Psalms 140; Psalms 141; Psalms 142; 1 Corinthians 14:1-20

Psalms 140

1 Rescue me, Lord, from evil men. Keep me safe from violent men

2 who plan evil in their hearts. They stir up wars all day long.

3 They make their tongues as sharp as a snake's bite; viper's venom is under their lips. Selah

4 Protect me, Lord, from the clutches of the wicked. Keep me safe from violent men who plan to make me stumble.

5 The proud hide a trap with ropes for me; they spread a net along the path and set snares for me. Selah

6 I say to the Lord, "You are my God." Listen, Lord, to my cry for help.

7 Lord God , my strong Savior, You shield my head on the day of battle.

8 Lord, do not grant the desires of the wicked; do not let them achieve their goals. [Otherwise,] they will become proud. Selah

9 As for the heads of those who surround me, let the trouble their lips cause overwhelm [them].

10 Let hot coals fall on them. Let them be thrown into the fire, into the abyss, never again to rise.

11 Do not let a slanderer stay in the land. Let evil relentlessly hunt down a violent man.

12 I know that the Lord upholds the just cause of the poor, justice for the needy.

13 Surely the righteous will praise Your name; the upright will live in Your presence.

Psalms 141

1 Lord, I call on You; hurry to [help] me. Listen to my voice when I call on You.

2 May my prayer be set before You as incense, the raising of my hands as the evening offering.

3 Lord, set up a guard for my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.

4 Do not let my heart turn to any evil thing or wickedly perform reckless acts with men who commit sin. Do not let me feast on their delicacies.

5 Let the righteous one strike me- it is [an act of] faithful love; let him rebuke me- it is oil for my head; let me not refuse it. Even now my prayer is against the evil acts of the wicked.

6 When their rulers will be thrown off the sides of a cliff, the people will listen to my words, for they are pleasing.

7 As when one plows and breaks up the soil, [turning up rocks], so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of Sheol.

8 But my eyes [look] to You, Lord God . I seek refuge in You; do not let me die.

9 Protect me from the trap they have set for me, and from the snares of evildoers.

10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass [safely] by.

Psalms 142

1 I cry aloud to the Lord; I plead aloud to the Lord for mercy.

2 I pour out my complaint before Him; I reveal my trouble to Him.

3 Although my spirit is weak within me, You know my way. Along this path I travel they have hidden a trap for me.

4 Look to the right and see: no one stands up for me; there is no refuge for me; no one cares about me.

5 I cry to You, Lord; I say, "You are my shelter, my portion in the land of the living."

6 Listen to my cry, for I am very weak. Rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me.

7 Free me from prison so that I can praise Your name. The righteous will gather around me because You deal generously with me.

1 Corinthians 14:1-20

1 Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, and above all that you may prophesy.

2 For the person who speaks in [another] language is not speaking to men but to God, since no one understands him; however, he speaks mysteries in the Spirit.

3 But the person who prophesies speaks to people for edification, encouragement, and consolation.

4 The person who speaks in [another] language builds himself up, but he who prophesies builds up the church.

5 I wish all of you spoke in other languages, but even more that you prophesied. The person who prophesies is greater than the person who speaks in languages, unless he interprets so that the church may be built up.

6 But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in [other] languages, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you with a revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?

7 Even inanimate things producing sounds-whether flute or harp-if they don't make a distinction in the notes, how will what is played on the flute or harp be recognized?

8 In fact, if the trumpet makes an unclear sound, who will prepare for battle?

9 In the same way, unless you use your tongue for intelligible speech, how will what is spoken be known? For you will be speaking into the air.

10 There are doubtless many different kinds of languages in the world, and all have meaning.

11 Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner = in Eng a barbarian. To a Gk, a barbaros was anyone who did not speak Gk. to the speaker, and the speaker will be a foreigner to me.

12 So also you-since you are zealous in matters of the spirit, seek to excel in building up the church.

13 Therefore the person who speaks in [another] language should pray that he can interpret.

14 For if I pray in [another] language, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

15 What then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with my understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with my understanding.

16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will the uninformed person say "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying?

17 For you may very well be giving thanks, but the other person is not being built up.

18 I thank God that I speak in [other] languages more than all of you;

19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, in order to teach others also, than 10,000 words in [another] language.

20 Brothers, don't be childish in your thinking, but be infants in evil and adult in your thinking.