Psalms 132; Psalms 133; Psalms 134; Psalms 135; 1 Corinthians 8

Psalms 132

1 LORD, remember David and all his self-denial.

2 He swore an oath to the LORD, he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:

3 “I will not enter my house or go to my bed,

4 I will allow no sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids,

5 till I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

6 We heard it in Ephrathah, we came upon it in the fields of Jaar:

7 “Let us go to his dwelling place, let us worship at his footstool, saying,

8 ‘Arise, LORD, and come to your resting place, you and the ark of your might.

9 May your priests be clothed with your righteousness; may your faithful people sing for joy.’ ”

10 For the sake of your servant David, do not reject your anointed one.

11 The LORD swore an oath to David, a sure oath he will not revoke: “One of your own descendants I will place on your throne.

12 If your sons keep my covenant and the statutes I teach them, then their sons will sit on your throne for ever and ever.”

13 For the LORD has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling, saying,

14 “This is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it.

15 I will bless her with abundant provisions; her poor I will satisfy with food.

16 I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her faithful people will ever sing for joy.

17 “Here I will make a horn grow for David and set up a lamp for my anointed one.

18 I will clothe his enemies with shame, but his head will be adorned with a radiant crown.”

Psalms 133

1 How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

2 It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe.

3 It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.

Psalms 134

1 Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD who minister by night in the house of the LORD.

2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the LORD.

3 May the LORD bless you from Zion, he who is the Maker of heaven and earth.

Psalms 135

1 Praise the LORD.Praise the name of the LORD; praise him, you servants of the LORD,

2 you who minister in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God.

3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant.

4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob to be his own, Israel to be his treasured possession.

5 I know that the LORD is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods.

6 The LORD does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths.

7 He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.

8 He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, the firstborn of people and animals.

9 He sent his signs and wonders into your midst, Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants.

10 He struck down many nations and killed mighty kings—

11 Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kings of Canaan—

12 and he gave their land as an inheritance, an inheritance to his people Israel.

13 Your name, LORD, endures forever, your renown, LORD, through all generations.

14 For the LORD will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants.

15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands.

16 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see.

17 They have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths.

18 Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.

19 All you Israelites, praise the LORD; house of Aaron, praise the LORD;

20 house of Levi, praise the LORD; you who fear him, praise the LORD.

21 Praise be to the LORD from Zion, to him who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise the LORD.

1 Corinthians 8

1 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.

2 Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know.

3 But whoever loves God is known by God.

4 So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.”

5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”),

6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

7 But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled.

8 But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

10 For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols?

11 So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.

12 When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.

13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.