Psalms 129; Psalms 130; Psalms 131; 1 Corinthians 11:1-16

1 Israel, tell us how your enemies have persecuted you ever since you were young.

2 "Ever since I was young, my enemies have persecuted me cruelly, but they have not overcome me.

3 They cut deep wounds in my back and made it like a plowed field.

4 But the Lord, the righteous one, has freed me from slavery."

5 May everyone who hates Zion be defeated and driven back.

6 May they all be like grass growing on the housetops, which dries up before it can grow;

7 no one gathers it up or carries it away in bundles.

8 No one who passes by will say, "May the Lord bless you! We bless you in the name of the Lord."

1 From the depths of my despair I call to you, Lord.

2 Hear my cry, O Lord; listen to my call for help!

3 If you kept a record of our sins, who could escape being condemned?

4 But you forgive us, so that we should stand in awe of you.

5 I wait eagerly for the Lord's help, and in his word I trust.

6 I wait for the Lord more eagerly than sentries wait for the dawn - than sentries wait for the dawn.

7 Israel, trust in the Lord, because his love is constant and he is always willing to save.

8 He will save his people Israel from all their sins.

1 Lord, I have given up my pride and turned away from my arrogance. I am not concerned with great matters or with subjects too difficult for me.

2 Instead, I am content and at peace. As a child lies quietly in its mother's arms, so my heart is quiet within me.

3 Israel, trust in the Lord now and forever!

1 Imitate me, then, just as I imitate Christ.

2 I praise you because you always remember me and follow the teachings that I have handed on to you.

3 But I want you to understand that Christ is supreme over every man, the husband is supreme over his wife, and God is supreme over Christ.

4 So a man who prays or proclaims God's message in public worship with his head covered disgraces Christ.

5 And any woman who prays or proclaims God's message in public worship with nothing on her head disgraces her husband; there is no difference between her and a woman whose head has been shaved.

6 If the woman does not cover her head, she might as well cut her hair. And since it is a shameful thing for a woman to shave her head or cut her hair, she should cover her head.

7 A man has no need to cover his head, because he reflects the image and glory of God. But woman reflects the glory of man;

8 for man was not created from woman, but woman from man.

9 Nor was man created for woman's sake, but woman was created for man's sake.

10 On account of the angels, then, a woman should have a covering over her head to show that she is under her husband's authority.

11 In our life in the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.

12 For as woman was made from man, in the same way man is born of woman; and it is God who brings everything into existence.

13 Judge for yourselves whether it is proper for a woman to pray to God in public worship with nothing on her head.

14 Why, nature itself teaches you that long hair on a man is a disgrace,

15 but on a woman it is a thing of beauty. Her long hair has been given her to serve as a covering.

16 But if anyone wants to argue about it, all I have to say is that neither we nor the churches of God have any other custom in worship.