Psalms 68; Psalms 69; Romans 8:1-21

1 May God rise up and scatter his enemies. May they turn and run away from him.

2 As wind blows smoke away, so may God blow them away. As fire melts wax, so may he destroy sinful people.

3 But may those who do what is right be glad and filled with joy when they are with him. May they be happy and joyful.

4 Sing to God. Sing praise to his name. Lift up a song to the One who rides on the clouds. His name is the Lord. Be glad when you are with him.

5 God is in his holy temple. He is a father to those whose fathers have died. He takes care of women whose husbands have died.

6 God gives lonely people a family. He sets prisoners free, and they go out singing. But those who refuse to obey him live in a land that is baked by the sun.

7 God, you led your people out. You marched through a dry and empty land. "Selah"

8 The ground shook when you, the God of Sinai, appeared. The heavens poured down rain when you, the God of Israel, appeared.

9 God, you gave us plenty of rain. You renewed your worn-out land.

10 God, your people settled in it. From all of your riches, you provided for those who were poor.

11 The Lord gave a message. Many people made it widely known.

12 They said, "Kings and armies are running away. In the camps, Israel's soldiers are dividing up the things they have taken from their enemies.

13 Even while the soldiers sleep near the campfires, God wins the battle for them. He gives the enemy's silver and gold to Israel, his dove."

14 The Mighty One has scattered the kings around the land. It was like snow falling on Mount Zalmon.

15 The mountains of Bashan are majestic. The mountains of Bashan are very rocky.

16 You rocky mountains are jealous of Mount Zion, aren't you? That's where God chooses to rule. That's where the LORD himself will live forever.

17 God has come with tens of thousands of his chariots. He has come with thousands and thousands of them. The Lord has come from Mount Sinai. He has entered his holy place.

18 When he went up to his place on high, he led a line of prisoners. He received gifts from people, even from those who refused to obey him. The LORD God went up to live on Mount Zion.

19 Give praise to the Lord. Give praise to God our Savior. He carries our heavy loads day after day. "Selah"

20 Our God is a God who saves. He is the King and the Lord. He saves us from death.

21 God will certainly smash the heads of his enemies. He will break the hairy heads of those who keep on sinning.

22 The Lord says, "I will bring your enemies from Bashan. I will bring them up from the bottom of the sea.

23 Then your feet can wade in their blood. The tongues of your dogs can lick up all the blood they want."

24 God, those who worship you come marching into view. My God and King, those who follow you have entered the sacred tent.

25 The singers are walking in front. Next come those who play the music. Young women playing tambourines are with them.

26 The leaders sing, "Praise God among all those who worship him. Praise the LORD in the community of Israel."

27 The little tribe of Benjamin leads the worshipers. Next comes the great crowd of Judah's princes. Then come the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.

28 God, show us your power. Show us your strength. God, do as you have done before.

29 Do it from your temple at Jerusalem, where kings will bring you gifts.

30 Give a strong warning to Egypt, that beast among the tall grass. Warn the leaders of the nations, who are like bulls among the calves. May they bow down before you with gifts of silver. Scatter the nations who like to make war.

31 Messengers will come from Egypt. The people of Cush will be quick to bring gifts to you.

32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth. Sing praise to the Lord. "Selah"

33 He rides in the age-old skies above. He thunders with his mighty voice.

34 Tell how powerful God is. He rules as king over Israel. The skies show how powerful he is.

35 How wonderful is God in his holy place! The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Give praise to God!

1 God, save me. My troubles are like a flood. I'm up to my neck in them.

2 I'm sinking in deep mud. I have no firm place to stand. I am out in deep water. The waves roll over me.

3 I'm worn out from calling for help. My throat is very dry. My eyes grow tired looking for my God.

4 Those who hate me without any reason are more than the hairs on my head. Many people who don't have any reason to be my enemies are trying to destroy me. They force me to give back what I didn't steal.

5 God, you know how foolish I've been. My guilt is not hidden from you.

6 Lord, you are the LORD who rules over all. May those who put their hope in you not be dishonored because of me. You are the God of Israel. May those who worship you not be put to shame because of me.

7 Because of you, people laugh at me. My face is covered with shame.

8 I'm a stranger to my brothers. I'm an outsider to my own mother's sons.

9 My great love for your house destroys me. Those who make fun of you make fun of me also.

10 When I sob and go without eating, they laugh at me.

11 When I put on black clothes to show how sad I am, people make jokes about me.

12 Those who gather in public places make fun of me. Those who get drunk make up songs about me.

13 But Lord, I pray to you. May this be the time you show me your favor. God, answer me because you love me so much. Save me, as you always do.

14 Save me from the trouble I'm in. It's like slippery mud. Don't let me sink in it. Save me from those who hate me. Save me from the deep water I'm in.

15 Don't let the floods cover me. Don't let the deep water swallow me up. Don't let the grave close its mouth over me.

16 Lord, answer me because your love is so good. Turn to me because you are so kind.

17 Don't turn your face away from me. Answer me quickly. I'm in trouble.

18 Come near and save me. Set me free from my enemies.

19 You know how they make fun of me. They dishonor me and put me to shame. You know all about my enemies.

20 They have broken my heart by saying evil things about me. It has left me helpless. I looked for pity, but I didn't find any. I looked for someone to comfort me, but I didn't find anyone.

21 They put bitter spices in my food. They gave me vinegar when I was thirsty.

22 Let their feast be a trap and a snare. Let my enemies get what's coming to them.

23 Let their eyes grow weak so they can't see. Let their backs be bent forever.

24 Pour out your anger on them. Let them feel its burning heat.

25 May their homes be deserted. May no one live in their tents.

26 They attack those you have wounded. They talk about the pain of those you have hurt.

27 Charge them with one crime after another. Don't save them.

28 May their names be erased from the Book of Life. Don't include them in the list of those who do right.

29 I'm in pain. I'm in deep trouble. God, save me and keep me safe.

30 I will praise God's name by singing to him. I will bring him glory by giving him thanks.

31 That will please the LORD more than offering him an ox. It will please him more than offering him a bull with its horns and hoofs.

32 Poor people will see it and be glad. The hearts of those who worship God will be strengthened.

33 The LORD hears those who are in need. He doesn't forget his people in prison.

34 Let heaven and earth praise him. Let the oceans and everything that moves in them praise him.

35 God will save Zion. He will build the cities of Judah again. Then people will live in them and own the land.

36 The children of those who serve God will receive it. Those who love him will live there.

1 Those who belong to Christ Jesus are no longer under God's sentence.

2 I am now controlled by the law of the Holy Spirit. That law gives me life because of what Christ Jesus has done. It has set me free from the law of sin that brings death.

3 The written law was made weak by our sinful nature. But God did what the written law could not do. He made his Son to be like those who have a sinful nature. He sent him to be an offering for sin. In that way, he judged sin in his Son's human body.

4 Now we can do everything the law requires. Our sinful nature no longer controls the way we live. The Holy Spirit now controls the way we live.

5 Don't live under the control of your sinful nature. If you do, you will think about what your sinful nature wants. Live under the control of the Holy Spirit. If you do, you will think about what the Spirit wants.

6 The way a sinful person thinks leads to death. But the mind controlled by the Spirit brings life and peace.

7 The sinful mind is at war with God. It does not obey God's law. It can't.

8 Those who are controlled by their sinful nature can't please God.

9 But your sinful nature does not control you. The Holy Spirit controls you. The Spirit of God lives in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Christ.

10 Christ lives in you. So your body is dead because of sin. But your spirit is alive because you have been made right with God.

11 The Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you. So the God who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your bodies, which are going to die. He will do this by the power of his Spirit, who lives in you.

12 Brothers and sisters, we have a duty. Our duty is not to live under the control of our sinful nature.

13 If you live under the control of your sinful nature, you will die. But by the power of the Holy Spirit you can put to death the sins your body commits. Then you will live.

14 Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

15 You didn't receive a spirit that makes you a slave to fear once again. Instead you received the Holy Spirit, who makes you God's child. By the Spirit's power we call God ""Abba."" "Abba" means Father.

16 The Spirit himself joins with our spirits. Together they give witness that we are God's children.

17 As his children, we will receive all that he has for us. We will share what Christ receives. But we must share in his sufferings if we want to share in his glory.

18 What we are suffering now is nothing compared with the glory that will be shown in us.

19 Everything God created looks forward to the time when his children will appear in their full and final glory.

20 The created world was bound to fail. But that was not the result of its own choice. It was planned that way by the One who made it. God planned

21 to set the created world free. He didn't want it to rot away completely. Instead, he wanted it to have the same glorious freedom that his children have.