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

1 I love the Lord, because he heard my voice. He heard my cry for his favor.

2 Because he paid attention to me, I will call out to him as long as I live.

3 The ropes of death were wrapped around me. The horrors of the grave came over me. I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.

4 Then I called out to the Lord. I cried out, "Lord, save me!"

5 The LORD is holy and kind. Our God is full of tender love.

6 The LORD takes care of those who are as helpless as children. When I was in great need, he saved me.

7 I said to myself, "Be calm. The LORD has been good to me."

8 Lord, you have saved me from death. You have dried the tears from my eyes. You have kept me from tripping and falling.

9 So now I can enjoy life here with you while I'm still living.

10 I believed in you even when I said to myself, "I'm in great pain."

11 When I was terrified, I said to myself, "No one tells the truth."

12 The LORD has been so good to me! How can I ever pay him back?

13 I will bring an offering of wine to the LORD and thank him for saving me. I will worship him.

14 In front of all of the LORD's people, I will do what I promised him.

15 The LORD pays special attention when his faithful people die.

16 Lord, I serve you. I serve you just as my mother did. You have set me free from the chains of my suffering.

17 Lord, I will sacrifice a thank offering to you. I will worship you.

18 In front of all of the LORD's people, I will do what I promised him.

19 I will keep my promise in the courtyards of the LORD's temple. I will keep my promise in Jerusalem itself. Praise the Lord.

1 All you nations, praise the Lord. All you people on earth, praise him.

2 Great is his love for us. The LORD is faithful forever. Praise the Lord.

1 Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good. His faithful love continues forever.

2 Let the people of Israel say, "His faithful love continues forever."

3 Let the priests of Aaron say, "His faithful love continues forever."

4 Let those who have respect for the LORD say, "His faithful love continues forever."

5 When I was in great pain, I cried out to the Lord. He answered me and set me free.

6 The LORD is with me. I will not be afraid. What can mere men do to me?

7 The LORD is with me. He helps me. I will win the battle over my enemies.

8 It is better to go to the LORD for safety than to trust in mere men.

9 It is better to go to the LORD for safety than to trust in human leaders.

10 The nations were all around me. But by the LORD's power I destroyed them.

11 They were around me on every side. But by the LORD's power I destroyed them.

12 They attacked me like large numbers of bees. But they died out as quickly as burning thorns. By the LORD's power I destroyed them.

13 I was pushed back. I was about to be killed. But the LORD helped me.

14 The LORD gives me strength. I sing about him. He has saved me.

15 Shouts of joy ring out in the tents of godly people. They praise him for his help in battle. They shout, "The LORD's powerful right hand has done mighty things!

16 The LORD's powerful right hand has won the battle! The LORD's powerful right hand has done mighty things!"

17 I will not die. I will live. I will talk about what the LORD has done.

18 The LORD has really punished me. But he didn't let me die.

19 Open the gates of the temple for me. I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.

20 This is the gate of the Lord. Only those who do what is right can go through it.

21 Lord, I will give thanks to you, because you answered me. You have saved me.

22 The stone the builders didn't accept has become the most important stone of all.

23 The LORD has done it. It is wonderful in our eyes.

24 The LORD has done it on this day. Let us be joyful and glad in it.

25 Lord, save us. Lord, give us success.

26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. From the temple of the LORD we bless you.

27 The LORD is God. He has made the light of his favor shine on us. Take branches in your hands. Join in the march on the day of the feast. March up to the corners of the altar.

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

29 Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good. His faithful love continues forever.

1 Now I want to deal with the things you wrote me about. Some of you say, "It is good for a man not to have sex with a woman."

2 But since there is so much sexual sin, each man should have his own wife. And each woman should have her own husband.

3 A husband should satisfy his wife's sexual needs. And a wife should satisfy her husband's sexual needs.

4 The wife's body does not belong only to her. It also belongs to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong only to him. It also belongs to his wife.

5 You shouldn't stop giving yourselves to each other except when you both agree to do so. And that should be only to give yourselves time to pray for a while. Then you should come together again. In that way, Satan will not tempt you when you can't control yourselves.

6 I say those things to you as my advice, not as a command.

7 I wish all of you were like me. But you each have your own gift from God. One has this gift. Another has that.

8 I speak to those who are not married. I also speak to widows. It is good for you to stay single like me.

9 But if you can't control yourselves, you should get married. It is better to get married than to burn with sexual longing.

10 I give a command to those who are married. It is a direct command from the Lord, not from me. A wife must not leave her husband.

11 But if she does, she must not get married again. Or she can go back to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

12 I also have something to say to everyone else. It is from me, not a direct command from the Lord. Suppose a brother has a wife who is not a believer. If she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her.

13 And suppose a woman has a husband who is not a believer. If he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.

14 The unbelieving husband has been made holy through his wife. The unbelieving wife has been made holy through her believing husband. If that were not the case, your children would not be pure and clean. But as it is, they are holy.

15 If the unbeliever leaves, let that person go. In that case, a believing man or woman does not have to stay married. God wants us to live in peace.

16 Wife, how do you know if you can save your husband? Husband, how do you know if you can save your wife?

17 But each of you should remain in the place in life that the Lord has given you. Stay as you were when God chose you. That's the rule all the churches must follow.

18 Was a man already circumcised when God chose him? Then he should not become uncircumcised. Was he uncircumcised when God chose him? Then he should not be circumcised.

19 Being circumcised means nothing. Being uncircumcised means nothing. Doing what God commands is what counts.