Psalms 116; Psalms 117; Psalms 118; 1 Corinthians 7:1-19

1 I love the LORD because he hears my voice, my pleas for mercy.

2 I will call on him as long as I live because he turns his ear toward me.

3 The ropes of death became tangled around me. The horrors of the grave took hold of me. I experienced pain and agony.

4 But I kept calling on the name of the LORD: "Please, LORD, rescue me!"

5 The LORD is merciful and righteous. Our God is compassionate.

6 The LORD protects defenseless people. When I was weak, he saved me.

7 Be at peace again, my soul, because the LORD has been good to you.

8 You saved me from death. You saved my eyes from tears [and] my feet from stumbling.

9 I will walk in the LORD's presence in this world of the living.

10 I kept my faith even when I said, "I am suffering terribly."

11 I also said when I was panic-stricken, "Everyone is undependable."

12 How can I repay the LORD for all the good that he has done for me?

13 I will take the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.

14 I will keep my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.

15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful ones.

16 O LORD, I am indeed your servant. I am your servant, the son of your female servant. You have freed me from my chains.

17 I will bring a song of thanksgiving to you as a sacrifice. I will call on the name of the LORD.

18 I will keep my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people,

19 in the courtyards of the LORD's house, in the middle of Jerusalem. Hallelujah!

1 Praise the LORD, all you nations! Praise him, all you people of the world!

2 His mercy toward us is powerful. The LORD's faithfulness endures forever. Hallelujah!

1 Give thanks to the LORD because he is good, because his mercy endures forever.

2 Israel should say, "His mercy endures forever."

3 The descendants of Aaron should say, "His mercy endures forever."

4 Those who fear the LORD should say, "His mercy endures forever."

5 During times of trouble I called on the LORD. The LORD answered me [and] set me free [from all of them].

6 The LORD is on my side. I am not afraid. What can mortals do to me?

7 The LORD is on my side as my helper. I will see [the defeat of] those who hate me.

8 It is better to depend on the LORD than to trust mortals.

9 It is better to depend on the LORD than to trust influential people.

10 All the nations surrounded me, [but armed] with the name of the LORD, I defeated them.

11 They surrounded me. Yes, they surrounded me, [but armed] with the name of the LORD, I defeated them.

12 They swarmed around me like bees, but they were extinguished like burning thornbushes. [So armed] with the name of the LORD, I defeated them.

13 They pushed hard to make me fall, but the LORD helped me.

14 The LORD is my strength and my song. He is my savior.

15 The sound of joyful singing and victory is heard in the tents of righteous people. The right hand of the LORD displays strength.

16 The right hand of the LORD is held high. The right hand of the LORD displays strength.

17 I will not die, but I will live and tell what the LORD has done.

18 The LORD disciplined me severely, but he did not allow me to be killed.

19 Open the gates of righteousness for me. I will go through them [and] give thanks to the LORD.

20 This is the gate of the LORD through which righteous people will enter.

21 I give thanks to you, because you have answered me. You are my savior.

22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

23 The LORD is responsible for this, and it is amazing for us to see.

24 This is the day the LORD has made. Let's rejoice and be glad today!

25 We beg you, O LORD, save us! We beg you, O LORD, give us success!

26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD. We bless you from the LORD's house.

27 The LORD is God, and he has given us light. March in a festival procession with branches to the horns of the altar.

28 You are my God, and I give thanks to you. My God, I honor you highly.

29 Give thanks to the LORD because he is good, because his mercy endures forever.

1 Now, concerning the things that you wrote about: It's good for men not to get married.

2 But in order to avoid sexual sins, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.

3 Husbands and wives should satisfy each other's [sexual] needs.

4 A wife doesn't have authority over her own body, but her husband does. In the same way, a husband doesn't have authority over his own body, but his wife does.

5 Don't withhold yourselves from each other unless you agree to do so for a set time to devote yourselves to prayer. Then you should get back together so that Satan doesn't use your lack of self-control to tempt you.

6 What I have just said is not meant as a command but as a suggestion.

7 I would like everyone to be like me. However, each person has a special gift from God, and these gifts vary from person to person.

8 I say to those who are not married, especially to widows: It is good for you to stay single like me.

9 However, if you cannot control your desires, you should get married. It is better for you to marry than to burn [with sexual desire].

10 I pass this command along (not really I, but the Lord): A wife shouldn't leave her husband.

11 If she does, she should stay single or make up with her husband. Likewise, a husband should not divorce his wife.

12 I (not the Lord) say to the rest of you: If any Christian man is married to a woman who is an unbeliever, and she is willing to live with him, he should not divorce her.

13 If any Christian woman is married to a man who is an unbeliever, and he is willing to live with her, she should not divorce her husband.

14 Actually, the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and an unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise, their children would be unacceptable [to God], but now they are acceptable to him.

15 But if the unbelieving partners leave, let them go. Under these circumstances a Christian man or Christian woman is not bound [by a marriage vow]. God has called you to live in peace.

16 How do you as a wife know whether you will save your husband? How do you as a husband know whether you will save your wife?

17 Everyone should live the life that the Lord gave him when God called him. This is the guideline I use in every church.

18 Any man who was already circumcised when he was called to be a Christian shouldn't undo his circumcision. Any man who was uncircumcised when he was called to be a Christian shouldn't get circumcised.

19 Circumcision is nothing, and the lack of it is nothing. But keeping what God commands is everything.