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

Psalms 119:1-88

1 (118-1) Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.

2 (118-2) Blessed are they that search his testimonies: that seek him with their whole heart.

3 (118-3) For they that work iniquity, have not walked in his ways.

4 (118-4) Thou hast commanded thy commandments to be kept most diligently.

5 (118-5) O! that my ways may be directed to keep thy justifications.

6 (118-6) Then shall I not be confounded, when I shall look into all thy commandments.

7 (118-7) I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned the judgments of thy justice.

8 (118-8) I will keep thy justifications: O! do not thou utterly forsake me.

9 (118-9) By what doth a young man correct his way? by observing thy words.

10 (118-10) With my whole heart have I sought after thee: let me not stray from thy commandments.

11 (118-11) Thy words have I hidden in my heart, that I may not sin against thee.

12 (118-12) Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy justifications.

13 (118-13) With my lips I have pronounced all the judgments of thy mouth.

14 (118-14) I have been delighted in the way of thy testimonies, as in all riches.

15 (118-15) I will meditate on thy commandments: and I will consider thy ways.

16 (118-16) I will think of thy justifications: I will not forget thy words.

17 (118-17) Give bountifully to thy servant, enliven me: and I shall keep thy words.

18 (118-18) Open thou my eyes: and I will consider the wondrous things of thy law.

19 (118-19) I am a sojourner on the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.

20 (118-20) My soul hath coveted to long for thy justifications, at all times.

21 (118-21) Thou hast rebuked the proud: they are cursed who decline from thy commandments.

22 (118-22) Remove from me reproach and contempt: because I have sought after thy testimonies.

23 (118-23) For princes sat, and spoke against me: but thy servant was employed in thy justifications.

24 (118-24) For thy testimonies are my meditation: and thy justifications my counsel.

25 (118-25) My soul hath cleaved to the pavement: quicken thou me according to thy word.

26 (118-26) I have declared my ways, and thou hast heard me: teach me thy justifications.

27 (118-27) Make me to understand the way of thy justifications: and I shall be exercised in thy wondrous works.

28 (118-28) My soul hath slumbered through heaviness: strengthen thou me in thy words.

29 (118-29) Remove from me the way of iniquity: and out of thy law have mercy on me.

30 (118-30) I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments I have not forgotten.

31 (118-31) I have stuck to thy testimonies, O Lord: put me not to shame.

32 (118-32) I have run the way of thy commandments, when thou didst enlarge my heart.

33 (118-33) Set before me for a law the way of thy justifications, O Lord: and I will always seek after it.

34 (118-34) Give me understanding, and I will search thy law; and I will keep it with my whole heart.

35 (118-35) Lead me into the path of thy commandments; for this same I have desired.

36 (118-36) Incline my heart into thy testimonies and not to covetousness.

37 (118-37) Turn away my eyes that they may not behold vanity: quicken me in thy way.

38 (118-38) Establish thy word to thy servant, in thy fear.

39 (118-39) Turn away my reproach, which I have apprehended: for thy judgments are delightful.

40 (118-40) Behold I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy justice.

41 (118-41) Let thy mercy also come upon me, O Lord: thy salvation according to thy word.

42 (118-42) So shall I answer them that reproach me in any thing; that I have trusted in thy words.

43 (118-43) And take not thou the word of truth utterly out of my mouth: for in thy words, I have hoped exceedingly.

44 (118-44) So shall I always keep thy law, for ever and ever.

45 (118-45) And I walked at large: because I have sought after thy commandments.

46 (118-46) And I spoke of thy testimonies before kings: and I was not ashamed.

47 (118-47) I meditated also on thy commandments, which I loved.

48 (118-48) And I lifted up my hands to thy commandments, which I loved: and I was exercised in thy justifications.

49 (118-49) Be thou mindful of thy word to thy servant, in which thou hast given me hope.

50 (118-50) This hath comforted me in my humiliation: because thy word hath enlivened me.

51 (118-51) The proud did iniquitously altogether: but I declined not from thy law.

52 (118-52) I remembered, O Lord, thy judgments of old: and I was comforted.

53 (118-53) A fainting hath taken hold of me, because of the wicked that forsake thy law.

54 (118-54) Thy justifications were the subject of my song, in the place of my pilgrimage.

55 (118-55) In the night I have remembered thy name, O Lord: and have kept thy law.

56 (118-56) This happened to me: because I sought after thy justifications.

57 (118-57) O Lord, my portion, I have said, I would keep thy law.

58 (118-58) I entreated thy face with all my heart: have mercy on me according to thy word.

59 (118-59) I have thought on my ways: and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.

60 (118-60) I am ready, and am not troubled: that I may keep thy commandments.

61 (118-61) The cords of the wicked have encompassed me: but I have not forgotten thy law.

62 (118-62) I rose at midnight to give praise to thee; for the judgments of thy justification.

63 (118-63) I am a partaker with all them that fear thee, and that keep thy commandments.

64 (118-64) The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy justifications.

65 (118-65) Thou hast done well with thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word.

66 (118-66) Teach me goodness and discipline and knowledge; for I have believed thy commandments.

67 (118-67) Before I was humbled I offended; therefore have I kept thy word.

68 (118-68) Thou art good; and in thy goodness teach me thy justifications.

69 (118-69) The iniquity of the proud hath been multiplied over me: but I will seek thy commandments with my whole heart.

70 (118-70) Their heart is curdled like milk: but I have meditated on thy law.

71 (118-71) It is good for me that thou hast humbled me, that I may learn thy justifications.

72 (118-72) The law of thy mouth is good to me, above thousands of gold and silver.

73 (118-73) Thy hands have made me and formed me: give me understanding, and I will learn thy commandments.

74 (118-74) They that fear thee shall see me, and shall be glad:because I have greatly hoped in thy words.

75 (118-75) I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are equity: and in thy truth thou hast humbled me.

76 (118-76) O! let thy mercy be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.

77 (118-77) Let thy tender mercies come unto me, and I shall live: for thy law is my meditation.

78 (118-78) Let the proud be ashamed, because they have done unjustly towards me: but I will be employed in thy commandments.

79 (118-79) Let them that fear thee turn to me: and they that know thy testimonies.

80 (118-80) Let my heart be undefiled in thy justifications, that I may not be confounded.

81 (118-81) My soul hath fainted after thy salvation: and in thy word I have very much hoped.

82 (118-82) My eyes have failed for thy word, saying: When wilt thou comfort me?

83 (118-83) For I am become like a bottle in the frost: I have not forgotten thy justifications.

84 (118-84) How many are the days of thy servant: when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?

85 (118-85) The wicked have told me fables: but not as thy law.

86 (118-86) All thy statutes are truth: they have persecuted me unjustly, do thou help me.

87 (118-87) They had almost made an end of me upon earth: but I have not forsaken thy commandments.

88 (118-88) Quicken thou me according to thy mercy: and I shall keep the testimonies of thy mouth.

1 Corinthians 7:20-40

20 Let every man abide in the same calling in which he was called.

21 Wast thou called, being a bondman? Care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a bondman, is the freeman of the Lord. Likewise he that is called, being free, is the bondman of Christ.

23 You are bought with a price: be not made the bondslaves of men.

24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he was called, therein abide with God.

25 Now, concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord: but I give counsel, as having obtained mercy of the Lord, to be faithful.

26 I think therefore that this is good for the present necessity: that it is good for a man so to be.

27 Art thou bound to a wife? Seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? Seek not a wife.

28 But if thou take a wife, thou hast not sinned. And if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned: nevertheless, such shall have tribulation of the flesh. But I spare you.

29 This therefore I say, brethren: The time is short. It remaineth, that they also who have wives be as if they had none:

30 And they that weep, as though they wept not: and they that rejoice, as if they rejoiced not: and they that buy as if they possessed not:

31 And they that use this world, as if they used it not. For the fashion of this world passeth away.

32 But I would have you to be without solicitude. He that is without a wife is solicitous for the things that belong to the Lord: how he may please God.

33 But he that is with a wife is solicitous for the things of the world: how he may please his wife. And he is divided.

34 And the unmarried woman and the virgin thinketh on the things of the Lord: that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she that is married thinketh on the things of the world: how she may please her husband.

35 And this I speak for your profit, not to cast a snare upon you, but for that which is decent and which may give you power to attend upon the Lord, without impediment.

36 But if any man think that he seemeth dishonoured with regard to his virgin, for that she is above the age, and it must so be: let him do what he will. He sinneth not if she marry.

37 For he that hath determined, being steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but having power of his own will: and hath judged this in his heart, to keep his virgin, doth well.

38 Therefore both he that giveth his virgin in marriage doth well: and he that giveth her not doth better.

39 A woman is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth: but if her husband die, she is at liberty. Let her marry to whom she will: only in the Lord.

40 But more blessed shall she be, if she so remain, according to my counsel. And I think that I also have the spirit of God.