Psalms 84; Psalms 85; Psalms 86; Romans 12

1 How lovely is your dwelling place, LORD of heavenly forces!

2 My very being longs, even yearns, for the LORD's courtyards. My heart and my body will rejoice out loud to the living God!

3 Yes, the sparrow too has found a home there; the swallow has found herself a nest where she can lay her young beside your altars, LORD of heavenly forces, my king, my God!

4 Those who live in your house are truly happy; they praise you constantly. Selah

5 Those who put their strength in you are truly happy; pilgrimage is in their hearts.

6 As they pass through the Baca Valley, they make it a spring of water. Yes, the early rain covers it with blessings.

7 They go from strength to strength, until they see the supreme God in Zion.

8 LORD God of heavenly forces, hear my prayer; listen closely, Jacob's God! Selah

9 Look at our shield, God; pay close attention to the face of your anointed one!

10 Better is a single day in your courtyards than a thousand days anywhere else! I would prefer to stand outside the entrance of my God's house than live comfortably in the tents of the wicked!

11 The LORD is a sun and shield; God is favor and glory. The LORD gives—doesn't withhold!—good things to those who walk with integrity.

12 LORD of heavenly forces, those who trust in you are truly happy!

1 LORD, you've been kind to your land; you've changed Jacob's circumstances for the better.

2 You've forgiven your people's wrongdoing; you've covered all their sins. Selah

3 You've stopped being furious; you've turned away from your burning anger.

4 You, the God who can save us, restore us! Stop being angry with us!

5 Will you be mad at us forever? Will you prolong your anger from one generation to the next?

6 Won't you bring us back to life again so that your people can rejoice in you?

7 Show us your faithful love, LORD! Give us your salvation!

8 Let me hear what the LORD God says, because he speaks peace to his people and to his faithful ones. Don't let them return to foolish ways.

9 God's salvation is very close to those who honor him so that his glory can live in our land.

10 Faithful love and truth have met; righteousness and peace have kissed.

11 Truth springs up from the ground; righteousness gazes down from heaven.

12 Yes, the LORD gives what is good, and our land yields its produce.

13 Righteousness walks before God, making a road for his steps.

1 LORD, listen closely to me and answer me, because I am poor and in need.

2 Guard my life because I am faithful. Save your servant who trusts in you—you! My God!

3 Have mercy on me, Lord, because I cry out to you all day long.

4 Make your servant's life happy again because, my Lord, I offer my life to you,

5 because, my Lord, you are good and forgiving, full of faithful love for all those who cry out to you.

6 Listen closely to my prayer, LORD; pay close attention to the sound of my requests for mercy.

7 Whenever I am in trouble, I cry out to you, because you will answer me.

8 My Lord! There is no one like youamong the gods! There is nothing that can compare to your works!

9 All the nations that you've made will come and bow down before you, Lord; they will glorify your name,

10 because you are awesome and a wonder-worker. You are God. Just you.

11 Teach me your way, LORD, so that I can walk in your truth. Make my heart focused only on honoring your name.

12 I give thanks to you, my Lord, my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify your name forever,

13 because your faithful love toward me is awesome and because you've rescued my life from the lowest part of hell.

14 The arrogant rise up against me, God. A gang of violent people want me dead. They don't give a thought for you.

15 But you, my Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy; you are very patient and full of faithful love.

16 Come back to me! Have mercy on me! Give your servant your strength; save this child of your servant!

17 Show me a sign of your goodness so that those who hate me will see it and be put to shame— show a sign that you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

1 So, brothers and sisters, because of God's mercies, I encourage you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God. This is your appropriate priestly service.

2 Don't be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God's will is—what is good and pleasing and mature.

3 Because of the grace that God gave me, I can say to each one of you: don't think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. Instead, be reasonable since God has measured out a portion of faith to each one of you.

4 We have many parts in one body, but the parts don't all have the same function.

5 In the same way, though there are many of us, we are one body in Christ, and individually we belong to each other.

6 We have different gifts that are consistent with God's grace that has been given to us. If your gift is prophecy, you should prophesy in proportion to your faith.

7 If your gift is service, devote yourself to serving. If your gift is teaching, devote yourself to teaching.

8 If your gift is encouragement, devote yourself to encouraging. The one giving should do it with no strings attached. The leader should lead with passion. The one showing mercy should be cheerful.

9 Love should be shown without pretending. Hate evil, and hold on to what is good.

10 Love each other like the members of your family. Be the best at showing honor to each other.

11 Don't hesitate to be enthusiastic—be on fire in the Spirit as you serve the Lord!

12 Be happy in your hope, stand your ground when you're in trouble, and devote yourselves to prayer.

13 Contribute to the needs of God's people, and welcome strangers into your home.

14 Bless people who harass you—bless and don't curse them.

15 Be happy with those who are happy, and cry with those who are crying.

16 Consider everyone as equal, and don't think that you're better than anyone else. Instead, associate with people who have no status. Don't think that you're so smart.

17 Don't pay back anyone for their evil actions with evil actions, but show respect for what everyone else believes is good.

18 If possible, to the best of your ability, live at peace with all people.

19 Don't try to get revenge for yourselves, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath. It is written, Revenge belongs to me; I will pay it back, says the Lord.

20 Instead, If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. By doing this, you will pile burning coals of fire upon his head.

21 Don't be defeated by evil, but defeat evil with good.