Psalms 116; Psalms 117; Psalms 118; 1 Corinthians 7:1-19

1 I love the LORD because he hears my requests for mercy.

2 I'll call out to him as long as I live, because he listens closely to me.

3 Death's ropes bound me; the distress of the grave found me— I came face-to-face with trouble and grief.

4 So I called on the LORD's name: "LORD, please save me!"

5 The LORD is merciful and righteous; our God is compassionate.

6 The LORD protects simple folk; he saves me whenever I am brought down.

7 I tell myself, You can be at peace again, because the LORD has been good to you.

8 You, God, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, and my foot from stumbling,

9 so I'll walk before the LORD in the land of the living.

10 I have remained faithful, even when I said, "I am suffering so badly!"

11 even when I said, out of fear, "Everyone is a liar!"

12 What can I give back to the LORD for all the good things he has done for me?

13 I'll lift up the cup of salvation. I'll call on the LORD's name.

14 I'll keep the promises I made to the LORD in the presence of all God's people.

15 The death of the LORD's faithful is a costly loss in his eyes.

16 Oh yes, LORD, I am definitely your servant! I am your servant and the son of your female servant— you've freed me from my chains.

17 So I'll offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to you, and I'll call on the LORD's name.

18 I'll keep the promises I made to the LORD in the presence of all God's people,

19 in the courtyards of the LORD's house, which is in the center of Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!

1 Praise the LORD, all you nations! Worship him, all you peoples!

2 Because God's faithful love toward us is strong, the LORD's faithfulness lasts forever! Praise the LORD!

1 Give thanks to the LORD because he is good, because his faithful love lasts forever.

2 Let Israel say it: "God's faithful love lasts forever!"

3 Let the house of Aaron say it: "God's faithful love lasts forever!"

4 Let those who honor the LORD say it: "God's faithful love lasts forever!"

5 In tight circumstances, I cried out to the LORD. The LORD answered me with wide-open spaces.

6 The LORD is for me—I won't be afraid. What can anyone do to me?

7 The LORD is for me—as my helper. I look in victory on those who hate me.

8 It's far better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust any human.

9 It's far better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust any human leader.

10 All the nations surrounded me, but I cut them down in the LORD's name.

11 Yes, they surrounded me on every single side, but I cut them down in the LORD's name.

12 They surrounded me like bees, but they were extinguished like burning thorns. I cut them down in the LORD's name!

13 I was pushed so hard I nearly died, but the LORD helped me.

14 The LORD was my strength and protection; he was my saving help!

15 The sounds of joyful songs and deliverance are heard in the tents of the righteous: "The LORD's strong hand is victorious!

16 The LORD's strong hand is ready to strike! The LORD's strong hand is victorious!"

17 I won't die—no, I will live and declare what the LORD has done.

18 Yes, the LORD definitely disciplined me, but he didn't hand me over to death.

19 Open the gates of righteousness for me so I can come in and give thanks to the LORD!

20 This is the LORD's gate; those who are righteous enter through it.

21 I thank you because you answered me, because you were my saving help.

22 The stone rejected by the builders is now the main foundation stone!

23 This has happened because of the LORD; it is astounding in our sight!

24 This is the day the LORD acted; we will rejoice and celebrate in it!

25 LORD, please save us! LORD, please let us succeed!

26 The one who enters in the LORD's name is blessed; we bless all of you from the LORD's house.

27 The LORD is God! He has shined a light on us! So lead the festival offering with ropes all the way to the horns of the altar.

28 You are my God—I will give thanks to you! You are my God—I will lift you up high!

29 Give thanks to the LORD because he is good, because his faithful love lasts forever.

1 Now, about what you wrote: "It's good for a man not to have sex with a woman."

2 Each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband because of sexual immorality.

3 The husband should meet his wife's sexual needs, and the wife should do the same for her husband.

4 The wife doesn't have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise, the husband doesn't have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

5 Don't refuse to meet each other's needs unless you both agree for a short period of time to devote yourselves to prayer. Then come back together again so that Satan might not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

6 I'm saying this to give you permission; it's not a command.

7 I wish all people were like me, but each has a particular gift from God: one has this gift, and another has that one.

8 I'm telling those who are single and widows that it's good for them to stay single like me.

9 But if they can't control themselves, they should get married, because it's better to marry than to burn with passion.

10 I'm passing on the Lord's command to those who are married: A wife shouldn't leave her husband,

11 but if she does leave him, then she should stay single or be reconciled to her husband. And a man shouldn't divorce his wife.

12 I'm telling everyone else (the Lord didn't say this specifically): If a believer has a wife who doesn't believe, and she agrees to live with him, then he shouldn't divorce her.

13 If a woman has a husband who doesn't believe and he agrees to live with her, then she shouldn't divorce him.

14 The husband who doesn't believe belongs to God because of his wife, and the wife who doesn't believe belongs to God because of her husband. Otherwise, your children would be contaminated by the world, but now they are spiritually set apart.

15 But if a spouse who doesn't believe chooses to leave, then let them leave. The brother or sister isn't tied down in these circumstances. God has called you to peace.

16 How do you know as a wife if you will save your husband? Or how do you know as a husband if you will save your wife?

17 Nevertheless, each person should live the kind of life that the Lord assigned when he called each one. This is what I teach in all the churches.

18 If someone was circumcised when called, he shouldn't try to reverse it. If someone wasn't circumcised when he was called, he shouldn't be circumcised.

19 Circumcision is nothing; not being circumcised is nothing. What matters is keeping God's commandments.