shulamite 3 My beloved is to me the most fragrant apple tree— he stands above the sons of men. d Sitting under his grace-shadow, I blossom in his shade, enjoying the sweet taste of his pleasant, delicious fruit, resting with delight where his glory never fades. 4 Suddenly, he transported me into his house of wine — he looked upon me with his unrelenting love divine. e 5

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Revive me with your raisin cakes. f Refresh me again with your apples. g Help me and hold me, for I am lovesick! I am longing for more— yet how could I take more ? His left hand i cradles my head while his right hand holds me close. j I am at rest in this love.

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The Shepherd-King 7 Promise me, brides-to-be, by the gentle gazelles k and delicate deer, that you’ll not disturb my love until she is ready to arise. The Shulamite 8 Listen! I hear my lover’s voice. I know it’s him coming to me— leaping with joy over mountains, skipping in love over the hills that separate us , to come to me. 9 Let me describe him: he is graceful as a gazelle, swift as a wild stag. Now he comes closer, even to the places where I hide. m He gazes into my soul, peering through the portal as he blossoms within my heart. 10 The one I love calls to me: The Bridegroom-King Arise, my dearest. Hurry, my darling.

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Come away with me! I have come as you have asked to draw you to my heart and lead you out. For now is the time, my beautiful one. 11 The season has changed, the bondage of your barren winter has ended, and the season of hiding is over and gone. The rains have soaked the earth n 12 and left it bright with blossoming flowers. The season for singing and pruning the vines has arrived. o I hear the cooing of doves in our land, p filling the air with songs to awaken you and guide you forth. 13 Can you not discern this new day of destiny breaking forth around you? The early signs of my purposes and plans are bursting forth. q The budding vines of new life are now blooming everywhere. The fragrance of their flowers whispers, “There is change in the air.” Arise, my love, my beautiful companion,

and run with me to the higher place. For now is the time to arise and come away with me. 14 For you are my dove, hidden in the split-open rock. r It was I who took you and hid you up high in the secret stairway of the sky. Let me see your radiant face and hear your sweet voice. s How beautiful your eyes of worship and lovely your voice in prayer. 15 You must catch the troubling foxes, those sly little foxes that hinder our relationship. t For they raid our budding vineyard of love to ruin what I’ve planted within you. Will you catch them and remove them for me? We will do it together. The Shulamite 16 I know my lover is mine and I have everything in you, for we delight ourselves in each other. u 17 But until the day springs to life

and the shifting shadows of fear disappear, turn around, my lover, and ascend to the holy mountains of separation without me. Until the new day fully dawns, run on ahead like the graceful gazelle and skip like the young stag over the mountains of separation. Go on ahead to the mountain of spices— I’ll come away another time .

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2:1 The Hebrew text says, “a rose of Sharon.” The word Sharon can be translated “his song.” She now sees herself as the one he sings over. The root word for “rose” (Hebrew habab ) can mean “overshadowed.” 2:2 This is a thorn bush, which speaks of the curse of sin. See Gen. 3:18; John 19:5 ; Gal. 3:13 . On the cross, Jesus wore a crown of thorns, for he took away the curse of sin. 2:2 The emblem of a lily was engraved on the upper part of the pillars of Solomon’s temple. Lilies are symbols of purity in the “temple” of our inner being. 2:3 Or “trees of the forest.” Trees in the Bible are often metaphors for humanity. 2:4 Or “His (tribal) banner covering me was love.” There are two Hebrew words for banner: nes is the military banner,

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and the one used here is degel , the tribal banner, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. The bride lives under the banner of the tribe of love. 2:5 Or “goblet of wine.” King David gave raisin cakes to the entire nations of Israel in celebration of the Ark of Glory, God’s presence, coming into Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6:19). Additionally, the Hebrew word for “with raisin cakes,” ba’ashishot , is a homonym that can also mean “fires.” The fires of passion and love are overwhelming. 2:5 Or “apricots.” These are the sweet promises of grace that sustain us. 2:5 Or “wounded by love.” 2:6 The Hebrew word for “left” is smowl , which can also mean “dark.” The left hand of the Lord speaks of the mysteries of his ways—the unseen activities of grace, which are so little understood. 2:6 For more on the right hand and left hand, see Prov. 3:16 . 2:7 In the poetic imagery of the Song of Songs, deer and gazelle are symbols of the joys of love. The Septuagint says, “By all the powers and strengths of the field.” 2:8 Implied in the context of 2:17. 2:9 Or “There he stands behind our wall.” Fear and religious duty will always have a wall to hide behind. The contrast is striking. He is free and leaping over mountains, but the Shulamite was enclosed and restricted behind a wall. 2:11 The rains speak of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

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She is refreshed and prepared to move out with him. 2:12 Or “The season of singing has arrived.” The Hebrew word for “pruning” is a homonym that can also mean “singing.” 2:12 This is the turtledove, which is heard only at the time of harvest. The turtledove is also an acceptable sacrifice of cleansing in place of a lamb. The words “our land” show the joint possession of all things that we enjoy through our union with Christ. 2:13 This text is literally translated “The fig tree has sweetened and puts forth its early figs.” In the language of allegory, the fig tree is a picture of destiny and purpose. The sign of a fig tree blooming is the sign of an early spring, a new season. 2:14 This speaks of the wounded side of Jesus, our Rock where we hide and rest. When M oses asked God to see his glory, God hid M oses in the cleft of the rock. See Ex. 33:22. 2:14 The Hebrew text literally means “Your voice is delicious.” 2:15 These “foxes” are the compromises that are hidden deep in our hearts. These are areas of our lives where we have not yet allowed the victory of Christ to shine into. The foxes keep the fruit of his Spirit from growing within us. 2:16 The Hebrew wording includes the phrase “He browses among the lilies.” The Hebrew word for “browse” can also mean “to take delight in” or “to be as a special

friend.” The same Hebrew word, ra’ah , is used in Ps. 23:1 , “The Lord is my Shepherd [Best Friend].” v 2:17 This text literally means “mountains of Bether,” the Hebrew word for “separation” or “gap.” This could be the realm of holiness, being separated to God. Some scholars say Bether was a spiritual representation of a mountain of fragrant spices; i.e., the realm of holiness.

3 Night after night I’m tossing and turning on my

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bed of travail. Why did I let him go from me? How my heart now aches for him, but he is nowhere to be found! So I must rise in search of him, looking throughout the city, a seeking until I find him. Even if I have to roam through every street, nothing will keep me from my search. Where is he—my soul’s true love? He is nowhere to be found. Then I encountered the overseers as they encircled the city. So I asked them, “Have you found him— my heart’s true love?”

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Just as I moved past them, I encountered him. I found the one I adore! I caught him and fastened myself to him, refusing to be feeble in my heart again. Now I’ll bring him back to the temple within where I was given new birth— into my innermost parts, the place of my conceiving.

The Bridegroom-King 5 Promise me, O Jerusalem maidens, by the gentle gazelles and delicate deer, that you’ll not disturb my love until she is ready to arise. The Voice of the Lord 6 Who is this one ascending from the wilderness in the pillar of the glory cloud? He is fragrant with the anointing oils of myrrh and frankincense — b more fragrant than all the spices of the merchant. 7 Look! It is the king’s marriage carriage. The love seat surrounded by sixty champions, the mightiest of Israel’s host,

are like pillars of protection. They are angelic warriors standing ready with swords to defend the king and his fiancée from every terror of the night. 9 The king made this mercy seat for himself out of the finest wood that will not decay. 10 Pillars of smoke, like silver mist— a canopy of golden glory dwells above it. The place where they sit together is sprinkled with crimson. Love and mercy cover this carriage, blanketing his tabernacle throne. The king himself has made it for those who will become his bride. 11 Rise up, Zion maidens, brides-to-be! Come and feast your eyes on this king as he passes in procession on his way to his wedding. This is the day filled with overwhelming joy— the day of his great gladness. 8

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3:2 The city is a picture of the local church, a place with government, order, and overseers. She goes from church to church, looking for the one she loves. b 3:6 These spices are found in the Bible as ingredients of the sacred anointing oil. M yrrh points to the suffering and death of Christ, while frankincense reveals the fragrance of his perfect life and ministry.

The Bridegroom-King

4 Listen, my dearest darling,

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you are so beautiful—you are beauty itself to me! Your eyes glisten with love, like gentle doves behind your veil. What devotion I see each time I gaze upon you. You are like a sacrifice ready to be offered. a When I look at you, I see how you have taken my fruit and tasted my word. Your life has become clean and pure, like a lamb washed and newly shorn. You now show grace and balance with truth on

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display. Your lips are as lovely as Rahab’s scarlet ribbon, b

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speaking mercy, speaking grace. The words of your mouth are as refreshing as an oasis. What pleasure you bring to me! I see your blushing cheeks opened like the halves of a pomegranate, c showing through your veil of tender meekness. When I look at you, I see your inner strength, so stately and strong. You are as secure as David’s fortress. Your virtues and grace cause a thousand famous soldiers to surrender to your beauty. Your pure faith and love rest over your heart as you nurture those who are yet infants.

The Shulamite 6 I’ve made up my mind. Until the darkness disappears and the dawn has fully come,

in spite of shadows and fears, I will go to the mountaintop with you— the mountain of suffering love d and the hill of burning incense. Yes, I will be your bride . e The Bridegroom-King 7 Every part of you is so beautiful, my darling. Perfect is your beauty, without flaw within. 8 Now you are ready, my bride, to come with me as we climb the highest peaks together. Come with me through the archway of trust. f We will look down g from the crest of the glistening mounts and from the summit of our sublime sanctuary. Together we will wage war in the lion’s den and the leopard’s lair as they watch nightly for their prey. 9 For you reach into my heart. With one flash of your eyes I am undone by your love, my beloved, my equal, my bride.

You leave me breathless— I am overcome by merely a glance from your worshiping eyes, for you have stolen my heart. h I am held hostage by your love and by the graces of righteousness shining upon you. i 10 How satisfying to me, my equal, my bride. Your love is my finest wine—intoxicating and thrilling. And your sweet, perfumed praises—so exotic, so pleasing. 11 Your loving words are like the honeycomb to me; your tongue releases milk and honey, for I find the Promised Land flowing within you . j

The fragrance of your worshiping love surrounds you with scented robes of white. k 12 My darling bride, my private paradise, fastened to my heart. A secret spring are you that no one else can have— my bubbling fountain hidden from public view.

What a perfect partner to me now that I have you. 13–14 Your inward life is now sprouting, bringing forth fruit. What a beautiful paradise unfolds within you. l When I’m near you, I smell aromas of the finest spice, for many clusters of my exquisite fruit now grow within your inner garden. Here are the nine: pomegranates of passion, m henna from heaven, n spikenard so sweet, o saffron shining, p fragrant calamus from the cross, q sacred cinnamon, r branches of scented woods, s myrrh, like tears from a tree, t and aloe as eagles ascending. u 15 Your life flows into mine, pure as a garden spring. A well of living water springs up from within you,

like a mountain brook flowing into my heart! v The Shulamite Bride 4:16–5:1 Then may your awakening breath blow upon my life until I am fully yours. Breathe upon me with your Spirit wind. Stir up the sweet spice of your life within me. Spare nothing as you make me your fruitful garden. Hold nothing back until I release your fragrance. Come walk with me as you walked with Adam in your paradise garden. w Come taste the fruits of your life in me. The Bridegroom-King I have come to you, my darling bride, for you are my paradise garden! The Shulamite Bride Come walk with me until I am fully yours. Come taste the fruits of your life in me.

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4:1 The Hebrew text literally means “Your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down M ount Gilead.” There is

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great symbolism in this verse. Hair is a symbol of our devotion to Christ. M ount Gilead (“hill of testimony”) is where the sacrificial animals were kept in preparation for temple sacrifices. So a goat coming down M ount Gilead was a sacrifice ready to be offered. 4:3 The “scarlet ribbon” in the text is a comparison to the ribbon Rahab placed at her dwelling to show the place where mercy would spare her life. The color scarlet points us to the blood of mercy, Christ’s sacrifice that has spared us. See Josh. 2. 4:3 Pomegranates were engraved on the tops of the pillars of Solomon’s temple and were also sewn into the hem of the robes of the high priest. They speak of our open hearts of love, filled with passion for him. The Hebrew word for “pomegranate” is ramam , a homonym that means “to rise up.” Pomegranates were also placed on the hem of the robe of the high priest, interspersed with golden bells. 4:6 Literally “the mountain of myrrh”—the emblem of suffering love. To become the bride, she must experience Calvary, as did her Lord. We must be his co-crucified partner who will embrace the fellowship of his sufferings. See Gal. 2:20 and Phil. 3:10 . 4:6 Implied in the context, affirmed by the bridegroom in v. 8 . This is the first mention of the Shulamite as the bride. 4:8 Translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is “the crest of Amana.” Amana comes from a Hebrew root word from which we get the English word amen . This is also one

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of the Hebrew words for “faith.” The crest of Amana is the realm where all God’s promises are kept and realized. Amana can also be translated “a place of settled security.” Dictionary of Scripture Proper Names by J. B. Jackson. 4:8 The word for “look” is “survey, inspect, look all around, observe.” The bride of Christ is seated on high with Jesus and is encouraged to survey all the blessings heaven contains in our co-exaltation with Christ. 4:9 Or “You have ravished my heart.” This is the Hebrew word libabthini , which is taken from a Semitic root word that means “to tear bark off of a tree.” He is saying that your loving eyes of worship have uncovered his heart and laid it bare, making him vulnerable to you. What a description of what happens to Jesus when he looks into your eyes. Your worship brings to him such an ecstasy and delight that it becomes hard to even imagine. Yet God has placed inside of you the ability to ravish the heart of your King—not someday in heaven, but now, even when you feel incomplete and weak. 4:9 Or “the jewels of your neck [necklace].” These divine jewels are the beautifying graces that the Holy Spirit gives to us. They are the graces of righteousness given to the redeemed bride of Christ. 4:11 Both the Promised Land and your heart flow with milk and honey. You have become the Promised Land of Jesus Christ. 4:11 Or “like the scent of Lebanon.”

l 4:13–14 Or “Your shoots are a paradise of pomegranates.” m 4:13–14 “Pomegranate” is taken from a word that means “exalted.” The temple pillars were adorned with pomegranates. n 4:13–14 “Henna” comes from a root word for “ransom price” or “redemption.” The fruit of mercy is seen in his maturing bride. o 4:13–14 The Hebrew root word for “spikenard” means “light.” She is walking in the light as he is the Light. p 4:13–14 Saffron is the crocus, the lover’s perfume, costly and fragrant. q 4:13–14 Calamus is taken from a marsh plant known as “sweet flag,” which produces fragrant oil. The Hebrew word for this spice means “purchased” or “redeemed.” r 4:13–14 Cinnamon emits a fragrance that is representative of an odor of holiness to the Lord. It was used in the sacred anointing oil of the priests and the tabernacle. s 4:13–14 This is the incense that would be burned on the golden altar in the Holy Place. t 4:13–14 Known as “tears from a tree,” myrrh was a resin spice formed by cutting a tree. It is a picture of the suffering love of Christ dripping down from Calvary’s tree. u 4:13–14 Aloe is considered by many as a healing balm. The presence of the Lord within her is released as a healing balm to those she touches. Jesus’ robes smelled of aloe ( Ps. 45:8 ). One of the names used by some for aloe is “eagle wood.” Like eagles, we fly above our wounds, free from the

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past as we walk in intimacy with him. 4:15 Or “like the flowing streams of Lebanon.” 4:16–5:1 The scene of a garden and the breath of God point us back to Eden. Now this paradise is found in his bride. This is the reason the reference of Adam is given: to help the reader connect with the mystery of this scene. See also Jer. 31:12 and John 15:1–2 .

The Bridegroom-King

5 I have gathered from your heart, my equal, my bride, I have gathered from my garden all my sacred spices—even my myrrh. I have tasted and enjoyed my wine within you. I have tasted with pleasure my pure milk, my honeycomb, which you yield to me. I delight in gathering my sacred spice, all the fruits of my life I have gathered from within you, my paradise garden. Come, all my friends— feast upon my bride, all you revelers of my palace.

Feast on her, my lovers! Drink and drink, and drink again, until you can take no more. Drink the wine of her love. Take all you desire, you priests. My life within her will become your feast.

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The Shulamite Bride 2 After this I let my devotion slumber, but my heart for him stayed awake. I had a dream. I dreamed of my beloved— he was coming to me in the darkness of night. The melody of the man I love awakened me. I heard his knock at my heart’s door as he pleaded with me: The Bridegroom-King Arise, my love. Open your heart, my darling, deeper still to me. Will you receive me this dark night? There is no one else but you, my friend, my equal. I need you this night to arise and come be with

me. You are my pure, loyal dove, a perfect partner for me. My flawless one, will you arise? For my heaviness and tears are more than I can bear. I have spent myself for you throughout the dark night. b The Sleeping Bride 3 I have already laid aside my own garments for you. How could I take them up again since I’ve yielded my righteousness to yours? c You have cleansed my life and taken me so far. Isn’t that enough? 4 My beloved reached into me to unlock my heart. The core of my very being trembled at his touch. How my soul melted when he spoke to me! 5 My spirit arose to open for more of his touch. As I surrendered to him, I began to sense his fragrance— the fragrance of his suffering love! It was the sense of myrrh flowing all through me! 6 I opened my soul to my beloved, but suddenly he

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was gone! And my heart was torn out in longing for him. I sought his presence, his fragrance, but could not find him anywhere. I called out for him, yet he did not answer me. I will arise and search for him until I find him. As I walked throughout the city in search of him, the overseers stopped me as they made their rounds. They beat me and bruised me until I could take no more. They wounded me deeply and removed their covering from me. Nevertheless, make me this promise, you brides-tobe: if you find my beloved one, please tell him I endured all travails for him. I’ve been pierced through by love, d and I will not be turned aside!

Jerusalem Maidens, Brides-to-Be 9 What love is this? How could you continue to care so deeply for him? Isn’t there another who could steal away your heart?

We see now your beauty, more beautiful than all the others. What makes your beloved better than any other? What is it about him that makes you ask us to promise you this? The Shulamite Bride 10 He alone is my beloved. He shines in dazzling splendor yet is still so approachable— without equal as he stands above all others, outstanding among ten thousand! e 11 The way he leads me is divine. His leadership—so pure and dignified as he wears his crown of gold. Upon this crown are letters of black written on a background of glory. f 12 He sees everything with pure understanding. How beautiful his insights—without distortion. His eyes rest upon the fullness of the river of revelation, flowing so clean and pure. 13 Looking at his gentle face I see such fullness of emotion. Like a lovely garden where fragrant spices grow—

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what a man! No one speaks words so anointed as this one— h words that both pierce and heal, words like lilies dripping with myrrh. 14 See how his hands hold unlimited power! But he never uses it in anger, for he is always holy, displaying his glory. His innermost place is a work of art— so beautiful and bright. How magnificent and noble is this one— covered in majesty! 15 He’s steadfast in all he does. His ways are the ways of righteousness, based on truth and holiness. None can rival him, but all will be amazed by him. i 16 Most sweet are his kisses, even his whispers of love. He is delightful in every way and perfect from every viewpoint. If you ask me why I love him so, O brides-to-be, it’s because there is none like him to me. Everything about him fills me with holy desire! And now he is my beloved—my friend forever.

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4:16–5:1 The beautiful bride overflowing with his life is to be given to others, even as Jesus was given to us by the Father. She has become a feast for the nations, wine to cheer the hearts of others. 5:2 The Hebrew text literally means “M y head is filled with dew and my hair with the drops of the night.” This is clearly a picture of Jesus as the Gethsemane M an, the one who prayed all night for us ( John 17 ). This translation takes the liberty of taking the implicit and making it explicit in order to express the dynamic equivalent and aid the reader in understanding the scene. 5:3 Garments in the Bible are frequently used as a picture of righteousness. Filthy garments are a symbol of unrighteousness or self-righteousness. Clean white garments are a picture of the righteousness of Christ. Laying aside her garments is a symbolic picture of what happens when we come to know Jesus as Savior—we lay aside our selfrighteousness and take up his garments of true righteousness. 5:8 As translated from the Septuagint. 5:10 Or “waving his banner to myriads.” Jesus stands above all others. 5:11 M any Jewish interpreters have seen the phrase “His locks are wavy (like a palm branch) and black as a raven” as pointing us to the letters of the law written in heaven.

Jewish rabbis teach that the precepts of the Word of God (Torah) are written in the heavenly realm, with black letters on top of white flames of glory fire. (Hebrew letters can appear as locks of hair.) g 5:13 The Hebrew text is literally “like a tower of fragrance.” These beds of spices would picture a garden of emotion and sweetness coming forth from her beloved. h 5: 13 See Ps. 45:2 , a psalm with an inscription stating it was written to the “tune of lilies.” i 5:15 Or “He looks like Lebanon, choice as its cedars.” The Hebrew word for “choice” ( bahur ) is a homonym that also means “young man.”

Brides-to-Be

6 O rarest of beauty, where then has your lover gone? We long to see him too. Where may we find him? We will follow you as you seek after him. The Shulamite Bride 2 My lover has gone down into his garden of delight, the place where his spices grow,

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to feast with those pure in heart. I know we shall find him there. He is within me—I am his garden of delight. I have him fully and now he fully has me!

The Bridegroom-King 4 O my beloved, you are lovely. When I see you in your beauty, I see a radiant city where we will dwell as one. a More pleasing than any pleasure, more delightful than any delight, you have ravished my heart, stealing away my strength to resist you. Even hosts of angels stand in awe of you. b 5 Turn your eyes from me; I can’t take it anymore! I can’t resist the passion of these eyes that I adore. Overpowered by a glance, my ravished heart— undone. Held captive by your love, I am truly overcome! c

For your undying devotion to me is the most yielded sacrifice. d

The shining of your spirit e shows how you have taken my truth to become balanced and complete. 7 Your beautiful blushing cheeks reveal how real your passion is for me, even hidden behind your veil of humility. 8 I could have chosen any from among the vast multitude of royal ones who follow me. f 9 But one is my beloved dove—unrivaled in beauty, without equal, beyond compare, the perfect one, the favorite one. Others see your beauty and sing of your joy. Brides and queens chant your praise: “How blessed is she!” 10 Look at you now— arising as the dayspring of the dawn, fair as the shining moon. Bright and brilliant as the sun in all its strength. Astonishing to behold as a majestic army waving banners of victory. 6

The Shulamite Bride 11 I decided to go down to the valley streams where the orchards of the king grow and mature. I longed to know if hearts were opening. Are the budding vines blooming with new growth? Has their springtime of passionate love arrived? 12 Then suddenly my longings transported me. My divine desire brought me next to my beloved prince, sitting with him in his royal chariot. We were lifted up together! g Zion Maidens, Brides-to-Be 13 Come back! Return to us, O maiden of his majesty. Dance for us as we gaze upon your beauty. The Shulamite Bride Why would you seek a mere Shulamite like me? Why would you want to see my dance of love? The Bridegroom-King Because you dance so gracefully, as though you danced with angels! h

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6:4 The text includes a reference to Jerusalem. For the Jew, it is the city where God and man lived together. For the believer, it points to the New Jerusalem, where God and man dwell in holy union. 6:4 This is how various Hebrew scholars have interpreted the phrase: “awe inspiring, as an army with banners.” 6:5 The Hebrew word for “overcome” is Rahab . Like the harlot who was chosen, favored, saved from Jericho’s destruction, and included in the genealogy of Jesus, so you have “overcome” his heart. No one would have thought Rahab would be so honored, and many have said that about you. You have overcome many things, but to overcome him is love’s delight. 6:5 Literally “Your hair is like a wave of goats streaming down M ount Gilead.” We see hair as a picture of our devotion to Christ. See also Song 4:1 . 6:6 The word used in most translations is teeth , which is taken from a Hebrew root word that some believe means “white” or “shining.” With our teeth we chew the Word of God and process its truths. 6:8 The Hebrew text literally means “sixty queens, eighty brides, and endless numbers of women.” 6:12 Considered to be the most difficult verse to translate in the Song of Songs, the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. 6:13 This is literally “the dance of M ahanaim” or “the dance of two armies.” When Jacob (Israel) returned to the

Promised Land, he entered at M ahanaim, the place where two camps of angels gathered. See Gen. 32:1–2.

7 How beautiful on the mountains are the sandaled feet of this one bringing such good news. You are truly royalty! The way you walk so gracefully in my ways displays such dignity. You are truly the poetry of God—his very handiwork. 2–3 Out of your innermost being is flowing the fullness of my Spirit— never failing to satisfy. Within your womb there is a birthing of harvest wheat; they are the sons and daughters nurtured by the purity you impart. How gracious you have become! 4 Your life stands tall as a tower, like a shining light on a hill. Your revelation eyes are pure, like pools of refreshing— a

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sparkling light for a multitude. Such discernment surrounds you, protecting you from the enemy’s advance. Redeeming love crowns you as royalty. Your thoughts are full of life, wisdom, and virtue. Even a king is held captive by your beauty. How delicious is your fair beauty; it cannot be described as I count the delights you bring to me. Love has become the greatest. You stand in victory above the rest, stately and secure as you share with me your vineyard of love. Now I decree, I will ascend and arise. I will take hold of you with my power, possessing every part of my fruitful bride. Your love I will drink as wine, and your words will be mine. For your kisses of love are exhilarating, more than any delight I’ve known before. Your kisses of love awaken even the lips of sleeping ones.

The Shulamite Bride 10 Now I know that I am filled with my beloved and all his desires are fulfilled in me. 11 Come away, my lover. Come with me to the faraway fields. We will run away together to the forgotten places and show them redeeming love. 12 Let us arise and run to the vineyards of your people b

and see if the budding vines of love are now in full bloom. We will discover if their passion is awakened. c There I will display my love for you. 13 The love apples are in bloom, sending forth their fragrance of spring. The rarest of fruits are found at our doors— the new as well as the old. I have stored them for you, my lover-friend!

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7:4 Or “the pools of Hesbon,” which means “fertile thoughts.” b 7:12 Or “villages.” The Hebrew word kefarim has a homonym that means “atonement” and another that means

“henna.” Combined, the three words are “the henna villages of atonement.” c 7:12 Pomegranates are equated to human passion and emotions. When opened, they are a blushing fruit and speak powerfully of our hearts of passion opened to our Lover.

8 If only I could show everyone

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this passionate desire I have for you. If only I could express it fully, no matter who was watching me, without shame or embarrassment. I long to bring you to my innermost chamber— this holy sanctuary you have formed within me. O that I might carry you within me. I would give you the spiced wine of my love, this full cup of bliss that we share. We would drink our fill until . . . His left hand cradles my head while his right hand holds me close. We are at rest in this love. Promise me, brides-to-be, by the gentle gazelles and delicate deer, that you’ll not disturb my love until he is ready to arise.

The Bridegroom-King 5 Who is this one? Look at her now! She arises out of her desert, clinging to her beloved. When I awakened you under the apple tree, as you were feasting upon me, I awakened your innermost being with the travail of birth as you longed for more of me. 6 Fasten me upon your heart as a seal of fire forevermore. This living, consuming flame will seal you as my prisoner of love. a My passion b is stronger than the chains of death and the grave, all consuming as the very flashes of fire from the burning heart of God. c Place this fierce, unrelenting fire over your entire being. 7 Rivers of pain and persecution will never extinguish this flame. Endless floods will be unable to quench this raging fire that burns within

you. Everything will be consumed. It will stop at nothing as you yield everything to this furious fire until it won’t even seem to you like a sacrifice anymore. The Shulamite Bride 8–10 My brothers said to me when I was young, “Our sister is so immature. What will we do to guard her for her wedding day?” The Bridegroom-King We will build a tower of redemption to protect her. Since she is vulnerable, we will enclose her with a wall of cedar boards. The Shulamite Bride But now I have grown and become a bride, and my love for him has made me a tower of passion and contentment for my beloved. I am now a firm wall of protection for others,

guarding them from harm. This is how he sees me—I am the one who brings him bliss, finding favor in his eyes. 11 My bridegroom-king has a vineyard of love made from a multitude of followers. d His caretakers of this vineyard have given my beloved their best. 12 But as for my own vineyard of love, I give it all to you forever. And I will give double honor to those who serve my beloved and have watched over my soul. 13 My beloved, one with me in my garden, how marvelous that my friends, the brides-to-be, now hear your voice and song. Let me now hear it again. The Bridegroom and the Bride in Divine Duet 14 Arise, my darling! Come quickly, my beloved. Come and be the graceful gazelle with me. Come be like a dancing deer with me. We will dance in the high place of the sky, yes, on the mountains of fragrant spice.

Forever we shall be united as one!

a

8:6 The ancient Hebrew word for “seal” can also be translated “prison cell.” He longs for his bride to be his love prisoner, in the prison cell of his eternal love. b 8:6 Or “jealousy.” c 8:6 The phrase in Hebrew is “a most vehement flame” and is actually two Hebrew words. The first is “a mighty flash of fire,” and the second is “Yah,” which is the sacred name of God himself. The Hebrew shalhebet-yah could be translated “The M ighty Flame of the Lord M ost Passionate!” d 8:11 The Hebrew text literally means “Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-Hamon.” The king’s vineyard is a picture of the church, the called-out multitude of those who follow Jesus. Baal-Hamon can be translated “lord of a multitude,” “lord of an uproar,” or “lord of wealth.”

THE N EW T ESTAMENT

MATTHEW Introduction AT A GLANCE Author : Matthew, the former Jewish tax collector and disciple of Jesus Audience : Originally, the Jewish Christian church and the Jewish people Date : AD 55–80 Type of Literature : Ancient historical biography Major Themes : Gospel-telling, Old Testament fulfillment, heaven’s kingdom realm, kingdomrealm living Outline : Jesus’ Birth and Ministry Preparation — 1:1–4:11 Jesus Teaches His Kingdom Realm — 4:12–7:29 Jesus Demonstrates His Kingdom Realm — 8:1– 11:1

Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus

Is Opposed — 11:2–13:53 Disciples His Disciples — 13:54–18:35 Marches to the Cross — 19:1–25:46 Dies, Rises, and Sends — 26:1–28:20

ABOUT MATTHEW Four centuries of silence. Where was the promised Messiah? The Jewish people were waiting for the word of the prophets to come true, for they had prophesied that he would come. Then suddenly, the angel Gabriel made an appearance to a teenage girl to announce his birth. Shepherds saw a brilliant angelic light show on the hillside. Wise men went out in search of him. The light of the star shone over his manger. Insecure Herod wanted to kill him. Satan cruelly tested him. The prophet John presented him to Israel. God anointed him with the power of the Holy Spirit. Then one day the King came into the synagogue and announced: “I’m here! I’ve come to set you free and to wash away sins, and liberate those who love

and follow me.” We can thank God for Matthew, for in his Gospel he presents our eternal King. Matthew means “gift of Yahweh,” and he lives up to his name. Thank you, Matthew, for the gift of your life and for what you have left for us in your Gospel!

PURPOSE Matthew is a natural bridge between the Old Testament and the New because it has the most Jewish character. From the first verse to the last, Matthew establishes Jesus as a direct descendant of King David, preserving and fulfilling his royal line as the rightful heir as well as a descendant of Abraham, the father of Israel. Furthermore, Matthew portrays Jesus as the new and greater Moses, who not only upholds the Jewish Torah but intensifies it—not in a legalistic way, but in a spiritual way, because following his teachings is the way into his heavenly kingdom realm. It would be a mistake, however, to say there is only one purpose for this book. While one primary purpose is to communicate the Jesus story to the Jewish people, Matthew also means to communicate

Jesus’ story to us. One particular aspect of the Jesus story that Matthew wants to share is that Jesus is King of a heavenly kingdom realm. Mark and Luke also speak of God’s kingdom realm, but Matthew focuses on how people behave as citizens of that realm, with Jesus as their loving King.

AUTHOR AND AUDIENCE It is believed that Matthew may have been the first apostle to write a gospel, and he possibly wrote it in Hebrew (Aramaic). Though some maintain that Matthew wrote his Gospel after the destruction of the temple in AD 70, it’s possible he wrote it anywhere from AD 55 to the mid-60s. He was a wealthy tax collector who profited greatly from his duty of representing Rome. And then one day, the Man from Galilee stood in front of him and said, “Come, follow me.” There continues to be debate over the original language of Matthew’s account. In AD 170 Eusebius quoted Irenaeus as saying, “Matthew published his gospel among the Hebrews in their own language, while Peter and Paul in Rome were preaching and founding the church” (Eusebius, Historia

Ecclesiastica III. 24.5–6 and V. 8, 2.) This, along with numerous other quotations from church fathers (Origen, Jerome, Augustine) would mean that the original manuscript of Matthew’s Gospel was written in Hebrew. Regardless, it is without dispute that Matthew was a Jewish man who presents a Jewish King who now sits on the throne of glory for all people. Perhaps an unbiased look at the Hebrew and Aramaic manuscripts would yield further nuances of our Jewish heritage as believers in Yeshua (Jesus) and would strengthen our understanding of the inspired Scriptures. You will find ample footnotes throughout this translation to assist you in your study.

MAJOR THEMES Gospel-Telling . The word gospel doesn’t simply mean “good news.” It is derived from the Greek verb euangelizomai , which means “to preach the good news.” In other words, Matthew is writing to tell us heaven’s truths embedded in the earthly events of the Man Jesus. Matthew isn’t giving us dry theology, but sharing stories and teachings designed in such a way as to unfold the majestic, magisterial person of Jesus,

who embodies all of our theologies! Old Testament . As the first book of the New Testament, Matthew connects the past with the present and with the future. He quotes sixty times from the Old Testament, showing us that the New was enfolded in the Old, while the New Testament is the Old Testament unfolded and explained. The Old Testament is more central in Matthew than in any other Gospel, both in frequency and in emphasis. If the Jewish story is always pointing forward, Matthew’s Gospel is its final act. It brings resolution to the Old Testament by presenting King Jesus and his kingdom realm and community as fulfilling their prophetic expectations. Parables . There are unique components to Matthew’s Gospel. For example, he records extensively the allegorical teachings of Jesus known as parables. Twelve are detailed by Matthew, and nine of them are unique to this account. He gives us two miracles of Jesus that are found nowhere else: the healing of two blind men and the miracle coin found in the fish’s mouth. It is through these simple stories that the nature of both our King and his kingdom really come to life! Heavenly Kingdom Realm . Matthew brings us

the realm of the heavenly kingdom and sets its virtue and reality before us. The phrase “kingdom realm” is used nearly forty times as Jesus offers it to you and me. And Jesus is described as the King fourteen times. This is the Gospel of the King and his kingdom, but a different kingdom than even his followers expected. For the kingdom realm that Jesus ushered in would not liberate the Jewish people from oppression from the Roman government as they expected—we can define neither the King nor his kingdom ourselves. Instead, he offers not only Jews but every person access to an eternal, heavenly realm free from the consequences of sin and an oasis to refresh our lives! Kingdom-Realm Living . Matthew’s Gospel isn’t only about our loving King and his kingdom, it’s also about his subjects who act and live within that kingdom. The church is the community of Christ’s heavenly kingdom realm, and Jesus’ sermon on the hillside is the final Torah of the kingdom realm. For Matthew, a godly lover (the “righteous”) is someone who has chosen to submit to Jesus as King and whose life is lived in accordance with his ethics. The Gospel of Matthew will bring before your eyes the power and majesty of our loving King. Encounter the

wonder of Jesus as you read this book!

MATTHEW Our Loving King From Abraham to Christ

1 This is the scroll of the lineage and birth b

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of

Jesus, the Anointed One, the son of David and descendant of Abraham. 2 Abraham had a son named Isaac, who had a son named Jacob, who had a son named Judah (he and his brothers became the tribes of Israel) . 3 Judah and Tamar c had twin sons, Perez and Zerah. Perez had a son named Hezron, who had a son named Ram, 4 who had a son named Amminadab, who had a son named Nashon, 5 who had a son named Salmon, who, along with Rahab, had a son named Boaz. Boaz and Ruth had a son named Obed,

who was the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse had a son named David, who became the king . 7 Then David and Bathsheba d had a son named Solomon, who had a son named Rehoboam, who had a son named Abijah, who had a son named Asa, 8 who had a son named Jehoshaphat, who had a son named Joram, who had a son named Uzziah, 9 who had a son named Jotham, who had a son named Ahaz, who had a son named Hezekiah, 10 who had a son named Manasseh, who had a son named Amos, e who had a son named Josiah, 11 who was the father of Jeconiah. It was during the days of Jeconiah and his brothers that Israel was taken captive and deported to Babylon. 12 About the time of their captivity in Babylon, Jeconiah had a son named Shealtiel, who had a son named Zerubbabel, 13 who had a son named Abiud, who had a son named Eliakim, 14 who had a son named Azor, who had a son named Zadok, who had a son named Achim, who had a son named Eliud, 15 who had a son named Eleazar, who had a son named Matthan, who had a son named Jacob, 16 who was the father of Joseph, the husband g of Mary the mother of Jesus, who is called “the Anointed One.”

17 So from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the Babylonian captivity, fourteen generation, and from the Babylonian captivity to Christ, fourteen generations. h

An Angel Comes to Joseph 18 This was how Jesus, God’s Anointed One, was born. His mother, Mary, had promised Joseph to be his wife, i but while she was still a virgin j she became pregnant through the power k of the Holy Spirit. l 19 Her fiancé, m Joseph, was a righteous man full of integrity and he didn’t want to disgrace her, but when he learned of her pregnancy he secretly planned to break the engagement. n 20 While he was still debating with himself about what to do, o he fell asleep and had a supernatural dream. An angel from the Lord appeared to him in clear light and said, “Joseph, descendant of David, don’t hesitate to take Mary into your home as your wife, p because the power of the Holy Spirit has conceived a child in her womb. 21 She will give birth to a son and you are to name him ‘Savior,’ q for he is destined to give his life r to save his people from their sins.”

22 This happened so that what the Lord spoke through his prophet would come true: 23

Listen! A virgin s will be pregnant, she will give birth to a Son, and he will be known as “Emmanuel,” which means in Hebrew, “God became one of us.” t

24 When Joseph awoke from his dream, he did all that the angel of the Lord instructed him to do. He took Mary to be his wife, 25 but they refrained from having sex until she gave birth to her son, whom they named “Jesus.”

a

1:1 Or “the book of the origin (genesis) of Jesus Christ.” The Greek text has no definite article (“This is the”) and is most likely to be considered as a caption or title. The Son of God is eternal and had no beginning ( John 1:1 ; 1 John 1:1 ). The entire book of M atthew presents the beginning of the glorious story of Jesus, God’s Anointed One. The genealogy given by M atthew presents the legal claim of Jesus to be King through the lineage of David from Joseph all the way back to the promises given to Abraham. Some

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believe Luke’s account gives the genealogy of Jesus from M ary’s lineage through David all the way back to Adam. 1:1 The Hebrew name for Jesus is Yeshua and means “Yahweh is salvation.” 1:3 M atthew includes four women in this genealogy: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba. 1:7 Or “the wife of Uriah.” 1:10 Or “Amon.” 1:11 In Jer. 22:24–30 God pronounced a curse on Jeconiah’s family line, declaring that they were ineligible to sit on the throne as kings. However, Luke’s genealogy goes through David to M ary via Nathan, not Solomon, thus bypassing the curse of Jeconiah’s lineage. M atthew’s genealogy is meant to establish the legal right of Jesus Christ to be king. So Joseph, as Jesus’ adoptive father, passes the right of David’s throne legally to Jesus and avoids the curse of Jeconiah through M ary’s ancestry. Jesus is the Son of God paternally, and the Son of David maternally through Heli, M ary’s father. See footnote at Luke 3:23–38 . From the beginning God said that the coming Savior would be the “seed of the woman.” See Gen. 3:15; Gal. 4:4 . 1:16 Notice that Joseph is named the husband of M ary, not the father of Jesus. 1:17 This would make a total of forty-two generations from Abraham to Christ. However, when the names are counted, there are only forty-one. There is a missing

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generation. What could this mean? Jesus gave birth to the forty-second generation when he died on the cross, for out of his side blood and water flowed. Blood and water come forth at birth. The first Adam “birthed” his wife out of his side, and so Jesus gave birth to his bride from his wounded side. Jesus wants to reproduce himself in us. His last name is not Christ. Christ is the title that explains who he is. He is the Anointed One. “Christ” is also now a corporate body, the body of Christ. We, as the body of Christ, are also anointed ones (Christians). See 1 Cor. 12:12 . 1:18 In the Jewish culture the engagement was a prenuptial contract ( ketubah ), which was entered into before witnesses, that gave legal rights over the girl to the bridegroom. This agreement could only be nullified by going through the formal divorce process. Since the girl still lived with her family, sexual relations were prohibited until after the second event of the public marriage ceremony. This engagement period was usually entered into when the girl turned thirteen. M ary was just a teenager when she gave birth to Jesus. 1:18 Or “without them being united (sexually).” 1:18 Implied in the text. Although it is the genitive of source, not agency, “the power of the Holy Spirit” is supplied for clarity. See Deut. 20:7. 1:18 The “ Holy Spirit” can also be translated “the Sacred Breath (Spirit-wind)” or “the Spirit of Holiness.” 1:19 Or “Her husband.” The Hebrew culture makes no

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distinction between a fiancé and a husband. The engagement period was a vital part of the marriage custom. See Deut. 22:23–28. 1:19 Or “divorce her.” The Jewish custom of breaking off an engagement was tantamount to a divorce. 1:20 Or “during his inward passion about these things.” 1:20 Or “take M iriam your wife.” Once again, the Jewish culture considered the betrothal period as part of the marriage custom. 1:21 Or “Jesus.” The Hebrew name for Jesus is Yeshua (or Y’hoshua ) and means “Yahweh is salvation, restoration, and deliverance.” Implied in the text is that Hebrew (Aramaic) speakers would obviously understand how the name Yeshua and salvation were linked, reinforcing the theory that M atthew was originally written in Hebrew. This is lost in the Greek word Iesous (Jesus). 1:21 As translated from the Aramaic. 1:23 See also v. 25 , which clarifies that M ary was indeed a virgin. 1:23 Or “God with us” or “God among us”; that is, God incarnated. See Isa. 7:14; 8:8, 10 (LXX).

The Wise Men Visit

2 Jesus was born in Bethlehem

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near Jerusalem

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during the reign of King Herod. c After Jesus’ birth a group of spiritual priests d from the East came to Jerusalem 2 and inquired of the people, “Where is the child who is born king of the Jewish people? We observed his star rising in the sky e and we’ve come to bow before him in worship.” 3 King Herod was shaken to the core when he heard this, and not only him, but all of Jerusalem was disturbed when they heard this news. f 4 So he called a meeting of the Jewish ruling priests and religious scholars, demanding that they tell him where the promised Messiah was prophesied to be born. 5 “He will be born in Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,” they told him. “Because the prophecy states: 6

7

And you, little Bethlehem, are not insignificant among the clans of Judah, for out of you will emerge the Shepherd-King g of my people Israel!” h

Then Herod secretly summoned the spiritual priests from the East to ascertain the exact time the star first appeared. 8 And he told them, “Now go to

Bethlehem and carefully look there for the child, and when you’ve found him, report to me so that I can go and bow down and worship him too.” 9 And so they left, and on their way to Bethlehem, suddenly the same star they had seen in the East reappeared! Amazed, they watched as it went ahead of them and stopped directly over the place where the child was. 10 And when they saw the star, they were so ecstatic that they shouted and celebrated with unrestrained joy. i 11 When they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, they were overcome. Falling to the ground at his feet they worshiped him. j Then they opened their treasure boxes k full of gifts and presented him with gold, frank-incense, and myrrh. 12 Afterward they returned to their own country by another route because God had warned them in a dream not to go back to Herod. They Escape to Egypt 13 After they had gone, Joseph had another dream. An angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Get up now and flee to Egypt. Take Mary and the little child and stay there until I tell you to leave, for Herod

intends to search for the child to kill him.” 14 So that very night he got up and took Jesus and his mother and made their escape to Egypt 15 and remained there until Herod died. All of this fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through his prophet: I summon my Son out of Egypt.

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When Herod realized that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated. So he sent soldiers with orders to slaughter every baby boy two years old and younger in Bethlehem and throughout the surrounding countryside, based on the time frame he was given from interrogating the wise men. 17 This fulfilled the words of the prophet Jeremiah: 18

I hear the screams of anguish, weeping, and wailing in Ramah. Rachel is weeping uncontrollably for her children. m And she refuses to be comforted, because they are dead and gone. n

They Return to Nazareth

19

After Herod died, the angel of the Lord appeared again to Joseph in a dream while he was still in Egypt, 20 saying, “Go back to the land of Israel and take the child and his mother with you, for those who sought to kill the child are dead.” 21 So he awoke and took Jesus and Mary and returned to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus, Herod’s son, had succeeded him as ruler over all of the territory of Judah, he was afraid to go back. Then he had another dream from God, warning him to avoid that region and instructing him instead to go to the province of Galilee. 23 So he settled his family in the village of Nazareth, fulfilling the prophecy that he would be known as the “Branch.” o

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2:1 Bethlehem , or Byt-lehem , means “house of bread,” the prophesied birthplace of M essiah. However, the Hebrew word lehem can also mean “fighters.” Jesus was born in “the House of Fighters!” This is the city of David, one of the greatest fighters in the entire Bible. Perhaps this is why the people of Jesus’ day expected him to fight the Romans and free their land from foreign occupation. Jesus fulfilled both

aspects of the meaning of Bethlehem in Gethsemane and on the cross, where he fought the “Goliath” of our souls and won, becoming Bread for the world. God controls all events, proven by the prophecy that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem even though his parents were living in Nazareth. See M ic. 5:2; Luke 2:1–19 . b 2:1 Or “in the land of Judea.” The Hebrew Gospel of M atthew is “the land of Judah.” c 2:1 Herod died in 4 BC, which helps in dating the birth of Christ. d 2:1 Or “astrologers,” known as dream interpreters. These wealthy priests would have traveled with an entourage for protection as officials from the East. The Greek word magos is taken from the M ede language and means “spiritual advisors” or simply “priests.” They were appointed by Darius over the state religion as priests of Persia, which is modern-day Iran, and served as official advisors to the king. By the time of Jesus’ birth, Persia had been conquered and was being governed by successors to Alexander the Great. It is possible these Magos came from the M esopotamian region of Seleucia. See also Dan. 2 and 5:11, where the prophet Daniel is given the title of “Chief of the Magio .” It is probable that these Magos were descendants of those who had been taught by Daniel, and because of his prophecy of the M essiah being “cut off,” they may have been able to decipher the date of his birth along with the interpretation of his star rising.

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2:2 Or “his star in the east” or “shooting star” or possibly “comet.” Note that it is also called “ his star,” not the star of Bethlehem. 2:3 Although we are not told how many “wise men” came to visit Bethlehem, it was likely quite a large entourage. It is doubtful that three men from Persia would cause such an uproar and commotion in the city. There were possibly over one hundred who traveled in the caravan from the East arriving in Jerusalem. 2:6 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “the Leader who will shepherd my people Israel.” 2:6 See M ic. 5:2. Both the Septuagint and the Shem-Tob (Hebrew M atthew) have “out of you will come to me a Ruler who will be King of Israel.” The Septuagint adds, “He will shepherd my people in the strength of the Lord.” 2:10 The Greek is hard to translate since it contains so many redundant words for joy in this one verse. It is literally “They rejoiced with a great joy exceedingly.” They were ecstatic! 2:11 Turning their backs on human wisdom, these “wise men” bowed low before the true Wisdom of God. See 1 Cor. 1:24 . 2:11 These “wise men” were extremely wealthy. They presented gifts that totaled a great sum of money—not tiny presents wrapped with bows, but treasure chests full of financial wealth. Although we are not given the monetary value of each type of gift, we know that frankincense and

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myrrh were extremely costly. These gifts would have financed Joseph and M ary and Jesus’ exodus to Egypt and supplied their living expenses for a number of years, even after returning to Israel. Gold is an often-used symbol of the deity of Christ. Frankincense points to his perfect life of holiness, excellence, and devotion. M yrrh, an embalming spice, speaks to us of the suffering love that would lead him to the death on the cross. 2:15 See Hos. 11:1. Both Jesus and the nation of Israel came up out of Egypt. 2:18 As translated from the Septuagint. Rachel becomes a metaphor for all of Israel. 2:18 See Jer. 31:14–15. 2:23 Or “a Nazarene.” The Hebrew Scriptures give us a wonderful truth about the Branch (Sprout) of the Lord that would come and establish righteousness. The word for “branch” or sprout is netzer , the root word from which Nazareth, Nazarene, and Nazarite come. The teaching of the Branch of the Lord is a concept taught throughout the Bible, from the Tree of Life, to the seven branches of the Lampstand, to Jesus the Vine calling us his branches. Jesus is a Scion, a Branch that can be transplanted and grafted into a human life. Another variant form of this amazing word netzer can be translated “keeper, watchman, one who keeps secrets, guardian, one who keeps watch.” All of these words are true of Jesus, the Branch who was raised in the village of the Branch (Nazareth). Additionally, the Aramaic word for

Nazareth means “heir of a powerful family” or “victorious one.” So it is entirely possible to translate this “he will be called the Victorious Branch (of Nazareth).” See Dan. 11:7; Isa. 11:1; 60:21. See also Isa. 4:2; Jer. 23:5; Zech. 6:12, which uses a Hebrew synonym for Branch, tsemach .

John the Baptizer

3 It was at this time that John the Baptizer

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began

to preach in the desert of Judah. b His message was this: 2 “The realm of heaven’s kingdom c is about to appear—so you’d better keep turning away from evil and turn back to God!” d 3 Isaiah was referring to John when he prophesied: A thunderous voice! One will be crying out in the wilderness, “Prepare yourself for the Lord’s coming and level a straight path inside your hearts for him.” e 4 Now, John wore clothing made from camel’s hair, tied at his waist with a leather strap, and his food consisted of dried locusts f and wild honey. 5 A

steady stream of people from Jerusalem, all the surrounding countryside, g and the region near the Jordan came out to the wilderness to be baptized by him. 6 And while they were publicly confessing their sins, he would immerse them in the Jordan River. 7 But when he saw many coming from among the wealthy elite of Jewish society h and many of the religious leaders known as Pharisees i coming to witness the baptism, he began to denounce them, saying, “You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to slither away like snakes from the fire of God’s judgment ? j 8 You must prove your repentance by a changed life. 9 And don’t presume you can get away with merely saying to yourselves, ‘But we’re Abraham’s descendants!’ For I tell you, God can awaken these stones to become sons of Abraham! k 10 The axe l is now ready to cut down the trees at their very roots. Every fruitless, rotten tree will be chopped down and thrown into the fire. 11 Those who repent I baptize with water, but there is coming a Man after me who is more powerful than I am. In fact, I’m not even worthy enough to pick up his sandals. He will submerge you into union with the Spirit of Holiness and with a raging fire! m 12 He

comes with a winnowing fork n in his hands and comes to his threshing floor to sift what is worthless from what is pure. And he is ready to sweep out his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his granary, o but the straw he will burn up with a fire that can’t be extinguished!” 13 Then Jesus left Galilee to come to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But when he waded into the water, John resisted him, saying, “Why are you doing this? I’m the one who needs to be baptized by you, and yet you come to be baptized by me?” 15 Jesus replied, “It is only right to do all that God requires.” p Then John baptized Jesus. q 16 And as r Jesus rose up out of the water, the heavenly realm opened up over him s and he saw the Holy Spirit descend out of the heavens and rest upon him in the form of a dove. t 17 Then suddenly the voice of the Father shouted from the sky, saying, “This is the Son I love, and my greatest delight is in him.” u

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3:1 Or “John the Immerser.” The name John means “Yahweh has graced him.”

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c d

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3:1 This was the desert region west of the Dead Sea including the lower Jordan. The prophet John was of a priestly family and possibly a member of the Qumran community of the Essenes. 3:2 Or “the kingdom realm of heaven.” The word heaven is found 238 times in the New Testament and hell 23 times. 3:2 Or “repent.” John was preaching in Aramaic, the language of the day. The word for “repent” in both Hebrew and Aramaic means “to return to God [and leave your sins behind].” This is much more than simply changing your mind; it is a powerful term for turning your life around and coming back to the holy God. 3:3 See Isa. 40:3, which is quoted in all four Gospels. The Aramaic has in place of Lord, “Lord Yahweh,” an obvious implication of the deity of Christ. Isaiah’s prophecy is more than a road-construction project. He uses the metaphor of clearing a path as a parable of cleansing our hearts and being prepared in our hearts to receive the Christ. 3:4 See Lev. 11:22; 2 Kings 1:8; Joel 1:4; Zech. 13:4; M al. 4:5–6; M att. 11:14 . 3:5 Or “Judea.” 3:7 Or “the Sadducees.” 3:7 Or “separated ones.” The Pharisees and Sadducees were two of the sects of Judaism of that day. 3:7 John is telling them they can’t escape the fire of judgment just by getting wet. 3:9 There is an interesting word-play in the Hebrew and

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Aramaic that is lost in an English translation. The Hebrew word for sons ( bĕnayyā ) and stones ( ’abnayyā ) are similar. God builds his house with sons, not stones. John baptized the people at the place of the crossing of the Jordan during the time of Joshua. After their miracle crossing of the Jordan they were instructed to set up twelve stones, representing the twelve sons of Israel, as a memorial. Perhaps John the Baptizer was referencing those very stones from which God could raise up sons. 3:10 The “axe” becomes a metaphor of the word of truth that judges hearts and nations. 3:11 The text is somewhat ambiguous as to what fire is spoken of. Some see it as the fire of judgment, yet Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit, who baptized his church in fire at Pentecost. This last clause is a hendiadys and could be translated “He will baptize you in the raging fire of the Holy Spirit!” 3:12 This winnowing fork was like a pitchfork that would thresh grain by throwing it into the air so the wind could blow away the chaff. 3:12 See Isa. 41:15–16. 3:15 Or “fulfill all righteousness [complete every righteous requirement].” This was the presentation of the Lamb of God as the sacrifice for sins. It was important that John publicly wash the Lamb of God and fulfill the requirements of the law, proving to Israel that the Lamb that was soon to be offered was spotless and without blemish.

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There are four baptisms in this chapter: (1) John baptizing with water, (2) Father God baptizing Jesus with the power of heaven, (3) Jesus will baptize believers with the same Holy Spirit, (4) the baptism of fire. 3:15 Jesus would have been about thirty years old, the age when Levitical priests were ordained and qualified to serve. This was his ordination as the High Priest over the household of faith. Jesus’ baptism was a form of dedication. Like Solomon, who dedicated the temple, John now dedicates the temple of Jesus’ body, the dwelling place of God. In a sense, John was the true high priest who was ordaining his replacement. Jesus was not repenting, but offering himself as God’s sinless Lamb. 3:16 There are Latin manuscripts and external evidence dating to Jerome indicating that the Hebrew M atthew included this sentence: “A great light flashed from the water, so that all who had gathered there were afraid.” (Diatessaron and Romanos M elodos, First Hymn on the Epiphany , XVI.14.7–10.) 3:16 See also Acts 7:56 . 3:16 The dove is a symbol for both meekness and purity. Two gentle animals are pictured at the baptism of Jesus, a dove resting upon a lamb. If you want the presence of the Dove you need to have the nature of the Lamb. The implication is that the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus and never left him. 3:17 Or “In him I find my delight.” See also Ps. 2:7 ; Isa.

42:1. The church historian Jerome affirms that additional words were spoken by the Father: “M y Son, in all the prophets I was waiting for you, that you might come and I might rest in you. For you are my rest and my firstborn Son, who reigns forever!” ( The Gospel of Matthew for the Hebrews and Commentary on Isaiah Chapter 4 . Throckmorton: 14 fn. Nicholson: 43. OM G II: 156 et seq .)

Jesus Tempted by the Devil

4 Afterward, the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the lonely wilderness in order to reveal his strength against the accuser a by going through the ordeal of testing. b 2 And after fasting for forty days, c Jesus was extremely weak and famished. 3 Then the tempter came to entice him to provide food by doing a miracle. So he said to Jesus, “How can you possibly be the Son of God and go hungry? Just order these stones to be turned into loaves of bread.” 4 He answered, “The Scriptures say: Bread alone will not satisfy, d but true life is found in every word, which constantly goes forth from God’s

mouth.” e 5 Then the accuser transported Jesus to the holy city of Jerusalem and perched him at the highest point f of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you’re really God’s Son, jump, and the angels will catch you. For it is written in the Scriptures:

He will command his angels to protect you and they will lift you up so that you won’t even bruise your foot on a rock.” g 7

Once again Jesus said to him, “The Scriptures

say: You must never put the Lord your God to a test.” h 8 And the third time the accuser lifted Jesus up into a very high mountain range and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and all the splendor that goes with it. 9 “All of these kingdoms I will give to you,” the accuser said, “if only you will kneel down before me

and worship me.” 10 But Jesus said, “Go away, enemy! i For the Scriptures say: Kneel before the Lord your God and worship only him.” j 11 At once the accuser left him, and angels suddenly gathered around Jesus to minister to his needs.

Jesus Preaches in Galilee 12 When Jesus heard that John the Baptizer had been thrown into prison, he went back into Galilee. 13 Jesus moved from Nazareth to make his home in Capernaum, k which is by Lake Galilee in the land of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 He did this to make the prophecy of Isaiah come true: 15

Listen, you who live in the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, along the road to the sea and on the other side of the Jordan, and Galilee—the land of non-Jewish peoples!

16

You who spend your days shrouded in darkness can now say, “We have seen a brilliant Light.” l

And those who live in the dark shadow land of death can now say, “The Dawning Light arises on us.” 17

From that time on Jesus began to proclaim his message with these words: “Keep turning away from your sins and come back to God, for heaven’s kingdom realm is now accessible.” m Jesus Calls His Disciples 18 As he was walking by the shore of Lake Galilee, Jesus noticed two fishermen who were brothers. One was nicknamed Keefa n (later called Peter), and the other was Andrew, his brother. Watching as they were casting their nets into the water, 19 Jesus called out to them and said, “Come and follow me, and I will transform you into men who catch people for God.” o 20 Immediately they dropped their nets and left everything behind to follow Jesus.

21 Leaving there, Jesus found three other men sitting in a boat, mending their nets. Two were brothers, Jacob p and John, and they were with their father, Zebedee. q Jesus called Jacob and John to his side and said to them , “ Come and follow Me .” 22 And at once they left their boat and their father, and began to follow Jesus.

Jesus’ Ministry of Healing 23 Jesus ministered from place to place throughout all of the province of Galilee. He taught r in the synagogues, preaching the hope of the kingdom realm s and healing every kind of sickness and disease among the people. 24 His fame spread everywhere! t Many people who were in pain and suffering with every kind of illness were brought to Jesus for their healing—epileptics, u paralytics, and those tormented by demonic powers were all set free. Everyone who was brought to Jesus was healed! 25 This resulted in massive crowds of people following him, including people from Galilee, Jerusalem, the land of Judah, the region of the Ten Cities known as the Decapolis, and beyond the

Jordan River.

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4:1 Or “devil.” The Aramaic word for “devil” means “accuser.” The Greek word is “slanderer.” 4:1 Or “tribulation.” God also tested Israel for forty years in the wilderness. See Deut. 8:2. 4:2 M oses and Elijah both fasted forty days. See Ex. 34:28; 1 Kings 19:8. The number forty usually signifies passing a test or enduring a time of trial. It rained for forty days in the time of Noah, and Jonah warned Nineveh for forty days. God told Ezekiel to lay on his right side for forty days (Ezek. 4:6). 4:4 Or “M an will not live by bread alone.” The Aramaic is Bar-nasha and can be translated “The Son of M an will not live by bread alone.” 4:4 See Deut. 8:3. God had not given Jesus permission to turn stones into bread, and Jesus would not be pushed into prematurely demonstrating his power. He was content with the timing of his Father. He refused to turn stones into bread to feed himself, but he multiplied bread for his hungry followers. Today he is still turning hearts of stone into living bread that will feed the nations with truth. 4:5 Or “wing.” See Ps. 91:4 . 4:6 See Ps. 91:11–12 ; M att. 26:53 . This was a temptation to capitalize on being the Son of God and to force God to

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protect him as he jumped. Jesus was being tested over restraining his power as the Anointed One and waiting until the timing of his Father in publicly releasing him to work miracles and display his power. He was not sent to throw himself down from the temple, but to throw down the temple and establish a new order of worship—as a true relationship with God is internal with every believer now becoming the temple of God. See 1 Cor. 3:16 ; 6:19 . 4:7 See Deut. 6:16. 4:10 Or “Satan.” 4:10 See Deut. 6:13–14. 4:13 Capernaum means “the village of Nahum.” It was a fishing village on the northwestern shore of Lake Galilee. Nahum means “comforted.” Jesus did many miracles and based his Galilean ministry in the “village of the comforted.” 4:16 Light is a common name for the M essiah in rabbinical literature. It speaks of both Christ and the revelatory teaching he brings. See Isa. 9:1–2. The Aramaic word for Galilee ( Galeela ) means “revelation of God.” Jesus was raised and ministered in the land of the “revelation of God.” 4:17 Or “heaven’s kingdom realm is close enough to touch!” 4:18 Or “Simon.” The Aramaic is Keefa , which means “the rock” or “pebble.” Peter ( Petros ) is his Greek name. 4:19 Or “fishers of men.” The Aramaic word can mean either “fishers” or “hunters.” See Ezek. 47:1–10.

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4:21 Or “James.” M ost translations of the Bible have substituted Jacob with James. Both Greek and Aramaic leave the Hebrew name as it is, Jacob. This translation will use the correct name, Jacob, throughout. 4:21 Zebedee’s name means “my gift.” The gift he gave to Jesus was his two sons. All parents have the privilege of giving their children back to God. 4:23 The Greek word didasko is a word often used for providing skilled training. 4:23 As translated from the Aramaic. The Hebrew M atthew is “the good gift of the kingdom of the heavens.” The Greek is “the good news of heaven’s reign.” 4:24 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew. The Greek is “into Syria.” 4:24 Or “the mentally ill.” 4:25 This was the first encounter the non-Jewish peoples of the M iddle East had with Jesus. He was proclaiming his universal kingdom and inviting all to enter into it.

Jesus’ Sermon on the Hillside

5 One

day Jesus saw a vast crowd of people gathering to hear him, so he went up the slope of a hill and sat down. With his followers and disciples spread over the hillside, 2 Jesus began to teach them:

a

“What wealth is offered to you b when you feel your spiritual poverty! c For there is no charge to enter the realm of heaven’s kingdom. 4 “What delight comes to you when you wait upon the Lord! d For you will find what you long for. e 5 “What blessing comes to you when gentleness f lives in you! For you will inherit the earth. g 6 “How enriched you are when you crave righteousness! h For you will be surrounded with fruitfulness. i 7 “How satisfied you are when you demonstrate tender mercy! j For tender mercy will be demonstrated to you. 8 “What bliss you experience when your heart is pure! k For then your eyes will open to see more and more of God. l 9 “How blessed you are when you make peace! For then you will be recognized as a true child of God. m 10 “How enriched you are when you bear the 3

wounds of being persecuted n for doing what is right! o For that is when you experience the realm of heaven’s kingdom. 11 “How ecstatic you can be when people insult p and persecute you and speak all kinds of cruel lies about you because of your love for me! q 12 So leap for joy—since your heavenly reward is great. For you are being rejected the same way the prophets were before you. 13 “Your lives are like salt among the people. But if you, like salt, become bland, how can your ‘saltiness’ be restored? Flavorless salt is good for nothing r and will be thrown out and trampled on by others. 14 “Your lives light up the world. Let others see your light from a distance, for how can you hide a city that stands on a hilltop? s 15 And who would light a lamp and then hide it in an obscure place? t Instead, it’s placed where everyone in the house can benefit from its light. 16 So don’t hide your light! u Let it shine brightly before others, so that the commendable things you do will shine as light upon them, and then they will give their

praise to your Father in heaven.” Fulfillment of the Law 17 “If you think I’ve come to set aside the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets, you’re mistaken. I have come to fulfill and bring to perfection all that has been written. 18 Indeed, I assure you, as long as heaven and earth endure, not even the smallest detail v of the Law will be done away with until its purpose is complete. w 19 So whoever violates x even the least important of the commandments, y and teaches others to do so, will be the least esteemed in the realm of heaven’s kingdom. But whoever obeys them and teaches their truths to others will be greatly esteemed in the realm of heaven’s kingdom. 20 For I tell you, unless your lives are more pure and full of integrity z than the religious scholars aa and the Pharisees you will never experience the realm of heaven’s kingdom.” Anger 21 “You’re familiar with the commandment that

the older generation was taught, ‘Do not murder or you will be judged.’ ab 22 But I’m telling you, if you hold anger in your heart ac toward a fellow believer, you are subject to judgment. ad And whoever demeans and insults ae a fellow believer is answerable to the congregation. af And whoever calls down curses upon a fellow believer ag is in danger of being sent to a fiery hell. ah 23 “So then, if you are presenting a gift before the altar in the temple and suddenly you remember a quarrel you have with a fellow believer, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar and go at once to apologize with the one who is offended. Then, after you have reconciled, ai come to the altar and present your gift. 25 It is always better to come to terms with the one who wants to sue you before you go to trial, or you may be found guilty by the judge, and he will hand you over to the officers, who will throw you into prison. 26 Believe me, you won’t get out of prison until you have paid the full amount!” Adultery

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“Your ancestors have been taught, ‘Never commit adultery.’ aj 28 However, I say to you, if you look with lust in your eyes at the body of a woman who is not your wife, you’ve already committed adultery in your heart. ak 29 If your right eye seduces you to fall into sin, al then go blind in your right eye! am For you’re better off losing sight in one eye than to have your whole body thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand entices you to sin, let it go limp and useless! an For you’re better off losing a part of your body than to have it all thrown into hell. ao 31 “It has been said, ‘Whoever divorces ap his wife must give her legal divorce papers.’ aq 32 However, I say to you, if anyone divorces his wife for any reason, except for infidelity, he causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced ar woman commits adultery.” Making Oaths 33 “Again, your ancestors were taught, ‘Never swear an oath that you don’t intend to keep, as but keep your vows to the Lord God.’ at 34 However, I

say to you, don’t bind yourself by taking an oath at all. Don’t swear by heaven, for heaven is where God’s throne is placed. au 35 Don’t swear an oath by the earth, because it is the rug under God’s feet, av and not by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the Great King. aw 36 And why would you swear by your own head, because it’s not in your power to turn a single hair white or black? But just let your words ring true . ax 37 A simple ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ will suffice. Anything beyond this springs from a deceiver. ay 38 “Your ancestors have also been taught, ‘Take an eye in exchange for an eye and a tooth in exchange for a tooth.’ az 39 However, I say to you, don’t repay an evil act with another evil act. ba But whoever insults you by slapping you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well. bb 40 If someone is determined to sue you for your coat, give him the shirt off your back as a gift in return. 41 And should people in authority take advantage of you, do more than what they demand. bc 42 Learn to generously share what you have with those who ask for help, and don’t close

your heart to the one who comes to borrow from you.” bd Love Your Enemies 43 “Your ancestors have also been taught ‘Love your neighbors be and hate the one who hates you.’ 44 However, I say to you, love your enemy, bless the one who curses you, do something wonderful for the one who hates you, bf and respond to the very ones who persecute you by praying for them. 45 For that will reveal your identity as children of your heavenly Father. He is kind to all by bringing the sunrise to warm and rainfall to refresh whether a person does what is good or evil. 46 What reward do you deserve if you only love the loveable? Don’t even the tax collectors bg do that? 47 How are you any different from others if you limit your kindness bh only to your friends? Don’t even the ungodly bi do that? 48 Since you are children of a perfect Father in heaven, you are to be perfect bj like him.”

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5:2 It should be noted that M att. 5–7 , commonly known as the Sermon on the M ount, is the messianic Torah (law or teaching) and the Constitution of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus begins with giving his followers a superior way to live than the Ten Commandments of M oses. It is a superior version of all that God expects and provides for those who yield to him. Jesus gives us more than laws; he gives us promises of power to fulfill all that he asks of us. The emphasis is not on outward duty but on the inward transformation of our hearts by grace. God’s kingdom is offered to those who will learn the ways of Christ and offer themselves to him in full surrender. b 5:3 Or, “Blessed are they.” The Aramaic word toowayhon means “enriched, happy, fortunate, delighted, blissful, content, blessed.” Our English word blessed can indeed fit here, but toowayhon implies more—great happiness, prosperity, abundant goodness, and delight! The word bliss captures all of this meaning. Toowayhon means to have the capacity to enjoy union and communion with God. Because the meaning of the word goes beyond merely being “blessed,” the translation uses different phrases for each of the Beatitudes. Verses 3–10 are presented with third-person pronouns; however, it is not abstract truth, but spoken directly to Jesus’ disciples. This is why the translation is in the second person. The implication of this verse is that the poor in spirit have only one remedy, and that is trusting in God. This total reliance upon God is the doorway into the

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kingdom realm. Notice the obvious parallel between Isa. 61:1–2 and these “beatitudes.” 5:3 Or, “humble in spirit,” or, “poor in spirit,” which means to be humble and totally dependent upon God for everything. It is synonymous with “pious” or “saintly,” not just in the sense of those who possess nothing. It could be translated “Delighted are those who have surrendered completely to God and trust only in him.” See also Isa. 41:17; 57:15; 66:2. 5:4 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew. (See also Ps. 27:14 .) The Greek is “mourn (grieve).” The Hebrew word for “wait” and for “mourn” is almost identical. 5:4 As translated from the Aramaic word for comfort, nethbayoon , which can mean “to see the face of what (or who) you long for.” The Greek is “They shall be comforted.” 5:5 Or “meekness.” Jesus is saying that when you claim nothing as yours, everything will be given to you. The Aramaic word, makeekheh , implies being both gentle and flexible. 5:5 See Pss. 37:11 ; 149:4 . 5:6 Or “goodness” or “justice.” 5:6 As translated from the Aramaic word, nesbhoon , which is associated with planting and fruitfulness. The Greek is “They shall be satisfied.” See Ps. 11:3–7 ; Zeph. 2:3. 5:7 Or “merciful to forgive.” The Hebraic and Aramaic concept of mercy is that it comes from our innermost being.

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The root word for “mercy” is the root word for “womb.” See 2 Sam. 22:26; Ps. 18:25 ; Prov. 14:21 ; James 2:13 . 5:8 Or “when your heart is full of innocence.” See Pss. 15:1–2 ; 24:4 ; 51:10 . 5:8 The Aramaic word used for “see” is nahzon and can be translated either in the present tense (“They see God”) or the future tense (“They will see God”). The Greek is “They will progressively see God.” See also Ps. 17:15 . 5:9 See Pss. 72:3–7 ; 122:8–9 ; Isa. 26:12. 5:10 The Aramaic is “being rejected.” 5:10 See Ps. 38:20 ; Isa. 66:5; Acts 5:41 ; 1 Peter 3:14 . The Hebrew M atthew is “for the Righteous One.” 5:11 The Aramaic is “criticize you” ( 1 Peter 3:14 ; Acts 5:41 ). The Hebrew M atthew is “for the Righteous One.” 5:11 See Ps. 119:85–87 . We are to live in such a way that people have to lie when they speak evil of a believer in Christ. 5:13 Or “Salt that has lost its flavor is foolish .” Both Greek and Aramaic use a word that can mean either “good for nothing” or “foolish.” If salt that has lost its flavor is foolish, then salt that keeps its flavor is wise. Rabbinical literature equates salt with wisdom. After speaking of salt, Jesus speaks of lighting a lamp. It was a common practice in the time of Jesus to put salt on the wick of a lamp to increase its brightness. The “salt” of wisdom will make our lights shine even brighter. (Eduard Schweizer, The Good News According to Matthew , Atlanta: John Knox Press,

1975. W. A. Elwell and P. W. Comfort, Tyndale Bible Dictionary , Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House, Tyndale reference library, 2001, Lamp, Lampstand. 797–8.) s 5:14 See Isa. 49:6. t 5:15 Or “under a basket.” u 5:16 The Aramaic word for “light” ( noohra ) is often used as a metaphor for teachings that bring enlightenment and revelation into the hearts of men. Light can also represent the presence of God (“the light of his countenance”). Jesus is the light of God within us. v 5:18 Or “not even one letter or even a part of the letter of the law.” w 5:18 Or “All its teachings come true.” x 5:19 Or “whoever loosens” (diminishes). y 5:19 Or “these implanted goals.” z 5:20 Or “your deeds of righteousness.” aa 5:20 Or “scribes,” who were considered to be the expert theologians of the Scriptures. ab 5:21 See Ex. 20:13; Deut. 5:17. ac 5:22 Some manuscripts add, “without a cause.” See 1 John 3:15 . Both Aramaic and Hebrew M atthew read “if you provoke a fellow believer to anger,” or “if you cause offense to the spirit of your brother.” ad 5:22 The implication is that you would be judged as a murderer. Anger and murder are equally odious in God’s eyes. Angry words kill. ae 5:22 The Aramaic is raca and can mean “spittle” or

“lunatic.” It is a word that could imply calling a fellow believer demon-possessed. The Greek is “worthless fool, imbecile.” af 5:22 Or “council” (Sanhedrin). ag 5:22 Or “whoever calls him a worthless fool.” It is a word that could imply calling a fellow believer demonpossessed. ah 5:22 Or “the Gehenna of fire.” Gehenna, which was an actual place where garbage was burned outside of Jerusalem, became a figure of speech for hell in the days of Jesus. It used to be the site of child sacrifice to the god M olech. See 2 Chron. 33:6. ai 5:24 A true heart of repentance means attempting to heal severed relationships, not just empty words. aj 5:27 See Ex. 20:14. ak 5:28 The Aramaic is speaking of more than adultery with a married woman; it uses the word for any sex act outside of marriage. Jesus elevates the standard of righteousness. He is holy, and when he comes to live within the believer, his holiness is the fulfillment of what God requires of us. al 5:29 The Greek word skandalizo means to “entice to sin,” “offend,” or “set a trap.” am 5:29 Or “pluck out your eye and throw it away.” an 5:30 Or “cut it off and throw it away.” Verses 29 and 30 use obvious hyperbole to help us understand how intent we must be to guard our lives from sin. ao 5:30 Jesus is using an obvious figure of speech when he

instructs us to “pluck out” our eyes or “cut off” our hands. The metaphor is clear: we are to end every evil habit that will lead us to destruction. ap 5:31 In this verse and in v. 32 the Greek word for divorce ( apolyo ) can also mean “to loose,” “to dismiss,” “to send away.” aq 5:31 See Deut. 24:1. By serving her divorce papers, a husband was required to return his wife’s dowry. The divorced woman would then leave his house and receive back her dowry. ar 5:32 The Aramaic can be translated “whoever marries a woman who is separated and not divorced.” as 5:33 That is, don’t perjure yourself. at 5:33 See Lev. 19:12; Isa. 66:1. au 5:34 In the days of Jesus and in the M iddle Eastern cultural setting of Israel, taking oaths and swearing by something greater than oneself was a common practice. Jesus’ words trump culture and our bondage to doing things according to the expected norms of society. He instructs us to be faithful and true with our words. av 5:35 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “his footstool.” aw 5:35 See Ps. 48:2 . ax 5:36 Our words must be fulfilled by actions. All four things Jesus mentioned were considered sacred to the Jewish people—heaven, earth, Jerusalem, and a person’s head. But Jesus teaches us that words of truth make our

lives sacred. See James 5:12 . 5:37 As translated from the Aramaic. See Eccl. 5:4–7. 5:38 See Ex. 21:24. 5:39 As translated from Hebrew M atthew. The Greek is “Do not resist evil (or evil doer).” bb 5:39 That is, simply stand and take it without responding in return with violence. In the cultural setting of the days of Jesus, to slap someone was the greatest insulting physical blow you could give a person. It is better to respond with kindness. This robs the oppressor of his ability to humiliate. See Prov. 15:1 ; 24:29 ; Isa. 50:6; Lam. 3:30. bc 5:41 “If someone forces you to go a mile with him, go two.” This is in reference to the Roman authorities, who often compelled the Jewish men to carry their heavy items for them. In v. 40 we are challenged to give up our rights, in v. 41 to surrender our freedom, and in v. 42 to surrender our prosperity. bd 5:42 The Aramaic can be “If someone wants to benefit from you, do not stop him.” In the agrapha sayings of Jesus, as quoted by early church fathers, an additional line is found here that reads, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” See also Acts 20:35 . be 5:43 The Aramaic is “your relatives.” This phrase is found in the Torah; the following phrase is from oral tradition. See Lev. 19:18. bf 5:44 As translated from the Aramaic. The previous two ay az ba

clauses are not found in some reliable Greek manuscripts. 5:46 The Hebrew M atthew is “transgressors.” 5:47 Or “ask for the peace of your brothers” (Hebrew M atthew and Aramaic). bi 5:47 Or “gentiles” (who worship other gods). bj 5:48 The Greek and Aramaic words for “perfect” can also mean “whole, complete, fully mature, lacking nothing, allinclusive, well rounded.” bg bh

Giving with Pure Motives

6 “Examine your motives to make sure you’re not showing off when you do your good deeds, only to be admired by others; otherwise, you will lose the reward of your heavenly Father. 2 So when you give to the poor, don’t announce it and make a show of it just to be seen by people, a like the hypocrites b in the streets and in the marketplace. c They’ve already received their reward! 3 But when you demonstrate generosity, do it with pure motives and without drawing attention to yourself. d 4 Give secretly and your Father, who sees all you do, will reward you

openly.” e Prayer 5 “Whenever you pray, be sincere and not like the pretenders who love the attention they receive while praying before others in the meetings and on street corners. Believe me, they’ve already received in full their reward. 6 But whenever you pray, go into your innermost chamber and be alone with Father God, f praying to him in secret. And your Father, who sees all you do, will reward you openly. 7 When you pray, there is no need to repeat empty phrases, praying like those who don’t know God, g for they expect God to hear them because of their many words. 8 There is no need to imitate them, since your Father already knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray like this: ‘Our Father, dwelling in the heavenly realms, may the glory of your name be the center on which our lives turn. h

Manifest your kingdom realm, i and cause your every purpose to be fulfilled on earth, just as it is fulfilled in heaven. 11 We acknowledge you as our Provider of all we need each day. j 12 Forgive us the wrongs we have done k as we ourselves release forgiveness to those who have wronged us. 13 Rescue us every time we face tribulation l and set us free from evil. m For you are the King who rules with power and glory forever. Amen.’ n 10

14 “ And when you pray , make sure you forgive the faults of others so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you. 15 But if you withhold forgiveness from others, your Father withholds forgiveness from you.”

Fasting 16 “When you fast, don’t look like those who

pretend to be spiritual. They want everyone to know they’re fasting, so they appear in public looking miserable, gloomy, and disheveled. o Believe me, they’ve already received their reward in full. 17–18 When you fast, don’t let it be obvious, but instead, wash your face p and groom yourself and realize that your Father in the secret place is the one who is watching all that you do in secret and will continue to reward you openly.” Treasures in Heaven 19 “Don’t keep hoarding for yourselves earthly treasures that can be stolen by thieves. Material wealth eventually rusts, decays, and loses its value. q 20 Instead, stockpile heavenly treasures r for yourselves that cannot be stolen and will never rust, decay, or lose their value. 21 For your heart will always pursue what you value as your treasure. s 22 “The eyes of your spirit allow revelationlight t to enter into your being. If your heart is unclouded, the light floods in! 23 But if your eyes

are focused on money , u the light cannot penetrate and darkness takes its place. v How profound will be the darkness within you w if the light of truth cannot enter! 24 “How could you worship two gods at the same time? You will have to hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t worship the true God while enslaved to the god of money!” x Don’t Worry 25 “This is why I tell you to never be worried about your life, for all that you need will be provided, such as food, water, clothing— everything your body needs. Isn’t there more to your life than a meal? Isn’t your body more than clothing? 26 “Look at all the birds—do you think they worry about their existence? They don’t plant or reap or store up food, yet your heavenly Father provides them each with food. Aren’t you much more valuable to your Father than they? 27 So, which one of you by worrying could add anything

to your life? y 28 “And why would you worry about your clothing? Look at all the beautiful flowers of the field. They don’t work or toil, 29 and yet not even Solomon in all his splendor was robed in beauty more than one of these! 30 So if God has clothed the meadow with hay, which is here for such a short time and then dried up and burned, won’t he provide for you the clothes you need—even though you live with such little faith? 31 “So then, forsake your worries! Why would you say, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32 For that is what the unbelievers chase after. Doesn’t your heavenly Father already know the things your bodies require? z 33 “So above all, constantly chase after the realm of God’s kingdom aa and the righteousness that proceeds from him. Then all these less important things will be given to you abundantly. ab 34 Refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time. ac Tomorrow will take care of itself.”

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6:2 Or “blow your own horn.” 6:2 The Greek word hupokrites is not only used for people with double standards, it actually means “overcritical,” “nitpicking,” “splitting hairs over religious issues.” 6:2 As translated from Aramaic and Hebrew M atthew. The Greek is “synagogues.” 6:3 Or “Don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” This is a figure of speech for giving with pure motives, not to be seen and applauded by others. 6:4 As translated from the Aramaic and Hebrew M atthew. M ost Greek manuscripts do not include the word openly . 6:6 Or “Go into your inner room [storehouse], close the door, and pray.” This “inner room” can also be a metaphor for praying from the heart, from our innermost being, our storehouse. 6:7 Or “gentiles.” 6:9 An alternate reading of the Aramaic text. The Aramaic word for “name” is shema (the Hebrew word, shem ), a word with multiple meanings. It can also be translated “light,” “sound,” or “atmosphere.” Placing a light, like a lantern, in an enclosed space magnifies that light. This is the meaning here of God’s name being made sacred and magnified as we focus our lives on him. The Greek is “treated as holy.” 6:10 Or “Come and begin your kingdom reign.” 6:11 Or “Give us bread [or life] today for the coming day.”

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Bread becomes a metaphor of our needs (physically, spiritually, and emotionally). Jesus is teaching us to acknowledge Father God as our Provider of all we need each day. Both the Greek and Hebrew M atthew can be translated “Give us this day our bread for tomorrow” (or “our continual bread”). 6:12 Or “Send away the results of our debts (shortcomings),” used as a metaphor for our sins. The Aramaic can be translated “Give us serenity as we also allow others serenity.” 6:13 Or “Do not let us be put into the ordeal of testing.” God never tempts man. See James 1:13–14 . 6:13 Or “the Evil One.” 6:13 As translated from the Aramaic, Hebrew M atthew, and most Greek manuscripts. The Aramaic word for “forever” means “until the end of all the universes.” 6:16 Or “disfigure their faces.” Some of them would put saffron on their faces to make them appear a sickly yellow color in order to be seen as though they had been fasting. 6:17–18 Or “put oil on your head.” 6:19 Or “where rust and moth destroy.” 6:20 Heavenly treasures are eternal realities, such as loving others and doing good, revealing truth, and bringing Christ’s light to the lost. None of these “treasures” can be stolen or ever lose their value. 6:21 Or “For your thoughts [heart] will always be focused on your treasure.”

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6:22 The teachings of Jesus are the “revelation-light” referred to here. Some scholars see “healthy eyes” as a Semitic figure of speech for generosity, due to the context of giving and money in the verses before and after. Or “Your eye is like a lamp for your body.” 6:23 An “evil” eye can also be associated with being stingy and greedy. 6:23 Or “If your eye is healthy [focused], your whole body is full of light; but if it is sick (evil), your body is full of darkness.” The “eye” becomes a metaphor for spiritual perception. The “body” is our spirit. The “light” is Jesus’ teachings. The “darkness” is formed by the lies and opinions that blind us. These obvious metaphors have been made explicit in the translation. 6:23 Hebrew M atthew is “All your ways are dark.” 6:24 Or “God and mammon.” M ammon is an Aramaic term for money. See 1 Tim. 6:6–10 . There is found after v. 24 a part of the agrapha that reads, “If you do not fast from the world, you will never discover the kingdom of God” ( Oxyrhyncus Papyrus 655 , pOxy 1:4–11). 6:27 The Aramaic and Hebrew M atthew is “add a cubit to your height.” The Greek is “add one hour to your lifespan.” 6:32 There is a part of the agrapha inserted here, which is confirmed by a number of church fathers who had access to more ancient manuscripts, that reads “So if you ask for the great things, God will add to you the little things.” This is most likely from a variation of the Hebrew M atthew.

(Clement of Alexandria, Stromateis 1.24.158; Origen, Commentary on the Pss . 4.4 ; De Oratione 2.2; 14.1; Eusebius, Commentary on the Pss . 16.2 . See also Craig A. Evans, Fabricating Jesus: How Modern Scholars Distort the Gospels [IVP Press, 2006], 236–238.) aa 6:33 The Hebrew M atthew is “Above all, pray for the kingdom realm of God.” ab 6:33 As translated from the Aramaic. ac 6:34 Or “One day’s trouble is enough for one day.”

Do Not Judge

7 “Refuse

to be a critic full of bias toward

others, and judgment a will not be passed on you. For you’ll be judged by the same standard that you’ve used to judge others. The measurement you use on them will be used on you. b 3 Why would you focus on the flaw in someone else’s life and yet fail to notice the glaring flaws of your own? c 4 How could you say to your friend, ‘Let me show you where you’re wrong,’ when you’re guilty of even more? 5 You’re being hypercritical and a hypocrite! First acknowledge your own ‘blind spots’ and deal with them, and then you’ll

be capable of dealing with the ‘blind spot’ of your friend. d 6 “Who would hang earrings on a dog’s ear or throw pearls e in front of wild pigs? They’ll only trample them under their feet and then turn around and tear you to pieces! 7 “Ask, and the gift is yours. Seek, and you’ll discover. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. 8 For every persistent one will get what he asks for. Every persistent seeker will discover what he longs for. And everyone who knocks persistently will one day find an open door. f 9 “Do you know of any parent who would give his hungry child, who asked for food, a plate of rocks instead? 10 Or when asked for a piece of fish, what parent would offer his child a snake instead? 11 If you, imperfect as you are, g know how to lovingly take care of your children and give them what’s best, how much more ready is your heavenly Father to give wonderful gifts h to those who ask him?” The Golden Rule

12

“In everything you do, be careful to treat others in the same way you’d want them to treat you, for that is the essence of all the teachings of the Law and the Prophets.” The Narrow Gate 13 “Come to God through the narrow gate, because the wide gate and broad path is the way that leads to destruction—nearly everyone chooses that crowded road! 14 The narrow gate and the difficult way leads to eternal life—so few even find it!” False Prophets 15 “Constantly be on your guard against phony prophets. They come disguised as lambs, appearing to be genuine, but on the inside they are like wild, ravenous wolves! i 16 You can spot them by their actions, for the fruits of their character will be obvious. You won’t find sweet grapes hanging on a thorn bush, and you’ll never pick good fruit from a tumbleweed. 17–19 So if the tree is good, it will produce good fruit; but if the

tree is bad, it will bear only rotten fruit and it deserves to be cut down and burned. 20 Look at the obvious fruit of their lives and ministries, and then you’ll know whether they are true or false .” Jesus Warns of Pretenders 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the realm of heaven’s kingdom. It is only those who persist in doing the will of my heavenly Father. 22 On the day of judgment many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, don’t you remember us? Didn’t we prophesy j in your name? Didn’t we cast out demons and do many miracles for the sake of your name?’ 23 But I will have to say to them, ‘Go away from me, you lawless rebels! I’ve never been joined to you!’ k 24 “Everyone who hears my teaching and applies it to his life can be compared to a wise man who built his house on an unshakable foundation. 25 When the rains fell and the flood l came, with fierce winds beating upon his house, it stood firm because of its strong foundation. 26 “But everyone who hears my teaching and

does not apply it to his life can be compared to a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 When it rained and rained and the flood came, with wind and waves beating upon his house, it collapsed and was swept away.” m 28 By the time Jesus finished speaking, the crowds were dazed and overwhelmed n by his teaching, 29 because his words carried such great authority, quite unlike their religious scholars. o

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7:1 It is God’s judgment that is being implied by the passive verbs. 7:2 See Rom. 2:1 . 7:3 Or “Why do you see a speck in your brother’s eye but fail to see the beam of wood sticking out of your own eye?” 7:5 Or “You hypocrite, why don’t you first remove the beam sticking out of your own eye? Then you can see clearly to remove the small speck out of your brother’s eye.” Jesus is clearly teaching that our blind spots prevent us from accurately evaluating the needs of others. 7:6 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “Don’t let the dogs have consecrated [holy] meat.” The Aramaic word for “earrings” is almost identical to the word for “holy.” Earrings and pearls are symbols of spiritual truths

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given to us by God. They give us beautiful “ears” to hear his voice and impart lovely pearls of wisdom, which are not to be regarded lightly or shared with those who have their hearts closed. The Aramaic word for “throw” is almost identical to the word for “to instruct” or “to teach.” The value of wisdom is not appreciated by those who have no ears to hear it. 7:8 Clement of Alexandria attributes an additional saying to Jesus and states that it is from the Hebrew M atthew: “The one who seeks should not cease until he finds, and in finding he shall marvel, and having marveled he shall reign, and having reigned he shall rest.” Miscellanies 2.9 (de Santos 3; Lagrange 9) and Miscellanies 5.14 (de Santos 4; Lagrange 10). 7:11 Or “although you are evil.” 7:11 Hebrew M atthew is “give his good Spirit,” a reference to asking for the Holy Spirit. See also Luke 11:13 . 7:15 Hebrew M atthew adds a phrase, “They are full of deceit as wild, ravenous wolves.” There is at least a hint here of the Benjamite prophecy found in Gen. 49:27. 7:22 Or “preach in your name.” 7:23 The Aramaic can be translated “From everlasting I have not known you.” 7:25 Or “rivers.” See also Song. 8:7 . 7:27 Or “and great was its fall!” 7:28 The Greek word used here, ekplesso , is a strong verb that means “awestruck, filled with amazement, astonished,

panic stricken, something that takes your breath away (being hit with a blow), to be shocked, to expel, to drive out.” Clearly, Jesus spoke with such glory and power emanating from him that his words were like thunderbolts in their hearts. M ay we hear his words in the same way today. o 7:29 Or “scribes” (experts of the Law). Jesus taught from an inner knowledge of God and his Word, for his teaching emphasized obedience to God from the heart, not just outwardly keeping laws.

Jesus Heals a Leper

8 After he came down from teaching on the hillside, massive crowds began following him. a 2 Suddenly, a leper walked up to Jesus and threw himself down before him in worship b and said, “Lord, you have the power to heal me . . . if you really want to.” 3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the leper and said, “Of course I want to heal you—be healed!” And instantly, all signs of leprosy c disappeared! 4 Then Jesus said to him, “Don’t speak to anyone, but go at once and find a priest and show him what has happened to you. Make sure to take the offering Moses commanded so they

can certify your healing.” d Jesus Heals the Son of a Roman Officer 5 When Jesus entered the village of Capernaum, a captain e in the Roman army approached him, asking for a miracle. f 6 “Lord,” he said, “I have a son g who is lying in my home, paralyzed and suffering terribly.” 7 Jesus responded, “I will go with you and heal him.” 8–9 But the Roman officer interjected, “Lord, who am I to have you come into my house? I understand your authority , for I too am a man who walks under authority and have authority over soldiers who serve under me. I can tell one to go and he’ll go, and another to come and he’ll come. I order my servants and they’ll do whatever I ask. So I know that all you need to do is to stand here and command healing over my son and he will be instantly healed.” 10 Jesus was astonished when he heard this and said to those who were following him, “He has greater faith than anyone I’ve encountered in Israel! 11 Listen to what I am about to tell you. Multitudes of non-Jewish people will stream from the east and the west, to enter into the

banqueting feast with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the heavenly kingdom. 12 But many Israelites, born to be heirs of the kingdom, will be turned away and banished into the darkness where there will be bitter weeping and unbearable anguish.” h 13 Then Jesus turned to the Roman officer and said, “Go home. All that you have believed for will be done for you!” And his son was healed at that very moment. Jesus Heals Everyone in Capernaum 14 Then Jesus went into Peter’s home and found Peter’s mother-in-law bedridden, severely ill with a fever. 15 The moment Jesus touched her hand she was healed! Immediately she got up and began to make dinner for them. 16 That evening the people brought to him many who were demonized. And by Jesus only speaking a word of healing over them, they were totally set free from their torment, i and everyone who was sick received their healing! 17 In doing this, Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: He put upon himself our weaknesses,

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and he carried away our diseases and made us well. 18 At the sight of large crowds gathering around him, Jesus gave orders to his disciples to get ready to sail back over to the other side of the lake. k 19 Just then, a religious scholar l approached him and said, “Teacher, I’ll follow you wherever you go!” 20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens, birds have nests, but the Son of Man m has no true home in this world.” n 21 Then another man spoke up and said, “Lord, I’ll follow you, but first I must take care of my aged father and bury him when he dies.” o 22 But Jesus said to him, “Now is the time to follow me, and let those who are dead bury their own dead.” p

Jesus Calms a Storm 23 They all got into a boat and began to cross over to the other side of the lake. And Jesus, exhausted, fell asleep . 24 Suddenly a violent storm q developed, with waves so high the boat was about to be

swamped. Yet Jesus continued to sleep soundly. 25 The disciples woke him up, saying, “Save us, Lord! We’re going to die!” r 26 But Jesus reprimanded them. “Why are you gripped with fear? s Where is your faith?” Then he stood up and rebuked t the storm and said, “Be still!” And instantly it became perfectly calm. u 27 The disciples were astonished by this miracle and said to one another, “Who is this Man? Even the wind and waves obey his Word.” Jesus Sets Free Two Demonized Men 28 When they arrived on the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gadarenes, v two demonized men confronted Jesus. They lived among the tombs of a cemetery and were considered so extremely violent that no one felt safe passing through that area. 29 The demons screamed at Jesus, shouting, “Son of God, what do you want with us? w Leave us alone! Have you come to torment us before the appointed time?” 30 There was a large herd of pigs feeding nearby, 31 so the demons pleaded, “If you cast us out, send us into that herd of pigs.” 32 Jesus commanded, “Then

go!” And at once the demons came out of the men and went into the pigs. x Then the entire herd of crazed pigs stampeded down the steep slope and fell into the water and drowned. 33 The men who were herding the pigs fled to the nearby town and informed the people of all that had happened to the demonized men. 34 Then everyone from the town went out to confront Jesus and urged him to go away and leave them alone. y

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8:1 It is best to view this verse as an extension of 7:29. Chapter and verse breaks are not part of the inspired text but were added centuries later to aid in our study of God’s Word. 8:2 As translated from the Aramaic and Hebrew M atthew, and implied in the Greek. 8:3 The word leprosy was used for various skin disorders. For Jesus to touch a leper was to render him ceremonially unclean, but Jesus wasn’t defiled by touching the leper— the leper was healed! 8:4 Or “as a testimony to them.” See Lev. 13–14 for the prescribed ritual for the cleansing of a leper. 8:5 Or “centurion.” 8:5 Implied in the narrative.

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8:6 As translated from the Aramaic and Hebrew M atthew. The Greek is “servant.” 8:12 Or “gnashing of teeth.” See also Job 16:9; Pss. 35:16 ; 37:12 ; 112:10 ; Jer. 9:9–14. 8:16 M atthew gives us five instances of setting the demonized free: here; 9:32–34; 12:22; 15:22–28; 17:18. 8:17 The Aramaic “wounds” or “sores.” See Isa. 53:4. 8:18 This was the eastern bank of Lake Galilee, located on the Syrian side. 8:19 Or “expert of the Law” (scribe). These were the top religious scholars among the Pharisees, whose occupation was the systematic study of the law of M oses. 8:20 Or “this True M an.” See Dan. 7:13–14. 8:20 Or “no place to lay my head” (homeless). 8:21 Or “but first let me go bury my father.” This is a figure of speech for saying, “I can’t follow you, but I will after my father dies.” 8:22 Jesus requires that following him supersede any cultural or religious duty. Jewish culture in the time of Jesus gave the family the responsibility of a re-interment of the bones of the deceased into an ossuary one year after death. It is possible that this man’s father had passed away but the year had not yet completed. He was saying, “I’ll follow you after this year is completed.” Jesus is not telling him to dishonor his father by not doing a burial, but that the custom of waiting a year (tradition) must never trump following him. He is telling the man that the spiritually dead

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are capable of burying the dead, so nothing should keep anyone from following him. 8:24 Or “earthquake.” This could have been a temblor that caused tidal waves that swamped their boat. M ost expositors equate this instead to the shaking of a violent storm. 8:25 See Ps. 44:23 . 8:26 Or “Why are you so cowardly, you of such little faith?” Jesus is implying that if they had faith, they could have commanded the storm to be stilled and it would happen. 8:26 This is the same Greek word that is used when Jesus rebuked demons. 8:26 See Pss. 89:9 ; 107:23–30 . 8:28 There are three possible locations for the region of the Gadarenes. (1) It could be only a few miles from the city of Gadara (modern-day Um Qeis). Gadara means “thorn hedge.” (2) The du Tillet translation of Hebrew M atthew has “the region of the Girgashites.” (3) Other scholars have concluded that it is the region near the town of Gergesa. 8:29 The demons immediately sensed the true identity of Jesus and knew a day of judgment was coming for them. Sadly, many people today have yet to realize who Jesus is and that there is a coming day of judgment for them. 8:32 How amazing that Jesus answered the request of the demons. How much more will he answer your prayers. This

mass exorcism is an astonishing miracle demonstrating the authority and power of Jesus. It is also amazing that the people of the town didn’t ask Jesus to remain with them. The one who can deliver two men from demonic power can also deliver a city. y 8:34 It is possible that the people of this region worshiped the sow goddess, called “Nut” in Egypt. In Rome she was called “M aia,” from which we get the month of M ay. The swine herders were possibly soothsayers and shamans. The mass suicide of these pigs proved that the Son of God had authority over the principality of that region that confronted him the moment he came into their region.

Forgiveness and Healing

9 Jesus got into the boat and returned to what was considered his hometown, Capernaum . a 2 Just then some people brought a paraplegic man to him, lying on a sleeping mat. When Jesus perceived the strong faith within their hearts, he said to the paralyzed man, “My son, be encouraged, for your sins have been forgiven.” b 3 These words prompted some of the religious scholars who were present to think, “Why, that’s

nothing but blasphemy!” 4 Jesus supernaturally perceived their thoughts, and said to them, “Why do you carry such evil in your hearts? 5 Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or, ‘Stand up and walk!’? c 6 But now, to convince you that the Son of Man has been given authority to forgive sins, I say to this man, ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk home.’” 7 Immediately the man sprang to his feet and left for home. 8 When the crowds witnessed this miracle, they were awestruck. d They shouted praises to God because he had given such authority to human beings. Jesus Calls Matthew to Follow Him 9 As Jesus left Capernaum he came upon a taxcollecting station, where a traitorous Jew was busy at his work, e collecting taxes for the Romans. His name was Matthew. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said to him. Immediately Matthew jumped up and began to follow Jesus. 10 Later, Jesus went to Matthew’s home to share a meal with him. Many other tax collectors and

outcasts of society were invited to eat with Jesus and his disciples. 11 When those known as the Pharisees saw what was happening, they were indignant, and they kept asking Jesus’ disciples, “Why would your Master dine with such lowlifes?” 12 When Jesus overheard this, he spoke up and said, “Healthy people don’t need to see a doctor, but the sick f will go for treatment.” 13 Then he added, “Now you should go and study the meaning of the verse: I want you to show mercy, not just offer me a sacrifice. g For I have come to invite the outcasts of society and sinners, not those who think they are already on the right path.” h Jesus Brings a New Reality 14 The disciples of John the Baptizer approached Jesus with this question: “Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast regularly, but not your disciples?” 15 Jesus replied, “How can the sons of the bridal

chamber i grieve when the Bridegroom is next to them? But the days of fasting will come when the Bridegroom is taken away from them. 16 And who would mend worn-out clothing with new fabric? When the new cloth shrinks it will rip, making the hole worse than before. 17 And who would pour fresh, new wine into an old wineskin? Eventually the wine will ferment and make the wineskin burst, losing everything—the wine is spilled and the wineskin ruined. Instead, new wine is always poured into a new wineskin so that both are preserved.” j Jesus Heals and Raises the Dead 18 While Jesus was still speaking, an influential Jewish leader k approached and knelt before him, saying, “Help me! My daughter has just died. Please come and place your hand upon her so that she will live again.” 19 So Jesus and his disciples got up and went with him. 20 Suddenly, a woman came from behind Jesus and touched the tassel of his prayer shawl for healing . l She had been suffering from continual bleeding for

twelve years, but had faith that Jesus could heal her . 21 For she kept saying to herself, “If I could only touch his prayer shawl I would be healed.” 22 Just then Jesus turned around and looked at her and said, “My daughter, be encouraged. Your faith has healed you.” m And instantly she was healed! 23 When Jesus finally entered the home of the Jewish leader, he saw a noisy crowd of mourners, wailing and playing a funeral dirge on their flutes. 24 He told them, “You must leave, for the little girl is not dead; she’s only asleep.” Then everyone began to ridicule him. 25 After he made the crowd go outside, he went into the girl’s room and gently took hold of her hand. She immediately stood to her feet! 26 And the news of this incredible miracle spread everywhere. Jesus Opens Blind Eyes 27 As Jesus left the house, two blind men began following him, shouting out over and over, “Son of David, n show us mercy and heal us!” 28 And they followed him right into the house where Jesus was staying. o So Jesus asked them, “Do you believe

that I have the power to restore sight to your eyes?” They replied, “Yes Lord, we believe!” 29 Then Jesus put his hands over their eyes and said, “You will have what your faith expects!” 30 And instantly their eyes opened—they could see! Then Jesus warned them sternly, “Make sure that you tell no one what just happened!” 31 But unable to contain themselves, they went out and spread the news everywhere! Jesus Heals the Mute 32 While they were leaving, some people brought before Jesus a man with a demon spirit who couldn’t speak. 33 Jesus cast the demon out of him, and immediately the man began to speak plainly . The crowds marveled in astonishment, saying, “We’ve never seen miracles like this in Israel!” p 34 But the Pharisees kept saying, “The chief of demons is helping him drive out demons.” Workers for the Harvest 35 Jesus walked throughout the region q with the joyful message of God’s kingdom realm. He taught in

their meeting houses, and wherever he went he demonstrated God’s power by healing every kind of disease and illness. 36 When he saw the vast crowds of people, Jesus’ heart was deeply moved with compassion, because they seemed weary and helpless, like wandering sheep without a shepherd. 37 He turned to his disciples and said, “The harvest is huge and ripe! But there are not enough harvesters to bring it all in. 38 As you go, plead with the Owner of the Harvest to thrust out r many more reapers to harvest his grain!”

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9:1 Jesus had moved from Nazareth to Capernaum. See M att. 4:13 . b 9:2 The Hebrew M atthew reads, “By the faith of the M ighty One your sins are forgiven.” See also Ps. 103:3 . c 9:5 It is easy for anyone to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” for that cannot be proven. But if someone were to tell a paralyzed man to stand up, and he didn’t stand up, that would prove the person is a fraud. Jesus didn’t do the “easy thing” without accomplishing the hard thing, the miracle of healing. Forgiveness and healing both flow from Jesus Christ.

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9:8 The Aramaic word used here can mean either “awestruck/marveled,” or “seized with fear.” This may explain the variation within Greek manuscripts. 9:9 Or “sitting at his tax-collecting booth.” M atthew means “gift of God.” He was also known as Levi, which means “joined.” It is possible that he took the name M atthew after becoming a believer. 9:12 The Hebrew word for “sick” can also mean “evil.” 9:13 See Hos. 6:6. To “offer a sacrifice” would be a metaphor for placing strict obedience to the law over the triumph of mercy’s kiss in our dealings with others. Sadly, many religious people today read this as “I desire religious exactness, not mercy.” Transforming ministry shows unmerited mercy to the “sick.” 9:13 The obvious implication Jesus is making is that all are sinners who need to come to him for salvation. 9:15 See Song. 1:4 . These sons of the bridal chamber are “Shulamites,” lovers of God. 9:17 The teaching of Jesus is the new wine and the new cloth. What Jesus taught cannot patch up the old religious system, nor can it be contained in a wineskin of worn-out traditions. It is new, exhilarating, and powerful. It must be poured into a heart made new. The new and the old are not meant to be together. Jesus makes all things new. He didn’t come to reform Judaism, but to form a twice-born company of people. 9:18 This was Jairus, who was the leader of the Jewish

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synagogue and possibly even a member of the Sanhedrin. See M ark 5:21–23 ; Luke 8:40–42 . The interwoven miracles of the daughter being raised from the dead and the woman being healed symbolize Israel and the church. Israel is the “dead daughter” that Jesus will soon raise to new life. On his way to raise her from the dead, he encountered a woman and healed her. The church is the healed woman. The girl, according to Jesus, was only “sleeping.” He will come back to Israel, but on his way, he will heal the woman who touched him by faith. Jesus touched the girl, and the woman touched Jesus. The girl lived twelve years, then died. The woman had been dying twelve years, and then she lived. 9:20 Or “for salvation.” The blue tassel on the corner of the prayer shawl was said to symbolize all commandments and promises of God. See Num. 15:38–40. The Hebrew word for “fringe” or “border” (of a garment) can also mean “wing.” Some have interpreted M al. 4:2 (“healing in his wings”) as a reference to the tassels of the prayer shawl. 9:22 Or “saved you.” 9:27 This phrase is an obvious messianic term. The blind men are hoping that Jesus is the M essiah who will come and restore sight to the blind. See Isa. 29:18; 35:5–6; 42:7. Other than the wise men at Jesus’ birth, these two blind men were the first to recognize Jesus as King. 9:28 This was most likely in Capernaum. 9:33 M att. 8 and 9 give us ten miracles that Jesus performed as signs to prove that he is the M essiah. Five are

found in each chapter. In ch. 8 we find the leper healed, the military captain’s son healed, Simon’s mother-in-law healed, the raging storm stilled, and two demon-possessed men set free. In ch. 9 we find the paraplegic man healed, the woman with constant bleeding healed, Jairus’ daughter raised from the dead, and two blind men given sight. These signs demonstrated Jesus’ authority and power over sickness, storms, Satan, and death. q 9:35 Or “in all the towns and villages.” r 9:38 The Greek word ekballo is used many times in the Gospels for driving out or casting out demons. The Lord of the Harvest must cast the laborers out into the harvest fields.

Jesus Sends Out His Twelve Apostles

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Jesus gathered his twelve a disciples and imparted to them authority to cast out demons and to heal every sickness b and every disease. 2 Now, these are the names of the first twelve apostles: first, Simon, who is nicknamed Peter, and Andrew, his brother. And then Jacob c and John, sons of Zebedee. 3 Next were Phillip and Bartholomew; d then Thomas and Matthew, the tax collector; Jacob

the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus; e 4 Simon, the former member of the Zealot party, f and Judas the locksmith, who eventually betrayed Jesus. g 5 Jesus commissioned these twelve to go out into the ripened harvest fields with these instructions: “Don’t go into any non-Jewish or Samaritan territory. h 6 Go instead and find the lost sheep i among the people of Israel. 7 And as you go, preach this message: ‘Heaven’s kingdom realm is accessible, close enough to touch.’ j 8 You must continually bring healing to lepers and to those who are sick, k and make it your habit to break off the demonic presence from people, l and raise the dead back to life. Freely m you have received the power of the kingdom , so freely release it to others. 9 You won’t need a lot of money. n 10 Travel light, o and don’t even pack an extra change of clothes in your backpack. Trust God for everything, because the one who works for him deserves to be provided for. 11 “Whatever village or town you enter, search for a godly p man who will let you into his home until you leave for the next town. 12 Once you

enter a house, speak to the family there and say, ‘God’s blessing of peace be upon this house!’ 13 And if those living there welcome you, let your peace come upon the house. But if you are rejected, that blessing of peace will come back upon you. 14 And if anyone doesn’t listen to you and rejects your message, when you leave that house or town, shake the dust off your feet as a prophetic act that you will not take their defilement with you . q 15 Mark my words, on the day of judgment the wicked people who lived in the land of Sodom and Gomorrah will have a lesser degree of judgment than the city that rejects you, for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah did not have the opportunity that was given to them ! 16 Now, remember, it is I who sends you out, even though you feel vulnerable as lambs going into a pack of wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes yet as harmless r as doves.” Jesus Warns His Apostles of Persecution 17 “Be on your guard! For there will be those who will betray you before their religious councils and

brutally beat you with whips in their public gatherings. s 18 And because you follow me, they will take you to stand trial in front of rulers and even kings as an opportunity to testify of me before them and the unbelievers. t 19 So when they arrest you, don’t worry about how to speak or what you are to say, for the Holy Spirit will give you at that very moment the words to speak. 20 It won’t be you speaking but the Spirit of your Father repeatedly speaking through you. u 21 “A brother will betray his brother unto death—even a father his child! Children will rise up against their parents and have them put to death. 22 Expect to be hated by all because of my name, but be faithful to the end and you will experience life and deliverance. v 23 And when they persecute you in one town, flee to another. But I promise you this: you will not deliver all the cities and towns of Israel until the Son of Man will have made his appearance. w 24 “A student is not superior to his teacher any more than a servant would be greater than his master. 25 The student must be satisfied to share

his teacher’s fate and the servant his master’s. If they have called the head of the family ‘lord of flies,’ x no wonder they malign the members of his family. 26 “Don’t be afraid or intimidated by others, for God will bring everything out into the open and every secret will be told. 27 What I say to you in the dark, repeat in broad daylight, and what you hear in a whisper, announce it publicly. 28 Don’t be in fear of those who can kill only the body but not your soul. Fear only God, who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 You can buy two sparrows for only a copper coin, yet not even one sparrow falls from its nest without the knowledge of your Father. Aren’t you worth much more to God than many sparrows? 30–31 So don’t worry. For your Father cares deeply about even the smallest detail of your life. y 32 “If you openly and publicly acknowledge me, I will freely and openly acknowledge you before my heavenly Father. 33 But if you publicly deny that you know me, z I will also deny you before my heavenly Father.

34 “Perhaps you think I’ve come to spread peace and calm over the earth—but my coming will bring conflict and division, aa not peace. 35 Because of me,

A son will turn against his father, a daughter her mother and against her mother-in-law. ab 36 Within your own families you will find enemies. ac 37

“Whoever loves father or mother or son or daughter more than me is not fit to be my disciple. ad 38 And whoever comes to me must follow in my steps and be willing to share my cross and experience it as his own, or he cannot be considered to be my disciple. 39 All who seek to live apart from me ae will lose it all. But those who let go of their lives for my sake and surrender it all to me will discover true life! 40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the One who sent me. af 41 Whoever receives a prophet because he is

God’s messenger ag will share a prophet’s reward. And whoever welcomes a good and godly man because he follows me ah will also share in his reward. 42 And whoever gives a cup of cold water to one of my humble disciples, I promise you, he will not go unrewarded.”

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10:1 The number twelve speaks of governmental authority. Israel had twelve tribes, and Jesus chose twelve disciples. Only after Jesus gave them this authority were they called apostles. The authority Jesus gave them is what he had demonstrated over the previous five chapters of M atthew. After Christ’s resurrection he reminded them, as he sent them again to the nations, that “all authority has already been given to you.” Here Jesus makes these twelve men the answer to their own prayers for the Lord of the Harvest to send out more reapers. b 10:1 The Aramaic word is “ailment” or “affliction.” c 10:2 Or “James.” Translations of the Bible have substituted Jacob with James. Both Greek and Aramaic leave the Hebrew name as it is, Jacob. This translation will use Jacob throughout. d 10:3 Bartholomew is likely another name for Nathaniel. See John 1:45 .

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10:3 Or “Lebbaeus.” 10:4 Or “the patriot.” The Zealot party was also known as the Daggar party. Some manuscripts read “Simon the Canaanite.” 10:4 The name Judas is actually Judah. Iscariot is not his last name, but could be taken from the name of the town, Kerioth, twelve miles south of Hebron. But more plausibly, Iscariot is taken from a Hebrew word meaning “lock,” Judah being a locksmith. He likely was the one chosen to lock the collection bag, which means he had the key and could pilfer the fund at will. It is his sad history that he wanted to lock up Jesus and control him for his own ends. 10:5 Or “Don’t go on the paths of the non-Jewish people.” 10:6 The Hebrew M atthew is “the sheep who have strayed from the house of Israel.” 10:7 The Hebrew M atthew and a few Greek manuscripts add the call to repentance with the word “Repent (turn from sin and turn to God), for the kingdom of heaven approaches.” 10:8 Or “the weak.” 10:8 The Aramaic is “cure the insane.” 10:8 That is, don’t charge for preaching the gospel. 10:9 Or “Don’t take gold, silver, or copper.” The Hebrew M atthew is “Don’t heap up silver and gold in your money belts.” The Aramaic has the nuance of more than not taking money, but of not going after the accumulation of money by

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using God’s anointing. 10:10 Or “Don’t take sandals or a staff,” which is likely a figure of speech for “Travel light.” The reason Jesus told his disciples to leave their things behind is that they already had what was most important. Our “money” or wealth is in the kingdom realm of God. Our “clothing” is the garment of righteousness we wear in Christ. Our “backpack” points to our past experiences, which we tend to carry as weights on our backs. We leave our past behind since it no longer exists in Christ. Our “shoes” become a picture of the good news we walk in as we experience his continual peace. Our “staff” is a symbol of authority, and we take with us no other authority but Christ’s. We can leave it all behind since we take it all with us in Christ. 10:11 Or “worthy” or “honorable”; that is, “deserving of your confidence.” The “worthy” man would be one who welcomed the disciples into his home, providing hospitality to them. 10:14 Implied in the historical context of shaking dust off of one’s feet when leaving a city. The “uncleanness” could also refer to any bitter response to the rejection they experienced. They were to “shake it off” before they went to their next assignment. 10:16 Or “innocent.” 10:17 Although this can be translated “synagogues,” it is actually a gathering of people. No one would be scourged in a synagogue building. See Luke 4:28–30 . The Sinaiticus

version of M atthew is “courts of justice.” 10:18 This prophecy of Jesus was fulfilled many times over with the apostles of the Lamb. u 10:20 See Ex. 4:12. v 10:22 There is found here one of the agrapha, quoted from an earlier gospel manuscript that has been lost, which reads, “As often as you fall, rise up, and you will be saved.” Akolouthia of Confession (Evans, The Historical Jesus ; 2004, supra , at 213). w 10:23 As translated from the Aramaic, which can also be translated “Those who believe [in hope] until the end will live.” The Greek is somewhat ambiguous and reads, “You will not finish going through all the towns of Israel before the Son of M an comes.” x 10:25 Or Baal-zebub , a derisive term for Satan. There is some evidence that the Hebrew word Baal-zebub could also mean “lord of tricks” (or “trickster”). y 10:30–31 Or “even the hairs of your head are numbered.” z 10:33 The Aramaic can be translated “he who blasphemes me.” aa 10:34 Or “I have not come to bring peace but a sword.” The Aramaic word harba can mean either “sword” or “war.” The Greek is “sword” (of division). Either term signifies division. ab 10:35 The Hebrew M atthew adds here, “For there will be five in a house, three against two and two against three, father against son and son against father, and they will stand t

alone.” This is missing from the Greek manuscripts. 10:36 See M ic. 7:6. 10:37 Or “is of no use to me.” The Hebrew M atthew is “I am not suitable for him.” ae 10:39 Or “Anyone who clings to his own life [soul, self, being].” af 10:40 Justin M artyr (AD 165) cited this verse but translated it, possibly from an earlier manuscript, “He who hears me hears Him who sent me” ( First Apology LXXXII). ag 10:41 Or “in the name of a prophet.” See 1 Kings 17:9– 24; 2 Kings 4:9–37. ah 10:41 Or “in the name of a righteous person.” ac ad

Jesus and John the Baptizer

11 After Jesus finished giving instructions to his twelve disciples, he went on to minister in different villages throughout the region. 2 Now, while John the Baptizer was in prison, he heard about what Christ was doing among the people, so he sent his disciples to ask him this question: 3 “Are you really the one prophesied would come, or should we still wait for another?” 4 Jesus answered them, “Give John this report:

‘The blind see again, the crippled walk, lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised back to life, and the poor and broken now hear of the hope of salvation!’ a 6 And tell John that the blessing of heaven comes upon those who never lose their faith in me b — no matter what happens!” 7 As they were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John. “What kind of man did you see when you went out into the wilderness? Did you expect to see a man who would be easily intimidated? c 8 Who was he? Did you expect to see a man decked out in the splendid fashion of the day? d Those who wear fancy clothes live like kings in palaces. 9 Or did you encounter a true prophet out in the lonely wilderness? Yes, John was a prophet like those of the past, but he is even more than that! 10 He was the fulfillment of this Scripture: See, I am sending my prophetic messenger e who will go ahead of me and prepare hearts to receive me. f

11 “For I tell you the truth, throughout history there has never been a man who surpasses John the Baptizer. Yet the least of those who now experience heaven’s kingdom realm will become even greater than he. 12 From the moment John stepped onto the scene until now, the realm of heaven’s kingdom is bursting forth, and passionate people have taken hold of its power. g 13 For all the prophets and the Torah h prophesied until John appeared. 14 If you can receive this truth, John is the Elijah who was destined to come. 15 So listen and understand what I’m telling you. i 16 “Don’t you understand? How could I describe the people of this generation? You’re like children playing games on the playground, yelling at their playmates, 17 ‘You don’t like it when we want to play Wedding! And you don’t like it when we want to play Funeral! You will neither dance nor mourn.’ 18 Why is it that when John came to you, neither feasting nor drinking wine, you said, ‘He has a demon in him!’? 19 Yet when the Son of Man came and went to feasts

and drank wine, you said, ‘Look at this Man! He is nothing but a glutton and a drunkard! He spends all his time with tax collectors and other affluent sinners.’ j But God’s wisdom will be visibly seen living in those who embrace it.” k Jesus Criticizes Unrepentant Cities 20 Then Jesus began to openly denounce the cities where he had done most of his mighty miracles, because the people failed to turn away from sin and return to God. 21 He said, “How tragic it will be for the city of Korazin! And how horrible for the city of Bethsaida! For if the powerful miracles that I performed in Korazin and Bethsaida had been done in Tyre and Sidon, l they would have humbled themselves and repented, and turned from their sins. 22 Tyre and Sidon m will better off on judgment day than you! 23 And Capernaum—do you really think you’ll be exalted because of the great miracles I have done there? No! You’ll be brought down to the depths of hell n because of your rejection of me. For if the miracles I worked in your streets were done in Sodom, it

would still be standing today! 24 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom in the day of judgment than it will be for you.” Jesus Invites Everyone to Come 25 Then Jesus exclaimed, “Father, thank you, for you are Lord, the Supreme Ruler over heaven and earth! And you have hidden the great revelation of your authority from those who are proud and wise in their own eyes. Instead, you have shared it with these who humble themselves. 26 Yes, Father, your plan delights your heart, as you’ve chosen this way to extend your kingdom— by giving it to those who have become like trusting children . 27 You have entrusted me with all that you are and all that you have. No one fully and intimately knows the Son except the Father. And no one fully and intimately knows the Father except the Son. But the Son is able to unveil the Father to anyone he chooses. 28 “Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to me. o I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis. p 29 Simply join your life with mine.

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Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, r humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me. s 30 For all that I require of you will be pleasant t and easy to bear.” u

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11:5 This fulfills many Old Testament references to the coming of the M essiah, including Isa. 29:18–19; 35:5–6; 61:1. Jesus is assuring John that the message he brings is life and salvation, not judgment and wrath. 11:6 Or “Blessed are those who are not offended over me.” 11:7 Or “a reed shaken by the wind?” 11:8 See M att. 3:4 . 11:10 Or “angel.” 11:10 This is quoted from M al. 3:1. 11:12 Or “The kingdom of heaven is entered into by force, and violent ones take hold of it.” This is one of the most difficult passages in M atthew to translate from the Greek. When the Greek words are translated into Hebrew it becomes a clear reference to M ic. 2:12–13 and includes the “breaking forth [Hb. peretz ].” 11:13 That is, the first five books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy).

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11:15 Or “Anyone who has ears to hear, let him hear,” an idiom that means “You’d better listen!” 11:19 As translated from Hebrew M atthew. 11:19 Or more literally “Wisdom is vindicated by all her children” (Gr. teknon ) (some manuscripts, “by her deeds”). The Aramaic word can mean either “servant” (disciple) or “works,” which would explain the difference in some Greek manuscripts. 11:21 The Hebrew M atthew is “Sodom.” 11:22 Tyre and Sidon were two gentile cities on the M editerranean coast that were known for their wickedness. 11:23 See Isa. 14:13–15. 11:28 M any times Jesus said, “Come after (follow) me,” but only here does he say, “Come to me.” See Ex. 33:14; M att. 23:4 . 11:28 As translated from the Aramaic. 11:29 Or “Bend your neck to my yoke.” The metaphor of a yoke is that it joins two animals to work as one. It is not simply work or toil that is the focus here, but union with Christ. 11:29 The Aramaic is “tranquil” or “peaceful.” 11:29 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew. The Aramaic could be translated “Come to me and I will cheer [refresh] you. I am cheerful [refreshing] and humble in heart, and you will find cheer [refreshing] for your soul.” 11:30 Or “kind” (or “delightful”). 11:30 See Ps. 55:22 .

Jesus, Lord over the Sabbath

12 One Saturday, on the day of rest,

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Jesus and his disciples were walking through a field of wheat. The disciples were hungry, so they plucked off some heads of grain and rubbed them in their hands b to eat. 2 But when some of the Pharisees saw what was happening, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples shouldn’t be harvesting grain on the Sabbath!” 3 Jesus responded, “Haven’t you ever read what King David and his men did when they were hungry? 4 They entered the house of God c and ate the sacred bread of God’s presence, d violating the law by eating bread that only the priests were allowed to eat. 5 “And haven’t you read in the Torah that the priests violated the rules of the Sabbath by carrying out their duties in the temple on a Saturday, and yet they are without blame? 6 But I say to you, there is one here who is even greater than the temple. 7 If only you could learn the meaning of the words ‘I want compassion more than a sacrifice,’ e you wouldn’t be condemning

my innocent disciples. 8 For the Son of Man exercises his lordship over the Sabbath.” f 9 Then Jesus left them and went into the synagogue where 10 he encountered a man who had an atrophied, paralyzed hand. g The fault-finding Pharisees asked Jesus, “Is it permissible to perform a work of healing on the Sabbath, when no one is supposed to work ?” They only asked him this question because they hoped to accuse him of breaking the Jewish laws. h 11 He answered them, “If any of you had a lamb that fell into a ditch on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you reach out your hand and lift it out? 12 Isn’t a man much more valuable than a lamb? So of course, it’s always proper to do miracles, i even on the Sabbath.” 13 Then he turned to the man and said, “Hold out your hand!” And as he stretched it out, it was restored, exactly like the other. 14 Immediately the Pharisees went out and started to scheme about how they would do away with him. 15 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he left by another way. Massive crowds followed him from

there, and he healed all who were sick. 16 However, he sternly warned them not to tell others or disclose his real identity, 17 in order to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah: j Take a careful look at my servant, k my chosen one. I love him dearly and I find all my delight in him. l I will breathe my Spirit upon him and he will decree justice m to the nations. 19 He will not quarrel or be found yelling in public. 20 He won’t brush aside the bruised and broken. He will be gentle with the weak and feeble, n until his victory releases justice. 21 And the fame of his name will birth hope among the people. o 18

Jesus Frees a Demonized Man 22 Then a man was brought before Jesus who had a demon spirit that made him both blind and unable to speak. Jesus healed him instantly, and he could see

and talk again! 23 The crowds went wild with amazement as they witnessed this miracle. And they kept saying to one another, “Could this man be the Messiah?” p 24 But when the Pharisees overheard what the people were saying about the miracle, they said, “He casts out demons by the power of Satan, q the prince of demons!” 25 Now, Jesus supernaturally perceived their thoughts and motives, so he confronted them by telling them this parable: r “Any kingdom that fights against itself will end up in ruins. And any family or community splintered by strife will fall apart. 26 So if Satan casts out Satan, he is making war on himself. How then could his kingdom survive? 27 So if Satan empowers me to cast out demons, who empowers your exorcists s to cast them out? Go ask them, for what they do proves you’re wrong in your accusations. t 28 On the other hand, if I drive out demons by the power of the Spirit of God, then the end of Satan’s kingdom has come! u 29 Who would dare enter the house of a mighty

man and steal his property? First he must be overpowered and tied up by one who is stronger than he. Then his entire house can be plundered and every possession stolen. 30 “ So join with me , v for if you’re not on my side you are against me. And if you refuse to help me gather the spoils, you are making things worse . w 31 This is why I warn you, for God will forgive people for every sin and blasphemy they have committed except one. There is no forgiveness for the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. 32 If anyone speaks evil of me, the Son of Man, he can be forgiven; but if anyone contemptuously speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will never be forgiven, now or ever!” Only Good Trees Bear Good Fruit 33 “You must determine if a tree is good or rotten. You can recognize good trees by their delicious fruit. But if you find rotten fruit, you can be certain that the tree is rotten. The fruit defines the tree. 34 But you who are known as the Pharisees are rotten to the core! You’ve been

poisoned by the nature of a venomous snake. x How can your words be good and trustworthy if you are rotten within? For what has been stored up in your hearts will be heard in the overflow of your words! y 35 “When virtue is stored within, the hearts of good and upright people will produce good fruit. But when evil is hidden within, those who are evil will produce evil fruit. 36 You can be sure of this: when the day of judgment comes, everyone will be held accountable for every careless word z he has spoken. aa 37 Your very words will be used as evidence against you, and your words will declare you either innocent or guilty.” The Sign of Jonah 38 Then a few Jewish scholars and Pharisees spoke up and said, “Teacher, why don’t you perform a miraculous sign for us.” 39 Jesus replied, “Only evil people who are unfaithful to God would demand a sign. ab There will be no sign given to you except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just like Jonah was in the

belly of the huge sea creature for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. 41 The people of Nineveh will also rise up on the day of judgment to accuse and condemn this generation. ac For they all repented when they heard the preaching of Jonah, yet you have refused to repent. And there is one greater than Jonah who is preaching to you today! 42 Even the Queen of Sheba ad will rise up on the day of judgment to accuse and condemn this generation for its unbelief! She journeyed from a far and distant land just to hear the wisdom of King Solomon. Yet now there is one greater than Solomon speaking to you, and you still refuse to listen.” Demons 43 “When a demon is cast out of a person, it roams around a dry region, looking for a place to rest, but never finds it. 44 Then it says, ‘I’ll return to the house I moved out of,’ and so it goes back, only to find that the house is vacant, warm, and

ready for it to move back in. ae 45 So it goes looking for seven other demons more evil than itself, and they all enter together to live there. Then the person’s condition becomes much worse than it was in the beginning. This describes what will also happen to the people of this evil generation.” Jesus’ True Family 46 While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers came and stood outside, asking for him to come out and speak with them. 47 Then someone said, “Look, your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to have a word with you.” 48 But Jesus just looked at him and said, “Let me introduce you to my true mother and brothers.” 49 Then gesturing to the disciples gathered around him, he said, “Look closely, for this is my true family. 50 When you obey my heavenly Father, that makes you a part of my true family.”

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12:1 The Hebrew word for Sabbath comes from shavat ,

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which is the verb “to rest.” What was designed to be a day of rest and intimacy with God and family was now complicated by a host of rules and traditions. 12:1 As found in Hebrew M atthew. 12:4 That is, the tabernacle. See 1 Sam. 21:1–6. Ancient Jewish tradition states that David did this on a Sabbath day. See also Lev. 24:5–9. 12:4 Or “loaves of presentation.” See Ezek. 44:15–16. 12:7 See Hos. 6:6. M ercy is greater than ritual. 12:8 Jesus made three startling statements that stunned those who heard him. First he said that he was greater than the temple ( v. 6 ), then that God didn’t want sacrifices but mercy ( v. 7 ), and finally that he, the M essiah, was the Lord of the Sabbath. Don’t be surprised when Jesus shocks you with truth that is outside your understanding. 12:10 There is a reading given by Jerome which inserts here these words, possibly from an older manuscript of Hebrew M atthew: “I was a stonemason working with my hands. Jesus, I beg you to heal me so that I don’t have to shamefully beg for food.” See Jerome, Commentary in Matthew xii:13 (de Santos 23). 12:10 The Aramaic is “They were like pests who wanted to devour him.” 12:12 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “to do (morally) good.” 12:17 See Isa. 42:1–4. 12:18 Or “Here is my son.”

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12:18 The Aramaic is literally “He has sun-shined my being.” 12:18 Or “judgment.” 12:20 Or “A bruised reed he will not break and a smoldering wick he will not extinguish.” The Hebrew M atthew adds a phrase here that corresponds to Isa. 42: “He will not fail or be discouraged.” 12:21 Hebrew M atthew is “The islands will wait for his teachings.” 12:23 Or “Could he be the Son of David,” a title used for the M essiah. 12:24 Or “Beelzebub” ( Baal-zebub ), a title used for Satan. See footnote on M att. 10:25 . 12:25 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew. 12:27 Or “your sons,” and by implication, “your followers” (who are exorcists). 12:27 In other words, to condemn Jesus as working by Satan’s power would be to condemn their own exorcists. 12:28 As translated from Hebrew M atthew and implied in the Greek. The Greek text, somewhat ambiguously, reads, “then the kingdom of God has approached.” The Hebrew M atthew cohesively fits Jesus’ parable in making the conclusion that the end of Satan’s kingdom has arrived for he has bound the mighty one (Satan) and ransacked his house (kingdom). Regardless, one indeed implies the other. 12:30 Jesus is saying, “This is a war with no neutrality. Join my side or you will miss the spoils of victory and be

forever scattered.” 12:30 The Hebrew M atthew is “He who does not join me denies me.” x 12:34 Or “You are the sons of snakes”; that is, their inner identity was like a striking, poisonous viper. y 12:34 The Hebrew M atthew reads, “Truly the heart awakens and the mouth speaks.” z 12:36 Or “worthless word.” The Aramaic is “every untrue word.” aa 12:36 The agrapha includes a sentence here, also quoted by Justin M artyr: “In the words I find you saying, in those I will judge you.” See Justin M artyr, Dialogue 47:5. ab 12:39 After experiencing the many miracles of Jesus’ love and power, and hearing his words of grace, for them to demand a further sign is what distinguished that generation as “evil.” ac 12:41 The Aramaic is “tribe.” The Ninevites (modernday M osul, Iraq) were pagans, yet through the preaching of one prophet they converted. The people of Israel had many prophets throughout their history, and the greatest Prophet of all was now preaching to them, yet they refused to listen. ad 12:42 Literally “the queen of the south.” See 1 Kings 10:1–13. Sheba is modern-day Yemen. ae 12:44 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “swept clean and put in order.” w

The Parables of Jesus

13 Later that day, Jesus left the house and sat by the lakeshore to teach the people. 2 Soon, there were so many people surrounding him that he had to teach sitting in a boat while the large crowd stood on the shore. 3 He taught them many things by using stories, parables that would illustrate spiritual truths, a saying: “Consider this: There was a farmer who went out to sow seeds. 4 As he cast his seeds, some fell along the beaten path and the birds came and ate them. 5 Other seeds fell onto gravel that had no topsoil. The seeds quickly shot up, 6 but when the days grew hot, the sprouts were scorched and withered because they had insufficient roots. 7 Other seeds fell among the thorns and weeds, so when the seeds sprouted, so did the weeds, crowding out the good plants. 8 But other seeds fell on good, rich soil that kept producing a good harvest. Some yielded thirty, some sixty, and some even one hundred times as much as he planted! 9 If you’re able to understand this, then

you need to respond.” b 10 Then his disciples approached Jesus and asked, “Why do you always speak to people in these hardto-understand parables?” 11 He explained, “You’ve been given the intimate experience of insight into the hidden truths and mysteries c of the realm of heaven’s kingdom, but they have not. 12 For everyone who listens with an open heart will receive progressively more revelation d until he has more than enough. e But those who don’t listen with an open, teachable heart, even the understanding that they think they have will be taken from them. f 13 That’s why I teach the people using parables, because they think they’re looking for truth, yet because their hearts are unteachable, they never discover it. Although they will listen to me, they never fully perceive the message I speak. 14 The prophecy of Isaiah describes them perfectly: Although they listen carefully to everything I speak, they don’t understand a thing I say. They look and pretend to see,

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but the eyes of their hearts are closed. Their minds are dull and slow to perceive, g

their ears are plugged and are hard of hearing, and they have deliberately shut their eyes to the truth. Otherwise they would open their eyes to see, and open their ears to hear, and open their minds to understand. Then they would turn to me and let me instantly heal them. h 16 “But your eyes are privileged, for they see. Delighted are your ears, for they are open to hear all these things. i 17 Many prophets and godly people in times past yearned to see these days of miracles that you’ve been favored to see. They would have given everything to hear the revelation you’ve been favored to hear. Yet they didn’t get to see as much as a glimpse or hear even a whisper. 18 “Now you are ready to listen to the

revelation of the parable of the sower and his seeds: 19 “The seed that fell on the beaten path represents the heart of the one who hears the message of the kingdom realm j but doesn’t understand it. The Adversary then comes and snatches away what was sown into his heart. 20 “The seed sown on gravel represents the person who gladly hears the kingdom message, k but his experience remains shallow. l 21 Shortly after he hears it, troubles and persecutions come because of the kingdom message he received. Then he quickly falls away, m for the truth didn’t sink deeply into his heart. 22 “The seed sown among weeds represents the person who receives the message, but all of life’s busy distractions, his divided heart, and his ambition for wealth n result in suffocating the kingdom message and prevent him from bearing spiritual fruit. o 23 “As for the seed that fell upon good, rich soil, it represents the hearts of people who hear and fully embrace the message of heaven’s

kingdom realm. Their lives bear good fruit— some yield a harvest of thirty, sixty, even one hundred times as much as was sown.” The Parable of the Weeds 24 Then Jesus taught them p another parable: “Heaven’s kingdom realm can be compared to a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25 But at night, when everyone was asleep, an enemy came and planted poisonous weeds q among the wheat and ran away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and bore grain, the weeds also appeared. 27 So the farmer’s hired hands came to him and said, ‘Sir, wasn’t that good seed that you sowed in the field? Where did all these weeds come from?’ 28 “He answered, ‘This has to be the work of an enemy!’ “They replied, ‘Do you want us to go and gather up all the weeds?’ 29 “‘No,’ he said. ‘If you pull out the weeds you might uproot the wheat at the same time. 30 You must allow them both to grow together until the time of harvest. At that time, I’ll tell my

harvesters to make sure they gather the weeds first and tie them all in bundles to be burned. Then they will harvest the wheat and put it into my barn.’” The Parable of the Tiny Mustard Seed 31 Then Jesus taught them another parable: “Heaven’s kingdom realm can be compared to the tiny mustard seed that a man takes and plants in his field. 32 Although the smallest of all the seeds, it eventually grows into the greatest of garden plants, becoming a tree for birds to come and build their nests in its branches.” The Parable of the Yeast 33 Then he taught them another parable: “Heaven’s kingdom realm can be compared to yeast that a woman takes and blends into three measures of flour and then waits until all the dough rises.” r Prophecy and Parables 34 Whenever Jesus addressed the crowds, he always

spoke in allegories. He never spoke without using parables. 35 He did this in order to fulfill the prophecy: I will speak to you in allegories. I will reveal secrets that have been concealed since before the foundation of the world. s Jesus Explains the Parables 36 Jesus left the crowds and went inside the house where he was staying . t Then his disciples approached him and asked, “Please explain the deeper meaning of the parable of the weeds growing in the field of wheat.” 37 He answered, “The man who sowed his field with good seed represents me, the Son of Man. 38 And the field is the world. The good seeds I sow are the children of the kingdom realm. The weeds are the children of the Evil One, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest points to the end of this age, and the harvesters are God’s messengers. u 40 As the weeds are bundled up and thrown into the fire, so it will be at the close of the age. 41 The Son of Man will

send his messengers, and they will uproot everything out of his kingdom. All the lawless ones and everything that causes sin will be removed. 42 And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where they will experience great sorrow, pain, and anguish. v 43 Then the godly ones will shine like the brightness of the sun w in their Father’s kingdom realm. If you’re able to understand this, then you’d better respond!” Parables of Hidden Treasure and an Extraordinary Pearl 44 “Heaven’s kingdom realm can be illustrated like this: “A person discovered that there was hidden treasure in a field. Upon finding it, he hid it again. Because of uncovering such treasure, he was overjoyed and sold all that he possessed to buy the entire field just so he could have the treasure . x 45 “Heaven’s kingdom realm is also like a jewel merchant in search of rare pearls. 46 When he discovered one very precious y and exquisite

pearl, he immediately gave up all he had in exchange for it.” z The Parable of the Fishing Net 47 “Again, heaven’s kingdom realm is like a fisherman who casts his large net into the lake, catching an assortment of different kinds of fish. 48 When the net was filled, the fishermen hauled it up on the shore, and they all sat down to sort out their catch. They collected the good fish in baskets and threw the bad away. 49 And so it will be at the close of the age. The messengers aa will come and separate the evil from among the godly 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace, where they will experience great sorrow, pain, and anguish. 51 Now do you understand all this?” “Yes,” they replied. 52 He responded, “Every scholar of the Scriptures, ab who is instructed in the ways of heaven’s kingdom realm, is like a wealthy home owner with his house filled with treasures both new and old. And he knows how and when to bring them out to show others .” ac

53 Right after Jesus taught this series of parables, he left ad from there.

Jesus Rejected in His Hometown 54 When Jesus arrived in his hometown of Nazareth , he began teaching the people in the synagogue. Everyone was dazed, overwhelmed with astonishment over the depth of revelation they were hearing. They said to one another, “Where did this man get such great wisdom and miraculous powers? 55 Isn’t he just the wood-worker’s son? ae Isn’t his mother named Mary, and his four brothers Jacob, af Joseph, Simon, and Judah? 56 And don’t his sisters all live here in Nazareth? How did he get all this revelation and power?” ag 57 And the people became offended and began to turn against him. ah Jesus said, “There’s only one place a prophet isn’t honored—his own hometown!” 58 And their great unbelief kept him from doing any mighty miracles in Nazareth .

a

13:3 The Aramaic and Greek use a word for “parable” that

means “a metaphor, allegory, simile, illustration, comparison, figure of speech, riddle, or enigmatic saying that is meant to stimulate intense thought.” Throughout Hebrew history wise men, prophets, and teachers used parables and allegories as a preferred method of teaching spiritual truths. Poets would write their riddles and musicians would sing their proverbs with verbal imagery. Jesus never taught the people without using allegory and parables ( M att. 13:34 ). As a true prophet, one of Jesus’ preferred methods of teaching was allegory. To deny the validity of allegorical teaching is to ignore the teaching methods of Jesus, the Living Word. This chapter contains seven parables of Jesus: (1) the parable of the seed, (2)the parable of the wheat and weeds, (3) the parable of the net, (4) the parable of the tiny mustard seed, (5) the parable of yeast, (6) the parable of the hidden treasure, and (7) the parable of the costly pearl. b 13:9 Or “The one with ears to hear should use them.” See also v. 43 . c 13:11 The Greek word musterion is found twenty-seven times in the New Testament and means “secrets” or “mysteries.” The mysteries of heaven’s kingdom realm are spiritual insights into the nature and ways of God. Jesus Christ can only be fully understood by the spirit, not merely by the intellect of man. Jesus taught his disciples using the cryptic language of parables to move them beyond intellectual abilities and engage the spirit. If the listener had

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a hunger to learn with an open, teachable heart, then Jesus’ words brought life and understanding. We must always be those who push aside our opinions and traditions to glean the deepest meaning of all that Jesus did and taught. See also Job 15:8; Prov. 3:32 ; 1 Cor. 2:14 ; Col. 2:2 ; 4:3 . 13:12 Or “To he who has, more will be given.” This is an obvious ellipsis that, in the context, refers to having an open heart to receive the understanding of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. 13:12 Or “until they habitually superabound” (with understanding). 13:12 As translated from Hebrew M atthew. 13:15 The Aramaic is “waterlogged.” 13:15 See Isa. 6:9–10. 13:16 As translated from the Aramaic. Or “Your eyes have a blessing resting upon them because they see, and your ears because they hear.” 13:19 The Aramaic can be translated “He hears of the manifestation of the kingdom.” It is found also in vv. 20 , 21 22 , and 23 . 13:20 Hebrew M atthew is “the word of the M ighty One.” 13:20 Implied by the “shallow” soil, representing a shallow interest that doesn’t sink spiritual roots into the truth of God. 13:21 Or “gets offended” or “is made to stumble.” 13:22 Or “deceptive riches.” See Prov. 23:4–5 . 13:22 Hebrew M atthew adds a phrase here: “and the

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Adversary causes him to forget the word of God.” 13:24 Or “set before them.” See also vv. 31 and 33 . 13:25 Or “darnel” or “rye grass.” The Greek word zizanion is a noxious weed ( lolium temelentum ) that appears from a distance to look like wheat, but has poisonous black seeds. See Fauna and Flora of the Bible (London: United Bible Societies, 1980), 194. 13:33 These two parables, about the tiny mustard seed and the yeast, both teach of God’s kingdom having a small beginning but growing until its influence permeates and prevails into all the earth. The “three measure [Hb. seahs ] of flour” was nearly twenty-two kilos, enough to feed three hundred people. What once looked unimpressive rises to impact and feed many. The number three always points to resurrection life. 13:35 As translated from the Aramaic. The Hebrew M atthew is “I will speak with riddles from ancient times.” See Ps. 78:2 ; Prov. 25:2 . A parable has hidden meaning. Everything stands for something else. Jesus interprets and unlocks the meaning of the Word to us. 13:36 This was likely in Capernaum. 13:39 Or “[God’s] angels.” In both Greek and Hebrew the word angels can also refer to human messengers. 13:42 Or “gnashing of teeth,” a metaphor for despair and torment. The Aramaic can be translated “thrown into the essence of fire.” The Aramaic word athuna can mean either “furnace” or “essence.” See also v. 50 .

w x

13:43 See Judg. 5:31; Song. 6:10 ; Isa. 60:1; Dan. 12:3. 13:44 See also Prov. 2:4 . The most accepted interpretation of this parable is that Jesus is the treasure, but Jesus taught that the field is the world ( v. 38 ). The allegory breaks down, for a believer doesn’t sell all he has (works) and then buy the world to find Jesus (the treasure). It is more plausible to view the hidden treasure as a symbol of you and me. Jesus is the man who sold all that he owned, leaving his exalted place of glory to come and pay for the sin of the whole world with his own blood just so he could have you, his treasure. Heaven’s kingdom realm is experienced when we realize what a great price Jesus places on our souls, for he gave his sacred blood for us. The re-hiding of the treasure is a hint of our new life, hidden in God. See Eph. 1:4 ; Col. 3:1–5 . y 13:46 The Aramaic is “unique.” Jesus is the merchant. (See Song. 3:6 .) You are the exquisite and unique pearl, as his beloved follower, that came from the wounded side of Jesus Christ. You prompted him to give up all, including his sacred blood, in exchange for having you as his very own. See also Heb. 12:2 . z 13:46 See Isa. 43:4. aa 13:49 Or “angels.” ab 13:52 Or “scribe.” ac 13:52 These “new treasures” speak of new insights and understandings that are revealed at the proper time. The “old treasures” speak of truths that have been established,

founded upon what God has already revealed. Teachers are to bring forth the revelation of God and his word as treasures to the people. We need both new and old insights. ad 13:53 The Greek word for “left” is metairo and means “to depart” or “to be lifted up and taken from one place to another.” ae 13:55 The Hebrew M atthew is “blacksmith’s son.” The Greek word tekton can be translated “carpenter,” “metal worker,” “sculptor,” “artisan,” “stone worker,” or “builder.” The people of Jesus’ hometown presumed that Joseph was his father, but Jesus had no earthly father, because he was “born of a woman.” af 13:55 Or “James.” Translations of the Bible have substituted Jacob with James. Both Greek and Aramaic leave the Hebrew name as it is, Jacob. This translation will use Jacob throughout. ag 13:56 Implied in the context. See v. 54 . ah 13:57 The Aramaic is “They were suspicious of him.” The Hebrew M atthew is “They were confused about him.”

John the Baptizer Killed

14 At that time Herod,

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the Roman ruler over

Galilee, heard reports about Jesus. 2 He told his officials, “This man has to be John the Baptizer who

has come back from the dead. That’s why he has this power to work miracles.” b 3 For Herod had earlier arrested John for confronting him over taking the wife of his brother Philip. He had John thrown in prison and placed in chains 4 because John had repeatedly said to him, “It’s not legal or proper for you to be married to Herodias, your sister-in-law!” c 5 So Herod wanted John dead, but he was afraid of the crowds who flocked to John because they considered him to be a prophet. 6 During Herod’s birthday celebration, the daughter of Herodias d danced before Herod and all his distinguished quests, which greatly pleased the king. 7 So he said to her in front of them all, “I give you my oath, ask of me anything you wish and it will be yours!” 8 Because she had been instructed by her mother, she said, “I want the head of John the Baptizer here on a platter!” 9 This grieved the king, but because of his oath in front of all of his guests, 10 he had John beheaded in prison. 11 They brought in his head and displayed it to her on a platter, and she then had it shown to her mother.

12 John’s disciples went into the prison and carried his body away and buried it. Then they left to find Jesus and tell him what had happened.

Jesus Feeds the Multitude 13 On hearing this, Jesus slipped away privately by boat to be alone. But when the crowds discovered he had sailed away, they emerged from all the nearby towns and followed him on foot. 14 So when Jesus landed he had a huge crowd waiting for him. Seeing so many people, his heart was deeply moved with compassion toward them, so he healed all the sick who were in the crowd. e 15 Later that afternoon the disciples came to Jesus and said, “It’s going to be dark soon and the people are hungry, but there’s nothing to eat here in this desolate place. You should send the crowds away to the nearby villages to buy themselves some food.” 16 “They don’t need to leave,” Jesus responded. “You can give them something to eat.” 17 They answered, “But all we have is five barley loaves and two fish.” 18 “Let me have them,” Jesus replied. 19 Then he had everyone sit down on the grass as he took the

five loaves and two fish. He looked up into heaven, gave thanks to God, and broke the bread into pieces. He then gave it to his disciples, who in turn gave it to the crowds. 20 And everyone ate until they were satisfied, for the food was multiplied in front of their eyes ! f They picked up the leftovers and filled up twelve baskets full! 21 There were about five thousand men who were fed, in addition to many women and children! Jesus Walks on Water 22 As soon as the people were fed, Jesus told his disciples to get into their boat and to go to the other side of the lake while he stayed behind to dismiss the people. 23 After the crowds dispersed, Jesus went up into the hills to pray. And as night fell he was there praying alone with God. 24 But the disciples, who were now in the middle of the lake, ran into trouble, for their boat was tossed about by the high winds and heavy seas. 25 At about four o’clock in the morning, g Jesus came to them, walking on the waves! 26 When the disciples saw him walking on top of the water, they were terrified and screamed, “A ghost!”

27 Then Jesus said, “Be brave and don’t be afraid. I am here!” h 28 Peter shouted out, “Lord, if it’s really you, then have me join you on the water!” 29 “Come and join me,” i Jesus replied. So Peter stepped out onto the water and began to walk toward Jesus. 30 But when he realized how high the waves were, he became frightened and started to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he cried out. 31 Jesus immediately stretched out his hand and lifted him up and said, “What little faith you have! Why would you let doubt win?” 32 And the very moment they both stepped into the boat, the raging wind ceased. 33 Then all the disciples crouched down before him and worshiped Jesus. j They said in adoration, “You are truly the Son of God!” 34 After they crossed over and landed at Gennesaret, k 35 the people living there quickly recognized who he was. They were quick to spread the news throughout the surrounding region that Jesus had come to them. 36 So they brought him all their sick, begging him to let them touch the fringe of his robe. And everyone who touched it was instantly

healed!

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14:1 This was Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great who had the infant boys killed in Bethlehem. See M att. 2:16 . Herod Antipas was the one who Jesus stood before to be judged. See Luke 23:15 . 14:2 The Aramaic is “This is why powers are emanating from him.” Herod believed that it was the spirit of John working through Jesus, not the Spirit of God. 14:4 Herod Antipas wanted to take his brother’s wife so he divorced his wife, a Nabatean princess, and Herodias divorced Philip so they could marry each other. This was why John confronted Herod. See Lev. 18:16. 14:6 Josephus, the Jewish historian, notes that her daughter was named Salome. 14:14 The Aramaic is “he nurtured them in love and cured their frailties.” 14:20 The miracle took place as the disciples distributed what they had. Each disciple ended up with a basket full of leftovers. 14:25 Or “during the fourth watch of the night” (between 3:00 and 6:00 a.m.). 14:27 Or “I AM ,” which was the name of God used in Ex. 3:14. 14:29 Or “Go for it!”

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14:33 The Greek word used for “worship,” proskuneo , includes three concepts: to bow, to kiss, and to pay homage (worship). All three are included here. k 14:34 Gennesaret means “harp.” It was known as a lovely and fertile plain south of Capernaum. Lake Galilee was also called the Lake of Gennesaret. l 14:36 See also M att. 9:21–22 ; M ark 3:10 ; Luke 6:19 . The power of God exuding from Jesus was so incredible that merely touching his prayer shawl (or cloak) would bring instant healing. This same power is available to the church today, for Christ, the healer, lives in every believer. See also Acts 19:12 .

Jesus Breaks Religious Traditions

15 Then the Pharisees

and religious scholars a came from Jerusalem and approached Jesus with this question: 2 “Why do your disciples ignore the traditions of our elders? For example, they don’t ceremonially wash their hands before they eat bread.” 3 Jesus answered, “And why do you ignore the commandment of God because of your traditions? 4 For didn’t God say, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Whoever abuses or insults his father or mother must be put to death?’ b 5 “But you teach that it’s permissible to say to your parents when they are in financial need, ‘Whatever gift you would have received from me I can keep for myself, since I dedicated it as an offering to God.’ 6 This doesn’t honor your father or mother. And you have elevated your tradition above the words of God. 7 Frauds and hypocrites! Isaiah described you perfectly when he said:

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These people honor me only with their words, for their hearts are so very distant from me. They pretend to worship me, but their worship is nothing more than the empty traditions of men.” c

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Then Jesus turned to the crowd and said, “Come, listen and open your heart to understand. 11 What truly contaminates a person is not what he puts into his mouth but what comes out of his mouth. That’s what makes people defiled.” 12 Then his disciples approached him and said, “Don’t you know that what you just said offended the Pharisees?” 13 Jesus replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father didn’t plant is destined to be uprooted. 14 Stay away from them, d for they’re nothing more than blind guides. Do you know what happens when a blind man pretends to guide another blind man? They both stumble into a ditch!”

15 Peter spoke up and said, “Will you explain to us what you mean by your parable?” 16 Jesus said, “Even after all that I’ve taught you, you still remain clueless? 17 Is it hard to understand that whatever you eat enters the stomach only to pass out into the sewer? 18 But what comes out of your mouth reveals the core of your heart. Words can pollute, not food. 19 You will find living within an impure heart evil ideas, murderous thoughts, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, lies, and slander. e 20 That’s what pollutes a person. Eating with un-washed hands doesn’t defile anyone.”

A Lebanese Woman’s Faith 21 Then Jesus left and went north into the nonJewish region of Lebanon. f 22 He encountered there a Canaanite woman g who screamed out to him, “Lord, Son of David, show mercy to me! My daughter is horribly afflicted by a demon that torments her.” 23 But Jesus never answered her. So his disciples said to him, “Why do you ignore this woman who is crying out to us?” h

24 Jesus said, “I’ve only been sent to the lost sheep of Israel.” 25 But she came and bowed down before him and said, “Lord, help me!” 26 Jesus responded, “It’s not right for a man to take bread from his children and throw it out to the dogs.” i 27 “You’re right, Lord,” she replied. “But even puppies get to eat the crumbs that fall from the prince’s table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “Dear woman, your faith is strong! What you desire will be done for you.” And at that very moment, her daughter was instantly set free from demonic torment.

Jesus Heals Many Others 29 After leaving Lebanon, Jesus went to Lake Galilee and climbed a hill nearby and sat down. 30 Then huge crowds of people streamed up the hill, bringing with them the lame, blind, deformed, mute, and many others in need of healing. They laid them at Jesus’ feet and he healed them all. 31 And the crowds marveled with rapture and amazement, astounded over the things they were witnessing with their own eyes! The lame were

walking, the mute were speaking, the crippled were made well, and the blind could see. For three days everyone celebrated the miracles as they exalted and praised the God of Israel! Jesus Feeds Thousands 32 Jesus called his disciples to himself and said, “I care deeply about all these people, for they’ve already been with me for three days without food. I don’t want to send them away fasting or else they may be overcome by weakness on their journey home.” 33 So the disciples said to him, “Where in the world are we going to find enough food in this desolate place to feed this crowd?” 34 “How many barley loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.” 35 So he gave the order, “Have the people sit down on the grass.” 36 Then he took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks to God. He broke the bread and gave it to his disciples, who then distributed the food to the crowds. 37 When everyone was full and satisfied, they gathered up the leftovers.

And from what was once seven loaves and a few fish, they filled seven baskets! j 38 There were four thousand men who ate the food Jesus multiplied, and even more including the women and children! 39 After dismissing the crowd, Jesus got into the boat and crossed over to the region of Magdala. k

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15:1 Or “scribes,” considered to be experts in interpreting Jewish laws. 15:4 See Ex. 20:12; 21:17; Lev. 20:9. 15:9 See Isa. 29:13. 15:14 The Aramaic is “Let them remain blind! For they are nothing more than blind leaders of the blind.” 15:19 Or “blasphemies.” 15:21 Or “Tyre and Sidon,” both cities of Lebanon. 15:22 The Hebrew M atthew is “a Canaanite merchant woman.” Canaan included the region of modern-day Lebanon. Canaanite refers to a non-Jewish person who lived in that region. It was in this very region that an Old Testament woman named Jezebel established Baal worship. Now Jesus heals a woman and brings her into the true worship of God. 15:23 As translated from Hebrew M atthew. The Greek is “The disciples kept begging Jesus to send her away.”

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15:26 Jesus uses a figure of speech and describes the people of Israel as “children” who view the non-Jewish people as “dogs.” j 15:37 The Greek word used here implies a very large basket, possibly the size of a person. k 15:39 Or “M agadan.” This was a place where fish were salted and preserved. M agdala means “tower.” M agdala was the town that M ary M agdalene came from. Perhaps during this visit is when they first met.

The Demand for a Sign from Heaven

16 One day some of the Pharisees and those of the Jewish sect known as the Sadducees a approached Jesus, insisting that he prove to them that he was the Messiah. “Show us a supernatural sign from heaven,” they demanded. 2 Jesus answered, “You can read the signs of the weather, for you say, ‘Red sky at night, sailors delight.’ 3 And, ‘Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning.’ You’re so adept at forecasting the weather by looking at the sky, but you’re absolutely clueless in reading the obvious signs of the times. 4 A wicked and wayward generation

always asks for signs, but the only sign I provide for you will be the sign of Jonah the prophet.” b Then he turned away and left them. The Hypocrisy of the Pharisees and Sadducees 5 Later, as Jesus and his disciples crossed over to the other side of Lake Galilee, the disciples realized they had forgotten to bring any loaves of bread. 6 Jesus spoke up and said, “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” 7 Thinking Jesus was scolding them over not bringing bread, they whispered among themselves. 8 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “You have such little faith! Why are you arguing with one another about having no bread? 9 Are you so slow to understand? Have you forgotten the miracle of feeding the five thousand families and how each of you ended up with a basket full of fragments? 10 And how seven loaves of bread fed four thousand families with baskets left over? 11 Don’t you understand? I’m not talking about bread, but I’m warning you to avoid the yeast of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”

12 Then finally they realized he wasn’t talking about yeast found in bread, but the error of the teachings of the Pharisees c and the Sadducees. d

Peter’s Revelation of Christ 13 When Jesus came to Caesarea Philippi, e he asked his disciples this question: “What are the people saying about me, the Son of Man? Who do they believe I am?” 14 They answered, “Some are convinced you are John the Baptizer, others say you are Elijah reincarnated, or Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” 15 “But you—who do you say that I am?” Jesus asked. 16 Simon Peter spoke up and said, “You are the Anointed One, f the Son of the living God!” 17 Jesus replied, “You are favored and privileged Simeon, son of Jonah! g For you didn’t discover this on your own, but my Father in heaven has supernaturally revealed it to you. 18 I give you the name Peter, a stone. h And this truth of who I am will be the bedrock foundation on which I will build my church—my legislative assembly, i and

the power of death j will not be able to overpower it! k 19 I will give you the keys l of heaven’s kingdom realm to forbid on earth that which is forbidden in heaven, and to release on earth that which is released in heaven.” m 20 He then gave his disciples strict orders not to tell anyone that he was God’s Anointed One. Jesus Prophesies His Death and Resurrection 21 From then on Jesus began to clearly reveal to his disciples that he was destined to go to Jerusalem and suffer injustice n from the elders, leading priests, and religious scholars. He also explained that he would be killed and three days later be raised to life again. 22 Peter took him aside to correct him privately. He reprimanded Jesus over and over, saying to him, “God forbid, Master! Spare yourself. You must never let this happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned to Peter o and said, “Get out of my way, you Satan! p You are an offense to me, q because your thoughts are only filled with man’s viewpoints and not with the ways of God.” 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If you truly

want to follow me, you should at once completely reject and disown your own life. And you must be willing to share my cross and experience it as your own, r as you continually surrender to my ways. 25 For if you choose self-sacrifice and lose your lives for my glory, you will continually discover true life. But if you choose to keep your lives for yourselves, you will forfeit what you try to keep. 26 For even if you were to gain all the wealth and power of this world with everything it could offer you—at the cost of your own life— what good would that be? And what could be more valuable to you than your own soul? s 27 It has been decreed that I, the Son of Man, will one day return with my messengers t and in the splendor and majesty of my Father. And then I will reward each person according to what they have done. u 28 But I promise you, there are some standing here now who won’t experience death until they have witnessed the coming of the Son of Man in the presence and the power of the kingdom realm of God!” v

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16:1 Of the three major sects of Judaism of that day (Pharisees, Essenes, and Sadducees), the Sadducees were a small but influential group that philosophically denied the supernatural and gravitated instead toward political control of the people. b 16:4 The “sign of Jonah” points to Jesus in many ways. Jonah being thrown into the sea points to Christ’s death. Being swallowed by the fish for three days points to Christ’s burial. And being expelled from the fish speaks of Christ’s resurrection and triumph over death, which is the greatest “sign” God could ever give. The resurrected Jesus is the eternal sign that our sins are forgiven. c 16:12 “Pharisees” means “separated ones” (separatists). It is believed that during the time of Jesus there were approximately six thousand Pharisees in Israel. They refused to have dealings with the common people, because there were separated to God. Jesus described them as religious frauds who loved money and wanted to be the final authority on all the doctrines that were taught to the people. They were not all priests, but zealous law keepers who wanted their interpretation of the Scriptures to be the standard in Israel. d 16:12 The Sadducees ( Tzedukim ) were wealthy aristocrats with political connections to Rome. They did not believe in the afterlife or angels or demons, and they denied the miraculous. It is believed that among them were

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Jewish converts from the Edomites who were forced to convert to Judaism in 129 BC by John Hyrcanus, the Hasmonean leader of the second century BC. The Sadducees loved Greek (Hellenistic) culture and basically rejected the oral law of the Pharisees. The Herodians would also be considered to be of the Sadducees. You can imagine how Jesus upset both the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Jesus had no difficulty breaking the traditions, taboos, religious teachings, and political loyalties of both Pharisees and Sadducees in order to please his heavenly Father. 16:13 This was a beautiful area north of Lake Galilee and near Tel-Dan. Located at the foothills of M ount Hermon, it was an ancient Roman city rebuilt by Herod Philip in honor of Tiberius Caesar. 16:16 Or “the Christ” (M essiah). 16:17 Jonah means “dove.” Or “Simon, son of John.” Simeon means “he who hears.” Peter heard the Father’s whisper within that Jesus was the Christ. Simeon was his formal Hebrew name. Peter became his identity as Jesus gave him the nickname of “pebble.” He is also referred to as “Simon Peter.” 16:18 Or Keefa , the Aramaic word for “stone” or “pebble.” See M att. 4:18 and footnote. There is an obvious pun only found in the Hebrew M atthew. The Hebrew word for “stone” is eben , and the Hebrew word for “build” is ebeneh . The Greek text does state that Peter is the “rock” on which the church is built. However, the implication is

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that it is Peter’s revelation from the Father and his confession of Jesus as the Son of God that becomes the “bedrock foundation” for the church. The earliest writings of the church fathers all acknowledge that the Rock is Jesus Christ, not Peter. See Deut. 32:18, 30–31; Ps. 18:46 ; Isa. 8:14; 17:10; 51:1–8. 16:18 The Greek word for “church” is ekklesia and means “legislative assembly” or “selected ones.” This is not a religious term at all, but a political and governmental term that is used many times in classical Greek for a group of people who have been summoned and gathered together to govern the affairs of a city. For Jesus to use this term means he is giving the keys of governmental authority in his kingdom to the church. See R. Scott and H. G. Liddell, A Greek-English Lexicon , p. 206; J. H. Thayer, A GreekEnglish Lexicon of the New Testament , p. 196; and Oskar Seyffert, A Dictionary of Classical Antiquities , pp. 202–203. 16:18 Or “the gates of hell,” a metonymy for the power of death. 16:18 Or “all the forces of hell will never have the power to win a victory over it!” There is no power of darkness that can stop the advancing church that Jesus builds. 16:19 The “keys” are symbols of authority and ruling power. See Isa. 22:22. 16:19 Or “Whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.” Or “That which you forbid on earth

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must be that which is already forbidden in heaven, and that which you permit on earth must be that which is already permitted in heaven.” 16:21 The Hebrew M atthew adds, “many scourgings and many mockings.” 16:23 Or “He turned from Peter and said . . .” 16:23 Or “adversary.” Jesus is equating Peter’s display of character to that of Satan. Peter was not possessed by Satan, but speaking from Satan’s realm and speaking demonic wisdom. See James 3:15 . The Hebrew M atthew can be translated “Follow me! Don’t quarrel with me, adversary!” 16:23 Or “You are laying a trap for me.” 16:24 The Hebrew M atthew is “offer yourself up to death.” The words Jesus spoke were shocking and must be translated as such. 16:26 Or “What would a person give in exchange for his life?” 16:27 Or “angels.” 16:27 See Pss. 28:4 ; 62:12 ; Prov. 24:12 . 16:28 Or “when they see the Son of M an appearing to inaugurate his regal reign.” This was a prophecy of what was about to take place with Peter, Jacob, and John on the M ountain of Transforming Glory. This promise would be fulfilled as they experienced the power of the kingdom of God and the cloud of glory. Christ’s appearing is equated to the power manifested in the cloud that overshadowed Jesus

on the M ount of Transfiguration.

Jesus’ Glorious Transfiguration

17 Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, Jacob a and John, and hiked up a high mountain to be alone. 2 Then Jesus’ appearance was dramatically altered. A radiant light as bright as the sun poured from his face. And his clothing became luminescent—dazzling like lightning. b He was transfigured c before their very eyes. 3 Then suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared, d and they spoke with Jesus. 4 Peter blurted out, “Lord, it’s so wonderful that we are all here together! If you want, I’ll construct three shrines, e one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” f 5 But while Peter was still speaking, a radiant cloud composed of light spread over them, enveloping them all. g And God’s voice suddenly spoke from the cloud, saying, “This is my dearly loved Son, the constant focus of my delight. h Listen to him!” i

6 The three disciples were dazed j and terrified by this phenomenon, and they fell facedown to the ground. 7 But Jesus walked over and touched them, saying, “Get up and stop being afraid.” 8 When they finally opened their eyes and looked around, they saw no one else there but Jesus. k 9 As they all hiked down the mountain together, Jesus ordered them, “Don’t tell anyone of the divine appearance l you just witnessed. Wait until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” 10 His disciples asked him, “Why do all the religious scholars insist that Elijah must first appear before the Anointed One comes?” 11 He answered them, “They’re right. Elijah must come first and restore all things. 12 But Elijah has already appeared. And yet they didn’t recognize him, so they did to him whatever they pleased. And the Son of Man is destined to suffer the same abuse as what they did to him.” 13 Then the disciples realized that Jesus was referring to John the Baptizer all along. m

Unbelief Hinders Healing

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They came to where a large crowd had gathered to wait for Jesus . A man came and knelt before him 15 and said, “Lord, please show your tender mercy toward my son. He has a demon who afflicts him . n He has epilepsy, and he suffers horribly from seizures. He often falls into the cooking fire or into the river. o 16 I brought him to your followers, but they weren’t able to heal him.” 17 Jesus replied, “Where is your faith? Can’t you see how wayward and wrong this generation is? p How much longer do I stay with you and put up with your doubts? Bring your son to me.” 18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon and it came out of him and the boy was instantly healed! 19 Later the disciples came to him privately and asked, “Why couldn’t we cast out the demon?” 20 He told them, “It was because of your lack of faith. I promise you, if you have faith inside of you no bigger than the size of a small mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move away from here and go over there,’ and you will see it move! q There is nothing you couldn’t do! r 21 But this kind of demon is cast out only through

prayer and fasting.” s Jesus Prophesies Again of His Death and Resurrection 22 When they all gathered together t in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed and turned over to his enemies. 23 They will kill him and in three days he will be resurrected.” When the disciples heard these words they were devastated. The Miracle of a Coin in a Fish’s Mouth 24 After they arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and asked, “Does your teacher pay the tax for the upkeep of the temple, like the rest of us?” u 25 “Of course he does,” Peter answered. When Peter walked into the house, and before he had a chance to speak, Jesus spoke up and said, “Peter, I have a question for you. Who pays tolls or taxes to a king? Is tax collected from the king’s own children, or from his subjects?” 26 “From his subjects,” Peter answered.

Jesus replied, “That’s right. The children get off free without paying taxes. 27 But so that we don’t offend them, go to the lake and throw out your hook, and the first fish that rises up v will have a coin in its mouth. It will be the exact amount you need to pay the temple tax for both of us.” w

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17:1 Or “James.” Translations of the Bible have substituted Jacob with James. Both Greek and Aramaic leave the Hebrew name as it is, Jacob. This translation will use Jacob throughout. b 17:2 Or “white as light.” c 17:2 M oses also went up Sinai’s mountain and received an impartation of glory. His face shone and had to be veiled. The transfiguration of Jesus is also part of our destiny, for the same Greek word is used twice for believers being transfigured by the renewing of our minds and by the glory of Christ within us that will complete our transformation into Christ’s image. See Rom. 12:2 ; 2 Cor. 3:18 . d 17:3 M oses represented the Law and Elijah represented the Prophets. Both M oses and Elijah were associated with M ount Sinai (Horeb), both had a ministry of performing astounding miracles, and both had unusual circumstances surrounding their passing from this life into glory.

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17:4 Or “tabernacles,” which speaks of the booths made to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. 17:4 The Hebrew M atthew adds this line: “because he [Peter] did not know what he was saying.” 17:5 See Acts 5:15 . The Greek word translated “overshadow” is episkiazo , which is used exclusively for the power of the Almighty “overshadowing,” such as M ary, who conceived a child supernaturally by God. See also M ark 9:7 ; Luke 1:35 . This was not a natural shadow created by the light of the sun, but the supernatural overshadowing of God’s power. Jesus will appear again in these clouds of glory. See M att. 16:27 ; 24:30 ; 26:64 . 17:5 Or “He is the one on whom my favor rests.” 17:5 Or “You must constantly listen to him.” See Ps. 2:7 ; Isa. 42:1. 17:6 Implied by the Hebrew M atthew, which can be translated “They were asleep and not asleep; they were awake but not awake.” 17:8 The Greek is quite emphatic: “They saw only him, and him alone.” 17:9 Or “supernatural vision.” The Greek word used here (horama) does not refer to an imaginary vision, but an actual one. It points to a theophany, an appearing of God. 17:13 Jesus was comparing Elijah with John the Baptist. John was not Elijah reincarnated, but the Spirit upon Elijah was the Spirit upon John. John, the forerunner, ministered in the spirit and power of Elijah. The same anointing of

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Elijah is present today to restore all things. (See Acts 3:21 .) The Bible scholars had properly concluded that Elijah must come first, but failed to interpret it figuratively. This is often repeated today with biblical prophecies. We need the Spirit of Christ to help us understand even the basic truths of the Bible. 17:15 Although not in the Greek text, it is implied in the context ( v. 18 ). The Hebrew M atthew states three times in this pericope ( vv. 15 , 18 , 21 ) that the boy had a demon. 17:15 The Hebrew M atthew is “He grinds his teeth and foams at the mouth.” 17:17 The Hebrew M atthew adds a sentence here: “Woe to those who deny me!” 17:20 Jesus compares faith to a small seed that grows into a large shrub. Faith will grow as it feeds on spiritual truth found in the Bible. A mountain can also be a symbol of a kingdom. M ountain-moving faith brings the power of God’s kingdom to the earth. See also 1 Cor. 13:2 . 17:20 Or “Nothing will be beyond your power.” The Aramaic can be translated “Nothing is higher or stronger than you.” 17:21 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew, Aramaic, and some Greek manuscripts. M any reliable Greek manuscripts do not have this verse, and it is not included in many modern translations. 17:22 The Greek word is “twisted together like strands of a rope.”

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17:24 This was known as “head tax.” See also Ex. 30:13– 16; 38:26; Neh. 10:32–33. The word pay ( vv. 24 , 25 , 27 ) is the same word Jesus spoke on the cross, “It is finished ( paid in full).” Jesus paid it all so that we would be set free. v 17:27 This miracle is a picture of the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. The depth of the sea speaks to us of the depth of suffering Jesus passed through for us on the cross. Note that the fish rose to the surface on its own; it was not “caught.” In the mouth of our Lord Jesus is the full price of our sin debt, for he has declared the work of redemption finished, and our “tax” has been paid in full. Now we have that same message in our mouths. w 17:27 Peter made a presumptuous statement to the tax collectors that Jesus would pay the temple tax. But Peter didn’t ask Jesus first; he just said to them, “Of course!” Yet Jesus still backed up Peter’s word and performed a miracle to pay the tax. In this somewhat amusing account, Jesus got Peter “off the hook” by having him hook a fish with the exact amount of the tax for both Jesus and Peter. See 1 Cor. 3:16 .

Who Is the Greatest in the Kingdom Realm?

18 At that time the disciples came to ask Jesus, “Who is considered to be the greatest in heaven’s

kingdom realm?” a 2 Jesus called a little one b to his side and said to them, 3 “Learn this well: Unless you dramatically change your way of thinking and become teachable, and learn about heaven’s kingdom realm with the wide-eyed wonder of a child, you will never be able to enter in. 4 Whoever continually humbles himself c to become like this gentle child is the greatest one in heaven’s kingdom realm. 5 And if you tenderly care for this little one d on my behalf, you are tenderly caring for me. 6 But if anyone abuses e one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for him to have a heavy boulder tied around his neck and be hurled into the deepest sea than to face the punishment he deserves ! f 7 “Misery will come to the one who lures people away into sin. Troubles and obstacles to your faith are inevitable, but great devastation will come to the one guilty of causing others to leave the path of righteousness! 8 If your hand clings to sin, cut it off and throw it away. If your foot continually steps onto sin’s path, cut it off

and throw it away. For it is better for you to enter into heaven crippled and maimed than to have both hands and both feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye is always focusing on sin, pluck it out and throw it away. For it is better for you to enter into heaven with one eye than to be thrown into hell fire with two. g 10 “Be careful that you not corrupt h one of these little ones. For I can assure you that in heaven each of their angelic guardians i have instant access j to my heavenly Father.” A Parable of the Lost Lamb 11 “The Son of Man has come to give life to anyone who is lost. k 12 Think of it this way: If a man owns a hundred sheep and one lamb wanders away and is lost, won’t he leave the ninety-nine grazing on the hillside and go out and thoroughly search for the one lost lamb? 13 And if he finds his lost lamb, he rejoices over it, more than over the ninety-nine who are safe. l 14 Now you should understand that it is never the desire of your heavenly Father that a single one

of these humble believers should be lost.” m Restoring Broken Relationships 15 “If your fellow believer sins against you, n you must go to that one privately and attempt to resolve the matter. If he responds, your relationship is restored. o 16 But if his heart is closed to you, then go to him again, taking one or two others with you. You’ll be fulfilling what the Scripture teaches when it says, ‘Every word may be verified by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ p 17 And if he refuses to listen, then share the issue with the entire church in hopes of restoration . If he still refuses to respond, disregarding the fellowship of his church family, you must disregard him as though he were an outsider, on the same level as an unrepentant sinner. q 18 “Receive this truth: Whatever you forbid on earth will be considered to be forbidden in heaven, r and whatever you release on earth will be considered to be released in heaven. 19 Again, I give you an eternal truth: If two of you agree to

ask God for something in a symphony of prayer, s my heavenly Father will do it for you. 20 For wherever two or three come together in honor of my name, t I am right there with them!” Unlimited Forgiveness 21 Later Peter approached Jesus and said, “How many times do I have to forgive my fellow believer who keeps offending me? Seven times?” u 22 Jesus answered, “Not seven times, Peter, but seventy times seven times! v 23 The lessons of forgiveness in heaven’s kingdom realm can be illustrated like this: “There once was a king who had servants who had borrowed money from the royal treasury. He decided to settle accounts with each of them. 24 As he began the process, it came to his attention that one of his servants w owed him one billion dollars. x So he summoned the servant before him and said to him, ‘Pay me what you owe me.’ 25 When his servant was unable to repay his debt, the king ordered that he be sold as a slave along with his wife and children and every possession

they owned as payment toward his debt. 26 The servant threw himself facedown at his master’s feet and begged for mercy. ‘Please be patient with me. Just give me more time and I will repay you all that I owe.’ 27 Upon hearing his pleas, the king had compassion on his servant, and released him, and forgave his entire debt. 28 “No sooner had the servant left when he met one of his fellow servants, who owed him twenty thousand dollars y He seized him by the throat and began to choke him, saying, ‘You’d better pay me right now everything you owe me!’ 29 His fellow servant threw himself facedown at his feet and begged, ‘Please be patient with me. If you’ll just give me time, I will repay you all that is owed.’ 30 But the one who had his debt forgiven stubbornly refused to forgive what was owed him. He had his fellow servant thrown into prison and demanded he remain there until he repaid the debt in full. 31 “When his associates saw what was going on, they were outraged and went to the king and told him the whole story. 32 The king said to him,

‘You scoundrel! z Is this the way you respond to my mercy? Because you begged me, I forgave you the massive debt that you owed me. 33 Why didn’t you show the same mercy to your fellow servant that I showed to you?’ 34 In a fury of anger, the king turned him over to the prison guards to be tortured until all his debt was repaid. 35 In this same way, my heavenly Father will deal with any of you if you do not release forgiveness from your heart aa toward your fellow believer.”

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scandalize,” “to put a stumbling block before them,” “to offend,” or “to cause to sin.” 18:6 The Hebrew M atthew adds, “It would be better for him to never have been born!” 18:9 Although the language Jesus uses is hyperbolic, the drastic measures he instructs us to take in order to stay pure remain valid. The last phrase is literally “into the Gehenna of fire!” 18:10 As translated from the Aramaic, which uses a figure of speech (“to bring down”) that is best translated “to corrupt” or “degrade.” The Greek is “despise,” or “look down upon.” 18:10 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is simply “angels.” 18:10 Or “who always see the face of my heavenly Father.” 18:11 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew, the Aramaic, and a few Greek texts. M any reliable Greek manuscripts do not have this verse, and it is missing in many modern translations. See Ezek. 34:16. 18:13 The Aramaic is “the ninety-nine that did not go astray.” 18:14 Implied in the context. 18:15 Although the words “against you,” are not found in the most reliable Greek manuscripts, they are included in the Hebrew M atthew and Aramaic, along with a number of Greek texts. The Hebrew M atthew indicates that Jesus

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addressed these words to Peter directly: “At that time Jesus said to Simon, called Keefa . . .” 18:15 See Lev. 19:17. 18:16 See Deut. 19:16. 18:17 Or “a pagan or a tax collector.” Again, this is in hope of ultimate restoration. For even pagans and tax collectors can be saved. God is able to turn the wandering one back, as Jesus taught in the parable of the lost lamb (see vv. 11–14 ). 18:18 Or “Whatever you bind [Aramaic ‘harness’] on earth will have been bound in heaven.” See M att. 16:19 and footnote. 18:19 The Greek word used here is sumphoneo , from which we get our English word “symphony.” The Aramaic is “if you are deserving of what you pray for.” The implication is that God will not give you what you are not yet ready for, just as an earthly father would not give his eight-year-old a car to drive. 18:20 Or “in my name.” 18:21 The Hebrew M atthew is “Seven times in one day?” 18:22 Or “seventy-seven times.” This is a metaphor for an attitude of forgiveness that is limitless. 18:24 Although the Greek uses the word for “servant,” it means someone who ruled under the king, perhaps one of his magistrates or cabinet members who had authority over finances. 18:24 Or “ten thousand talents,” an unbelievable amount

of money. A talent could be compared to the wages earned over decades. The number ten thousand is a Hebrew metaphor for “myriad.” The point is, the servant owed a huge amount of money that he was simply unable to repay. y 18:28 Or “one hundred silver coins.” This would be a denarii, which is about a day’s wages. So the servant owed his friend about three months’ wages. z 18:32 The Hebrew M atthew is “You servant of Belial!” aa 18:35 The Hebrew M atthew is “with a perfect heart.”

Questions about Divorce

19 After

Jesus finished teaching them, he left Galilee and made his way toward the district of Judea, east of the Jordan River. 2 Massive crowds followed him and he healed all who were sick. a 3 The Pharisees were intent on putting Jesus to the test with difficult questions, so they approached him and asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce b his wife for any reason?” c 4 “Haven’t you read the Scriptures about creation?” Jesus replied. “The Creator made us male and female from the very beginning, d 5 and ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and

mother and live with his wife. e And the two will become one flesh.’ f 6 From then on, they are no longer two, but united as one. So what God unites let no one divide!” 7 They responded, “So then why did Moses command us to give a certificate of divorce and it would be lawful?” 8 Jesus said, “Moses permitted you to divorce because your hearts are so hard and stubborn, g but originally there was no such thing. 9 But I say to you, whoever leaves his wife for any reason other than immorality, then takes another wife is living in adultery. And whoever takes a divorced woman in marriage is also living in adultery.” h 10 His disciples spoke up and said, “If this is the standard, then it seems better to never get married.” 11 “Not everyone is meant to remain single— only those whom God gives grace to be unmarried. i 12 For some are born to celibacy; others have been made eunuchs by others. And there are some who have chosen to live in celibacy for the sacred purpose of heaven’s

kingdom realm. j Let those who can, accept this truth for themselves.” Jesus and Little Children 13 Then they brought little children to Jesus so that he would lay his hands on them, bless them, and pray for them. k But the disciples scolded those who brought the children, saying, “Don’t bother him with this now!” 14 Jesus overheard them and said, “I want little children to come to me, so never interfere with them when they want to come, for heaven’s kingdom realm is composed of beloved ones l like these! Listen to this truth: No one will enter the kingdom realm of heaven unless he becomes like one of these!” m 15 Then he laid his hands on each of them and went on his way. A Rich Young Man Questions Jesus 16 Then a teenager n approached Jesus and bowed before him, o saying, “Wonderful teacher p —is there a good work I have to do to obtain eternal life?” 17 Jesus answered, “Why would you call me

wonderful? God alone is wonderful. q And why would you ask what good work you need to do? Keep the commandments and you’ll enter into the life of God.” 18 “Which ones?” he asked. Jesus said, “Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie, 19 honor your father and mother, and love those around you as you love yourself.” r 20 “But I’ve always obeyed every one of them without fail,” the young man replied. “What else do I lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you really want to be perfect, s go immediately and sell everything you own. Give all your money to the poor and your treasure will be transferred into heaven. Then come back and follow me for the rest of your life.” 22 When the young man heard these words, he walked away angry, t for he was extremely wealthy. 23 Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, “Listen. Do you understand how difficult it is for the rich to enter into heaven’s kingdom realm? 24

In fact, it’s easier to stuff a heavy rope u through the eye of a needle than it is for the wealthy to enter into God’s kingdom realm!” 25 Stunned and bewildered, his disciples asked, “Then who in the world can possibly be saved?” 26 Looking straight into their eyes, Jesus replied, “Humanly speaking, no one, because no one can save himself . But what seems impossible to you is never impossible to God!” 27 Then Peter blurted out, “Here we are. We’ve given up everything to follow you. What reward will there be for us?” 28 Jesus responded, “Listen to the truth: In the age of the restoration of all things, v when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will have twelve thrones of your own, and you will govern w the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 For anyone who has left behind their home and property, x leaving family—brothers or sisters, mothers or fathers, y or children—for my sake, they will be repaid a hundred times over and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who push themselves to be first will find themselves last.

And those who are willing to be last will find themselves to be first.” z

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19:2 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew. 19:3 The Greek word used for divorce ( apolyo ) here and in this chapter can also mean “to loose,” “to dismiss,” “to send away.” 19:3 This a clever test by the Pharisees. Jesus was now in Judea and under the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas, the one who had John beheaded over challenging his divorce. They were hoping Jesus would say something that could get him arrested and killed by Herod. Their question was based on Deut. 24:1. Jewish divorce law had a “for any reason” clause that made divorce legal. They were pressing Jesus for his interpretation of this “for any reason” law. 19:4 See Gen. 1:27; 5:2. Notice that Jesus highlights gender difference in the context of marriage. 19:5 Or “cling to his wife.” 19:5 See Gen. 2:24. 19:8 That is, in a fallen world with frail human beings, God allowed divorce to accommodate broken humanity. Jesus restates divorce as being permitted only in the case of immorality. Adultery breaks the bond of marriage and requires God’s healing grace. Those testing Jesus were attempting to trap him by getting him to say something

against M oses, their venerated historical leader. 19:9 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew, Aramaic, and some Greek manuscripts. The majority of Greek manuscripts do not include the last sentence. i 19:11 Or “This doesn’t apply to everyone, but only to those to whom it [grace for singleness] has been given.” j 19:12 Three types of “celibates” are mentioned. First, there are those who from birth have grace to remain celibate. Second, sometimes a male who has been castrated, usually before puberty, which would greatly affect the hormonal changes of a boy becoming an adult. In biblical times, these eunuchs were chosen to be male servants of a king, having been castrated in order to ensure they don’t have sex with the king’s harem. Third, this is a metaphorical class of people (male and female) who are like “spiritual eunuchs,” having been chosen to never use the bride of Christ for their own purposes. Jesus gives us a parable of God’s servants who will lead the church but never harm or use the bride of Christ for their own desires. They will always point the bride to her Bridegroom, Jesus Christ. They have made themselves “eunuchs” and are determined to extend God’s kingdom, not their own. The rare Greek verb for “make themselves eunuchs” can also refer to being “always watchful, sleepless, diligent.” To become a “spiritual eunuch” has nothing to do with sex, but with always watching out for the interests of our King, and not taking for ourselves what only belongs to him in order to serve our h

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own desires. 19:13 See Gen. 48:14. 19:14 As translated from the Aramaic, which uses the word for “beloved,” found only twice in the New Testament. The Greek is “little children.” God receives little children into his kingdom. 19:14 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew. This last sentence is missing in the Greek text. 19:16 This is supplied from v. 22 . The Aramaic uses a word that identifies his age as a teenager. 19:16 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew. This is missing from the M ajority Text. 19:16 As translated from the Aramaic, which uses the word tawa , meaning “wonderful, good, gifted.” Some Greek manuscripts have only “teacher” (rabbi). 19:17 At least one of the earliest Greek manuscripts reads “There is no one good but my Father in the heavens.” 19:19 See Ex. 20:12–17; Lev. 19:18. Notice that Jesus left out the commandment “Don’t covet.” He addresses this with the young man in v. 21 and exposes the need to abandon all to follow Jesus. 19:21 Or “fully developed morally,” “mature.” 19:22 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew. The Greek reads “grieved,” or “sorrowful.” 19:24 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “to stuff a camel through the eye of a needle.” The Aramaic word for both “rope” and “camel” is the homonym gamla .

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This could be an instance of the Aramaic text being misread by the Greek translators as “camel” instead of “rope.” Regardless, this becomes a metaphor for something impossible. It would be like saying, “It’s as hard as making pigs fly!” See also Luke 18:25 . 19:28 Or “in the second birth” (Hebrew M atthew) or “in the new realm” (Aramaic). The Greek word palingenesia is only used one other time in the New Testament ( Titus 3:5 ) and refers to our rebirth. See also Acts 3:21 ; 2 Cor. 5:17 ; Rev. 3:21 . 19:28 Or “judge.” 19:29 Or “fields.” 19:29 The Aramaic and a few Greek manuscripts include “or wife.” The majority of reliable Greek manuscripts do not include it. 19:30 Or “M any of the first ones will be last and many of the last ones will be first.”

A Parable of Workers in the Vineyard

20 “This

will help you understand the way heaven’s kingdom operates: “There once was a wealthy landowner who went out at daybreak to hire all the laborers he could find to work in his vineyard. 2 After agreeing to pay them the

standard day’s wage, he put them to work. 3 Then at nine o’clock, as he was passing through the town square, he found others standing around without work. 4 He told them, ‘Come and work for me in my vineyard and I’ll pay you a fair wage.’ 5 So off they went to join the others. He did the same thing at noon and again at three o’clock, making the same arrangement as he did with the others. 6 “Hoping to finish his harvest that day, he went to the town square again at five o’clock a and found more who were idle. So he said to them, ‘Why have you been here all day without work?’ 7 “‘Because no one hired us,’ they answered. “So he said to them, ‘Then go and join my crew and work in my vineyard.’ 8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard went to his foreman and said, ‘Call in all the laborers, line them up, and pay them the same wages, starting with the most recent ones I hired and finishing with the ones who worked all day.’

9 “When those hired late in the day came to be paid, they were given a full day’s wage. 10 And when those who had been hired first came to be paid, they were convinced that they would receive more. But everyone was paid the standard wage. 11 When they realized what had happened, they were offended and complained to the landowner, saying, 12 ‘You’re treating us unfairly! They’ve only worked for one hour while we’ve slaved and sweated all day under the scorching sun. You’ve made them equal to us!’ 13 “The landowner replied, ‘Friends, I’m not being unfair—I’m doing exactly what I said. Didn’t you agree to work for the standard wage? 14 If I want to give those who only worked for an hour equal pay, what does that matter to you? 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with what is mine? Why should my generosity make you jealous of them?’ b 16 “ Now you can understand what I meant when I said that the first will end up last and the last will end up being first. Everyone is invited, but few are the chosen.” c

Jesus Again Prophesies His Death 17 Jesus was about to go to Jerusalem, so he took his twelve disciples aside privately and said to them, 18 “Listen to me. We’re on our way to Jerusalem, and I need to remind you that the Son of Man will be handed over to the religious leaders and scholars, and they will sentence him to be executed. 19 And they will hand him over to the Romans d to be mocked, tortured, and crucified. Yet three days later he will be raised to life again.” The Ambition of Jacob and John 20 The wife of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons, Jacob e and John. She knelt before him and asked him for a favor. 21 He said to her, “What is it that you want?” She answered, “Make the decree f that these, my sons, will rule with you in your kingdom—one sitting on your right hand, one on your left.” 22 Jesus replied, “You don’t know what you are asking.” Then, looking in the eyes of Jacob and John, Jesus said, “Are you prepared to drink from

the cup of suffering that I am about to drink? And are you able to endure the baptism into death that I am about to endure?” g They answered him, “Yes, we are able.” h 23 “You will indeed drink the cup of my suffering and be immersed into my death,” i Jesus told them. “But to be the ones who sit at the place of highest honor is not mine to decide. My Father is the one who chooses them and prepares them.” 24 The other ten disciples were listening to all of this, and a jealous anger arose among them against the two brothers. 25 Jesus, knowing their thoughts, called them to his side and said, “Kings and those with great authority in this world rule oppressively over their subjects, like tyrants. 26 But this is not your calling. You will lead by a completely different model. The greatest one among you will live as the one who is called to serve others, 27 because the greatest honor and authority is reserved for the one with the heart of a servant. 28 For even the Son of Man did not come expecting to be served by everyone, but to

serve everyone, and to give his life in exchange for the salvation of many.” j Two Blind Men Healed 29 As Jesus approached k Jericho an immense crowd gathered and followed him. 30 And there were two blind men sitting on the roadside. When they heard that it was Jesus passing by, they shouted, “Son of David, l show us mercy, Lord!” 31 Those in the crowd scolded them and told them to be quiet. But the blind men screamed out even louder, “Jesus, Son of David, show us mercy, Lord!” 32 So Jesus stopped and had them brought to him. He asked them, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said, “Lord, we want to see! Heal us!” 34 Jesus was deeply moved with compassion m toward them. So he touched their eyes, and instantly they could see! Jesus said to them, “Your faith has healed you.” And all the people praised God because of this miracle. n And the two men became his followers from that day onward.

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20:6 Or “in the eleventh hour” (about five o’clock). 20:15 Or “Is your eye evil because I am good?” 20:16 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew, Aramaic, and a few later Greek manuscripts. This logion is not included in the majority of the Greek manuscripts but is found in M att. 22:14 . 20:19 Or “gentiles.” By implication, the Romans. 20:20 Or “James.” Translations of the Bible have substituted Jacob with James. Both Greek and Aramaic leave the Hebrew name as it is, Jacob. This translation will use Jacob throughout. 20:21 Or “Give the order.” 20:22 Or “Are you able to drink from the cup I am about to drink?” 20:22 The naïveté of Jacob (James) and John is glaring. Their ambition is emphasized by having their mother come to ask this favor. This event is included immediately after Jesus prophesied for the third time his coming crucifixion. Their hearts were set on their own advancement rather than intercession for their M aster. 20:23 As translated from the Aramaic and the Hebrew M atthew. 20:28 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “a ransom paid for many.” 20:29 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew. The Greek is “As Jesus left Jericho.” See also Luke 18:35–43 ,

which may indicate that Luke used the Hebrew M atthew as one of his sources. l 20:30 The term Son of David was used for the M essiah. The blind men believed Jesus was the M essiah. m 20:34 The Aramaic is “Jesus had nurturing love toward them.” n 20:34 This and the previous sentence, “Your faith has healed you,” are translated from the Hebrew M atthew. They are missing from the Greek text.

Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

21 Now, as they were approaching Jerusalem they arrived at the place of the stables a near the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of his disciples ahead, saying, 2 “As soon as you enter the village, you will find a donkey tethered along with her young colt. Untie them both and bring them to me. 3 And if anyone stops you and asks, ‘What are you doing?’ just tell them, ‘The Lord of All needs them,’ and he will let you take them.” 4 All of this happened to fulfill the prophecy: 5

Tell Zion’s daughter:

“Look, your King arrives! He’s coming to you full of gentleness, sitting on a donkey, riding on a donkey’s colt.” b 6

So the two disciples went on ahead and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and her colt to him and placed their cloaks and prayer shawls on the colt, and Jesus rode on it. 8 Then an exceptionally large crowd gathered and carpeted the road before him with their cloaks and prayer shawls. c Others cut down branches from trees to spread in his path. 9 Jesus rode in the center of the procession—crowds going before him and crowds coming behind him, and they all shouted, “Bring the victory, Lord, d Son of David! He comes with the blessings of being sent from the Lord Yahweh! e We celebrate with praises to God in the highest!” 10 As Jesus entered Jerusalem, the people went wild with excitement—the entire city was thrown into an uproar! f 11 Some asked, “Who is this man?” And the crowds shouted back, “This is Jesus! He’s the prophet from Nazareth g of Galilee!”

Jesus in the Temple 12 Upon entering Jerusalem Jesus went directly into the temple area and drove away all the merchants who were buying and selling their goods. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the stands of those selling doves. h 13 And he said to them, “My dwelling place will be known as a house of prayer, but you have made it into a hangout for thieves!” i 14 Then the blind and the crippled came into the temple courts, and Jesus healed them all. And the children circled around him shouting out, “Blessings and praises to the Son of David!” 15 But when the chief priests and religious scholars heard the children shouting and saw all the wonderful miracles of healing, they were furious. j 16 They said to Jesus, “Don’t you hear what these children are saying? This is not right!” Jesus answered, “Yes, I hear them. But have you never heard the words ‘You have fashioned the lips of children and little ones to compose your praises’?” k 17 Jesus then left at once for the nearby village of Bethany, where he spent the night. l

18 While walking back into the city the next morning, he got hungry. 19 He noticed a lone fig tree by the side of the path and walked over to see if there was any fruit on it, but there was none—he found only leaves. So he spoke to the fig tree and said, “You will be barren and will never bear fruit again!” Instantly the fig tree m shriveled up right in front of their eyes! 20 Astonished, his disciples asked, “How did you make this fig tree instantly wither and die?” 21 Jesus replied, “Listen to the truth. If you have no doubt of God’s power and speak out of faith’s fullness, you can be the ones who speak to a tree and it will wither away. Even more than that, you could say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and be thrown into the sea’ and it will be done. n 22 Everything you pray for with the fullness of faith you will receive!” o

The Authority of Jesus 23 After this Jesus went into the temple courts and taught the people. The leading priests and Jewish elders approached him and interrupted him and

asked, “By what power p do you do these things, and who granted you the authority to teach here?” 24 Jesus answered them, “I too have a question to ask you. If you can answer this question, then I will tell you by what power I do these things. 25 From where did John’s authority to baptize come from? From heaven or from people?” 26 They stepped away and debated among themselves, saying, “How should we answer this? If we say from heaven, he will say to us, ‘Then why didn’t you respond to John and believe what he said?’ But if we deny that God gave him his authority, we’ll be mobbed by the people, for they’re convinced that John was God’s prophet.” 27 So they finally answered, “We don’t know.” “Then neither will I tell you from where my power comes to do these things!” he replied. The Parable of Two Sons 28 Jesus said to his critics, q “Tell me what you think of this parable: “There once was a man with two sons. The father came to the first and said, ‘Son, I want you to go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 The

son replied, ‘I’d rather not.’ But afterward, he deeply regretted what he said to his father, changed his mind, and decided to go to the vineyard. 30 The father approached the second son and said the same thing to him. The son replied, ‘Father, I will go and do as you said.’ But he never did—he didn’t go to the vineyard. 31 Tell me now, which of these two sons did the will of his father?” They answered him, “The first one.” Jesus said, “You’re right. For many sinners, tax collectors, and prostitutes are going into God’s kingdom realm ahead of you! 32 John came to show you the path of goodness and righteousness, r yet the despised and outcasts believed in him, but you did not. When you saw them turn, you neither repented of your ways nor believed his words.” The Parable of the Rejected Son 33 “Pay close attention to this parable,” Jesus said. “There once was an honorable man who planted a vineyard. s He built a fence around it, t

dug out a pit for pressing the grapes, and erected a watchtower. Afterward he leased the land to tenant farmers and then went a distance away. 34 At harvest time he sent his servants to the tenants to collect the portion that was due him as the lord of the vineyard. 35 But the tenants seized his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. u 36 So the landowner sent other servants, even more than at first, but they were mistreated the same way. 37 Finally, he sent his own son to them, and he said to himself, ‘Perhaps with my own son standing before them they will be ashamed of what they’ve done.’ v 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said, ‘This is the heir! Let’s kill him and then we can have his inheritance!’ 39 So they violently seized him, took him outside the vineyard, and murdered him. 40 “You tell me, when the lord of the vineyard comes, what do you think he will do to those tenants?” 41 They answered, “He will bring a horrible death to those who did this evil and he will completely

destroy them. Then he’ll lease his vineyard to different tenants who will be faithful to give him the portion he deserves.” 42 Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read the Scripture that says: The very stone the builder rejected as flawed has now become the most important capstone of the arch. w This was the Lord’s plan x — isn’t it a miracle for our eyes to behold? 43 “This is why I say to you that the kingdom realm of God will be taken from you and given to a people y who will bear its fruit. 44 The one who comes against this stone z will be broken, but the one on whom it falls will be pulverized!” aa 45 When the leading priests and the Pharisees realized that the parable was referring to them, they were 46 outraged and wanted to arrest him at once. But they were afraid of the reaction of the crowds, because the people considered him to be a prophet.

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21:1 Or “Bethphage,” which in Aramaic means “the house of stables.” Transliterated into Greek it means “the house of unripe figs.” 21:5 See Zech. 9:9. Kings rode on horses, not donkeys. He chose the young colt as a symbol of humility and gentleness. 21:8 See 2 Kings 9:13. 21:9 Or “Hosanna,” an Aramaic word that means “O, save (bring the victory), Lord!” The crowds were recognizing Jesus as Yahweh’s M essiah. By shouting out, “Son of David,” they were clearly expecting Jesus to immediately overthrow the Roman oppression and set the nation free. M any want victory before the cross, but true victory comes after resurrection! 21:9 As translated from the Aramaic. See Ps. 118:25–26 . 21:10 Or “The city was shaken [like with an earthquake]!” 21:11 The Hebrew word Nazara (Nazareth) can be translated “Branch” or “Victorious One.” They were shouting, “This is Jesus, the Victorious One of Galilee!” 21:12 The revered theologian and historian Jerome was the translator of the Bible into Latin. He also wrote a commentary on M atthew, which includes a fascinating thought about Jesus overturning the tables. Jerome writes, “For a certain fiery and starry light shone from his eyes, and the majesty of God gleamed in his face.” 21:13 See Isa. 56:5–7; Jer. 7:11.

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21:15 The Aramaic is “it seemed evil to them.” 21:16 See Ps. 8:2 . The Greek text quoting from Ps. 8 does not agree with either the Hebrew text, the Septuagint, or the Aramaic, but seems to line up with a version found in the Dead Sea Scrolls. You might say Jesus paraphrased the Scriptures to speak to his generation. 21:17 The Hebrew M atthew adds, “There he was explaining the kingdom of God.” 21:19 The fig tree is first mentioned in Gen. 3:7, with its leaves being a “covering” for fallen Adam and Eve to hide behind. It is connected to the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and became a hiding place for Zacchaeus, who climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see Jesus. M any also equate the fig tree as being a symbol of Israel. 21:21 The mountain and the sea are both metaphors. M ountains speak of kingdoms, and the sea represents the nations (e.g., “sea of humanity”). Faith brings the reality of the kingdom realm into the nations. 21:22 Jesus taught his disciples that if faith’s fullness lived in them, they could speak to the physical creation around them and it would respond. Faith unlocks great authority for the believer. 21:23 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew. The Greek is “authority.” See also vv. 24 and 27 . 21:28 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew. 21:32 Or “the way of righteousness” (justice). The Aramaic is “the way of goodness.” The translation includes

both concepts. 21:33 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew. The Greek is “landowner.” See Isa. 5:1–7. t 21:33 The Aramaic can be translated “He planted a vineyard by a stream.” u 21:35 The obvious meaning of the parable is this: God is the landowner, the servants he sends are God’s prophets, and the son is Jesus Christ. v 21:37 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “They will respect my son.” w 21:42 See Ps. 118:22–23 . The words “capstone of the arch” could also be translated “cornerstone” or “keystone.” This is an obvious metaphor of Jesus Christ. He is a Stone that many will stumble over, and a Stone that will fall upon the unbeliever. x 21:42 The Aramaic and the Hebrew M atthew read “This came from the presence of [next to] Lord Yahweh and is a marvel in our eyes.” y 21:43 Or “nation.” The Hebrew M atthew and Aramaic can be translated “gentiles.” This is a prophecy of the church being given access to God’s kingdom realm through faith in Jesus Christ. z 21:44 Or “falls upon this stone.” Some manuscripts do not include v. 44 . The Hebrew M atthew does not have the last clause of v. 44 . aa 21:44 See Isa. 8:14–15; Dan. 2:34–35. s

Parable of the Wedding Feast

22 As was his custom, Jesus continued to teach the people by using allegories. 2 He illustrated the reality of heaven’s kingdom realm by saying, “There once was a king who arranged an extravagant wedding feast for his son. a 3 On the day the festivities were set to begin, he sent his servants b to summon all the invited guests, but they chose not to come. 4 So the king sent even more servants to inform the invited guests, saying, ‘Come, for the sumptuous feast is now ready! The oxen and fattened cattle have been killed and everything is prepared, so come! Come to the wedding feast for my son and his bride!’ 5 “But the invited guests were not impressed. One was preoccupied with his business; another went off to his farming enterprise. 6 And the rest seized the king’s messengers and shamefully mistreated them, and even killed them. 7 This infuriated the king! So he sent his soldiers to execute those murderers and had their city burned to the ground. c

8 “Then the king said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, yet those who had been invited to attend didn’t deserve the honor. 9 Now I want you to go into the streets and alleyways d and invite anyone and everyone you find to come and enjoy the wedding feast in honor of my son.’ 10 “So the servants went out into the city streets and invited everyone to come to the wedding feast, good and bad alike, until the banquet hall was crammed with people! 11 Now, when the king entered the banquet hall, he looked with glee over all his guests. But then he noticed a guest who was not wearing the wedding robe provided for him . e 12 So he said, ‘My friend, how is it that you’re here and you’re not wearing your wedding garment?’ But the man was speechless. 13 “Then the king turned to his servants and said, ‘Tie him up and throw him into the outer darkness, f where there will be great sorrow, with weeping and grinding of teeth.’ 14 For everyone is invited g to enter in, but few respond in excellence.” h

The Pharisees Try to Entrap Jesus 15 Then the Pharisees came together to make a plan to entrap Jesus with his own words. 16 So they sent some of their disciples together with some staunch supporters of Herod. i They said to Jesus, “Teacher, we know that you’re an honest man of integrity and you teach us the truth of God’s ways. We can clearly see that you’re not one who speaks only to win the people’s favor, because you speak the truth without regard to the consequences. j 17 So tell us, then, what you think. Is it proper for us Jews to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 18 Jesus knew the malice that was hidden behind their cunning ploy and said, “Why are you testing me, you imposters who think you have all the answers? 19 Show me one of the Roman coins.” So they brought him a silver coin used to pay the tax. 20 “Now, tell me, whose head is on this coin and whose inscription is stamped on it?” 21 “Caesar’s,” they replied. Jesus said, “Precisely, for the coin bears the image of the emperor Caesar. k Well, then, you should pay the emperor what is due to the emperor. But because you bear the image of God , l

give back to God all that belongs to him.” 22 The imposters were baffled in the presence of all the people and were unable to trap Jesus with his words. So they left, stunned by Jesus’ words. Marriage and the Resurrection 23 Some of the Sadducees, a religious group that denied there was a resurrection of the dead, m came to ask Jesus this question: 24 “Teacher, the law of Moses teaches that if a man dies before he has children, his brother should marry the widow and raise up children for his brother’s family line. n 25 Now, there was a family with seven brothers. The oldest got married but soon died, leaving his widow for his brother. 26 The second brother married and also died, and the third also. This was repeated down to the seventh brother, 27 when finally the woman also died. So here’s our dilemma: 28 Which of the seven brothers will be the woman’s husband when she’s resurrected from the dead, since they all were once married to her?” 29 Jesus answered them, “You are deluded, because your hearts are not filled with the revelation of the Scriptures or the power of God.

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For after the resurrection, men and women will not marry, just like the angels of heaven don’t marry. 31 Haven’t you read what God said: 32 ‘I am the Living God, o the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” p 33 When the crowds heard this they were dazed, stunned over such wisdom! q The Greatest Commandment 34 When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they called a meeting to discuss how to trap Jesus. 35 Then one of them, a religious scholar, posed this question to test him: 36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 37 Jesus answered him, “‘Love r the Lord your God with every passion of your heart, with all the energy of your being, and with every thought that is within you.’ s 38 This is the great and supreme commandment. 39 And the second is like it in importance: ‘You must love your friend t in the same way you love yourself.’ u 40 Contained within these commandments to love you will find

all the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.” Jesus, Son of David—Lord of David 41 While all the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus took the opportunity to pose a question of his own: 42 “What do you think about the Anointed One? Whose son is he?” “The son of David,” they replied. 43 Then Jesus said to them, “How is it that David, inspired by the Holy Spirit, could call his son the Lord? For didn’t he say: 44

The Lord Jehovah said to my Lord, ‘Sit near me in the place of authority until I subdue all your enemies under Your feet’? v

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“So how could David call his own son ‘the Lord Jehovah’?” w 46 No one could come up with an answer. And from that day on none of the Pharisees had the courage to question Jesus any longer.

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22:2 See Isa. 25:6–8. 22:3 God is the king who prepares his kingdom feast for his Son, Jesus Christ. The messenger-servants are the prophets he sends to summon the people to enter into the love feast of Jesus. It is all about the wedding of the Lamb to the bride of Christ. What a glorious feast is prepared for us! 22:7 This was fulfilled by the Roman prince Titus (who eventually became emperor of Rome) in the Roman war of AD 67–70. 22:9 The Aramaic is “go to the ends of the roads.” 22:11 Those invited to come from the streets had no opportunity to buy wedding clothes. This wedding robe is a picture of the garment of righteousness that grace provides for us. The man without the wedding garment had one provided, but he didn’t want to change into new clothes. A change is necessary, for our King provides garments of white linen for us to wear, our wedding garments. See Isa. 52:1; Rev. 19:8 . 22:13 The Hebrew M atthew is “the lowest hell [ sheol ].” 22:14 Or “M any are called.” This can be understood to be a Semitic figure of speech that universalizes the invitation. See also M att. 20:28 . 22:14 The Greek word eklektoi can mean “chosen,” but it can also be translated “worthy,” “pure,” “choice,” “excellent.” See 2 John 1 , 13 . 22:16 The Hebrew M atthew is “They took violent men

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from Herod.” The Aramaic is “They took men from Herod’s household.” By bringing with them loyalists to Rome (Herodians), the Pharisees were convinced that Jesus would offend either the Jews, who despised paying the “poll tax” required of every adult male, or those political followers of Herod who sided with the Roman occupation. 22:16 Or “You don’t look into the faces of men [before you speak the truth].” 22:21 Actual coins from that era have been found with the emperor’s image and a superscription saying, “Tiberius Caesar Augustus, son of the divine Augustus.” 22:21 The coin belongs to Caesar because it carries his image. We have an obligation to God because we carry his image. 22:23 The Aramaic clearly states that the Sadducees said to Jesus, “There is no life after death.” 22:24 See Deut. 25:5–10. 22:32 As translated from the Aramaic and implied in the Greek. 22:32 The implication Jesus is making is that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were all alive (in glory) when God spoke to M oses in the burning bush. See Ex. 3:6. 22:33 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew. The Greek is “teaching.” 22:37 The Hebrew M atthew is “worship,” also quoted as “worship” by Justin M artyr (ca. AD 165), First Apology XXI.

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22:37 Or “with all your mind.” See Deut. 6:5. 22:39 As translated from the Aramaic word kareb , which means “one who is close to you” (emotionally or by proximity). The Greek is “neighbor.” u 22:39 See Lev. 19:18. v 22:44 See Ps. 110:1 , which is the Old Testament passage of Scripture most often quoted in the New Testament. w 22:45 As translated from the Aramaic. To those who insisted on only interpreting the Scriptures literally, Jesus was proving there was a deeper spiritual interpretation. To say the M essiah would be the Son of David means that the Anointed One would manifest the qualities and devotion that David walked in. A true “spiritual” son of David.

Superficial Spirituality versus Genuine Humility

23 Then Jesus addressed both the crowds and his disciples and said, 2 “The religious scholars and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ throne a as the authorized interpreters of the Law. 3 So listen and follow what they teach, but don’t do what they do, for they tell you one thing and do another. 4 They tie on your backs an oppressive burden of religious obligations and insist that you carry it, but will

never lift a finger to help ease your load. 5 Everything they do is done for show and to be noticed by others. They want to be seen as holy , so they wear oversized prayer boxes on their arms and foreheads with Scriptures inside, and wear extra-long tassels on their outer garments. b 6 They crave the seats of highest honor at banquets and in their meeting places. 7 And how they love to be admired by men with their titles of respect, aspiring to be recognized in public and have others call them ‘Reverend.’ c 8 “But you are to be different from that. You are not to be called ‘master,’ for you have only one Master, and you are all brothers and sisters. 9 And you are not to be addressed as ‘father,’ d for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be addressed as ‘teacher,’ e for you have one Teacher, the Anointed One. f 11 The greatest among you will be the one who always serves others from the heart. 12 Remember this: If you have a lofty opinion of yourself and seek to be honored, you will be humbled. But if you have a modest opinion of yourself and choose to humble

yourself, you will be honored.” Jesus Pronounces Seven Woes 13 “Great sorrow awaits g you religious scholars and you Pharisees—such frauds and pretenders! You do all you can to keep people from experiencing the reality of heaven’s kingdom realm. h Not only do you refuse to enter in, you also forbid anyone else from entering in! 14 “Great sorrow awaits you religious scholars and you Pharisees—frauds and pretenders! For you eat up the widow’s household with the ladle of your prayers. Because of this, you will receive a greater judgment. i 15 “Great sorrow awaits you religious scholars and you Pharisees—such frauds and pretenders! For you will travel over lake and land to find one disciple, only to make him twice the child of hell j as yourselves. 16 “You blind guides! k Great sorrow awaits you, for you teach that there’s nothing binding when you swear by God’s temple, but if you swear by the gold of the temple, you are bound by your

oath. 17 You are deceived in your blindness! l Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 And you say that whoever takes an oath by swearing, ‘By the altar,’ it is nothing. But if you swear, ‘By the gift upon the altar,’ then you are obligated to keep your oath. 19 What deception! For what is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 Whoever swears by the altar swears by the altar and everything offered on it. 21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and the one who dwells in it. 22 And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by God, who sits upon it. 23 “Great sorrow awaits you religious scholars and Pharisees—frauds and pretenders! For you are obsessed with peripheral issues, like insisting on paying meticulous tithes on the smallest herbs that grow in your gardens. m These matters are fine, yet you ignore the most important duty of all: to walk in the love of God, to display mercy to others, and to live with integrity. n Readjust your values and place first things first.

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What blind guides! Nitpickers! You will spoon out a gnat from your drink, yet at the same time you’ve gulped down a camel without realizing it! o 25 “Great sorrow awaits you religious scholars and Pharisees—frauds and imposters! You are like one who will only wipe clean the outside of a cup or bowl, leaving the inside filthy. You are foolish to ignore the greed and self-indulgence that live like germs within you. 26 You are blind and deaf p to your evil. Shouldn’t the one who cleans the outside also be concerned with cleaning the inside? You need to have more than clean dishes; you need clean hearts! 27 “Great sorrow awaits you religious scholars and Pharisees—frauds and imposters! You are nothing more than tombs painted with fresh coats of white paint—tombs that look shining and beautiful on the outside, but within are found decaying corpses full of nothing but corruption. 28 Outwardly you masquerade as righteous people, but inside your hearts you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 29 “Great sorrow awaits you religious scholars

and Pharisees—frauds and imposters! You build memorials for the prophets your ancestors killed and decorate the monuments of the godly people your ancestors murdered. 30 Then you boast, ‘If we had lived back then, we would never have permitted q them to kill the prophets.’ 31 But your words and deeds testify that you are just like them and prove that you are indeed the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Go ahead and finish what your ancestors started! 33 You are nothing but snakes in the grass, the offspring of poisonous vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell if you refuse to turn in repentance? r 34 “For this reason I will send you more prophets and wise men and teachers of truth. Some you will crucify, and some you will beat mercilessly with whips in your meeting houses, abusing and persecuting them from city to city. 35 As your penalty, you will be held responsible for the righteous blood spilled and the murders of every godly person throughout your history— from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of

Zechariah, son of Jehoiada, s whom you killed as he stood in the temple between the brazen altar and the Holy Place. 36 I tell you the truth: the judgment for all these things will fall upon this generation!” Jesus Prophesies Judgment Coming to Jerusalem 37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem—you are the city that murders your prophets! You are the city that stones the very messengers who were sent t to deliver you! So many times I have longed to gather a wayward people, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings—but you were too stubborn to let me. 38 And now it is too late, since your city will be left in ruins. u 39 For you will not see me again until you are able to say, ‘We welcome the one who comes to us in the name of the Lord.’” v

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23:2 M oses’ throne (Aramaic) was a special seat in the ancient synagogues where the most respected elders of the

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people would sit to instruct them. 23:5 See Num. 15:38; Deut. 22:12. 23:7 Or “rabbi,” an Aramaic word that means “master,” “chief,” “great one,” or “teacher.” 23:9 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew and the Aramaic. The Greek is “Call no one father.” 23:10 Or “leader.” 23:10 Jesus is emphasizing the priority of God over titles of men and over all teachers, fathers, and leaders. He is not teaching us to be disrespectful to teachers, fathers, and leaders, but that God must be in first place over all others. See Deut. 17:9–10. 23:13 Or “woe.” 23:13 The Hebrew M atthew is “You have hidden the keys of knowledge and shut the kingdom of heaven from the children of men.” 23:14 As translated from the Aramaic and the Hebrew M atthew. The most reliable Greek manuscripts do not include this verse, and it is omitted by modern translations. 23:15 Or “son of Gehenna.” Gehenna is an Aramaic word for the garbage dump outside of Jerusalem, which became a metaphor for hell. 23:16 The Aramaic is “blind rescuers.” 23:17 Or “you blind fools.” 23:23 Or “You tithe on mint, dill, and cumin [caraway seed].” See Lev. 27:30; Num. 18:12; Deut. 14:22–23. The law of M oses only obligated tithing on grain, wine, and oil.

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The religious scholars added to the law their interpretation, which added vegetables and herbs to their list of what should be tithed. 23:23 Or “faithfulness.” The Hebrew M atthew is “justice, loving-kindness, and truth.” The Aramaic is “justice, grace, and faith.” See M ic. 6:8; Zech. 7:9. 23:24 This is best seen as an Aramaic pun, because the Aramaic word for gnat is qamla , and the word for camel is gamla . The gnat becomes a metaphor of what is least and insignificant, for swallowing a gnat will not hurt you. But the camel becomes a picture of self-righteousness. To swallow a camel would indeed kill you. 23:26 As translated from the Aramaic. 23:30 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew. The Greek is “we would not have joined them in killing the prophets.” 23:33 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew. 23:35 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew. See 2 Chron. 24:20–21. This strengthens the argument that the original manuscript of M atthew was written in Hebrew. The Greek erroneously lists Zechariah’s father as Barachiah. There was indeed a Zechariah son of Barachiah, but he didn’t live until after the crucifixion of Christ and was killed in a massacre in AD 69 by zealots inside the temple. See Sabine Baring-Gould, The Lost and Hostile Gospels (Williams & Norgate, 1874), 138. It is also recorded by the Jewish historian Josephus that Zechariah was the son of Jehoiada.

B. J . 4.6.4. Furthermore, Jerome, in his commentary on M atthew, says, “In the [Hebrew] Gospel [of M atthew] which the Nazarenes use, for ‘son of Barachiah’ we find written, ‘son of Jehoiada.’” Quoted from http://www.textexcavation.com . t 23:37 Or “apostles” (sent ones). u 23:38 See Jer. 12:7; 22:5. v 23:39 See Ps. 118:26 .

Jesus Prophesies the Destruction of the Temple

24 As Jesus was leaving the temple courts, his disciples came to him and pointed out the beautiful aspects of the architecture of the temple structures. 2 And Jesus turned to them and said, “Take a good look at all these things, for I’m telling you, there will not be one stone left upon another. It will all be leveled!” a 3 Later, when they arrived at the Mount of Olives, his disciples came privately to where he was sitting and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what supernatural sign should we expect to signal your coming b and the completion of this age?” 4 Jesus answered, “At that time deception will

run rampant. So beware that you are not fooled! 5 For many will appear on the scene claiming my authority or saying about themselves, ‘I am God’s Anointed,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 “You will hear of wars nearby and revolutions on every side, with more rumors of wars to come. Don’t panic or give in to your fears, for the breaking apart of the world’s systems is destined to happen. But it won’t yet be the end; it will still be unfolding. 7 “Nations d will go to war against each other and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be terrible earthquakes—seismic events of epic proportion, horrible epidemics e and famines in place after place. 8 This is how the first contractions and birth pains of the new age will begin !” f Persecution of Believers 9 “You can expect to be persecuted, even killed; for you will be hated by all the nations because of your love for me. g 10 Then many will stop following me and fall away, h and they will betray

one another and hate one another. 11 And many lying prophets will arise, deceiving multitudes and leading them away from the path of truth. 12 There will be such an increase of sin and lawlessness that those whose hearts once burned with passion for God and others will grow cold. 13 But keep your hope i to the end and you will experience life and deliverance. 14 “Yet through it all, this joyful assurance of the realm of heaven’s kingdom will be proclaimed all over the world, providing every nation with a demonstration of the reality of God. And after this the end of this age will arrive.” The Detestable Idol That Brings Misery 15 “When you witness what Daniel prophesied, ‘the disgusting destroyer,’ j taking its stand k in the Holy Place [let the reader learn], l 16 then those in the land of Judah must escape to the higher ground. m 17 On that day, if you happen to be outside, n don’t go back inside to gather belongings. 18 And if you’re working out in the

field, don’t run back home to get a coat. 19 It will be especially hard for pregnant women and for those nursing their babies in those days. 20 So pray that your escape will not be during the winter months or on a Sabbath. 21 For this will be a time of great misery beyond the magnitude of anything the world has ever seen or ever will see. Unless God limited those days, no one would escape. 22 But because of his love for those chosen to be his, he will shorten that time of trouble. 23 “And you will hear reports from some, saying, ‘Look, he has returned,’ ‘The Messiah is over here,’ or ‘The Messiah is over there!’ Don’t believe it. 24 For there will be imposters falsely claiming to be God’s ‘Anointed One,’ and false prophets o will arise to perform miracle signs to lead astray, if possible, those God has chosen to be his. 25 Remember this, for I prophesy it will happen! 26 So if someone says to you, ‘Look, the Anointed One has returned! He’s in the desert,’ don’t go chasing after him. Or if they say to you, ‘Look, he’s here in our house,’ p don’t believe it. 27 The appearing q of the Son of Man will burst

forth with the brightness of a lightning strike that shines from one end of the sky to the other, illuminating the earth. 28 How do birds of prey know where the dead body is? r They just know instinctively, and so you will know when I appear.” The Appearing of the Son of Man 29 “Then immediately this is what will take place: ‘The sun will be darkened and the moon give no light. The stars will fall from the sky and all the cosmic powers will be shaken.’ s 30 Then the sign announcing the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn over him. t And they will see the Son of Man appearing in the clouds of heaven, revealed with mighty power, u great splendor, and glory. 31 And he will send his messengers with the loud blast of the trumpet, v and with a great voice w they will gather his beloved chosen ones by the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other!” A Parable of the Fig Tree

32

“Now learn the lesson from the parable of the fig tree. When spring arrives and it sends out its tender branches and sprouts leaves, you know that ripe fruit x is soon to appear. 33 So it will be with you, for when you observe all these things taking place, you will know that he is near, even at the door! 34 I assure you, the end of this age will not come until all I have spoken comes to pass. 35 The earth and sky will wear out and fade away before one word I speak loses its power or fails to accomplish its purpose.” Live Always Ready for His Appearing 36 “Concerning that day and exact hour, no one knows when it will arrive, not even the angels of heaven y —only the Father knows. 37 For it will be exactly like it was in the days of Noah when the Son of Man appears. z 38 Before the flood, people lived their lives eating, drinking, marrying, and having children. aa 39 They didn’t realize the end was near until Noah entered the ark, and then suddenly, the flood came and took them all away in judgment. It will happen the same way when

the Son of Man appears. 40 At that time, two men will be working on the farm; one will be taken away in judgment, the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding grain; one will be taken away in judgment, the other left. ab 42 This is why you must stay alert: because no one knows the day your Lord will come. 43 “But realize this: If a homeowner had known what time of night the burglar would come to rob his house, he would have been alert and ready, and not let his house be robbed. 44 So always be ready, alert, and prepared, because at an hour when you’re not expecting him, the Son of Man will come.” The Wise and Faithful Servant 45 “Who is the one qualified to oversee the master’s house? He will be a reliable servant who is wise and faithful, one he can depend on. The master will want to give him the responsibility of overseeing others in his house, for his servant will lead them well and give them food at the right time. 46 What joy and blessing will come to

that faithful servant when the master comes home to find him serving with excellence! 47 I can promise you, the master will raise him up and put him in charge of all that he owns. 48 “But the evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master delays his coming, and who knows when he will return?’ And because of the delay, the servant mistreats those in his master’s household. Instead of caring for the ones he was appointed to serve , 49 he abuses the other servants and gives himself over to eating and drinking with drunkards. 50 Let me tell you what will happen to him. His master will suddenly return at a time that surprises him, and he will remove the abusive, selfish servant from his position of trust. 51 And the master will cut him in two ac and assign him to the place of great sorrow and anguish ad along with all the other pretenders and unbelievers.”

a

24:2 This prophecy of Jesus was fulfilled by the Roman prince Titus, who, in the Roman war of AD 67–70,

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destroyed the temple. In about AD 135 the emperor Hadrian completely destroyed the city of Jerusalem and built a new city on its foundations and named it Aelia Capitolina. 24:3 Or “presence” (Gr. parousia ). 24:3 Although it is possible to translate this “the end of the world,” the Hebraic mind-set of the end of days is a transition into a new age of the M essiah’s coming when all things will be restored. 24:7 Or “ethnic group.” See 2 Chron. 15:6; Isa. 19:2. 24:7 Although missing from a few Greek manuscripts, “horrible epidemics” is found in the Hebrew M atthew, the Aramaic, and the majority of Greek texts. 24:8 The translators are aware of distorted use of the words “new age”; however, true believers in Christ anticipate the coming of a new day (age) dawning, with Christ and his bride ruling the nations. See Joel 2; Rev. 3:21 . 24:9 Or “because of my name.” 24:10 The Aramaic is “M any will stumble” (or take offense). 24:13 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “endure.” 24:15 Or “the abomination [sin] that brings desolation [desecration].” See Dan. 8:13; 9:27; 11:31; 12:11. Jesus is saying that Daniel’s prophecy was not yet fulfilled in Jesus’ time. M any see the fulfillment of this prophecy in AD 70, when Titus, the Roman prince, went into the temple and

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sacrificed animals to Jupiter. 24:15 The Aramaic is “the defiling sign of desolation piling up (setting up) in the Holy Place.” 24:15 These parenthetical words were added by M atthew to encourage us to seek the Lord for the understanding of this mystery. Jesus, speaking in the role of the True Prophet, gives us truth to ponder in veiled language. 24:16 See Jer. 16:16; Zech. 14:5; Luke 21:20–22 . 24:17 Or “on the roof.” 24:24 The Aramaic is “prophets of lies.” 24:26 Or “in the inner rooms.” 24:27 Or “presence” (Gr. parousia ). 24:28 Or “Wherever you find the corpse, there the eagles will gather.” This peculiar verse is best understood as a parallel of vultures knowing where the carcass is (for example) to how instinctively believers will know when Jesus has appeared. 24:29 See Isa. 13:10; 34:4; Joel 2:10; Amos 8:9. This can also be viewed as a Hebraic metaphor of the lights of the natural realm being shut off and replaced with heaven’s glory—lights out on the old order. Sun, moon, and stars are also representative of the governmental structures failing with great calamity. A new order, a new glory, is coming to replace the fading glories of this world. 24:30 See Zech. 12:10–14; Rev. 1:7 . 24:30 The Hebrew M atthew is “mighty warriors.” 24:31 There is always a deeper meaning to the literal

understanding of the text of the Bible. This deeper meaning does not negate the literal, but gives a fuller comprehension. Clouds are metaphors of God’s presence among his people. The trumpet blast is symbolic of the universal announcement that will be heard by all. w 24:31 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew, which can also be translated “with a great shout.” This is also found in the Latin Vulgate translated by Jerome, who is believed to have had access to the manuscript of the Hebrew M atthew. x 24:32 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew. The Greek is “summer is near.” y 24:36 A few Greek manuscripts add “nor the Son.” However, that phrase is missing in many Greek texts and is not found in the Hebrew M atthew, the Aramaic, or the Latin Vulgate. z 24:37 Or “so it will be in the Lord’s presence” (Gr. parousia ). aa 24:38 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew, which is literally “being fruitful and multiplying” (having children). The Greek is “marrying and giving in marriage.” ab 24:41 One of the three manuscripts of the Hebrew M atthew, known as Shem-Tob, includes additional text: “This is because the angels at the end of the age will first remove the stumbling blocks [the wicked] from the world and will separate the good from the evil.” This passage is not speaking of what is known as the “rapture,” for as it

was in the days of Noah, the evil were “taken” and the righteous were “left.” ac 24:51 M ost likely hyperbole. The Greek word dichotomeō could also mean that God “will separate him from himself” (soul and body). ad 24:51 Or “gnashing of teeth.”

A Parable about Ten Virgins

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“At the time my coming draws near, heaven’s kingdom realm can be compared to ten maidens who took their oil lamps and went outside to meet the bridegroom and his bride. a 2–4 Five of them were foolish and ill-prepared, for they took no extra oil b for their lamps. Five of them were wise and sensible, for they took flasks of olive oil with their lamps. 5 When the bridegroom didn’t come when they expected, they all grew drowsy and fell asleep. 6 Then suddenly, in the middle of the night, they were awakened by the shout ‘Get up! The bridegroom is here! Come out and have an encounter with him!’ c 7 So all the girls got up and trimmed their

lamps. 8 But the foolish ones were running out of oil, so they said to the five wise ones, ‘Share your oil with us, because our lamps are going out!’ 9 “‘We can’t,’ they replied. ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. You’ll have to go and buy some for yourselves!’ 10 “While the five girls were out buying oil, the bridegroom appeared. Those who were ready and waiting were escorted inside with him and the wedding party to enjoy the feast. And then the door was locked. 11 Later, the five foolish girls came running up to the door and pleaded, ‘Lord, Lord, let us come in!’ 12 “But he called back, ‘Go away! Do I know you? I can assure you, I don’t even know you!’ 13 “That is the reason you should always stay awake and be alert, because you don’t know the day or hour when the Bridegroom will appear.” d A Parable about Financial Stewardship 14 “Again, heaven’s kingdom realm is like the wealthy man who went on a long journey and

summoned all his trusted servants and assigned his financial management over to them. 15 Before he left on his journey, he entrusted a bag of five thousand gold coins to one of his servants, to another a bag of two thousand gold coins, and to the third a bag of one thousand gold coins, each according to his ability to manage. e 16 “The one entrusted with five thousand gold coins immediately went out and traded with the money, and he doubled his investment. 17 In the same way, the one who was entrusted with two thousand gold coins traded with the sum and likewise doubled his investment. 18 But the one who had been entrusted with one thousand gold coins dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money. 19 “After much time had passed, the master returned to settle accounts with his servants. 20 The one who was entrusted with five thousand gold coins came and brought ten thousand, saying, ‘See, I have doubled your money.’ 21 “Commending his servant, the master replied, ‘You have done well, and proven yourself

to be my loyal and trustworthy servant. Because you have been a faithful steward to manage a small sum, now I will put you in charge of much, much more. You will experience the delight of your master, who will say to you, “Come celebrate with me!”’ 22 “Then the one who had been entrusted with two thousand gold coins came in and said, ‘See, my master, I have doubled what you have entrusted to me.’ 23 “Commending his servant, the master replied, ‘You have done well, and proven yourself to be my loyal and trustworthy servant. Because you were faithful to manage a small sum, now I will put you in charge of much, much more. You will experience the delight of your master, who will say to you, “Come celebrate with me!”’ 24 “Then the one who had been entrusted with one thousand gold coins came to his master and said, ‘Look, sir. I know that you are a hard man to please and you’re a shrewd and ruthless businessman who grows rich on the backs of others. f 25 I was afraid of you, so I went and hid your money and buried it in the ground. But here

it is—take it, it’s yours.’ 26 “Angered by what he heard, the master said to him, ‘You’re an untrustworthy g and lazy servant! If you knew I was a shrewd and ruthless business man who always makes a profit, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? 27 Then I would have received it all back with interest when I returned. h 28 But because you were unfaithful, I will take the one thousand gold coins and give them to the one who has ten thousand. 29 For the one who has will be given more, until he overflows with abundance. And the one with hardly anything, even what little he has will be taken from him.’ i 30 “Then the master said to his other servants, ‘Now, throw that good-for-nothing servant far away from me into the outer darkness, where there will be great misery and anguish!’” The Judgment of the Multitudes 31 “When the Son of Man appears in his majestic glory, with all his angels by his side, he will take his seat on his throne of splendor, 32 and all the

nations will be gathered together before him. j And like a shepherd who separates the sheep from the goats, he will separate all the people. 33 The ‘sheep’ he will put on his right side and the ‘goats’ on his left. 34 Then the King will turn to those on his right and say, ‘You have a special place in my Father’s heart. Come and experience the full inheritance of the kingdom realm that has been destined for you from before the foundation k of the world! 35 For when you saw me hungry, you fed me. When you found me thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I had no place to stay, you invited me in, 36 and when I was poorly clothed, you covered me. When I was sick, you tenderly cared for me, and when I was in prison you visited me.’ 37 “Then the godly will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty and give you food and something to drink? 38 When did we see you with no place to stay and invite you in? When did we see you poorly clothed and cover you? 39 When did we see you sick and tenderly care for you, or in prison and visit you?’

40 “And the King will answer them, ‘Don’t you know? When you cared for one of the least important of these my little ones, my true brothers and sisters, you demonstrated love for me.’ 41 “Then to those on his left the King will say, ‘Leave me! For you are under the curse of eternal fire that has been destined for the devil and all his demons. 42 For when you saw me hungry, you refused to give me food, and when you saw me thirsty, you refused to give me something to drink. 43 I had no place to stay, and you refused to take me in as your guest. When you saw me poorly clothed, you closed your hearts and would not cover me. When you saw that I was sick, you didn’t lift a finger to help me, and when I was imprisoned, you never came to visit me.’ 44 “And then those on his left will say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty and not give you food and something to drink? When did we see you homeless, or poorly clothed? When did we see you sick and not help you, or in prison

and not visit you?’ 45 “Then he will answer them, ‘Don’t you know? When you refused to help one of the least important among these my little ones, my true brothers and sisters, you refused to help and honor me.’ 46 And they will depart from his presence and go into eternal punishment. But the godly and beloved ‘sheep’ will enter into eternal bliss.”

a

25:1 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew and a few Greek manuscripts. M ost Greek manuscripts have only “bridegroom.” This would mean the ten virgins were going to marry one man, a doubtful teaching from Jesus. The ten virgins were bridesmaids, ladies-in-waiting. This was not Jesus condoning polygamy. It is possible that the parable hints of Zech. 8:23. b 25:2–4 See v. 8 . Oil in the Scriptures is a metaphor of the Holy Spirit, who brings us revelation of the Word of God and power for ministry. c 25:6 This is not simply “meet him,” for it is a rare Greek noun that means to “have a meeting” or “an encounter.” See also 1 Thess. 4:17 . d 25:13 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew.

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25:15 Or “five talents . . . two talents . . . one talent.” A talent, although hard to determine exactly how much it represents, is a measure of weight. King Solomon received 666 talents of gold as his yearly tribute. A talent is clearly a large sum of money. See 2 Chron. 9:13 and 1 Kings 10:14. 25:24 Or “that you harvest where you didn’t sow and gather where you didn’t plant.” This is most likely a proverb, a figure of speech that reinforces the thought of the servant that his master was strict, harsh, and ruthless. The attitude of the servant was “You are so ruthless; you’re like a man who expects a harvest from a field he didn’t plant!” 25:26 Or “evil.” 25:27 The Aramaic can be translated “Why didn’t you throw my money into the offering? Then I would have returned to ask for what was mine together with its bounty.” The implication is that money given in sacred offering to God will be returned with even more, by God’s generosity. See Luke 6:38 . 25:29 By implication the parable is stating, “The one who has [a heart of faithful stewardship] will be given more [to manage]. And the one who has very little [faithfulness, wisdom, integrity] will lose the little he has [failed to manage well].” 25:32 See Dan. 7:13–14. 25:34 Or “from before the fall” of the world.

Jesus Prophesies His Crucifixion

26 After Jesus had completed his teachings, he said to his disciples, 2 “You know that the Feast of the Passover begins in two more days. That’s when the Son of Man is to be betrayed and handed over to be crucified.” 3 Meanwhile, the prominent priests and religious leaders of the nation were gathered in the palace of the high priest Caiaphas. a 4 That’s when they made their decision to secretly b have Jesus captured and killed. 5 But they all agreed, “We can’t do this during the Passover celebrations or we could have a riot on our hands.” A Woman Anoints Jesus 6–7 Then Jesus went to Bethany, to the home of Simon, a man Jesus had healed of leprosy. A woman came into the house, holding an alabaster flask c filled with fragrant and expensive oil. d She walked right up to Jesus, and in a lavish gesture of devotion , she poured out the costly oil, and it cascaded over his head as he was at the table. 8 When the disciples saw

this, they were offended. “What a total waste!” they grumbled. 9 “We could have sold it for a great deal of money and given it to the poor.” 10 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Why are you critical of this woman? She has done a beautiful act of kindness for me. 11 You will always have someone poor whom you can help, but you will not always have me. 12 When she poured the fragrant oil over me, she was preparing my body for burial. e 13 I promise you that as this wonderful gospel spreads all over the world, the story of her lavish devotion to me will also be mentioned in memory of her.” f Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus 14 One of the twelve apostles, Judas the locksmith, g went to the leading priests 15 and said, “How much are you willing to pay me to betray Jesus into your hands?” They agreed to pay him thirty silver coins. h 16 Immediately Judas began to scheme and look for an opportunity to betray him. Jesus Celebrates Passover with His Disciples

On the first day of Passover, i the day when any bread made with yeast was removed from every Jewish home, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where should we prepare the Passover meal j for you?” 18 He answered them, “My heart longs with great desire to eat this Passover meal with you. k Go into Jerusalem and you will encounter a man. l Tell him that the teacher says, ‘My appointed time m is near. I am coming to your home to eat the Passover meal with my disciples.’” 19 The disciples did as Jesus had instructed them, and they prepared the Passover meal. 20 When evening came he took his place at the table and dined with the Twelve. 21 While they were eating, Jesus spoke up and said, “One of you is about to betray me.” 22 Feeling deeply hurt by these words, one after another asked him, “You don’t mean me, do you?” 23 He answered, “It is one who has shared meals with me as an intimate friend. n 24 All that was prophesied of me will take place, but how miserable it will be for the one who betrays the Son of Man. It would be far better for him if he 17

had never been born!” 25 Then finally, Judas the traitor spoke up and asked him, “Teacher, o perhaps it is I?” Jesus answered, “You said it.” The Lord’s Supper 26 As they ate, Jesus took the bread and blessed it and broke it and gave it to his disciples. He said to them, “This is my body. Eat it.” 27 Then taking the cup of wine and giving praises to the Father, he entered into covenant with them, p saying, “This is my blood. Each of you must drink it in fulfillment of the covenant. 28 For this is the blood that seals the new covenant. q It will be poured out for many for the complete forgiveness of sins. 29 The next time we drink this, I will be with you and we will drink it together with a new understanding in the kingdom realm of my Father.” r 30 Then they sang a psalm s and left for the Mount of Olives. Jesus Prophesies Peter’s Denial

31

Along the way Jesus said to them, “Before the night is over, you will all desert me. This will fulfill the prophecy of the Scripture that says: I will strike down the shepherd and all the sheep will scatter far and wide! t 32

“But after I am risen, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and will meet you there.” u 33 Then Peter spoke up and said, “Even if all the rest lose their faith and fall away, I will still be beside you, Jesus!” 34 “Are you sure, Peter?” Jesus said. “In fact, before the rooster crows a few hours from now, you will have denied me three times.” 35 Peter replied, “I absolutely will never deny you, even if I have to die with you!” And all the others said the same thing. Jesus Prays in Gethsemane 36 Then Jesus led his disciples to an orchard called “The Oil Press.” v He told them, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” 37 He took Peter, Jacob,

and John with him. w However, an intense feeling of great sorrow plunged his soul into deep sorrow and agony. 38 And he said to them, “My heart is overwhelmed and crushed with grief. It feels as though I’m dying. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39 Then he walked a short distance away, and overcome with grief, he threw himself facedown on the ground and prayed, “My Father, if there is any way you can deliver me from this suffering, x please take it from me. Yet what I want is not important, for I only desire to fulfill your plan for me.” Then an angel from heaven appeared to strengthen him. y 40 Later, he came back to his three disciples and found them all sound asleep. He awakened Peter and said to him, “Do you lack the strength to stay awake with me for even just an hour? 41 Keep alert and pray that you’ll be spared from this time of testing. You should have learned by now that your spirit is eager enough, but your humanity is weak.” z 42 Then he left them for a second time to pray in

solitude. He said to God , “My Father, if there is not a way that you can deliver me from this suffering, aa then your will must be done.” 43 He came back to the disciples and found them sound asleep, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. 44 So he left them and went away to pray the same prayer for the third time. 45 When he returned again to his disciples, he awoke them, saying, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Don’t you know the hour has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to the authority of sinful men? 46 Get up and let’s go, for the betrayer has arrived.” The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus 47 At that moment Judas, his once-trusted disciple, appeared, along with a large crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent to arrest Jesus by order of the ruling priests and Jewish religious leaders. 48 Now, Judas, the traitor, had arranged to give them a signal that would identify Jesus, for he had told them, “Jesus is the one whom I will kiss. So grab him!” 49 Judas quickly stepped up to Jesus and said,

“Shalom, Rabbi,” and he kissed him on both cheeks . ab 50 “My beloved friend,” ac Jesus said, “is this why you’ve come?” ad Then the armed men seized Jesus to arrest him. 51 But one of the disciples ae pulled out a dagger and swung it at the servant of the high priest, slashing off his ear. 52 Jesus said to him, “Put your dagger away. For all those who embrace violence will die by violence. af 53 Don’t you realize that I could ask my heavenly Father for angels to come at any time to deliver me? And instantly he would answer me by sending twelve armies of the angelic host ag to come and protect us. 54 But that would thwart the prophetic plan of God. For it has been written that it would happen this way.” 55 Then Jesus turned to the mob and said, “Why would you arrest me with swords and clubs as though I were an outlaw? Day after day I sat in the temple courts with you, teaching the people, yet you didn’t arrest me. 56 But all of this fulfills the prophecies of the Scriptures.” At that point all of his disciples ran away and abandoned him.

Jesus Is Condemned by the Religious Leaders 57 Those who arrested Jesus led him away to Caiaphas, the chief priest, and to a meeting where the religious scholars and the supreme Jewish council were already assembled. ah 58 Now, Peter had followed the mob from a distance all the way to the chief priest’s courtyard. And after entering, he sat with the servants ai of the chief priest who had gathered there, waiting to see how things would unfold. 59 The chief priests and the entire supreme Jewish council of leaders aj were doing their best to find false charges that they could bring against Jesus, because they were looking for a reason to put him to death. 60 Many false witnesses came forward, but the evidence could not be corroborated. Finally two men came forward 61 and declared, “This man said, ‘I can destroy God’s temple and build it again in three days!’” 62 Then the chief priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Have you nothing to say about these allegations? Is what they’re saying about you true?” 63 But Jesus remained silent before them. So the chief priest said to him, “I charge you under oath—in the

name of the living God, tell us once and for all if you are the anointed Messiah, the Son of God!” 64 Jesus answered him, “You just said it yourself. And more than that, you are about to see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of God, the Almighty. ak And one day you will also see the Son of Man coming in the heavenly clouds!” 65 This infuriated the chief priest, and as an act of outrage, he tore his robe and shouted, “What blasphemy! No more witnesses are needed, for you heard this grievous blasphemy.” 66 Turning to the council he said, “Now, what is your verdict?” “He’s guilty and deserves the death penalty!” they answered. 67 Then they spat on his face and slapped him. Others struck him over and over with their fists. 68 Then they taunted him by saying, “Oh, Anointed One, prophesy to us! Tell us which one of us is about to hit you next?” Peter’s Denials 69 Meanwhile, Peter was still sitting outside in the courtyard when a servant girl came up to him and said, “I recognize you. You were with Jesus the

Galilean.” 70 In front of everyone Peter denied it and said, “I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.” 71 Later, as he stood near the gateway of the courtyard, another servant girl noticed him and said, “I know this man is a follower of Jesus the Nazarene!” 72 Once again, Peter denied it, and with an oath he said, “I tell you, I don’t know the man!” 73 A short time later, those standing nearby approached Peter and said, “We know you’re one of his disciples—we can tell by your speech. Your Galilean accent gives you away!” al 74 Peter denied it, and using profanity he said, “I don’t know the man!” At that very moment the sound of a crowing rooster pierced the night. 75 Then Peter remembered the prophecy of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows you will have denied me three times.” With a shattered heart, Peter went out of the courtyard, sobbing with bitter tears.

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26:3 Caiaphas was a Sadducee with political connections to Pilate’s government. He was the son-in-law of Annas,

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who had been deposed from his office by the Roman procurator Valerious, but he was still viewed by the people as the high priest. In effect, Israel had two high priests at the same time, Annas and Caiaphas, thus violating Jewish law. 26:4 Or “deceitfully” (Aramaic “with false testimony”). 26:6–7 Jars such as this usually had a long neck that would be broken off and the oil poured out. The woman is identified as M ary, the sister of Lazarus and M artha. See Song. 1:12 ; M ark 14:3 ; Luke 7:37 ; John 12:1–5 . 26:6–7 This was spikenard (or nard), a spice taken from a plant that grows in northern India near the Himalayas. This costly perfume would have been carried over land to the M iddle East. M any believe this jar of spikenard would have cost the average worker a year’s wages. It was a common practice among the Jews to prepare a body for burial with fragrant ointment. 26:12 It is entirely possible that when the Roman soldiers pierced Jesus’ beautiful feet and put the crown of thorns on his lovely head, they could have smelled this fragrant oil. 26:13 Jesus’ prophecy is that M ary would be included in the Gospel account. Her act of devotion is mentioned in three of the four Gospels. You can’t read the New Testament without knowing of M ary’s worship of Jesus. 26:14 Or “Judah Iscariot.” Iscariot is not his last name or the name of a town. It means “locksmith.” Iscariot comes from an Aramaic word for “brass lock.” The one who held

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the key to the finances of the twelve disciples brazenly wanted to lock up Jesus. 26:15 See Zech. 11:12–13. Assuming the thirty pieces of silver were tetradrachms, it would represent about four months’ wages of a skilled worker. If the coins were the Roman denarius, it would be about five weeks’ wages. If they were Jewish shekels, it would have been a very modest sum. How could anyone put a monetary value on the life of the glorious Son of God? 26:17 Or “the first day of Unleavened Bread.” The Aramaic reads “on the day before the Passover festival.” This was the first day of an eight-day celebration to commemorate the deliverance of the Hebrew slaves out of Egypt. The Jews would eat a roasted lamb after sunset in a family group of at least ten people. The meal would include bitter herbs (in remembrance of their bitter years of slavery), unleavened bread, and four cups of wine mixed with water. See Num. 9:2–5. 26:17 That is, “the Passover seder.” 26:18 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew and other external evidence. The Greek text does not include this sentence; however, it seems to be essentially the same as found in Luke 22:15 , which may support the theory that part of Luke’s eyewitness accounts may have included M atthew. 26:18 The Greek is actually “M r. So-and-So.” This was someone who would know who the teacher was and

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understand what it meant when Jesus said, “M y time is near.” The Hebrew M atthew adds this line: “He will volunteer for the task.” 26:18 An obvious ellipsis that could mean “M y time of fulfilling my destiny” is near. 26:23 Or “he who has dipped his hand with me in the dish.” This is a figure of speech of one who was an intimate friend of Jesus. To break bread together was a sign of friendship throughout the M iddle East. 26:25 Notice that the other eleven disciples called Jesus “Lord.” Judas called him “teacher.” 26:27 As translated from the Aramaic. 26:28 The Aramaic word khawdata can be translated “new,” but is better rendered “renewed” covenant or “repaired” covenant. See Lev. 17:11; Jer. 31:31–37. After each disciple took the cup and drank from it, they passed it to the next one. This was a love covenant between Jesus and each of his disciples, and it sealed the affection they had for one another. 26:29 We are now in the realm of the kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit brings us into the body of Christ and into the reality of the kingdom of God. It is growing and increasing in scope, and every time believers drink of the cup of communion, Jesus is present with us. It is the Lord’s table, not ours. This was a prophecy of what would happen in just a matter of days from then, as believers would break bread together in remembrance of what Jesus did for them.

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See Acts 2:42 . Jesus now drinks it with us in a new way, and not just once a year at Passover, but every time we worship him by taking communion. 26:30 Or “a hymn.” The Aramaic is “They offered praise.” It was the custom after celebrating the Passover seder to conclude with singing one of the Hallel psalms ( Pss. 115–118 ). 26:31 See Zech. 13:7. 26:32 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew. 26:36 Or “Gethsemane,” which means “oil press.” This was located on the lower slope of the M ount of Olives near the brook Kidron. King David left Jerusalem weeping as he crossed the Kidron Valley and went up the M ount of Olives (2 Sam. 15:23). Now the Son of David comes into that valley with great sorrow on his way into Jerusalem to be crucified. Kidron comes from the Hebrew verb qadar , which means “to grow dark” or “to mourn.” 26:37 Or “Peter and the two sons of Zebedee.” 26:39 Or “If possible, take away this cup of suffering.” The cup becomes a metaphor of the great suffering that Jesus had to drink that night in the garden. However, Jesus was not asking the Father for a way around the cross. Rather, he was asking God to keep him alive through this night of suffering so that he could carry the cross and take away our sins. According to the prophecies of the Old Testament, Jesus was to be pierced on a cross. We learn from Heb. 5:7 that Jesus’ prayer was answered that night as

the cup was indeed taken from him. An angel of God came to strengthen him and deliver him from premature death. The “cup” he was asking God to let pass from him was the cup of premature death that Satan was trying to make him drink in the garden, not the death he would experience the next day on the cross. He had already sweat drops of blood, but the prophecies had to be fulfilled of being pierced on a cross for our transgressions. God answered his cry and he lived through the agony of Gethsemane so that he could be our sacrifice for sin on Calvary. Jesus did not waver in the garden. We have a brave Savior. y 26:39 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew. See Luke 22:43 , which may be evidence of Luke having access to the Hebrew M atthew account. z 26:41 The Aramaic is “the flesh is failing.” aa 26:42 See the first footnote for v. 39 and Heb. 5:7 . ab 26:49 This would have been the customary kiss among the Jews of that day. ac 26:50 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew. ad 26:50 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “Do what you’ve come to do.” ae 26:51 From John 18:10 we learn that the disciple was Peter. M atthew, although knowing it was his friend Peter, kept him from any embarrassment by not naming him in his Gospel narrative. af 26:52 The Aramaic reads, “Those who have taken up swords against me will all die by the sword.” The Aramaic

is a prophecy that those armed men who came against Jesus in the garden that night would die by the sword. ag 26:53 Or “twelve legions.” A legion was a detachment of six thousand Roman soldiers. Jesus could have called down seventy-two thousand angels to come to his aid. The number twelve was a reminder to the twelve disciples that God had more than enough protection for them all. ah 26:57 Or “elders.” The supreme Jewish council (Sanhedrin) is made explicit in v. 59 . ai 26:58 The Aramaic is “temple ushers.” aj 26:59 Or “Sanhedrin” (or Great Sanhedrin), which was a council of seventy men who were appointed to serve as the leadership of the Jewish community and the affairs of the temple. ak 26:64 See Ps. 110:2 ; Dan. 7:13. al 26:73 Peter, being from Capernaum in Galilee, spoke the northern dialect of Aramaic, while the people of Jerusalem spoke the southern dialect (Chaldean).

Jesus Condemned by the Religious Leaders

27 Before dawn that morning, all the chief priests and religious leaders resolved to take action against Jesus and decided that he should be executed. 2 So they bound him with chains and led him away to

Pilate, the Roman governor. Judas Commits Suicide 3 Now, when Judas, the betrayer, saw that Jesus had been sentenced to death, remorse filled his heart. He returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and religious leaders, 4 saying, “I have sinned because I have betrayed an innocent a man.” They replied, “Why are you bothering us? That’s your problem.” 5 Then Judas flung the silver coins inside the temple and went out and hanged himself. 6 The chief priests, picking up the pieces of silver, said, “We can’t keep this, for it’s unlawful to put blood money into the temple treasury.” 7 So after some deliberation, they decided to purchase the potter’s field of clay , b to use as a cemetery for burying strangers. 8 That’s why that land has been called “The Field of Blood.” 9 This fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah: c They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price at which he was valued by the people of Israel,

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the price of a precious man, d And with the silver they bought the potter’s field, as the Lord directed. e

Jesus Brought before Pilate 11 As Jesus stood in front of the Roman governor, Pilate asked him, “So, you are really the king of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “You have just spoken it.” 12 Then he was slandered and accused by the chief priests and religious leaders, but he remained silent. 13 Pilate said, “Don’t you hear these allegations?” 14 But Jesus offered no defense to any of the charges, much to the great astonishment of Pilate. 15 Now, every year at Passover it was the custom of the governor to pardon a prisoner and release him to the people—anyone they wanted. 16 And at that time, Pilate was holding in custody a notorious criminal named Jesus Barabbas. f 17 So as the crowds of people assembled outside of Pilate’s residence, he went out and offered them a choice. He asked them, “Who would you want me to release to you today, Jesus who is called Barabbas, or Jesus who is called

the Anointed One?” 18 (Now, Pilate was fully aware that the religious leaders had handed Jesus over to him because of their bitter jealousy.) 19 Just then, as Pilate was presiding over the tribunal, g his wife sent him an urgent message: “Don’t harm that holy man, h for I suffered a horrible nightmare last night about him!” 20 Meanwhile, the chief priest and the religious leaders were inciting the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be freed and to have Jesus killed. 21 So Pilate asked them again, “Which of the two men would you like me to release for you?” They shouted, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate asked them, “Then what would you have me to do with Jesus who is called the Anointed One?” They all shouted back, “Crucify him!” 23 “Why?” Pilate asked. “What has he done wrong?” But they kept shouting out, “Crucify him!” Jesus Condemned to Death 24 When Pilate realized that a riot was about to break out and that it was useless to try to reason with the

crowd, he sent for a basin of water. After washing his hands i in front of the people, he said, “I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man. j The responsibility for his death is now yours!” k 25 And the crowd replied, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!” 26 So he released Barabbas to the people. He ordered that Jesus be beaten with a whip made of leather straps embedded with metal, and afterward be crucified. 27 Then the guards took him into their military compound, where a detachment of nearly six hundred soldiers surrounded him. 28 They stripped off his clothing and placed a scarlet robe on him to make fun of him. 29 Then they braided a crown of thorns and set it on his head. After placing a reed staff in his right hand, they knelt down before him and irreverently mocked him, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” 30 Then they spat in his face and took the reed staff from his hand and hit him repeatedly on his head, driving the crown of thorns deep into his brow . 31 When they finished ridiculing him, they took off the scarlet robe and put his own clothes back on him and led him away to be crucified. 32 And as they came out of the city, they

stopped an African man named Simon, from Libya, and compelled him to carry the cross for Jesus.

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The Crucifixion 33 They brought Jesus to Golgotha, which means “Skull Hill.” m 34 And there the soldiers offered him a mild painkiller, a drink of wine mixed with gall, n but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 Then they crucified Jesus, nailing his hands and feet to the cross. The soldiers divided his clothing among themselves by rolling dice to see who would win them. 36 And the soldiers stood there to watch what would happen and to keep guard over him. 37 Above his head they placed a sign that read, “This is Jesus of Nazareth, o King of Israel.” 38 Two criminals were also crucified with Jesus, one on each side of him. p 39 And those who passed by shook their heads and spitefully ridiculed him, 40 saying, “We heard you boast that you could destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days! Why don’t you save yourself now? If you’re really God’s Son, come down from the cross!” 41 Even the ruling priests, with the Jewish

scholars and religious leaders, joined in the mockery q 42 and kept on saying, “He saved others, but he can’t even save himself! Israel’s king, is he? He should pull out the nails and come down from the cross right now; then we’ll believe in him! 43 He says he puts all his trust in God, so let’s see if it’s true, and see if God really wants to rescue his ‘favorite son’!” r 44 Even the two criminals who were crucified with Jesus began to taunt him, hurling their insults on him. The Death of the Savior 45 For three hours, beginning at noon, darkness came over the earth. s 46 And at three o’clock Jesus shouted with a mighty voice in Aramaic, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” t —that is, “My God, My God, why have you deserted me?” u 47 Some who were standing near the cross misunderstood and said, “He’s calling for Elijah.” 48 One bystander ran and got a sponge, soaked it with sour wine, then put it on a stick and held it up for Jesus to drink. 49 But the rest said, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah comes to rescue him.” v

50 Jesus passionately cried out, w took his last breath , and gave up his spirit. 51 At that moment the veil in the Holy of Holies was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth shook violently, rocks were split apart, 52 and graves were opened. Then many of the holy ones who had died were brought back to life and came out of their graves. 53 And after Jesus’ resurrection, x they were plainly seen by many people walking in Jerusalem. y 54 Now, when the Roman military officer and his soldiers witnessed what was happening and felt the powerful earthquake, they were extremely terrified. They said, “There is no doubt, this man was the Son of God!” 55 Watching from a distance were many of the women who had followed him from Galilee and given him support. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene; Mary, the mother of Jacob and Joseph; and the mother of Jacob and John.

The Burial of Jesus 57 At the end of the day, a wealthy man named Joseph, a follower of Jesus from the village of

Ramah, z 58 approached Pilate and asked to have custody of the body of Jesus. So Pilate consented and ordered that the body be given to him. 59 Then Joseph wrapped the body in a shroud of fine linen and placed it in his own unused tomb, which had only recently been cut into the rock. 60 They rolled a large stone to seal the entrance of the tomb and left. 61 Sitting across from the tomb were Mary Magdalene and the other Marys, aa watching all that took place. 62 The next day, the day after Preparation Day for Passover, the chief priests and the Pharisees went together to Pilate. 63 They said to him, “Our master, we remember that this imposter claimed that he would rise from the dead after three days. 64 So please, order the tomb to be sealed until after the third day. Seal it so that his disciples can’t come and steal the corpse and tell people he rose from the dead. Then the last deception would be worse than the first!” 65 “I will send soldiers to guard the tomb,” Pilate replied. “Go with them and make the tomb as secure as possible.” 66 So they left and sealed the stone, ab and Pilate’s soldiers secured the tomb.

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27:4 The Aramaic word for “innocent,” zakaia , can also mean “victorious.” 27:7 Implied in the historical context. This was the field owned by a potter, used for making clay vessels. 27:9 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew. See Zech. 11:12–13. The Greek manuscripts incorrectly identify the prophecy as from Jeremiah. There is no clear prophecy found in Jeremiah that is quoted here by M atthew. The Aramaic reads simply, “spoken of by the prophet.” The Hebrew M atthew correctly states, “spoken through Zechariah.” 27:9 As translated from the Aramaic. 27:10 Or “as the Lord directed me.” 27:16 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew and a few Greek manuscripts. M ost Greek texts have only Barabbas. The name Barabbas is Aramaic and means “son of a father” or “son who is like his father.” He becomes a picture of every son of Adam, our father. Some believe this is a figure of speech, a nickname for one who was born an illegitimate son, with no known father. The true Son of the Father was crucified that day. 27:19 Or “sat on the judgment seat.” 27:19 As translated from the Aramaic. 27:24 See Deut. 21:6–7. 27:24 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew and the

Aramaic. 27:24 The Aramaic is “You do as you please!” 27:32 Or “from Cyrene,” which is present-day Tripoli, Libya. m 27:33 The Aramaic word Golgotha is, in Latin, calvaria , or Calvary. David brought Goliath’s head (Goliath and Golgotha are taken from the same root word) and buried it outside of Jerusalem. Some believe this is where it got its name, Golgotha (the place of the skull). The cross has to pierce the place of the skull for our minds to submit to the revelation of the cross. n 27:34 See Ps. 69:21 . o 27:37 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew. See John 19:20 . The sign was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek. Aramaic was the language of the common people in Israel. Hebrew ceased to be their spoken language after 450 BC, when the Jews returned from Babylon. Aramaic remained the language of Israel for nearly one thousand years. Latin was the official language of the Roman Empire. The inscription was also in Greek, for the Alexandrian Jews who had come to observe the Passover in Jerusalem would be unable to read Aramaic. The words were “Jesus, the Nazarene, King of the Jews.” The first letters of each of the four words written on the sign in Aramaic (Hebrew) were YH-W-H ( Y’shua Hanozri Wumelech a Yehudim ). To write these letters, YHWH (also known as the Tetragrammaton), was the Hebrew form of writing the sacred name “Yahweh.” k l

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No wonder the chief priests were so offended by this sign and insisted that Pilate change it. This was a sign given to Israel, for over Jesus’ head on the cross was written “Y-HW-H! God, the Savior, bled to death for you.” 27:38 See Isa. 53:12. 27:41 See Pss. 22:17 ; 109:25 ; Lam. 2:15. 27:43 As translated from the Aramaic. See also Ps. 22:8 . 27:45 Or “the land.” 27:46 The last words of Jesus were spoken in Aramaic. Every Greek text gives a transliteration of the Aramaic words and then translates them back into Greek. 27:46 See Pss. 22:1 ; 42:9 . The Aramaic can be translated “for this purpose you have spared me.” 27:49 A few Greek manuscripts have an additional sentence: “A soldier took a lance and pierced him in the side and blood and water poured out.” It is not found in the Aramaic and many Greek texts of M atthew. If included, it would mean the soldier took Jesus’ life with his lance. However, Jesus said that no man could take his life from him. The evidence is compelling that it was not part of the original text, but was taken from John 19:34 and added here. 27:50 See Luke 23:46 and John 19:30 to read the words he shouted out at death. 27:53 The Aramaic reads “after their rising.” 27:53 Perhaps one was Joseph, for he had asked that his bones be buried in the promised land. He saw a resurrection coming and didn’t want to be left out. See Heb. 11:22 .

Jesus’ resurrection was so powerful that many were instantly raised back to life again along with him. z 27:57 As translated from the Aramaic. Ramah (formerly Ramathaim Zophim) was the village of Samuel, situated on a hill overlooking Jerusalem. The Greek is “Joseph of Arimathea.” Luke tells us that he was a member of the Sanhedrin. See Luke 23:50–51 . It is possible that Joseph may have lost a son the age of Jesus when Herod killed the infants. aa 27:61 As translated from the Hebrew M atthew. See v. 56 and 28:1 . ab 27:66 This official seal, if broken, would bring the death penalty to the offender.

The Resurrection of Jesus

28 After the Sabbath ended, at the first light of dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary a went to take a look at the tomb. 2–4 Suddenly, the earth shook violently beneath their feet as the angel of the Lord Jehovah b descended from heaven. Lightning flashed around him and his robe was dazzling white! The guards were stunned and terrified—lying motionless like dead men. Then the angel walked up to the tomb, rolled away the

stone, and sat on top of it! 5 The women were breathless and terrified, until the angel said to them, “There’s no reason to be afraid. I know you’re here looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here—he has risen victoriously, c just as he said! Come inside the tomb and see the place where our Lord was lying. d 7 Then run and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead! I give you his message: “I am going ahead of you in Galilee and you will see me there.” e 8 They rushed quickly to tell his disciples, and their hearts were deep in wonder and filled with great joy. 9 Along the way, Jesus suddenly appeared in front of them and said, “Rejoice!” f They were so overwhelmed by seeing him that they bowed down and grasped his feet in adoring worship. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Throw off all your fears. Go and tell my brothers g to go to Galilee. They will find me there.” The Guards Report What They Witnessed 11 After the women left the tomb, a few of the guards went into Jerusalem and told the chief priests

everything they had seen and heard. 12 So the chief priests called a meeting with all the religious leaders and came up with a plan. They bribed the guards with a large sum of money 13 and told them, “Tell everyone, ‘While we were asleep, his disciples came at night and stole his body!’ 14 If Pilate finds out about this, don’t worry. We’ll make sure you don’t get blamed.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were told. (That is why the story of the guards is still circulated among the Jews to this day.) The Great Commission 16 Meanwhile, the eleven disciples heard the wonderful news from the women and left for Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had arranged to meet them. 17 The moment they saw him, they worshiped him, but some still had lingering doubts. 18 Then Jesus came close to them and said, “All the authority of the universe has been given to me. h 19 Now go in my authority and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 20 And teach them to faithfully follow i all that I have

commanded you. And never forget that I am with you every day, even to the completion of this age.” j

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28:1 This was M ary, the mother of Jacob and Joseph. See M ark 16:1 ; Luke 24:10 . 28:2–4 Or “the angel of YHWH,” as translated from the Aramaic. 28:6 As translated from the Aramaic. 28:6 As translated from the Aramaic and some Greek texts. 28:7 Or “He is going ahead of you to Galilee and you will see him there. Behold, I have told you!” 28:9 Or “Be rejoicing!” 28:10 What an incredible truth! Believers are now his brothers and sisters. See Heb. 2:11 . 28:18 There is a sentence found in the Aramaic that is missing in all but one Greek manuscript, which reads, “As my Father has sent me, so I send you.” 28:20 The Aramaic is “keep” or “guard” (a fortress). 28:20 Or “I am with you all the appointed days” (Variorum Version).

MARK Introduction AT A GLANCE Author : John Mark Audience : Roman Christians Date : AD 50–55 Type of Literature : Ancient historical biography Major Themes : The person of Jesus, the mission of Jesus, the work of Jesus, discipleship and faith, the kingdom realm Outline : Prologue — 1:1–13 Jesus’ Galilee Ministry: Phase 1 — 1:14–3:6 Jesus’ Galilee Ministry: Phase 2 — 3:7–6:13 Jesus Leaves Galilee — 6:14–8:21 Jesus Journeys to Jerusalem — 8:22–10:52 Jesus’ Jerusalem Ministry — 11:1–13:37

Jesus’ Passion — 14:1–15:47 Jesus’ Resurrection — 16:1–8 (9–20)

ABOUT MARK God has given the world a treasure with the Gospel of Mark! What a beautiful description we find of Jesus, the Anointed One, within its pages. Mark unveils the Lord Jesus before our eyes as the true Servant of God, holy, harmless, and merciful! As God’s Servant we find Jesus very busy in this Gospel healing, teaching, and working wonders. You will fall in love with Jesus Christ as you read this inspired account of his life. Many believe Mark was a disciple of Peter and received much of the material given in his Gospel from Peter, for Peter describes Mark as “my son” ( 1 Peter 5:13 ). The church fathers Papias and Clement of Alexandria both state that Mark wrote a factual and inspired Gospel with the help of Peter while Peter was still living. We know for sure that Mark wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and gave us a vibrant, striking picture of the life of the Messiah, Jesus, the Servant of the Lord. It is likely that Mark wrote this Gospel about AD 50–55. The book easily

divides itself between Jesus’ Galilean ministry (1:1– 8:21) and his Judean ministry (8:22–16:8). Mark omits the narrative of Jesus’ birth and genealogy, for a servant needs no pedigree. But rather, he introduces Jesus as the one with a mission of love and power to change the world. Forty times Mark uses the Greek word eutheos , which means “immediately”! There is urgency with Jesus as he works toward completing his task of providing salvation and power to all who believe in him. Mark records over three times as many miracles as parables. This is a Gospel of miracles! Twentyone miracles are recorded here with two unique to Mark’s Gospel. There is a freshness and vitality about this Gospel that is gripping to the reader. See if you can read the entire Gospel through in one sitting —you’ll be on the edge of your seat! Although it is the briefest of the four Gospels, you’ll still enjoy reading about Jesus’ supreme power over both the invisible and visible worlds. He was with the wild beasts in the wilderness and subdued the even wilder nature of demon-controlled souls. He is Master over creation, man, and the devil, for he is the perfect servant who came to do the Father’s will. Mercy triumphs in every page of Mark’s Gospel,

for he writes as one set free from his past and as one who has discovered the divine surprise of mercy. May you also find mercy triumphant as you read the translation of this book. Today is the day for you to become a fervent follower of the Lord Jesus Christ!

PURPOSE While John Mark likely had a variety of reasons for writing his Gospel, two broad themes stand out: (1) to confirm Jesus’ messianic identity; and (2) to call believers to follow Jesus’ example. The first purpose is confirmed by the dramatic moment (Mark 8:29 ) where Peter confesses, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God!” The whole story pivots around this confirmation, though Jesus won’t be confined to anyone’s definition. Because while Peter and Israel expected a conquering hero Messiah, Jesus is the Suffering Servant Messiah. It is through the cross he achieves his full glory and full identity! In his second purpose, Mark builds on his first by exhorting believers to follow Jesus’ example. The disciples aren’t the ones we are to model, however, for they repeatedly fail and remain relatively faithless throughout; their example is one to avoid! Instead,

we are to pattern our lives after Jesus’ own faithful, cross-shaped life. As Jesus said, “If you truly want to follow me, you should at once completely disown your own life. And you must be willing to share my cross and experience it as your own” ( Mark 8:34 ).

AUTHOR AND AUDIENCE The author of the Gospel of Mark is nearly universally recognized to be the John Mark who was related to Barnabas and lived in Jerusalem (Acts 12:12 ). He and Barnabas and Paul once traveled together in their missionary work (Acts 13:4 ) until some kind of failure took place in Mark’s life and he left his team for a short period. Because of his abrupt departure, Paul refused to have Mark rejoin them from that time forward, which caused a rift between Paul and Barnabas. Even so, Barnabas the encourager still took Mark with him to advance the work of the gospel (Acts 15:36–39 ). It is also likely that Mark is the individual he mentions in Mark 14:51 , using the common literary tool of that day when speaking of oneself by allusion. Isn’t it amazing how God does not give up on us because of our failures? It is comforting to see how

God’s mercy restored Mark and used him to write this inspired record, a gospel that will endure for all eternity. Later, while Paul was imprisoned, he asked Timothy to bring Mark to him, saying, “For he (Mark) is a tremendous help for me in my ministry” ( 2 Tim. 4:11 ). So we learn that none of our failures need disqualify us if we continue to love and follow Jesus Christ. When you get to heaven, ask Mark. He will tell you that mercy triumphs over judgment! While the Gospels were written for the church at large, the writers often had specific audiences in mind and addressed needs and concerns relevant to them. Early Christian tradition closely identifies Mark’s Gospel with Rome. This is supported by church fathers like Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria. Since Mark translates Aramaic words into Greek for his readers and explains Jewish customs, a Palestinian audience seems to be ruled out. And because he uses Roman words in place of Greek ones, Christians in Rome were a likely target audience. He wrote to these Roman Christians to bring encouragement and assurance in their faith.

MAJOR THEMES

The Person of Jesus . Mark wrote his Gospel to write Jesus’ story; the unfolding story itself reveals who Jesus is. He clues us into the revelation of his Person in the opening stanza: “This is the beginning of the wonderful news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.” These two titles, “Messiah” and “Son of God,” point to what Jesus has come to do, which is key to understanding who Jesus is: He is the bearer of God’s salvation, announced in words and deeds, teaching and miracles, and ultimately his sacrifice! The Messianic Mission of Jesus . One of the most peculiar aspects of Mark’s Gospel is the socalled “Messianic Secret.” At various times Jesus commands his disciples not to reveal his true messianic identity. He tells others whom he’s healed to keep his identity a secret too. In fact, the demons are commanded to keep the secret! Though he clearly demonstrated his identity through his miracle and teaching ministry, his full identity as Israel’s awaited Messiah wouldn’t be revealed until the end of Mark when he was resurrected in full glory. The Work of Jesus . Some have said Mark is a Passion narrative with a lengthy introduction. Perhaps this is a bit of an overstatement, but Jesus’ death plays a central role in this Gospel. While the

work of Christ on the cross doesn’t appear until the fourteenth chapter, Mark peppers references to Jesus’ crucifixion throughout. He wrote to show that Jesus’ death on the cross wasn’t a tragedy or mistake, but God’s plan from the beginning. Through suffering and death Jesus brings in the last days of God’s kingdom realm. Through the crucifixion we see Jesus was both the long-awaited Messiah as well as the Son of God, which comes through the climactic confession of the Roman centurion: “There is no doubt this man was the Son of God!” ( Mark 15:39 ). Discipleship and Faith . At every turn in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus is inviting people to follow him. This is the essence of discipleship. It’s an invitation extended to everyone and anyone. Jesus taught that this kind of following involves three things: self-denial, cross bearing, and daily living. Denying oneself is about submitting to the lordship of Christ over every ounce of one’s life. Taking up one’s cross reminds us of Jesus’ own self-denial on that cross of execution and his committal of himself fully to God’s will; it is a radical and total commitment. Finally, following Jesus is a continuous, daily act that requires living out Jesus’ teachings and example. This relationship is

built on faith, which isn’t some magical formula, but comes from a repeated hearing of Jesus’ teachings and participation in his way of life. The Kingdom Realm of God . “It is time for the realm of God’s kingdom to be experienced in its fullness!” Jesus announced at the beginning of his ministry. “Turn your lives back to God and put your trust in the hope-filled gospel!” As with the other Gospels, God’s kingdom realm takes center stage in Mark from the beginning where this opening stanza summarizes the good news Jesus brought. Later, in chapter four, Mark summarizes the entire ministry of Jesus and its effects with the term kingdom . The world is brought under “God’s kingship” in and through the work of Jesus. For Mark the kingdom realm is already dynamically in the present, yet fully experienced in the future. It’s surprising and small, yet powerful and great; beyond understanding for many, yet accessible to all; and calls people to a radical new way of living and challenges every human value.

MARK Miracles and Mercy The Wonderful News

1 This is the beginning of the wonderful news about Jesus a the Messiah, the Son of God. b 2 It starts with Isaiah the prophet, who wrote: Listen! I am sending my messenger ahead of you c and he will prepare your way! 3 He is a thunderous voice of one who shouts in the wilderness: “Prepare your hearts for the coming of the Lord Yahweh, d and clear a straight path e

inside your hearts for him!” f 4 John the Baptizer g was the messenger who appeared in an uninhabited region, preaching a baptism of repentance h for the complete cancellation of sins. 5 A steady stream of people came to be dipped in the Jordan River as they publicly confessed their sins. They came from all over southern Israel, i including nearly all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 6 John wore a rough garment made from camel hair, j with a leather belt around his waist, k and he ate locusts and honey of the wilderness. 7 And this is the message he kept preaching: “There is a man coming after me who is greater and a lot more powerful than I am. I’m not even worthy to bend down and untie the strap of his sandals. 8 I’ve baptized you into water, but he will baptize you into the Spirit of Holiness!”

The Baptism and Testing of Jesus 9 One day, Jesus came from the Galilean village of Nazareth l and had John immerse him in the Jordan River. 10 The moment Jesus rose up out of the water, John saw the heavenly realm split open, and the Holy

Spirit descended like a dove and rested upon him. m 11 At the same time, a voice spoke from heaven, saying: “You are my Son, my cherished one, and my greatest delight is in you!” n 12 Immediately after this he was compelled by the Holy Spirit o to go into an uninhabited desert region. 13 He remained there in the wilderness for forty days, p enduring the ordeals of Satan’s tests. He encountered wild animals, but also angels who appeared and ministered to his needs. q

Jesus Calls Four Fishermen to Follow Him 14 Later on, after John the Baptizer was arrested, Jesus went back into the region of Galilee and preached the wonderful gospel of God’s kingdom realm. r 15 His message was this: “At last the fulfillment of the age has come! It is time for the realm of God’s kingdom to be experienced in its fullness! Turn your lives back to God and put your trust in the hope-filled gospel!” s 16 As Jesus was walking along the shore of Lake Galilee, he noticed two brothers fishing: Simon and

Andrew. He watched them as they were casting their nets into the sea 17 and said to them, “Come follow me and I will transform you into men who catch people instead of fish!” t 18 Immediately they dropped their nets and left everything behind to follow Jesus. 19 Walking a little farther, Jesus found two other brothers sitting in a boat, along with their father, mending their nets. Their names were Jacob u and John, and their father Zebedee. v 20 Jesus immediately walked up to them and invited the two brothers to become his followers. At once, Jacob w and John dropped their nets, stood up, left their father in the boat with the hired men, and followed Jesus. x People Stunned by Jesus’ Teachings 21 Then Jesus and his disciples went to Capernaum, y and he immediately started teaching on the Sabbath day in the synagogue. 22 The people were awestruck and overwhelmed z by his teaching, because he taught in a way that demonstrated God’s authority, which was quite unlike the religious scholars. aa 23 Suddenly, during the meeting, a demon-

possessed man screamed out, 24 “Hey! Leave us alone! Jesus the victorious, ab I know who you are. You’re God’s Holy One and you have come to destroy us!” ac 25 Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Silence! You are bound! ad Come out of him!” 26 The man’s body shook violently in spasms, and the demon hurled him to the floor until it finally came out of him with a deafening shriek! 27 The crowd was awestruck and unable to stop saying among themselves, “What is this new teaching that comes with such authority? With merely a word he commands demons to come out and they obey him!” 28 So the reports about Jesus spread like wildfire throughout every community in the region of Galilee. Jesus Heals Many 29 Now, as soon as they left the meeting, they went straight to Simon and Andrew’s house, along with Jacob ae and John. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was bedridden, sick with a high fever, so the first thing they did was to tell Jesus about her. 31 He walked up to her bedside, gently took her hand, and raised her up! Her fever disappeared and she began to serve

them. Later in the day, just after the Sabbath ended af sunset, the people kept bringing to Jesus all who were sick and tormented by demons, 33 until the whole village was crowded around the house. 34 Jesus cured many who were sick ag with various diseases and cast out many demons. But he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew who he really was. ah 32

Jesus Prays, Preaches, Heals, and Casts Out Demons 35 The next morning, Jesus got up long before daylight, left the house while it was dark, and made his way to a secluded place to give himself to prayer. 36 Later, Simon and his friends searched for him, 37 and when they finally tracked him down, they told him, “Everyone is looking for you—they want you!” 38 Jesus replied, “We have to go on to the surrounding villages so that I can give my message to the people there, for that is my mission.” 39 So he went throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the Jewish synagogues and casting out demons.

40 On one occasion, a leper came and threw himself down in front of Jesus, pleading for his healing, saying, “You have the power to heal me right now if only you really want to!” 41 Being deeply moved with tender compassion, ai Jesus reached out and touched the skin of the leper and told him, “Of course I want you to be healed—so now, be cleansed!” 42 Instantly his leprous sores completely disappeared and his skin became smooth! 43 Jesus sent him away with a very stern warning, aj 44 saying, “Don’t say anything to anyone about what just happened , but go find a priest and show him that you’ve been healed. Then bring the offering that Moses commanded for your cleansing as a living testimony to everyone.” ak 45 But no sooner did the man leave than he began to proclaim his healing publicly al and spread the story everywhere of his healing . Jesus’ growing fame prevented him from entering the villages openly, which forced him to remain in isolated places. Even so, a steady stream of people flocked to him from everywhere.

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1:1 The Aramaic is “the revelation of Jesus.” 1:1 Although the words “Son of God” are missing from some Greek manuscripts, it is found in the Aramaic. 1:2 This line is a quotation from Ex. 23:20 and M al. 3:1, where it is an “angel” (or “messenger”) that God sends before them. 1:3 As translated from the Aramaic. 1:3 Or “Prepare the way for the Lord and make his beaten paths straight, level, and passable.” This “way” is not a road, but preparing the heart, making room for the ways of the Lord. 1:3 See Isa. 40:3. 1:4 John was the son of Zechariah, a priest. As the son of a priest, John was qualified to serve in the temple but chose instead the lonely wilderness to begin his ministry of calling a nation to repentance and preparing the way for the Lord Jesus. 1:4 That is, “an immersion that will bring a change of heart and lead you into repentance” for the complete cancellation of sins. 1:5 Or “Judea.” 1:6 John was not afraid to violate religious taboos. A camel was considered unclean in the Jewish tradition. He was wearing what others considered to be unclean. Those who break loose of religious tradition will often appear to be undignified, as was John. His commission was to inaugurate

a new way of living according to the truths of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. k 1:6 This was considered to be the wardrobe of a prophet and was identical to what the prophet Elijah wore (2 Kings 1:8; Zech. 13:4). With a diet of locusts John points back to the four varieties of locusts mentioned in Joel 1:4. Locusts (grasshoppers) are an emblem of intimidation that will keep believers from taking their inheritance by faith. Israel thought themselves to be like grasshoppers in their own eyes because of the intimidation of the fierce inhabitants of the land. John the Baptizer arrives on the scene and makes locusts his food, eating up that symbol of intimidation (devouring the devourer). And he drank honey, which is a biblical metaphor of the revelation of God’s Word that is sweeter than honey ( Ps. 19:7–10 ). John’s ministry was a prophetic statement from God that a new day had come, a day of leaving dead formalism and embracing new life in Jesus without intimidation. l 1:9 It is possible to translate the Aramaic as “Then one day Jesus came from victorious revelation” to be baptized by John. The word Nazareth can mean “victorious one,” and the word Galilee can be translated “the place of revelation.” m 1:10 The Lord Jesus was buried in baptism, symbolically into death (the Jordan) so that he might minister not in the natural way of men, but in the way of resurrection by the power of the Holy Spirit. The dove, an emblem of the Holy Spirit, pictures both meekness and purity. The implication

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is that the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus and never left him. 1:11 Although not a direct quotation, the wording is similar to Ps. 2:7 . 1:12 Or “cast out [or “thrown,” or “pushed”] into the wilderness.” The Greek word ekballei is often used for driving out demons. This was a forceful compelling of the Holy Spirit. 1:13 The “forty days” points to M oses, Elijah, and David, who were all great champions in Israel’s history. See Ex. 34:28; 1 Sam. 17:16; 1 Kings 19:8, 15. 1:13 Between vv. 13 and 14 there is an entire year of our Lord’s life that M ark skips over. Jesus spent most of that year in and around Jerusalem. The Gospel of John gives further details of that year in ch. 1. 1:14 As translated from the Aramaic and most Greek manuscripts. 1:15 The Greek is “believe the good news” (“the gospel”), and the Aramaic is “put your trust in the joyful message of hope.” This translation merges both concepts, making it “the hope-filled gospel. ” 1:17 The metaphor of “fishers of men” simply means that they will persuade others and catch people for God. 1:19 Or “James.” Other translations of the Bible substitute Jacob for James. Both Greek and Aramaic leave the Hebrew name as it is, Jacob. This translation will use the correct name, Jacob, throughout. 1:19 Zebedee means “my gift.” Zebedee’s gift to Jesus

was his sons. A wise father will always want his children to be given to Jesus. w 1:20 Or “James.” x 1:20 What a powerful effect Jesus had upon people! One encounter with the Son of God compelled these businessmen to leave their trade and follow Jesus. We learn from Luke 5:10 that the family of Zebedee was in business together with Simon (Peter) and Andrew. They owned the boat and had a hired crew, which makes one think they were somewhat prosperous business owners, for commercial fishermen in the time of Jesus were usually wealthy. y 1:21 Capernaum means “the village of Nahum.” Nahum means “comforted.” Jesus did many miracles and made his Galilean base of ministry in “the village of the comforted.” z 1:22 The Greek word used here, ekplesso , is a strong verb that means “awestruck, filled with amazement, astonished, panic stricken, something that takes your breath away (being hit with a blow), to be shocked, to expel, to drive out.” Clearly, Jesus spoke with such glory and power emanating from him that his words were like thunderbolts in their hearts. M ay we hear his words in the same way today. aa 1:22 Or “scribes” (experts of the Law). Jesus taught from an inner knowledge of God and his Word, for his teaching emphasized obedience to God from the heart, not just outwardly keeping of laws. ab 1:24 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “Jesus the Nazarene” (“Branch” or “Scion”).

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1:24 The demon knew Jesus’ true identity before the people did. This is not so much a question (Have you come to destroy us?), but rather an assertive and defiant declaration. There is no question mark in the Greek text. The demonized man was apparently comfortable in the presence of the religious teachers, but when Jesus stepped into the room, he spoke out and couldn’t resist the power of Jesus. ad 1:25 Or “muzzled.” ae 1:29 Or “James.” af 1:32 Implied in the context. ag 1:34 The Greek word kakos is actually the word for “evil”; however, it is traditionally translated “sickness.” ah 1:34 Jesus wants us to proclaim who he is, not demons. ai 1:41 This is an intense emotion. Some Greek manuscripts have “Jesus was moved with anger” (at the leprosy, not the man). However, the Aramaic is clearly “moved with compassion.” The two Aramaic words for “anger” and “compassion” are written almost identically. Perhaps both are correct. Jesus was deeply moved with compassion toward the man and angry at the disease. aj 1:43 The Greek word embrimaomai can mean “to sternly give a warning”; however, in John 11:33 it is translated “was deeply moved wtih tenderness and compassion.” The miracle of healing this leper had a profound effect on both Jesus and the man who was healed. ak 1:44 See Lev. 14:1–32. Normally, touching a leper would

make a man unclean, but in this instance, the leper was healed and Jesus was not defiled. al 1:45 Or “preach.”

Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man

2 Several days later, Jesus returned to Capernaum, and the news quickly spread that he was back in town. 2 Soon there were so many people crowded inside the house to hear him that there was no more room, even outside the door. While Jesus was preaching the word of God, 3 four men arrived, carrying a paralyzed man. 4 But when they realized that they couldn’t even get near him because of the crowd, they went up on top of the house and tore away the roof above Jesus’ head. And when they had broken through, they lowered the paralyzed man on a stretcher right down in front of him ! 5 When Jesus saw the extent of their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “My son, your sins are now forgiven.” 6 This offended some of the religious scholars who were present, and they reasoned among

themselves, 7 “Who does he think he is to speak this way? This is blasphemy for sure! Only God himself can forgive sins!” 8 Jesus supernaturally perceived their thoughts and said to them, “Why are you being so skeptical? 9 Which is easier, to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are now forgiven,’ or, ‘Stand up and walk!’? a 10 But to convince you that the Son of Man has been given authority to forgive sins, 11 I say to this man, ‘Stand up, pick up your stretcher, and walk home.’” 12 Immediately the man sprang to his feet in front of everyone and left for home. When the crowds witnessed this miracle, they were awestruck. b They shouted praises to God and said, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!” Jesus Calls Levi (Matthew) to Follow Him 13 Jesus went out to walk near Lake Galilee, and a massive crowed gathered, so he taught them. 14 As he walked along, he found Levi, the son of Alphaeus, c sitting at the tax booth, collecting taxes. He approached him and said, “Come follow me.”

Immediately he got up from his booth and began to follow Jesus. 15 Later, Jesus and his disciples went to have a meal with Levi. Among the guests in Levi’s home were many tax collectors and notable sinners sharing a meal with Jesus, for there were many kinds of people who followed him. 16 But when the religious scholars and the Pharisees d found out that Jesus was keeping company and dining with sinners and tax collectors, e they were indignant. So they approached Jesus’ disciples and said to them, “Why is it that someone like Jesus defiles himself by eating with sinners and tax collectors?” 17 But when Jesus overheard their complaint, he said to them, “Who goes to the doctor for a cure? Those who are well or those who are sick? I have not come to call the ‘righteous,’ but to call those who are sinners and bring them to repentance.” Jesus Questioned about Fasting 18 One time, the disciples of John the Baptizer and the Pharisees were fasting. So they came to Jesus and asked, “Why is it that John’s disciples and disciples of the Pharisees are fasting but your

disciples are not?” 19 Jesus answered, “How can the sons of the bridal chamber fast when the bridegroom is next to them? As long as the bridegroom is with them they won’t, 20 but the days of fasting will come when the Bridegroom is taken from them. 21 “And who would mend worn-out clothing with new fabric? When the new cloth shrinks, it will rip, making the tear worse than before. 22 And who would pour fresh, new wine into an old wineskin? Eventually the wine will ferment and make the wineskin burst, losing everything—the wine will be spilled and the wineskin ruined. Instead, new wine is always poured into new wineskins.” Jesus, Lord of the Sabbath 23 One Saturday, on the day of rest, f Jesus and his disciples were walking through a field of wheat. The disciples were hungry, so they plucked off some heads of grain to eat. 24 But when some of the Pharisees saw what was happening, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples shouldn’t be harvesting grain on the Sabbath!”

25 Jesus responded, “Haven’t you ever read what King David and his men did when they were hungry? 26 They entered the house of God g when Abiathar was high priest and ate the sacred bread of God’s presence. h They violated the law by eating bread that only the priests were allowed to eat. But there is one here who is even greater than the temple.” 27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for the sake of people, and not people for the Sabbath. 28 For this reason the Son of Man exercises his lordship over the Sabbath.”

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2:9 The answer to Jesus’ question is obvious. It is easy for anyone to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” for that cannot be proven. But if someone were to tell a paralyzed man to stand up, and he didn’t stand up, that would prove the person is a fraud. Jesus didn’t do the “easy thing” without accomplishing the hard thing, the miracle of healing. Forgiveness and healing both flow from Jesus Christ. b 2:12 The Greek word used here can also mean “shocked into wonderment” or “to be out of their minds” (with amazement). This event teaches us that salvation not only

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involves the forgiveness of our sins, but gives us the power to rise up and walk. 2:14 The name Levi means “joined,” “united,” and Levi is the same person as M atthew, who wrote the Gospel bearing his name. Alphaeus means “changing.” It is obvious that M atthew’s allegiance is changing from being a servant of Rome to being joined to Jesus as his future apostle. 2:16 The word Pharisees means “separated ones.” 2:16 These were Jews who worked for the Roman empire to collect taxes and were empowered by Rome to profit greatly by what they collected. 2:23 Or “Sabbath.” The Hebrew word for Sabbath comes from shavat , which is the verb “to rest.” What was designed to be a day of rest and intimacy with God and family was now complicated by a host of rules and traditions. 2:26 That is, the tabernacle. See 1 Sam. 21:1–6. Ancient Jewish tradition states that David did this on a Sabbath day. See also Lev. 24:5–9. 2:26 Or “loaves of presentation.” See Ezek. 44:15–16.

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

3 Then Jesus left them and went again into the synagogue, where he encountered a man who had an atrophied, paralyzed hand. 2 Everyone was watching

Jesus closely to see if he would heal the man on the Sabbath, giving them a reason to accuse him of breaking Sabbath rules . 3 Jesus said to the man with the paralyzed hand, “Stand here in the middle of the room.” 4 Then he turned to all those gathered there and said, “Which is it? Is it against the law to do evil on the Sabbath or to do good? To destroy a life or to save one?” But no one answered him a word. 5 Then looking around at everyone, Jesus was moved with indignation and grieved by the hardness of their hearts and said to the man, “Now stretch out your hand!” As he stretched out his hand, it was instantly healed! a 6 After this happened, the Pharisees left abruptly and began to plot together with the friends and supporters of Herod Antipas on how they would kill Jesus. Massive Crowds Follow Jesus 7 Once again Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lakeside, but a massive crowd of people followed him from all around the provinces of Galilee and southern Israel. 8 Vast crowds came from Jerusalem, Idumea,

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beyond the Jordan, and from Lebanon. c Large numbers of people swarmed in from everywhere when they heard of him and his wonderful works. 9 The crowd pressed so closely to Jesus that he instructed his disciples to bring him a small boat to get into and keep from being crushed by the crowd. 10 For he had healed so many that the sick kept pushing forward d just so they could touch Jesus. 11 And whenever a demon saw him, it would throw the person down at Jesus’ feet, screaming out, “You are the Son of God!” 12 But Jesus would silence the demons and sternly order them not to reveal who he was. Jesus Chooses Twelve Apostles 13 Afterward, Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to himself the men he wanted to be his close companions, so they went up the mountainside to join him. 14 He appointed e the Twelve, whom he named apostles. f He wanted them to be continually at his side as his friends, and so that he could send them out to preach 15 and have authority to heal the sick and to cast out demons. g 16 He appointed his Twelve h and gave Simon the

nickname Peter the Rock. i 17 And he gave the brothers, Jacob j and John, the sons of Zebedee, the nickname Benay-Regah , k which means “passionate sons.” 18 The others were Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, l Matthew, Thomas, Jacob the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, m Simon the Nationalist, n 19 and Judas Iscariot, o who betrayed him. Jesus and the Ruler of Demons 20 Then Jesus went home, p but once again a large crowd gathered around him, which prevented him from even eating a meal. 21 When his own family heard that he was there, they went out to seize him, for they said, “He’s insane!” 22 The religious scholars who arrived from Jerusalem were saying, “Satan q has possessed him! He casts out demons by the authority of the prince of demons!” 23 Jesus called them to himself and spoke to them using parables. “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 No kingdom can endure if it is divided against itself, 25 and a splintered household will not be able to stand, for it is divided. 26 And if Satan fights against himself he will not endure,

and his end has come.” 27 Jesus said to them, r “Listen. No one is able to break into a mighty man’s house and steal his property unless he first overpowers the mighty man and ties him up. s Then his entire house can be plundered and his possessions taken. 28 I tell you this timeless truth: All sin will be forgiven, even all the blasphemies they speak. 29 But there can never be forgiveness for the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, for he is guilty of an eternal sin!” 30 (This is because they said he was empowered by a demon spirit.) t Members of Jesus’ True Family 31 Then Jesus’ mother and his brothers came and stood outside and sent a message to him, asking that he come out and speak with them. u 32 When the crowd sitting around Jesus heard this, they spoke up, and said to him, “Jesus, your mother and brothers v are outside looking for you.” 33 He answered them saying, “Who is my true mother and my true brothers?” 34 Then looking in the eyes of those who were sitting in a circle around

him, he said, “Here are my true family members. 35 For whoever does the will of God is my brother, my sister, and my mother!”

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3:5 This miracle is found in M atthew, M ark, and Luke. It contains valuable lessons for us today, for the hand symbolizes holding, giving, receiving, doing. It was his right hand ( Luke 6:6 ), which brings the added significance of power (i.e., God’s right hand, Ex. 15:6), pleasure ( Ps. 16:11 ), approval ( Heb. 1:13 ), and righteousness ( Ps. 48:10 ). A crippled right hand points to the lack of all these things. Human beings are helpless before God, crippled in all our works. But the power of Jesus heals our limitations and brokenness. Religion cannot heal us, but Jesus can. 3:8 Or “Edom.” Idumea was the region south of Beersheba, south and west of the Dead Sea, a territory of ancient Israel. 3:8 Or “Tyre and Sidon,” which are in modern-day Lebanon. 3:10 Or “falling all over him.” Jesus had power coming through him for healing, and everyone wanted to touch him. What a wonderful Savior who loves and heals people! 3:14 This was not simply a passive acknowledgment, but an active setting them in place. The Greek verb poieo is the verb “do” or “make.” Jesus “did” them; that is, he imparted

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his favor, blessing, and grace to set them in place as apostolic emissaries for the kingdom realm of God. 3:14 The Greek word apostoles means “sent ones.” 3:15 As translated from the Aramaic and a few Greek manuscripts. This ordination was for a three-fold purpose: (1) that they might continually be at his side, (2) to send them out with love for others, preaching the truth of God’s Word, and (3) to receive power to heal and cast out demons. This is the same for all whom Jesus calls to represent him. See Acts 4:13 . 3:16 These twelve disciples became apostles (“sent ones”), serving God’s kingdom realm. Jesus raised up twelve, and later seventy, whom he sent out to preach the message of God’s kingdom. None of them were fully mature or equipped, for the Holy Spirit had not yet come to empower them. Leaders today need to raise up others and not center their ministry around themselves. The legacy of a spiritual leader is made up of those whom he or she has released and sent forth to proclaim Christ. 3:16 In the ancient Hebraic mind-set, to name something is to give it existence, purpose, and function. (See Gen. 32:27– 28.) In the Greek mind-set, naming is simply assigning phonetic sounds to an object or a person. When Jesus gave this name to Peter, he was calling his purpose into existence. Peter would be a strong rock of faith and a leader to the other eleven apostles. Peter is always named first in all the listings of the Twelve ( M att. 10:1–4 ; Luke 6:13–16 ; Acts

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1:13 ). The name Jesus gave him was Keefa , the Aramaic word for “rock.” The Greek is Petros , which in John 1:42 is explained as the translation from Galilean Aramaic. 3:17 Or “James.” It is unfortunate that translations of the Bible have substituted “James” for “Jacob.” Both Greek and Aramaic leave the Hebrew name as it is, Jacob. This translation will use the correct name, Jacob, throughout. 3:17 As translated from Aramaic. The Greek transliteration is “Boanerges.” Benay-Regah can also be translated “sons of loud shouts” (or “passionate sons”) or “sons of commotion” (easily angered) or “sons of thunder.” Jesus, by giving the brothers this nickname, acknowledged that they were two rowdy boys, thunderous and passionate. Jesus chose twelve men who were all different in their personality types. It was no doubt humorous to Jesus to observe how different these twelve men were and how difficult it was to form them into a band of brothers. 3:18 Or in Aramaic, “the son of Tolmai” (“discipline”). This could be another name for Nathaniel. 3:18 Or “Lebbaeus.” 3:18 Or “Simon the Zealot” or “Simon the Cananaean.” 3:19 Iscariot is taken from an Aramaic derivative for “lock” (or “locksmith”). 3:20 This was likely the house of Simon and Andrew mentioned in M ark 1:29 . 3:22 Or “Beelzebub,” another name for Satan, the ruler of demons.

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3:27 This information is given in v. 30 and is positioned here for the sake of clarity of the English narrative. 3:27 Luke adds a phrase here: “The stronger one [Jesus] overpowers him.” The stronger one is Jesus, who first defeated Satan in the wilderness ordeal and then destroyed him by the cross and resurrection ( Heb. 2:14 ). Bruising his head, Jesus now has Satan under his feet and will soon consign him to the lake of fire. 3:30 The information found in v. 30 is included in v. 27 for the sake of the English narrative. 3:31 It is likely that Jesus’ family did not follow him, because they feared rejection by their community. This happened in Nazareth, after Jesus publicly stated that he was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy of the M essiah and the townspeople wanted to kill Jesus by throwing him off a cliff. See Luke 4:18–29 . 3:32 Some manuscripts include the words “and sisters.”

Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed

4 Once again Jesus went to teach the people on the shore of Lake Galilee a and a massive crowd surrounded him. The crowd was so huge that he had to get into a boat and teach the people from there. 2 He taught them many things by using parables b to

illustrate spiritual truths, saying: 3 “Consider this: A farmer went out to sow seeds. 4 As he cast his seeds some of it fell along the beaten path and soon the birds came and ate it. 5 Other seeds fell onto gravel with no topsoil and the seeds quickly sprouted since the soil had no depth. 6 But when the days grew hot, the sprouts were scorched and withered because they had insufficient roots. 7 Other seeds fell among the thorns, so when the seeds sprouted so did the thorns, crowding out the young plants so that they could produce no grain. 8 But some of the seeds fell onto good, rich soil that kept producing a good harvest. Some yielded thirty, some sixty— and some even one hundred times as much as was planted! 9 If you understand this, then you need to respond.” c The Purpose of Parables 10 Afterwards, Jesus, his disciples and those close to him remained behind to ask Jesus about his parables. 11 He said to them, “The privilege of intimately knowing the mystery of God’s kingdom realm

has been granted to you, but not to the others, where everything is revealed in parables.

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“For even when they see what I do, they will not understand, and when they, hear what I say, they will learn nothing, otherwise they would repent and be forgiven.” e 13

Then he said to them, “If you don’t understand this parable, how will you understand any parable? 14 Let me explain: The farmer sows the Word as seed, 15 and what falls on the beaten path represents those who hear the Word, but immediately Satan appears and snatches it from their hearts. 16 The seed sown on gravel represents those who hear the Word and receive it joyfully, 17 but because their hearts fail to sink a deep root into the Word, they don’t endure for long. For when trouble or persecution comes on account of the Word, they immediately wilt and fall away. 18 And the seed sown among thorns represents those who hear the Word, 19 but they allow the cares of this life and the seduction of

wealth and the desires for other things to crowd out and choke the Word so that it produces nothing. 20 “But the seed sown on good soil represents those who open their hearts to receive the Word and their lives bear good fruit—some yield a harvest of thirty, sixty, even one hundred times more than was sown!” Parable of the Lamp 21 He also gave them this parable: “No one lights a lamp f only to place it under a basket or under the bed. It is meant to be placed on a lampstand. 22 For there is nothing that is hidden that won’t be disclosed, and there is no secret that won’t be brought out into the light! 23 If you understand what I’m saying, you need to respond!” g 24 Then he said to them, “Be diligent to understand the meaning behind everything you hear, for as you do, more understanding will be given to you. And according to the depth of your longing to understand, h much more will be added to you. 25 For those who listen with open hearts

will receive more revelation. But those who don’t listen with open hearts will lose what little they think they have!” i Parable of the Growing Seed 26 Jesus also told them this parable: “God’s kingdom realm is like someone spreading seed on the ground. 27 He goes to bed and gets up, day after day, and the seed sprouts and grows tall, though he knows not how. 28 All by itself it sprouts, and the soil produces a crop; first the green stem, then the head on the stalk, and then the fully developed grain in the head. 29 Then, when the grain is ripe, he immediately puts the sickle to the grain, because harvest time has come.” j Parable of the Tiny Mustard Seed 30 And he told them this parable: “How can I describe God’s kingdom realm? Let me illustrate it with this parable. 31 It is like the mustard seed, the tiniest of all the seeds, 32 yet when it springs up and grows, it becomes the largest plant in the garden. And with so many enormous spreading

branches, even birds can nest in its shade.” k Jesus Always Taught Using Parables 33 Jesus used many parables such as these as he taught the people, and they learned according to their ability to understand. 34 He never spoke to them without using parables, but would wait until they were alone before he explained their meanings to his disciples. l Jesus Stills a Storm 35 Later that day, after it grew dark, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.” 36 After they had sent the crowd away, they shoved off from shore with him, as he had been teaching from the boat, m and there were other boats that sailed with them. 37 Suddenly, as they were crossing the lake, a ferocious tempest arose, with violent winds and waves that were crashing into the boat until it was all but swamped. n 38 But Jesus was calmly sleeping in the stern, resting on a cushion. 39 So they shook him awake, saying, “Teacher, don’t you even care that we are all about to die!” Fully

awake, he rebuked the storm and shouted to the sea, “Hush! Calm down!” All at once the wind stopped howling and the water became perfectly calm. 40 Then he turned to his disciples and said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Haven’t you learned to trust yet?” 41 But they were overwhelmed with fear and awe and said to one another, “Who is this man who has such authority that even the wind and waves obey him?”

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4:1 Commonly known as the Sea of Galilee. It is interesting that Jesus left the house ( M ark 3:20 ) to go to the sea. The “house” suggests the “house of Israel,” and the “sea” speaks of the non-Jewish peoples (i.e., the “sea of humanity”). b 4:2 The Aramaic and Greek use a word for “parable” that means “a metaphor,” “allegory,” “simile,” “illustration,” “comparison,” “figure of speech,” “riddle,” or “enigmatic saying that is meant to stimulate intense thought.” Throughout Hebrew history, wise men, prophets, and teachers used parables and allegories as a preferred method of teaching spiritual truths. Poets would write their riddles and musicians would sing their proverbs with verbal imagery. Jesus always taught the people by using allegory

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and parables ( M att. 13:34 ; M ark 4:34 ). As a true prophet, one of Jesus’ preferred methods of teaching was allegory. To deny the validity of allegorical teaching is to ignore the teaching methods of Jesus, the living Word. 4:9 Or “The one with ears to hear should use them.” We usually apply portions of this parable to unbelievers, but Jesus instructs us to apply it to ourselves. The four kinds of soils speak of four kinds of hearts: hard hearts, hollow hearts, half hearts, and whole hearts. With the first soil we see the activity of Satan, the second, that of the flesh, and the third, that of the world. Bearing fruit is never a problem with the seed but with the soil it falls upon. 4:11 Or “to the outsiders.” The Aramaic is “backward ones.” Jesus spoke allegorically so that those who didn’t care to understand couldn’t understand. Yet he knew that the hungry ones would seek out the hidden meaning of the parables and understand the secrets of God’s kingdom realm. It is still that way today. See Prov. 25:2 . 4:12 See Isa. 6:9–10. 4:21 The Jewish people considered the Torah, God’s Word, to be a lamp that gives light to see and understand. Israel was meant to be a light that gives illumination to the nations. Jesus also calls his followers those who “light up the world.” See M att. 5:14 . 4:23 Or “The one with ears to hear should use them.” The Aramaic is “If one brings a hearing ear for himself, he will hear.”

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4:24 Or “By the measure with which you measure, it will be measured to you.” Some interpret this to refer to our relationships; i.e., “The way you treat others will be the way you will be treated.” However the context is clearly about having an open heart to receive and live in truth, and not to hide it or have a closed heart to understand. i 4:25 This verse contains a complicated ellipsis, which is a literary function of omitting certain information to invite discovery. The ellipsis of the text has been supplied by making explicit what is implicit in the context. The verse reads literally “M ore will be given to the person who has (something), but a person who doesn’t have (something), even what (something) they do have will be taken from him.” The translation fills the ellipsis with the theme of the context—having an open heart to receive the truth of God. The parables of the sower and of the lamp are similar in that they speak of the heart that receives truth. The Word is a “seed” that grows within us and a “lamp” that glows within us. j 4:29 This parable is only found in M ark’s Gospel. It teaches us that the reality of God’s kingdom realm is like seed sown into the world that will grow through stages of maturity until the harvest. k 4:32 Like the preceding parable, this is an allegorical way of describing the growth of God’s kingdom realm. It may appear in the beginning as small and insignificant, yet it will grow until it becomes the greatest kingdom of all. Both of

these parables teach us that God’s kingdom is growing on the earth and not diminishing. See Ezek. 17:22–24. l 4:34 Jesus still delights to mystify those who follow him, but he waits until we are alone with him, and then he reveals the wonders of his grace and truth to our hearts. m 4:36 The somewhat awkward construction of the Greek sentence, “They took him along just as he was, in the boat,” implies that Jesus was already in the boat where he had been sitting and teaching. n 4:37 This gale of wind and ferocious tempest was demonic in nature, as Jesus was about to confront a powerful principality on the other side of the lake. (See M ark 5:1–20 .) Jesus would not have rebuked the storm if it was from God. The devil knew that if Jesus crossed to the other side, he would cast out the demon horde that had long terrorized the entire region.

A Demonized Man Set Free

5 They arrived at the other side of the lake, at the region of the Gerasenes. a 2 As Jesus stepped ashore, a demon-possessed madman came out of the graveyard and confronted him. 3 The man had been living there among the tombs of the dead, and no one was able to restrain him, not even with chains. 4 For

every time they attempted to chain his hands and feet with shackles, he would snap the chains and break the shackles in pieces. He was so strong that no one had the power to subdue him. 5 Day and night he could be found lurking in the cemetery or in the vicinity, shrieking and mangling himself with stones! 6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran to him and threw himself down before him, 7 screaming out at the top of his lungs, “Leave me alone, Jesus, Son of the Most High God! Swear in God’s name that you won’t torture me!” 8 (For Jesus had already said to him, “Come out of that man, you demon spirit!” ) 9 Jesus said to him, “What is your name?” “Mob,” b he answered. “They call me Mob because there are thousands of us in his body!” 10 He begged Jesus repeatedly not to expel them out of the region. 11 Nearby there was a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside. 12 The demons begged him, “Send us into the pigs. Let us enter them!” 13 So Jesus gave them permission, and the demon horde immediately came out of the man and went into the pigs! This caused the herd to rush madly

down the steep slope and fall into the lake, drowning about two thousand pigs! c 14 Now, the herdsmen fled to the nearby villages, telling everyone what they saw as they ran through the countryside, and everyone came out to see what had happened. 15 When they found Jesus, they saw the demonized man sitting there, properly clothed and in his right mind. Seeing what had happened to the man who had thousands of demons, the people were terrified. 16 Those who had witnessed this miracle reported the news to the people and included what had happened to the pigs. 17 Then they asked Jesus to leave their region. d 18 And as Jesus began to get into the boat to depart, the man who had been set free from demons asked him, “Could I go with you?” 19 Jesus answered, “No,” but said to him, “Go back to your home and to your family and tell them what the Lord has done for you. Tell them how he had mercy on you.” 20 So the man left and went into the region of Jordan and parts of Syria e to tell everyone he met about what Jesus had done for him, and all the people marveled!

Two Miracles—Healing and Resurrection 21 After Jesus returned from across the lake, a huge crowd of people quickly gathered around him on the shoreline. 22 Just then, a man saw that it was Jesus, so he pushed through the crowd and threw himself down at his feet. His name was Jairus, f a Jewish official who was in charge of the synagogue. 23 He pleaded with Jesus, saying over and over, “Please come with me! My little daughter is at the point of death, and she’s only twelve years old ! g Come and lay your hands on her and heal her and she will live!” 24 Jesus went with him, and the huge crowd followed, pressing in on him from all sides. 25 Now, in the crowd that day was a woman who had suffered horribly from continual bleeding for twelve years. h 26 She had endured a great deal under the care of various doctors, yet in spite of spending all she had on their treatments, she was not getting better, but worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus’ healing power , she pushed through the crowd and came up from behind him and touched his prayer shawl. i 28 For she kept saying to herself, “If only I could touch his clothes, I know I will be healed.” j 29 As soon as her hand touched him, her bleeding

immediately stopped! She knew it, for she could feel her body instantly being healed of her disease! 30 Jesus knew at once that someone had touched him, for he felt the power that always surged around him k had passed through him for someone to be healed. He turned and spoke to the crowd, saying, “Who touched my clothes?” l 31 His disciples answered, “What do you mean, who touched you? Look at this huge crowd—they’re all pressing up against you.” 32 But Jesus’ eyes swept across the crowd, looking for the one who had touched him for healing. 33 When the woman who experienced this miracle m realized what had happened to her, she came before him, trembling with fear, and threw herself down at his feet, saying, “I was the one who touched you.” And she told him her story of what had just happened. 34 Then Jesus said to her, “Daughter, because you dared to believe, your faith has healed you. Go with peace in your heart, and be free from your suffering!” 35 And before he had finished speaking, people arrived from Jairus’ house and pushed through the

crowd to give Jairus the news: “There’s no need to trouble the master any longer—your daughter has died.” 36 But Jesus refused to listen to what they were told n and said to the Jewish official, “Don’t yield to fear. All you need to do is to keep on believing.” 37 So they left for his home , but Jesus didn’t allow anyone to go with them except Peter and the two brothers, Jacob and John. 38 When they arrived at the home of the synagogue ruler, they encountered a noisy uproar among the people, for they were all weeping and wailing. 39 Upon entering the home, Jesus said to them, “Why all this grief and weeping? Don’t you know the girl is not dead but merely asleep?” 40 Then everyone began to ridicule and make fun of him. But he threw o them all outside. Then he took the child’s father and mother and his three disciples and went into the room where the girl was lying. 41 He tenderly clasped the child’s hand in his and said to her in Aramaic, “Talitha koum,” p which means, “Little girl, q wake up from the sleep of death.” 42 Instantly the twelve-year-old girl sat up, stood to her feet, and started walking around the room! Everyone was overcome with astonishment in

seeing this miracle! 43 Jesus had them bring her something to eat. And he repeatedly cautioned them that they were to tell no one about what had happened. r

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5:1 This was a region of non-Jewish people who were raising swine, which was considered unclean by Jewish dietary laws. Gerasenes (or Gadarenes) were people who lived in a region opposite Galilee, on the southeastern side of Lake Galilee. See M att. 8:28–34 . 5:9 Or “Legion” (a Roman military unit of more than six thousand men). M ark gives twelve accounts of Jesus defeating demon spirits. The demons always recognized Jesus as God’s Son. 5:13 Depending on weight, the cost of two thousand live pigs today could be as much as $250,000. The economic cost to the community over the loss of this herd was significant. 5:17 The people preferred swine to the Son of God. There is no indication that Jesus ever went back to their land. 5:20 Or “Decapolis,” which means “Ten Cities.” The region of these ten cities was Jordan and parts of Syria, including Damascus. These cities were Greek and Roman cultural centers of that day. It is a wonder of grace that

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Jesus used a man who once had thousands of demons to bring God’s truth to thousands of people. After he was set free, he became a missionary evangelist, telling others what Jesus Christ had done for him. No wonder the people marveled when they heard his story! 5:22 Jairus (taken from the Hebrew name Jair ) means “he enlightens” or “he shines the light.” Some have taken it to mean “Jehovah enlightens,” but God’s name is not found in the name Jairus. 5:23 This is taken from v. 42 and is brought in at this sequence of the narrative for the sake of clarity and in contrast with the woman who suffered for twelve years ( v. 25 ). 5:25 The daughter of Jairus was twelve years old; this woman had suffered for twelve years. Jesus touched the girl; the woman touched Jesus. The two intertwining miracles in this chapter speak of Jesus healing the gentiles and raising Israel back to life (Jairus’ Jewish daughter). On his way to raise the Jewish girl, he stopped to heal the gentile woman. This is what is happening today with Jews and non-Jews. 5:27 Or “cloak” (or “outer garment”). As a Jewish man, Jesus would have had over his shoulders a prayer shawl (“tallit”). The blue tassel on the corner of the prayer shawl was said to symbolize all the commandments and promises of God. See Num. 15:38–40. The Hebrew word for “fringe” or “border” (of a garment) can also mean “wing.” Some have

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interpreted M al. 4:2 (“healing in his wings”) as a reference to the tassels of the prayer shawl. 5:28 The Greek word is sozo and has many possible meanings, including “safe and sound,” “healed,” “delivered,” “made whole,” “rescued,” “restored,” and “saved.” This is what Jesus does for us today. See Heb. 13:8 . 5:30 This is a literal reading of a unique phrase in Greek construction. It could be translated “the power that keeps going out of him went out from him.” There was a glorious power that kept going out around Jesus Christ, drawing others to him and healing those he touched, and in this case, healing a woman who touched him in faith. Jesus knew that the power of God was always emanating around him, yet it had flowed through him to someone in the crowd. This same miracle was repeated with Peter in Acts 5:15 . 5:30 Jesus already knew the answer to his question. He wanted the woman to come forward and acknowledge her healing. There were crowds around Jesus, the living Word. M any today crowd around the written Word. But only those who “touch” the Scriptures in faith receive its promises, just like the sick woman who received her healing. 5:33 As translated from the Aramaic. 5:36 At times there must be a holy “deafness” to the words of others, words that would distract us from the purposes of God. See Isa. 42:19–20. 5:40 The Greek word ekballo is often used for driving out demons. It implies a forceful action of authority.

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5:41 One of the many references in the New Testament proving that the language of Jesus was Aramaic. q 5:41 The Aramaic word talitha can also mean “little lamb.” The Greek word used here is korasion , which may be a hypocorism, similar to “sweetheart.” The tenderness of this moment is obvious in the text. However, some Hebrew scholars find in the word talitha a Hebrew root that could point to the tallit, or prayer cloak of Jesus, which he may have placed over the girl. This would make his words to mean, “Little girl under the prayer cloak, arise.” This fringed tallit had already been touched by a woman who received her healing previously in this chapter. (See Klein and Spears, Lost in Translation Vol. 1 , p. 18, 2007.) r 5:43 There was nothing secretive about this resurrection miracle of the twelve-year-old girl. It would be hard to keep hidden from the people. Jesus was cautioning them because of the reaction of certain religious authorities who were convinced that Jesus was working wonders by the power of Satan. Later on, the miracle of Lazarus being raised from the dead was what triggered the arrest of Jesus.

Jesus Rejected in Nazareth

6 Afterward, Jesus left Capernaum

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the Sabbath, he went to teach in the synagogue. Everyone who heard his teaching was overwhelmed with astonishment. They said among themselves, “What incredible wisdom has been given to him! Where did he receive such profound insights? b And what mighty miracles flow through his hands! 3 Isn’t this Mary’s son, the carpenter, c the brother of Jacob, Joseph, d Judah, and Simon? And don’t his sisters all live here in Nazareth?” And they took offense at him. 4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is treated with honor everywhere except in his own hometown, among his relatives, and in his own house.” 5 He was unable to do any great miracle in Nazareth, e except to heal a few sick people by laying his hands upon them. 6 He was amazed at the depth of their unbelief! f Then Jesus went out into the different villages and taught the people. Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles 7 Jesus gathered his twelve disciples and imparted to them his authority to cast out demons. Then he sent them out in pairs with these instructions: 8–9 “Take

only your staff and the sandals on your feet—no bread, no knapsack, no extra garment, and no money. g 10 And whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave the area. 11 Whatever community does not welcome you or receive your message, leave it behind. And as you go, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” h 12 So they went out and preached publicly that everyone should repent. 13 They cast out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. Death of John the Baptizer 14 King Herod soon heard about Jesus, for the name of Jesus was on everyone’s lips. Some were even saying about him, “John the Baptizer has been raised from the dead, and that’s why miraculous powers flow from him!” 15 Others said, “No, he’s Elijah!” While others said, “He’s a prophet, like one of the prophets of old!” 16 When Herod heard what the people were saying, he concluded, “I beheaded John, and now he’s raised from the dead!” 17–18 For Herod had John

arrested and thrown into prison for repeatedly rebuking him in public, saying, “You have no right to marry Herodias, the wife of your brother Philip! You are violating the law of God!” i 19 This infuriated Herodias, and she held a bitter grudge against him and wanted John executed. 20 But Herod both feared and stood in awe j of John and kept him safely in custody, because he was convinced that he was a righteous and holy man. Every time Herod heard John speak, it disturbed his soul, but he was drawn to him and enjoyed listening to his words. 21 But Herodias found her opportunity to have John killed—it was on the king’s birthday! Herod prepared a great banquet and invited all his officials, military commanders, and the leaders of the province of Galilee to celebrate with him on his birthday. 22 On the day of the feast, his stepdaughter, the daughter of Herodias, k came to honor the king with a beautiful dance, and she flattered him. l Her dancing greatly pleased the king and his guests, so he said to the girl, “You can ask me for anything you want and I will give it to you!” 23 And he repeated it in front of everyone, with a vow to complete his promise to her: “Anything you desire and it will be yours! I’ll even

share my kingdom with you!” 24 She immediately left the room and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” Her mother answered, “The head of John the Baptizer on a platter!” 25 So she hurried back to the king and made her request: “I want you to bring me the head of John the Baptizer on a platter—and I want it right now!” 26 Deeply grieved, the king regretted m his promise to her, but since he had made his vow in front of all his honored guests, he couldn’t deny her request. 27 So without delay the king ordered an executioner to bring John’s head, and he went and beheaded John in prison. 28 He brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl brought it to her mother. 29 When John’s followers heard what had happened, they came and removed his body and laid it in a tomb. Jesus Multiplies Food to Feed Five Thousand 30 The apostles returned from their mission n and gathered around Jesus and told him everything they had done and taught. 31 There was such a swirl of activity around

Jesus, with so many people coming and going, that they were unable to even eat a meal. So Jesus said to his disciples, “Come, let’s take a break and find a secluded place where you can rest a while.” 32 They slipped away and left by sailboat for a deserted spot. 33 But many of the people saw them leaving and realized where they were headed, so they took off running along the shore. Then people from the surrounding towns joined them in the chase, and a large crowd got there ahead of them. 34 By the time Jesus came ashore, a massive crowd was waiting. At the sight of them, his heart was filled with compassion, o because they seemed like wandering sheep who had no shepherd. p So he taught them many things. 35 Late that afternoon, his disciples said, “It’s getting really late and we’re here in this remote place with nothing to eat. 36 You should send the crowds away so they can go into the surrounding villages and buy food for themselves.” 37 But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” “Are you sure?” they replied. “You really want us to go buy them supper? It would cost a small fortune

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to feed all these thousands of hungry people.” 38 “How many loaves of bread do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” After they had looked around, they came back and said, “Five—plus a couple of fish.” 39 Then he instructed them to organize the crowd and have them sit down in groups on the grass. 40 So they had them sit down in groups r of hundreds and fifties. 41 Then Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, gazed into heaven, and gave thanks to God. He broke the bread and the two fish and distributed them to his disciples to serve the people— and the food was multiplied in front of their eyes ! 42 Everyone had plenty to eat and was fully satisfied. 43 Then the twelve disciples picked up what remained, and each of them ended up with a basket full of leftovers! 44 Altogether, five thousand families s were fed that day! Jesus Walks on Water 45 After everyone had their meal, Jesus instructed his disciples to get back into the boat and go on ahead of him and sail to the other side to Bethsaida. t 46 So he dispersed the crowd, said good-bye to his disciples,

then slipped away to pray on the mountain. 47 As night fell, the boat was in the middle of the lake and Jesus was alone on land. 48 The wind was against the disciples and he could see u that they were straining at the oars, trying to make headway. When it was almost morning, v Jesus came to them, walking on the surface of the water, and he started to pass by them. w 49–50 When they all saw him walking on the waves, they thought he was a ghost and screamed out in terror. But he said to them at once, “Don’t yield to fear. Have courage. It’s really me—I Am!” x 51 Then he came closer and climbed into the boat with them, and immediately the stormy wind became still. They were completely and utterly overwhelmed with astonishment 52 because they failed to learn the lesson of the miracle y of the loaves, and their hearts were unwilling to learn the lesson. z Jesus the Healer 53 They made landfall at Gennesaret and anchored there. aa 54 The moment they got out of the boat, everyone recognized that it was Jesus, the healer ! 55

So they ran throughout the region, telling the people, “Bring all the sick—even those too sick to walk and bring them on mats!” 56 Wherever he went, in the countryside, villages, or towns, they placed the sick on mats in the streets or in public places ab and begged him, saying, “Just let us touch the tassel of your prayer shawl!” ac And all who touched him were instantly healed!

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6:1 The healing of the woman and the resurrection of Jairus’ daughter were both done in Capernaum. 6:2 Or “Where did he get these things” (or “insights,” “understanding,” “ideas,” “teachings”)? 6:3 The Greek word tekton can be translated “carpenter,” “metal worker,” “sculptor,” “artisan,” “stone worker,” or “builder.” 6:3 Or “Joses.” 6:5 Nazareth was the only place recorded in the Gospels that Jesus was unable (because of their unbelief) to do miracles. 6:6 This is one of two instances where Jesus was amazed. The other is found in M att. 8:10 . Both refer to the response of faith. Here it is the great unbelief of those who knew Jesus and lived in his hometown of Nazareth (Jews). The

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other is the great faith of the Roman military captain (a gentile). We have no record of Jesus ever returning to Nazareth. He made Capernaum his base of ministry while in the province of Galilee. 6:8–9 Or “copper coins inside your belt.” 6:11 The Aramaic and some Greek manuscripts add a sentence: “Truly, I tell you that it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.” 6:17–18 See Lev. 18:16; 20:21. 6:20 The Greek text can also mean “deep respect” or that Herod “feared” John. 6:22 Although unnamed, church history and tradition identifies her as Salome, not to be confused with the Salome who was a witness of the crucifixion ( M ark 15:40 ). 6:22 Or “she fascinated him.” 6:26 The Aramaic is “The king was tied in a knot.” 6:30 Jesus had sent the apostles into the Galilean villages to preach and cast out demons (6:7–13), and they are now returning to report back to him. 6:34 The Aramaic is “nurturing love toward them.” 6:34 See Num. 27:17; Ezek. 34:5. 6:37 Or “two hundred denarii” (silver coins). A denarius was the going rate for a day’s wage. This would equal nearly eight months’ wages. 6:40 There are two Greek words used for groups in this context. In v. 39 it is the Greek word symposion , which is

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used most frequently for drinking parties (rows of guests). The word prasai found in v. 40 can also mean “garden plots” or “flower beds.” Spread out over the hillside the people would have looked like flower beds, planted in green pastures, drinking in the miracle power of Jesus. See Ps. 23:2 . 6:44 Or “five thousand men.” There were women and children present as well, but it would have not been common for women and children to come by themselves. These five thousand men represented their households. This miracle is the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels. 6:45 This is Beit-Tside , which in Aramaic and Hebrew is “the fishing place.” 6:48 Seeing them from land in the dark was an obvious miracle, for evening had come and Jesus was a great distance from them while they were in the middle of the lake. Jesus sees and knows the struggles each of us go through. 6:48 Or “about the fourth watch of the night.” 6:48 To pass by them is somewhat similar to God “passing by M oses” when he was on Sinai. See Ex. 33:19, 22. 6:49–50 In both Greek and Aramaic, this reads, “I Am” (the living God), an obvious statement that Jesus is “the great I AM ” and there is nothing to be afraid of. This is the same statement God made to M oses in front of the burning bush. See also M att. 14:27 ; John 8:58 . 6:52 Or “They didn’t understand about the loaves.” That

is, they didn’t understand the lesson that the miracle was meant to teach them—that God has the power to deliver us, no matter what the limitation. Also, the miracle was that the bread multiplied in their hands, so they likewise had the power to rebuke the stormy wind and sail through to the other side, even if Jesus were to pass them. He wanted them to see things in a new light and know the authority that they now carried. The two lessons of the multiplied loaves were the following: (1) that Jesus had all power to meet every need, and (2) that the disciples carried this power with them, for the bread multiplied in their hands. They were also a part of the miracle. See also M ark 8:14–21 . The two great miracles of Israel were also duplicated here. The “crossing of the sea” and the “bread” (or “manna”) that fell from heaven. z 6:52 Or “their minds were dull” or “unwilling to learn,” or “their hearts had been hardened.” The implication is that they were unwilling to accept new information. Every miracle carries a message. aa 6:53 Apparently, they were blown off course, since they were headed for Bethsaida. Gennesaret is a plain not far from Capernaum on the northwest side of the lake. ab 6:56 Or “marketplace.” ac 6:56 The blue tassel on the corner of the prayer shawl was said to symbolize all the commandments and promises of God. See Num. 15:38–40. The Hebrew word for “fringe” or “border” (of a garment) can