Psalms 20; Psalms 21; Psalms 22; Acts 21:1-17

1 May the LORD answer you when you are in trouble. May the God of Jacob keep you safe.

2 May he send you help from the sacred tent. May he give you aid from Zion.

3 May he remember all of your sacrifices. May he accept your burnt offerings. "Selah"

4 May he give you what your heart longs for. May he make all of your plans succeed.

5 We will shout with joy when you win the battle. We will lift up our flags in the name of our God. May the LORD give you everything you ask for.

6 Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed king. He answers him from his holy heaven. The power of God's right hand saves the king.

7 Some trust in chariots. Some trust in horses. But we trust in the LORD our God.

8 They are brought to their knees and fall down. But we get up and stand firm.

9 Lord, save the king! Answer us when we call out to you!

1 Lord, the king is filled with joy because you are strong. How great is his joy because you help him win his battles!

2 You have given him what his heart longed for. You haven't kept back from him what his lips asked for. "Selah"

3 You welcomed him with rich blessings. You placed a crown of pure gold on his head.

4 He asked you for life, and you gave it to him. You promised him days that would never end.

5 His glory is great because you helped him win his battles. You have honored him with glory and majesty.

6 You have given him blessings that will last forever. You have made him glad and joyful because you are with him.

7 The king trusts in the Lord. The faithful love of the Most High God will keep the king secure.

8 You, the king, will capture all of your enemies. Your right hand will take hold of them.

9 When you appear, you will be like a flaming furnace to them. The LORD will swallow them up in his anger. His fire will burn them up.

10 You will wipe their children from the face of the earth. You will remove them from the human race.

11 Your enemies make evil plans against you. They think up evil things to do. But they can't succeed.

12 You will make them turn their backs and run away when you aim your arrows at them.

13 Lord, may you be honored because you are strong. We will sing and praise your might.

1 My God, my God, why have you deserted me? Why do you seem to be so far away when I need you to save me? Why do you seem to be so far away that you can't hear my groans?

2 My God, I cry out in the daytime. But you don't answer. I cry out at night. I can't keep quiet.

3 But you rule from your throne as the Holy One. You are the God Israel praises.

4 Our people of long ago put their trust in you. They trusted in you, and you saved them.

5 They cried out to you and were saved. They trusted in you, and you didn't let them down.

6 People treat me like a worm and not a man. They hate me and look down on me.

7 All those who see me laugh at me. They shout at me and make fun of me. They shake their heads at me.

8 They say, "He trusts in the Lord. Let the LORD help him. If the LORD is pleased with him, let him save him."

9 But you brought me out of my mother's body. You made me trust in you even when I was at my mother's breast.

10 From the time I was born, you took good care of me. Ever since I came out of my mother's body, you have been my God.

11 Don't be far away from me. Trouble is near, and there is no one to help me.

12 Many enemies are all around me. They are like strong bulls from the land of Bashan.

13 They are like roaring lions that tear to pieces what they kill. They open their mouths wide to attack me.

14 My strength is like water that is poured out on the ground. I feel as if my bones aren't connected. My heart has turned to wax. It has melted away inside me.

15 My strength is dried up like a piece of broken pottery. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You bring me down to the edge of the grave.

16 A group of sinful people has closed in on me. They are all around me like a pack of dogs. They have pierced my hands and my feet.

17 I can see all of my bones right through my skin. People stare at me. They laugh when I suffer.

18 They divide up my clothes among them. They cast lots for what I am wearing.

19 Lord, don't be so far away. You give me strength. Come quickly to help me.

20 Save me from the sword. Save the only life I have. Save me from the power of those dogs.

21 Save me from the mouths of those lions. Save me from the horns of those wild oxen.

22 I will announce your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among those who worship you.

23 You who have respect for the Lord, praise him! All you people of Jacob, honor him! All you people of Israel, worship him!

24 He has not forgotten the one who is hurting. He has not turned away from his suffering. He has not turned his face away from him. He has listened to his cry for help.

25 Because of what you have done, I will praise you in the whole community of those who worship you. In front of those who respect you, I will keep my promises.

26 Those who are poor will eat and be satisfied. Those who look to the LORD will praise him. May their hearts be filled with new hope!

27 People from one end of the earth to the other will remember and turn to the Lord. The people of all the nations will bow down before him.

28 The LORD is King. He rules over the nations.

29 All the rich people of the earth will worship God and take part in his feasts. All those who go down to the edge of the grave will fall on their knees in front of him. I'm talking about those who can hardly keep themselves alive.

30 Those who are not yet born will serve him. Those who are born later will be told about the Lord.

31 And they will tell people who have not yet been born that he has done what is right.

1 After we had torn ourselves away from the Ephesian elders, we headed out to sea. We sailed straight to Cos. The next day we went to Rhodes. From there we continued on to Patara.

2 We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia. So we went on board and headed out to sea.

3 We came near Cyprus and passed to the south of it. Then we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre. There our ship was supposed to unload.

4 We found the believers there and stayed with them for seven days. Led by the Holy Spirit, they tried to get Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.

5 But when it was time to leave, we continued on our way. All the believers and their families went with us out of the city. There on the beach we got down on our knees to pray.

6 We said good-by to each other. Then we went on board the ship. And they returned home.

7 Continuing on from Tyre, we landed at Ptolemais. There we greeted the brothers and sisters. We stayed with them for a day.

8 The next day we left and arrived at Caesarea. We stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist. He was one of the seven deacons.

9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.

10 We stayed there several days. Then a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

11 He came over to us. Then he took Paul's belt and tied his own hands and feet with it. He said, "The Holy Spirit says, 'This is how the Jews of Jerusalem will tie up the owner of this belt. They will hand him over to people who are not Jews.' "

12 When we heard this, we all begged Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.

13 He asked, "Why are you crying? Why are you breaking my heart? I'm ready to be put in prison. In fact, I'm ready to die in Jerusalem for the Lord Jesus."

14 We couldn't change his mind. So we gave up. We said, "May what the Lord wants to happen be done."

15 After this, we got ready and went up to Jerusalem.

16 Some of the believers from Caesarea went with us. They brought us to Mnason's home. We were supposed to stay there. Mnason was from Cyprus. He was one of the first believers.

17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters gave us a warm welcome.