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

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Psalms 119:1-88

1 Blessed are those whose lives have integrity, those who follow the teachings of the LORD.
2 Blessed are those who obey his written instructions. They wholeheartedly search for him.
3 They do nothing wrong. They follow his directions.
4 You have commanded that your guiding principles be carefully followed.
5 I pray that my ways may become firmly established so that I can obey your laws.
6 Then I will never feel ashamed when I study all your commandments.
7 I will give thanks to you as I learn your regulations, which are based on your righteousness.
8 I will obey your laws. Never abandon me.
9 How can a young person keep his life pure? [He can do it] by holding on to your word.
10 I wholeheartedly searched for you. Do not let me wander away from your commandments.
11 I have treasured your promise in my heart so that I may not sin against you.
12 Thanks be to you, O LORD. Teach me your laws.
13 With my lips I have repeated every regulation that [comes] from your mouth.
14 I find joy in the way [shown by] your written instructions more than I find joy in all kinds of riches.
15 I want to reflect on your guiding principles and study your ways.
16 Your laws make me happy. I never forget your word.
17 Be kind to me so that I may live and hold on to your word.
18 Uncover my eyes so that I may see the miraculous things in your teachings.
19 I am a foreigner in this world. Do not hide your commandments from me.
20 My soul is overwhelmed with endless longing for your regulations.
21 You threaten arrogant people, who are condemned and wander away from your commandments.
22 Remove the insults and contempt that have fallen on me because I have obeyed your written instructions.
23 Even though influential people plot against me, I reflect on your laws.
24 Indeed, your written instructions make me happy. They are my best friends.
25 I am close to death. Give me a new life as you promised.
26 I told you what I have done, and you answered me. Teach me your laws.
27 Help me understand your guiding principles so that I may reflect on your miracles.
28 I am drowning in tears. Strengthen me as you promised.
29 Turn me away from a life of lies. Graciously provide me with your teachings.
30 I have chosen a life of faithfulness. I have set your regulations in front of me.
31 I have clung tightly to your written instructions. O LORD, do not let me be put to shame.
32 I will eagerly pursue your commandments because you continue to increase my understanding.
33 Teach me, O LORD, how to live by your laws, and I will obey them to the end.
34 Help me understand so that I can follow your teachings. I will guard them with all my heart.
35 Lead me on the path of your commandments, because I am happy with them.
36 Direct my heart toward your written instructions rather than getting rich in underhanded ways.
37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things. Give me a new life in your ways.
38 Keep your promise to me so that I can fear you.
39 Take away insults, which I dread, because your regulations are good.
40 I long for your guiding principles. Give me a new life in your righteousness.
41 Let your blessings reach me, O LORD. Save me as you promised.
42 Then I will have an answer for the one who insults me since I trust your word.
43 Do not take so much as a single word of truth from my mouth. My hope is based on your regulations.
44 I will follow your teachings forever and ever.
45 I will walk around freely because I sought out your guiding principles.
46 I will speak about your written instructions in the presence of kings and not feel ashamed.
47 Your commandments, which I love, make me happy.
48 I lift my hands [in prayer] because of your commandments, which I love. I will reflect on your laws.
49 Remember the word [you gave] me. Through it you gave me hope.
50 This is my comfort in my misery: Your promise gave me a new life.
51 Arrogant people have mocked me with cruelty, yet I have not turned away from your teachings.
52 I remembered your regulations from long ago, O LORD, and I found comfort [in them].
53 I am burning with anger because of wicked people, who abandon your teachings.
54 Your laws have become like psalms to me in this place where I am only a foreigner.
55 At night I remember your name, O LORD, and I follow your teachings.
56 This has happened to me because I have obeyed your guiding principles.
57 You are my inheritance, O LORD. I promised to hold on to your words.
58 With all my heart I want to win your favor. Be kind to me as you promised.
59 I have thought about my life, and I have directed my feet back to your written instructions.
60 Without any hesitation I hurry to obey your commandments.
61 [Though] the ropes of wicked people are tied around me, I never forget your teachings.
62 At midnight I wake up to give thanks to you for the regulations, which are based on your righteousness.
63 I am a friend to everyone who fears you and to everyone who follows your guiding principles.
64 Your mercy, O LORD, fills the earth. Teach me your laws.
65 You have treated me well, O LORD, as you promised.
66 Teach me [to use] good judgment and knowledge, because I believe in your commandments.
67 Before you made me suffer, I used to wander off, but now I hold on to your word.
68 You are good, and you do good things. Teach me your laws.
69 Arrogant people have smeared me with lies, [yet] I obey your guiding principles with all my heart.
70 Their hearts are cold and insensitive, [yet] I am happy with your teachings.
71 It was good that I had to suffer in order to learn your laws.
72 The teachings [that come] from your mouth are worth more to me than thousands in gold or silver.
73 Your hands created me and made me what I am. Help me understand so that I may learn your commandments.
74 Those who fear you will see me and rejoice, because my hope is based on your word.
75 I know that your regulations are fair, O LORD, and that you were right to make me suffer.
76 Let your mercy comfort me as you promised.
77 Let your compassion reach me so that I may live, because your teachings make me happy.
78 Let arrogant people be put to shame because they lied about me, [yet] I reflect on your guiding principles.
79 Let those who fear you turn to me so that they can come to know your written instructions.
80 Let my heart be filled with integrity in regard to your laws so that I will not be put to shame.
81 My soul is weak from waiting for you to save me. My hope is based on your word.
82 My eyes have become strained from looking for your promise. I ask, "When will you comfort me?"
83 Although I have become like a shriveled and dried out wineskin, I have not forgotten your laws.
84 What is left of my life? When will you bring those who persecute me to justice?
85 Arrogant people have dug pits to trap me in defiance of your teachings.
86 (All your commandments are reliable.) Those people persecute me with lies. Help me!
87 They almost wiped me off [the face of] the earth. But I did not abandon your guiding principles.
88 Give me a new life through your mercy so that I may obey the written instructions, [which came] from your mouth.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

1 Corinthians 7:20-40

20 All people should stay as they were when they were called.
21 Were you a slave when you were called? That shouldn't bother you. However, if you have a chance to become free, take it.
22 If the Lord called you when you were a slave, you are the Lord's free person. In the same way, if you were free when you were called, you are Christ's slave.
23 You were bought for a price. Don't become anyone's slaves.
24 Brothers and sisters, you should remain in whatever circumstances you were in when God called you. God is with you in those circumstances.
25 Concerning virgins: Even though I don't have any command from the Lord, I'll give you my opinion. I'm a person to whom the Lord has shown mercy, so I can be trusted.
26 Because of the present crisis I believe it is good for people to remain as they are.
27 Do you have a wife? Don't seek a divorce. Are you divorced from your wife? Don't look for another one.
28 But if you do get married, you have not sinned. If a virgin gets married, she has not sinned. However, these people will have trouble, and I would like to spare them from that.
29 This is what I mean, brothers and sisters: The time has been shortened. While it lasts, those who are married should live as though they were not.
30 Those who have eyes filled with tears should live as though they have no sorrow. Those who are happy should live as though there was nothing to be happy about. Those who buy something should live as though they didn't own it.
31 Those who use the things in this world should do so but not depend on them. It is clear that this world in its present form is passing away.
32 So I don't want you to have any concerns. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, [that is,] about how he can please the Lord.
33 But the married man is concerned about earthly things, [that is,] about how he can please his wife.
34 His attention is divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the Lord's things so that she may be holy in body and in spirit. But the married woman is concerned about earthly things, [that is,] about how she can please her husband.
35 I'm saying this for your benefit, not to restrict you. I'm showing you how to live a noble life of devotion to the Lord without being distracted by other things.
36 No father would want to do the wrong thing when his virgin daughter is old enough to get married. If she wants to get married, he isn't sinning by letting her get married.
37 However, a father may have come to a decision about his daughter. If his decision is to keep her [at home] because she doesn't want to get married, that's fine.
38 So it's fine for a father to give his daughter in marriage, but the father who doesn't give his daughter in marriage does even better.
39 A married woman must remain with her husband as long as he lives. If her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but only if the man is a Christian.
40 However, she will be more blessed if she stays as she is. That is my opinion, and I think that I, too, have God's Spirit.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.