Through the Bible – Day 231

Bible text(s)

Psalms 143

(A psalm by David.)

A prayer in time of danger

₁Listen, LORD, as I pray!

You are faithful and honest

and will answer my prayer.

₂I am your servant.

Don't try me in your court,

because no one is innocent

by your standards.

₃My enemies are chasing me,

crushing me in the ground.

I am in total darkness,

like someone long dead.

₄I have given up all hope,

and I feel numb all over.

₅I remember to think about

the many things you did

in years gone by.

₆Then I lift my hands in prayer,

because my soul is a desert,

thirsty for water from you.

₇Please hurry, LORD,

and answer my prayer.

I feel hopeless.

Don't turn away

and leave me here to die.

₈Each morning let me learn

more about your love

because I trust you.

I come to you in prayer,

asking for your guidance.

₉Please rescue me

from my enemies, LORD!

I come to you for safety.

₁₀You are my God. Show me

what you want me to do,

and let your gentle Spirit

lead me in the right path.

₁₁Be true to your name, LORD,

and keep my life safe.

Use your saving power

to protect me from trouble.

₁₂I am your servant.

Show how much you love me

by destroying my enemies.

Psalms 144

(By David.)

A prayer for the nation

₁I praise you, LORD!

You are my mighty rock,

and you teach me

how to fight my battles.

₂You are my friend,

and you are my fortress

where I am safe.

You are my shield,

and you made me the ruler

of our people.

₃Why do we humans mean anything

to you, our LORD?

Why do you care about us?

₄We disappear like a breath;

we last no longer

than a faint shadow.

₅Open the heavens like a curtain

and come down, LORD.

Touch the mountains

and make them send up smoke.

₆Use your lightning as arrows

to scatter my enemies

and make them run away.

₇Reach down from heaven

and set me free.

Save me from the mighty flood

₈of those lying foreigners

who can't tell the truth.

₉In praise of you, our God,

I will sing a new song,

while playing my harp.

₁₀By your power, kings win wars,

and your servant David is saved

from deadly swords.

₁₁Won't you keep me safe

from those lying foreigners

who can't tell the truth?

₁₂Let's pray that our young sons

will grow like strong plants

and that our daughters

will be as lovely as columns

in the corner of a palace.

₁₃May our barns be filled

with all kinds of crops.

May our fields be covered

with sheep by the thousands,

₁₄and every cow have calves.

Don't let our city be captured

or any of us be taken away,

and don't let cries of sorrow

be heard in our streets.

₁₅Our LORD and our God,

you give these blessings

to all who worship you.

Psalms 145

(By David for praise.)

The LORD is kind and merciful

₁I will praise you,

my God and King,

and always honour your name.

₂I will praise you each day

and always honour your name.

₃You are wonderful, LORD,

and you deserve all praise,

because you are much greater

than anyone can understand.

₄Each generation will announce

to the next your wonderful

and powerful deeds.

₅I will keep thinking about

your marvellous glory

and your mighty miracles.

₆Everyone will talk about

your fearsome deeds,

and I will tell all nations

how great you are.

₇They will celebrate and sing

about your matchless mercy

and your power to save.

₈You are merciful, LORD!

You are kind and patient

and always loving.

₉You are good to everyone,

and you take care

of all your creation.

₁₀All creation will thank you,

and your loyal people

will praise you.

₁₁They will tell about

your marvellous kingdom

and your power.

₁₂Then everyone will know about

the mighty things you do

and your glorious kingdom.

₁₃Your kingdom will never end,

and you will rule for ever.

Our LORD, you keep your word

and do everything you say.

₁₄When someone stumbles or falls,

you give a helping hand.

₁₅Everyone depends on you,

and when the time is right,

you provide them with food.

₁₆By your own hand you satisfy

the desires of all who live.

₁₇Our LORD, everything you do

is kind and thoughtful,

₁₈and you are near to everyone

whose prayers are sincere.

₁₉You satisfy the desires

of all your worshippers,

and you come to save them

when they ask for help.

₂₀You take care of everyone

who loves you,

but you destroy the wicked.

₂₁I will praise you, LORD,

and everyone will respect

your holy name for ever.

Psalms 143:1-145:21CEVOpen in Bible reader

1 Corinthians 2

Telling about Christ and the cross

₁Friends, when I came and told you the mystery that God had shared with us, I didn't use big words or try to sound wise. ₂In fact, while I was with you, I made up my mind to speak only about Jesus Christ, who had been nailed to a cross.

₃At first, I was weak and trembling with fear. ₄When I talked with you or preached, I didn't try to prove anything by sounding wise. I simply let God's Spirit show his power. ₅That way you would have faith because of God's power and not because of human wisdom.

₆We do use wisdom when speaking to people who are mature in their faith. But it isn't the wisdom of this world or of its rulers, who will soon disappear. ₇We speak of God's hidden and mysterious wisdom that God decided to use for our glory long before the world began. ₈The rulers of this world didn't know anything about this wisdom. If they had known about it, they would not have nailed the glorious Lord to a cross. ₉But it is just as the Scriptures say,

“What God has planned

for people who love him

is more than eyes have seen

or ears have heard.

It has never even

entered our minds!”

₁₀God's Spirit has shown you everything. His Spirit finds out everything, even what is deep in the mind of God. ₁₁You are the only one who knows what is in your own mind, and God's Spirit is the only one who knows what is in God's mind. ₁₂But God has given us his Spirit. That's why we don't think the same way that the people of this world think. That's also why we can recognize the blessings that God has given us.

₁₃Every word we speak was taught to us by God's Spirit, not by human wisdom. And this same Spirit helps us teach spiritual things to spiritual people. ₁₄That's why only someone who has God's Spirit can understand spiritual blessings. Anyone who doesn't have God's Spirit thinks these blessings are foolish. ₁₅People who are guided by the Spirit can make all kinds of judgments, but they cannot be judged by others. ₁₆The Scriptures ask,

“Has anyone ever known

the thoughts of the Lord

or given him advice?”

But we understand what Christ is thinking.

1 Corinthians 2:1-16CEVOpen in Bible reader