Psalms 119:1-88; 1 Corinthians 7:20-40

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Psalms 119:1-88

1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD!
2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!
4 Thou hast commanded thy precepts to be kept diligently.
5 O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping thy statutes!
6 Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all thy commandments.
7 I will praise thee with an upright heart, when I learn thy righteous ordinances.
8 I will observe thy statutes; O forsake me not utterly!
9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to thy word.
10 With my whole heart I seek thee; let me not wander from thy commandments!
11 I have laid up thy word in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.
12 Blessed be thou, O LORD; teach me thy statutes!
13 With my lips I declare all the ordinances of thy mouth.
14 In the way of thy testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on thy precepts, and fix my eyes on thy ways.
16 I will delight in thy statutes; I will not forget thy word.
17 Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live and observe thy word.
18 Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.
19 I am a sojourner on earth; hide not thy commandments from me!
20 My soul is consumed with longing for thy ordinances at all times.
21 Thou dost rebuke the insolent, accursed ones, who wander from thy commandments;
22 take away from me their scorn and contempt, for I have kept thy testimonies.
23 Even though princes sit plotting against me, thy servant will meditate on thy statutes.
24 Thy testimonies are my delight, they are my counselors.
25 My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me according to thy word!
26 When I told of my ways, thou didst answer me; teach me thy statutes!
27 Make me understand the way of thy precepts, and I will meditate on thy wondrous works.
28 My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to thy word!
29 Put false ways far from me; and graciously teach me thy law!
30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness, I set thy ordinances before me.
31 I cleave to thy testimonies, O LORD; let me not be put to shame!
32 I will run in the way of thy commandments when thou enlargest my understanding!
33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I will keep it to the end.
34 Give me understanding, that I may keep thy law and observe it with my whole heart.
35 Lead me in the path of thy commandments, for I delight in it.
36 Incline my heart to thy testimonies, and not to gain!
37 Turn my eyes from looking at vanities; and give me life in thy ways.
38 Confirm to thy servant thy promise, which is for those who fear thee.
39 Turn away the reproach which I dread; for thy ordinances are good.
40 Behold, I long for thy precepts; in thy righteousness give me life!
41 Let thy steadfast love come to me, O LORD, thy salvation according to thy promise;
42 then shall I have an answer for those who taunt me, for I trust in thy word.
43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for my hope is in thy ordinances.
44 I will keep thy law continually, for ever and ever;
45 and I shall walk at liberty, for I have sought thy precepts.
46 I will also speak of thy testimonies before kings, and shall not be put to shame;
47 for I find my delight in thy commandments, which I love.
48 I revere thy commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on thy statutes.
49 Remember thy word to thy servant, in which thou hast made me hope.
50 This is my comfort in my affliction that thy promise gives me life.
51 Godless men utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from thy law.
52 When I think of thy ordinances from of old, I take comfort, O LORD.
53 Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake thy law.
54 Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.
55 I remember thy name in the night, O LORD, and keep thy law.
56 This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept thy precepts.
57 The LORD is my portion; I promise to keep thy words.
58 I entreat thy favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to thy promise.
59 When I think of thy ways, I turn my feet to thy testimonies;
60 I hasten and do not delay to keep thy commandments.
61 Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me, I do not forget thy law.
62 At midnight I rise to praise thee, because of thy righteous ordinances.
63 I am a companion of all who fear thee, of those who keep thy precepts.
64 The earth, O LORD, is full of thy steadfast love; teach me thy statutes!
65 Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according to thy word.
66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in thy commandments.
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now I keep thy word.
68 Thou art good and doest good; teach me thy statutes.
69 The godless besmear me with lies, but with my whole heart I keep thy precepts;
70 their heart is gross like fat, but I delight in thy law.
71 It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes.
72 The law of thy mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
73 Thy hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn thy commandments.
74 Those who fear thee shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in thy word.
75 I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that in faithfulness thou hast afflicted me.
76 Let thy steadfast love be ready to comfort me according to thy promise to thy servant.
77 Let thy mercy come to me, that I may live; for thy law is my delight.
78 Let the godless be put to shame, because they have subverted me with guile; as for me, I will meditate on thy precepts.
79 Let those who fear thee turn to me, that they may know thy testimonies.
80 May my heart be blameless in thy statutes, that I may not be put to shame!
81 My soul languishes for thy salvation; I hope in thy word.
82 My eyes fail with watching for thy promise; I ask, "When wilt thou comfort me?"
83 For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, yet I have not forgotten thy statutes.
84 How long must thy servant endure? When wilt thou judge those who persecute me?
85 Godless men have dug pitfalls for me, men who do not conform to thy law.
86 All thy commandments are sure; they persecute me with falsehood; help me!
87 They have almost made an end of me on earth; but I have not forsaken thy precepts.
88 In thy steadfast love spare my life, that I may keep the testimonies of thy mouth.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

1 Corinthians 7:20-40

20 Every one should remain in the state in which he was called.
21 Were you a slave when called? Never mind. But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.
22 For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a slave of Christ.
23 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.
24 So, brethren, in whatever state each was called, there let him remain with God.
25 Now concerning the unmarried, I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy.
26 I think that in view of the present distress it is well for a person to remain as he is.
27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek marriage.
28 But if you marry, you do not sin, and if a girl marries she does not sin. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that.
29 I mean, brethren, the appointed time has grown very short; from now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none,
30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods,
31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the form of this world is passing away.
32 I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord;
33 but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife,
34 and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman or girl is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please her husband.
35 I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.
36 If any one thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry--it is no sin.
37 But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well.
38 So that he who marries his betrothed does well; and he who refrains from marriage will do better.
39 A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. If the husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.
40 But in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I have the Spirit of God.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.