Psalms 143; Psalms 144; Psalms 145; 1 Corinthians 14:21-40

1 Lord, hear my prayer; listen to my cry for mercy. Answer me because you are loyal and good.

2 Don't judge me, your servant, because no one alive is right before you.

3 My enemies are chasing me; they crushed me to the ground. They made me live in darkness like those long dead.

4 I am afraid; my courage is gone.

5 I remember what happened long ago; I consider everything you have done. I think about all you have made.

6 I lift my hands to you in prayer. As a dry land needs rain, I thirst for you. Selah

7 Lord, answer me quickly, because I am getting weak. Don't turn away from me, or I will be like those who are dead.

8 Tell me in the morning about your love, because I trust you. Show me what I should do, because my prayers go up to you.

9 Lord, save me from my enemies; I hide in you.

10 Teach me to do what you want, because you are my God. lead me on level ground.

11 Lord, let me live so people will praise you. In your goodness save me from my troubles.

12 In your love defeat my enemies. Destroy all those who trouble me, because I am your servant. Of David.

1 Praise the Lord, my Rock, who trains me for war, who trains me for battle.

2 He protects me like a strong, walled city, and he loves me. He is my defender and my Savior, my shield and my protection. He helps me keep my people under control.

3 Lord, why are people important to you? Why do you even think about human beings?

4 People are like a breath; their lives are like passing shadows.

5 Lord, tear open the sky and come down. Touch the mountains so they will smoke.

6 Send the lightning and scatter my enemies. Shoot your arrows and force them away.

7 Reach down from above. Save me and rescue me out of this sea of enemies, from these foreigners.

8 They are liars; they are dishonest.

9 God, I will sing a new song to you; I will play to you on the ten-stringed harp.

10 You give victory to kings. You save your servant David from cruel swords.

11 Save me, rescue me from these foreigners. They are liars; they are dishonest.

12 Let our sons in their youth grow like plants. Let our daughters be like the decorated stones in the Temple.

13 Let our barns be filled with crops of all kinds. Let our sheep in the fields have thousands and tens of thousands of lambs.

14 Let our cattle be strong. Let no one break in. Let there be no war, no screams in our streets.

15 Happy are those who are like this; happy are the people whose God is the Lord. A psalm of praise. Of David.

1 I praise your greatness, my God the King; I will praise you forever and ever.

2 I will praise you every day; I will praise you forever and ever.

3 The Lord is great and worthy of our praise; no one can understand how great he is.

4 Parents will tell their children what you have done. They will retell your mighty acts,

5 wonderful majesty, and glory. And I will think about your miracles.

6 They will tell about the amazing things you do, and I will tell how great you are.

7 They will remember your great goodness and will sing about your fairness.

8 The Lord is kind and shows mercy. He does not become angry quickly but is full of love.

9 The Lord is good to everyone; he is merciful to all he has made.

10 Lord, everything you have made will praise you; those who belong to you will bless you.

11 They will tell about the glory of your kingdom and will speak about your power.

12 Then everyone will know the mighty things you do and the glory and majesty of your kingdom.

13 Your kingdom will go on and on, and you will rule forever. The Lord will keep all his promises; he is loyal to all he has made.

14 The Lord helps those who have been defeated and takes care of those who are in trouble.

15 All living things look to you for food, and you give it to them at the right time.

16 You open your hand, and you satisfy all living things.

17 Everything the Lord does is right. He is loyal to all he has made.

18 The Lord is close to everyone who prays to him, to all who truly pray to him.

19 He gives those who respect him what they want. He listens when they cry, and he saves them.

20 The Lord protects everyone who loves him, but he will destroy the wicked.

21 I will praise the Lord. Let everyone praise his holy name forever.

21 It is written in the Scriptures: "With people who use strange words and foreign languages I will speak to these people. But even then they will not listen to me," says the Lord.

22 So the gift of speaking in different kinds of languages is a proof for those who do not believe, not for those who do believe. And prophecy is for people who believe, not for those who do not believe.

23 Suppose the whole church meets together and everyone speaks in different languages. If some people come in who do not understand or do not believe, they will say you are crazy.

24 But suppose everyone is prophesying and some people come in who do not believe or do not understand. If everyone is prophesying, their sin will be shown to them, and they will be judged by all that they hear.

25 The secret things in their hearts will be made known. So they will bow down and worship God saying, "Truly, God is with you."

26 So, brothers and sisters, what should you do? When you meet together, one person has a song, and another has a teaching. Another has a new truth from God. Another speaks in a different language, and another person interprets that language. The purpose of all these things should be to help the church grow strong.

27 When you meet together, if anyone speaks in a different language, it should be only two, or not more than three, who speak. They should speak one after the other, and someone else should interpret.

28 But if there is no interpreter, then those who speak in a different language should be quiet in the church meeting. They should speak only to themselves and to God.

29 Only two or three prophets should speak, and the others should judge what they say.

30 If a message from God comes to another person who is sitting, the first speaker should stop.

31 You can all prophesy one after the other. In this way all the people can be taught and encouraged.

32 The spirits of prophets are under the control of the prophets themselves.

33 God is not a God of confusion but a God of peace. As is true in all the churches of God's people,

34 women should keep quiet in the church meetings. They are not allowed to speak, but they must yield to this rule as the law says.

35 If they want to learn something, they should ask their own husbands at home. It is shameful for a woman to speak in the church meeting.

36 Did God's teaching come from you? Or are you the only ones to whom it has come?

37 Those who think they are prophets or spiritual persons should understand that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command.

38 Those who ignore this will be ignored by God.

39 So my brothers and sisters, you should truly want to prophesy. But do not stop people from using the gift of speaking in different kinds of languages.

40 But let everything be done in a right and orderly way.